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Mercedes-Benz SLK350Model year report

2005 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 Problems

Complaints
21filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
54,426miles, 10 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
19 mpgcombined, 3.5L 6-cyl RWD · 17 city / 23 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 21 consumer complaints for the 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLK350. The part named most often is other or unknown, with 6 complaints (29% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain (6) and brakes (5). 10 of the complaints include a mileage, and 40% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 54,426 miles. Of all complaints, 2 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 4 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 59 technical service bulletins for this model year. Transmission and drivetrain complaints overlap with 4 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Body and structure (1), Vehicle speed control (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1).

Example complaints

Other or unknown: “The emergency brake line caught fire underneath the arm rest compartment. Traced the line back to rear tires and nothing electrical could be seen touching brake cable line. So no obvious reason why cable would ignite. I was parked in car port stall after a short trip to a friends house.”

NHTSA complaint #11047045, filed 2017-11, 160,000 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “First incident I was driving down a mountain (malibu canyon road) around 10:30pm and the automatic transmission went out of gear by itself and I had no forward control. The engine revved but the transmission was not engaged. I was going downhill but it took me awhile to find a place to pull off the road. There was no cellphone service in that location so I waited for a few minutes to flag someone down. No one came by so I restarted my car and was able to get it back into gear. …”

NHTSA complaint #10482114, filed 2012-10, 45,000 miles

Brakes: “Ignition switches inadvertently turn from run to accessory position while car is driven and I have to restart the car to keep going. I woke up to read in the newspaper today (2/28/2014) that there is a recall on the GM faulted ignition deaths and the same exact problem described is in my car and still exists in this vehicle. I love this car but it scares me. I told the local new car dealership on this and they said it would cost about $2,000.00 to fix it and I should wait till it gets worse before fixing it. …”

NHTSA complaint #10566444, filed 2014-02, 35,000 miles

Suspension: “Rear subframe rusting from the inside out. Due to poor design, there is an arch that holds water in and the water can't get out causing it rust from the inside out. Searching mercedes online forums, this seems like a problem lots of people problem and mercedes denies this problem. I haven't had an accident yet, but it seems like it if I don't replace it. …”

NHTSA complaint #11307869, filed 2020-02

Mileage when problems were reported

40% of the 10 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 35,000 and 76,000 miles.

0%0–1010%10–2530%25–5030%50–7510%75–1000%100–15020%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (10 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 54,426 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: rising. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.

’07’11’14’17’20’235’25
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
SLK350 RWD3.5L 6-cyl7-speed automatic172319$4,350
SLK350 RWD3.5L 6-cyl6-speed manual162319$4,350

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 59 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 59 bulletins →

Other model years of the Mercedes-Benz SLK350

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20121222,6880—23—Not enough data
20071345,0001—19—Not enough data
20061047,1690—19—Not enough data
20052154,4260—19—Rising

All Mercedes-Benz SLK350 model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 have?

NHTSA recorded 21 consumer complaints for the 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 is reported most often?

Other or unknown is named most often, in 6 complaints (29% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain with 6.

Has the 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 get?

The EPA rates the 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 (SLK350, 3.5L 6-cyl) at 19 mpg combined, 17 city and 23 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,350 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 reported?

Among the 10 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 54,426 miles and the middle half falls between 35,000 and 76,000 miles; 40% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.