The Used Car Index

2001 Mercedes-Benz SLK230 problems

NHTSA lists 31 complaints for the 2001 Mercedes-Benz SLK230, 1 of them mention a crash and 0 mention a fire. 0 complaints mention an injury, with 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported.

Data build 2026-10-10.

NHTSA lists this vehicle as MERCEDES BENZ SLK230.

At a glance

Complaints
31
With crash
1
With fire
0
With injury (complaints)
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
0
Recalls
0
Do not drive recalls
0
Park outside recalls
0
Recall potential units (maximum)
Unavailable
Investigations
1
Open investigations
0
Manufacturer communications
25

Complaints per 100k sold unavailable. No sales source is available for this record.

Where the complaints are

Top systems
SystemComplaintsShare of this vehicle's complaints
EXTERIOR LIGHTING1032.3%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)722.6%
VISIBILITY619.4%
SERVICE BRAKES412.9%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL39.7%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER26.5%
AIR BAGS13.2%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM13.2%
ENGINE13.2%
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE13.2%
Top subsystems
SystemSubsystemComplaints
EXTERIOR LIGHTINGBRAKE LIGHTS7
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROLACCELERATOR PEDAL2
AIR BAGSFRONTAL1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMWIRING1
EXTERIOR LIGHTINGHEADLIGHTS1
EXTERIOR LIGHTINGTAIL LIGHTS1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINEDELIVERY1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP1
VISIBILITYPOWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS1
VISIBILITYREARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES1

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.

Recalls

See new recalls and investigations this week.

0 recalls.

Investigations

1 investigations; 0 open.

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

Systems: EXTERIOR LIGHTING.

Linked campaign numbers: 05V505000.

Manufacturer communications

25 manufacturer communications.

Communications by system
SystemCount
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM6
EXTERIOR LIGHTING5
EQUIPMENT3
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING2
POWER TRAIN2
SEATS2
STRUCTURE2
ENGINE1

11019018

Date: 2025-05-21. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: POWER TRAIN.

Complaint Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end). The clunk is heard once when changing from forward to reverse (and vice versa). Note: Sound file in attachment Cause If the complaint is eliminated by experimentally loosening the out

11017496

Date: 2025-04-28. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: EXTERIOR LIGHTING.

Complaint Headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged Cause Fogging of the headlamps is a natural phenomenon, which can occur under certain climatic conditions. It does not lead to any technical impairment of the headlamp. Remedy NOTE: If a pressure compensation diaphragm is fitted in the housing cover

11017500

Date: 2025-04-28. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: EXTERIOR LIGHTING.

Complaint Headlamps leaking or fogged Cause The fogging of the headlamp is a natural phenomenon which can occur under certain climatic conditions. In contrast to a leaky headlamp, physical fogging does not result in a technical impairment of the headlamp. A leak test must be performed to determine i

11017039

Date: 2025-04-01. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ENGINE.

Complaint Vehicle with atypical reduced heat output. Cause Silicate granulate may have escaped from a damaged bag in the expansion reservoir (not visible), reducing the coolant flow in the heater heat exchanger (see picture). Remedy With the aforementioned complaint, make sure that the cooling circu

11015640

Date: 2025-03-05. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

Complaint During a phone call, the called party has difficulty understanding/cannot understand the driver, or interference/background noises are audible to the called party during a call. It becomes increasingly difficult to understand as the speed rises. Cause A. Seating of the microphones in the h

11013332

Date: 2025-01-15. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: POWER TRAIN.

Complaint 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 outboar

11009122

Date: 2024-10-23. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: STRUCTURE, VISIBILITY/WIPER.

Complaint Washer fluid system leaks Cause Various possible causes: 1. Washer fluid reservoir itself. 2. Seal on washer fluid pump/washer fluid reservoir. 3. Washer fluid pump. 3.1. Distributor housing leaks. 3.2. Pump fitting leaks. 3.3. Washer fluid hose cannot be snapped into place on pump fitting

11008091

Date: 2024-09-28. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

Complaint During a phone call, the called party has difficulty understanding/cannot understand the driver, or interference/background noises are audible to the called party during a call. It becomes increasingly difficult to understand as the speed rises. Cause A. Seating of the microphones in the h

11007974

Date: 2024-09-21. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: EXTERIOR LIGHTING.

Complaint Headlamps leaking or fogged Cause The fogging of the headlamp is a natural phenomenon which can occur under certain climatic conditions. In contrast to a leaky headlamp, physical fogging does not result in a technical impairment of the headlamp. A leak test must be performed to determine i

11007753

Date: 2024-09-10. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: EXTERIOR LIGHTING.

Complaint Headlamp or front fog lamp leaky or fogged Cause Fogging of the headlamps is a natural phenomenon, which can occur under certain climatic conditions. It does not lead to any technical impairment of the headlamp. Headlamps comply with all applicable standards. If a pressure compensation dia

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.

Other names NHTSA uses

None listed.

Matched NHTSA models

Matched labels and complaints
NHTSA model labelComplaints
SLK23031

Same model, other years

All model years | All Mercedes-Benz models

Other Mercedes-Benz models, 2001

Sources

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