NHTSA lists 19 complaints for the 2001 Mercedes-Benz SLK, 0 of them mention a crash and 0 mention a fire. 1 complaints mention an injury, with 4 injuries and 0 deaths reported.
Data build 2026-10-10.
NHTSA lists this vehicle as MERCEDES BENZ SLK.
At a glance
Complaints
19
With crash
0
With fire
0
With injury (complaints)
1
Injuries
4
Deaths
0
Recalls
2
Do not drive recalls
0
Park outside recalls
0
Recall potential units (maximum)
69,278
Investigations
3
Open investigations
0
Manufacturer communications
3
Complaints per 100k sold unavailable. No sales source is available for this record.
Where the complaints are
Top systems
System
Complaints
Share of this vehicle's complaints
VISIBILITY
6
31.6%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
3
15.8%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
2
10.5%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
2
10.5%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
2
10.5%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
2
10.5%
EQUIPMENT
1
5.3%
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
1
5.3%
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
1
5.3%
POWER TRAIN
1
5.3%
Top subsystems
System
Subsystem
Complaints
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
12V/24V/48V BATTERY
1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
ENGINE
1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
1
POWER TRAIN
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
1
STEERING
LINKAGES
1
VISIBILITY
REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES
1
One complaint can name several systems, so shares can add to more than 100 percent.
Model-generated complaint tags: This model year has not been tagged.
Defect: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, FAILURE OF ONE OF THE SIDE BRAKE LIGHTS CAN OCCUR. THE BASE OF THE SOCKET CAN BE SUBJECT TO THERMAL DEFORMATION OVER TIME. (excerpt)
Consequence: THIS DEFORMATION CAN CAUSE MOVEMENT IN THE SOCKET-TO-BULB CONNECTION, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A LOOSENING OF THE ELECTRICAL CONTACTS IN THE SOCKET, AND FAILURE OF THE BULB TO ILLUMINATE. (excerpt)
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR LAMP MODULES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2006, TO APPROXIMATELY 8,200 OWNERS. PHASE II MAILING IS SCHEDULE ON OR ABOUT NOVEMBER 3, 2006, AND PHASE III MAILING IS SCHEDULE FOR JANUARY 2007 FOR THE REMAINING OWNERS. OWNERS OF VEHICLES WITH THE UPDATED TRIM (POST-FACE LIFT) WILL GET AN INTERIM NOTICE DURING NOVEMBER 2006, ASKING THEM TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT (excerpt)
Defect: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THE OWNER'S MANUAL DOES NOT CONTAIN THE PROPER HEADLAMP AIMING INSTRUCTIONS.
Consequence: THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.
Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH HEADLAMP AIMING INSTRUCTIONS, AND DIRECTIONS FOR AFFIXING THESE INSERTS TO THE OPERATOR'S MANUAL. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 15, 2002. OWNERS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE INSTRUCTIONS WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-201-573-0117.
Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.
Investigations
3 investigations; 0 open.
DP05007
Opened: 2005-11-07. Closed: 2006-03-27.
TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION
THE PETITIONER ALLEGES THAT COFFEE FROM A CUP, PLACED IN THE CUP HOLDER, SPILLED ONTO THE GEAR SHIFTER AND SHUT DOWN THE VEHICLE?S ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE CONCERN RAISED BY THE PETITIONER WAS INVESTIGATED (SQ01-010) AND WAS CLOSED AFTER ODI CONCLUDED THAT THE FACTS DID NOT DEMONSTRATE A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT.ODI HAS SUBSEQUENTLY RECEIVED NINE MORE COMPLAINTS ALLEGING FLUID CONTAMINATION OF T
Systems: POWER TRAIN.
Linked campaign numbers: None listed.
PE05051
Opened: 2005-09-22. Closed: 2005-12-02.
BRAKE LAMP FAILURE
IN ITS LETTER DATED OCTOBER 28, 2005, MERCEDES-BENZ USA STATED THAT IT WOULD CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL TO REMEDY DEFECTIVE BRAKE LAMP ASSEMBLIES IN MODEL YEAR 1998 THROUGH 2004 MERCEDES BENZ SLK VEHICLES.THE BASE OF THE BRAKE LAMP SOCKET CAN BE SUBJECT TO THERMAL DEFORMATION OVER TIME.THIS DEFORMATION CAN CAUSE MOVEMENT IN THE SOCKET-TO-BULB CONNECTION, WHICH MAY LEAD TO A LOOSENING OF THE ELECTRICA
Date: 2009-06-15. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC.
MERCEDES: CORROSION PROTECTION COATINGS FOR BRAKE COMPONENTS AND HARDWARE MAY BE DAMAGED AND OR STRIPPED AWAY IF HIGHLY CONCENTRATED ACID BASED CLEANERS ARE USED. ONCE THE CORROSION PROTECTION IS DAMAGED OR REMOVED THE BRAKE COMPONENTS AND OR HARDWARE CAN BEGIN TO CORRODE. INCLUDE ALL MODELS AN
10022893
Date: 2008-04-24. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING.
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON / FAULT CODES FC1200 / FC1208 STORED IN ME-SFI CONTROL UNIT. MERCEDES-BENZ MODEL C230, C280, C350, SLK280, SLK350, CLK350, CLK550, E350, E550, CLS550, S600, AND SL550. EQUIPPED WITH M272 ENGINE OR M273 ENGINE. *NJ UPDATED 8/28/08. *PE
621570
Date: 2001-05-22. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL.
ON SOME VEHICLES, UPON RELEASE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND / OR APPLICATION OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THERE IS A 1-2 SECOND DELAY UNTIL THE ACTUATOR MOVES TO THE NEW ACCELERATOR PEDAL INPUT POSITION. THIS DELAY IS INTEGRATED IN THE ENGINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AS A SAFETY FEATURE AND IS NOT SUBJECT TO MOD
Notes on this record
Complaints from the API and bulk file are merged and deduplicated by ODI number; the API alone misses records.
System and subsystem counts are numbers of distinct complaints, recalls or communications that name them. One record can name several systems, so shares across systems can add to more than 100 percent; a single share never exceeds 100 percent.
Recalls are counted once per campaign, investigations once per action and manufacturer communications once per NHTSA id, even when NHTSA lists several model names for the same record.
A sales denominator is a calendar-year proxy, not the population of vehicles still in use. Rates are copied from verified pipeline output.