What Mercedes-Benz SLC owners have reported to NHTSA, the service bulletins the manufacturer sent dealers, and any federal defect investigations, by model year. See Mercedes-Benz SLC safety recalls or check your VIN.
Complaints owners filed with NHTSA, by the model year of the vehicle. A high count can also mean a popular year, so compare it with how many were sold.
| Year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injured | Deaths | TSBs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78 |
| 2019 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 82 |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 84 |
| 2017 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 73 |
The vehicle systems named most often in Mercedes-Benz SLC complaints (one complaint can name several).
In the owners’ own words, as filed with NHTSA. Unverified reports; NHTSA removes personal details before publishing.
The check engine light is on in my 2019 SLC (only 42K miles) and the car is emitting a lot of smoke from the exhaust pipe and it is hesitating while driving it. I almost got rear ended. I took it to the dealership and the fault code comes back as: P052E71 - The valve crankcase ventilation has a malfunction. The actuator is blocked. I searched online and this appears to be a very common and expensive issue on all Mercedes models. It goes out often in them and the dealer says it is NOT covered under the MB warranty. As it is an emissions issue, I understand that my car will not pass smog check without it and I reside in California where it has to pass smog inspection to register it. Even after…
TWO KEY SAFETY SYSTEM WARNINGS ARE NOT DETECTIBLE UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS: 1) STEERING WHEEL SHAKE IF YOU DRIFT OUT OF LANE IS NOT FELT DRIVING UNDER NORMAL HIGHWAY CONDITIONS. 2) AUDIBLE ALARM IF YOU ACTIVATE THE TURN SIGNAL WITH A CAR IN YOUR BLIND SPOT CAN NOT BE HEARD OVER THE NOISE OF THE AIR CONDITIONER OR RADIO UNDER NORMAL VOLUME. I HAD 3 MEMBERS OF THE DEALERSHIP TECH/SERVICE DEPARTMENT TEST DRIVE THE CAR AND ALL AGREED THAT THE PROBLEM IS AS I DESCRIBED. HOWEVER THEY ALSO SAID "THAT'S THE WAY IT IS" AND THERE IS NO FIX.
Repair instructions and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about known issues. A TSB is not a recall, and the repair is usually free only while the car is under warranty; ask your dealer for the bulletin number.
Complaint Customer complaints relating to automatic transmission 725.0 (NAG3 Classic / 9GâTRONIC automatic transmission) and 725.1 (NAG3 facelift/9GâTRONIC automatic transmission facelift) For faster, more effective and more targeted diagnosis, Intelligent Predictive Repair (IPR) has been developed and integrated into XENTRY Diagnosis. This ensures an automated diagnosis process. Cause As part of the onâgoing quality monitoring process and associated quality and damaged part appraisals, a high number of ineffective repairs have been discovered. Such ineffective repairs have a negative im
Complaint Noises/ squealing from the service brake in various driving situations and ambient conditions. Cause Frictional vibrations Remedy The intent of this document is to reduce noise from high performance AMG brakes. AMG brakes are designed for performance under high load and in certain scenarios, can emit noise. Some scenarios are normal and some are induced by driving style like those listed below: ⢠Driving style such as two footed driving where the pad might be in constant contact with the rotor. ⢠Brake pressure and application style (stopâandâgo traffic with consistent light
Complaint During part of the steering movement, it feels heavier or more difficult to steer in the same spot every time. OR Rattling, humming, dry sliding/gravel noise from the electric steering system when steering (see attachment). Complaint does not impact the ability to safely steer or control the vehicle. Cause Ball screw drive (KGT) of electric steering damaged by: 1. External force due to: â Hitting the curb/posts with the front wheels. â Driving over obstacles (e.g. pothole/ threshold/ speed bump/ gully) at an inappropriate speed. 2. Corrosion/ water ingress through a damaged bo
Complaint Clanking noise from the area of the speakers in the doors. Cause Under analysis. Remedy To narrow down the cause, first of all remove the door trim. ⢠If the noise continues to occur even with the door trim removed, then continue the diagnosis working towards the speaker and if necessary, create a TIPS case with an informative video as an attachment. Information: Please refer to this document in the warranty claim and, after completing diagnosis, select the damage code corresponding to the component part that caused the problem. ⢠If the noise stops when the door trim is removed,
Complaint This document is intended as a pre-case diagnostic reference for transmission related concerns. It will also ensure that if a case is necessary, all supporting documentation is available. This should not be used on its own as justification for creating a TIPS case. Cause The root cause will vary depending on the complaint. The goal of this document is to provide diagnostic checks and procedures that may help resolve customer complaints without opening a TIPS case. Remedy Before opening a transmission-related TIPS case, the following steps must be performed to ensure all relevant data
Complaint Mercedes-Benz USA is currently experiencing limited availability of transmission fluid specification ATF 236.17 due to a global supply constraint. 236.17 ATF 1L and 5L (PNs: A002989060312 and A002989060313) bottles are out of stock or in limited supply at Zep. This LI has been created with the following intention: - Provide dealers with additional workshop-focused guidance regarding the current ATF 236.17 supply constraint and the planned introduction of ATF 236.18. - Supplement existing communications and address common workshop questions related to maintenance, repairs, and fluid a
Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end). The noise is heard once in each instance when changing direction of travel. Note: Sound file in attachment Cause If the complaint is eliminated by experimentally loosening the outboard collar nut (by 1 turn), the problem is due to cracking of the microweld between the wheel bearing inner race and the joint housing of the side shaft. Note: The collar nut must always be replaced after being loosened. See also LI33.20-P-078406 Remedy Coat contact surface of side shaft with wheel bearing with
Complaint After successful commissioning of the HERMES control unit (N112/9) with XENTRY Diagnosis DVD 03/2026, the message "SOS - service not activated" appears on the instrument cluster. In addition, the following two conditions are also met: ⢠HERMES (N112/9) control unit: event code B15CE00 is ACTIVE and STORED (A+S) ⢠Vehicle Documentation System: For the HERMES control unit, the EID1, EID2, ICCID, IMEI, IMSI, TELNR fields in the "Identification/Serial number" column have the value "-" Cause Still under analysis Remedy Recommission the HERMES control unit (N112/9) with XENTRY Diagnosi
Complaint The customer requests deactivation of the N112/9 HERMES communication module Note: Deactivation of the HERMES control unit (N112/9) is not supported for gray-market vehicles. Cause Before deactivating the HERMES control unit (N112/9), it must be clarified by the legal department of the respective MPC whether and under what conditions deactivation may be carried out. If deactivation is not permissible under applicable law, the HERMES control unit (N112/9) must not be deactivated. Remedy Please inform the customer that, following deactivation, the vehicle will no longer be able to plac
Dear Mercedes-Benz USA Dealers, The part numbers listed in the chart below should no longer be installed, and any existing stock must be returned to your facing PDC. The deadline for all dealer returns is no later than Thursday, June 11, 2026. After June 11th, returns of these parts will no longer be accepted. These parts should be returned via ZSR Special Return, using item category SCM Authorized Part Return. Please include a copy of this NCU as your authorization to return these parts. This procedure will not affect your return allowance. All returned parts will be replaced in accordance wi
Complaint There are several types of complaint about noises or poor windshield wiper wiping performance: A: Wiper blades squeaking, chattering, shuddering B: The windshield is not wiped completely (streaking) C: During the downward movement water is pulled back onto the windshield from the A-pillar (Figure 1) D: After windshield cleaning, water keeps spraying onto the windshield for several wipe cycles (Figure 2) A1: The windshield and wiper blades are contaminated with residues from car washing facilities, identifiable by the water beading. The resulting differences in the friction values bet
Complaint Noises at the front axle when cornering or maneuvering (video files attached) Note: Save video files locally and play them with Windows Media Player. Cause Driving with summer tires in combination with low outside temperatures. At low outside temperatures or in wet conditions, a noise may be produced at the outer wheel on the front axle while maneuvering with sharp steering angles. Note: AMG vehicles with 4MATIC of model series 217 (without code 494) and model series 222 have a modified axle geometry compared with series production vehicles to provide more sporty handling. The proble
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opens these when complaints point to a possible safety defect. Many end in a recall.
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 20
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation public data (complaints, manufacturer communications, investigations), model years 2010 and later. Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA.
In complaints filed with NHTSA for model years 2017–2020, owners most often name: electrical system, engine, fuel/propulsion system. 3 complaints are on record.
No. A complaint is an unverified report from an owner. A technical service bulletin (TSB) is the manufacturer telling dealers how to fix a known issue; it is not a safety recall and is usually covered only under warranty. A recall is a formal safety action, and its repair is free.
File a vehicle safety complaint at NHTSA.gov. NHTSA reads every report, and patterns of complaints are what open defect investigations and, eventually, recalls.
