Mercedes-Benz SLK Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 65 consumer complaints across the 5 model years of the Mercedes-Benz SLK (1999–2005) that have at least 5 complaints. 2002 has the most, with 25. Across all years, the part named most often is visibility (18 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All SLK model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 6 | 6,000 | 1 | 8 | — | Not enough data |
| 2003 | 9 | 74,000 | 1 | 2 | — | Not enough data |
| 2002 | 25 | 33,139 | 2 | 2 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2001 | 19 | 56,500 | 2 | 2 | — | Stable |
| 1999 | 6 | 70,000 | 1 | 2 | — | Not enough data |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)18 27%
- Electrical system12 18%
- Exterior lighting11 16%
- Transmission and drivetrain6 9.0%
- Brakes6 9.0%
- Vehicle speed control5 7.5%
- Engine cooling5 7.5%
- Electronic stability control4 6.0%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2003: “Mercedes with 23,000 ignition switch will not turn. I reported the issue of intermittent problem to dealer and attempted to have it resolved while under extended warranty period. The dealer said it had not failed. Well, the warranty is gone and the failing part failed. It is expensive and appears to be a known issue based on my discussion with other owners and complaints here.”
NHTSA complaint #10325738, filed 2010-04, 23,000 miles2002: “I bought a SLK 320 2002 model and while driving the right side brakes so violently the tires squeal, I am afraid to get on an interstate, and reading a lot of reviews I see I am not the only one. This is a tremendous safety concern.”
NHTSA complaint #10348604, filed 2010-08, 87,000 miles2001: “The engine died while I was driving in traffic. I managed to coast to a corner and get off the main street. After repeated attempts, the engine restarted and ran normally, only to die in traffic again about 5 minutes later.”
NHTSA complaint #10336658, filed 2010-06, 30,000 milesOther Mercedes-Benz models
3,963 complaintsMercedes-Benz E350
2,215 complaintsMercedes-Benz E320
1,164 complaintsMercedes-Benz ML350
952 complaintsMercedes-Benz GLK350
901 complaintsMercedes-Benz ML320
740 complaintsMercedes-Benz C250
725 complaintsMercedes-Benz GLC 300
657 complaints
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology