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2001 Mercedes Benz SLK320

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 19 of 26 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Service Brakes. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electronic Stability Control (esc). Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

26 reports
98,000 miles · Jun 13, 2013
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service BrakesVehicle Speed Control

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH ALONG A STRAIGHT PAVED ROAD UNDER CLEAR CONDITIONS, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE SUDDENLY LOCKED. THERE WAS A LOUD SCREECH FROM THE TIRE. THE CAR IMMEDIATELY FISHTAILED AND SWUNG THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE INTO THE ONCOMING LANE AND DIRECTED THE CAR TOWARDS THE SIDEWALK WHERE PEDESTRIANS WERE WALKING. …

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WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH ALONG A STRAIGHT PAVED ROAD UNDER CLEAR CONDITIONS, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE SUDDENLY LOCKED. THERE WAS A LOUD SCREECH FROM THE TIRE. THE CAR IMMEDIATELY FISHTAILED AND SWUNG THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE INTO THE ONCOMING LANE AND DIRECTED THE CAR TOWARDS THE SIDEWALK WHERE PEDESTRIANS WERE WALKING. THANKFULLY, I WAS NOT TRAVELING FAST! AFTER SOME RESEARCH, THIS SEEMS TO BE AN VERY DANGEROUS, YET RELATIVELY COMMON, ISSUE WITH MERCEDES. DESPITE THE COMPLAINTS, A NHTSA INVESTIGATION INTO THE FAULTY YAW SENSOR (TURN RATE SENSOR) WAS ABANDONED. PLEASE REOPEN THE CASE AS THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10519700

105,000 miles · May 11, 2012
Service Brakes

THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE CAME ON FOR A FEW SECONDS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10458158

110,000 miles · May 2, 2012
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHILE DRIVING ON A STRAIGHT, SMOOTH PAVED ROAD, THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE SUDDENLY LOCKED HARD ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE CAR TO SUDDENLY JERK TO THE RIGHT AND CAUSED THE TIRE TO SKID. I DID NOT HAVE MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AT ALL. IMMEDIATELY THE VEHICLE'S ESV DASH LIGHT CAME ON. HAD I NOT HAD A FIRM GRIP ON THE STEERING WHEEL TO H…

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WHILE DRIVING ON A STRAIGHT, SMOOTH PAVED ROAD, THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE SUDDENLY LOCKED HARD ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE CAR TO SUDDENLY JERK TO THE RIGHT AND CAUSED THE TIRE TO SKID. I DID NOT HAVE MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AT ALL. IMMEDIATELY THE VEHICLE'S ESV DASH LIGHT CAME ON. HAD I NOT HAD A FIRM GRIP ON THE STEERING WHEEL TO HOLD THE CAR IN THE ROAD, THE CAR WOULD HAVE LEFT THE ROADWAY. THIS IS A VERY SCARY AND DANGEROUS DEFECT. WHILE READING POSTS IN ONLINE FORUMS, SEVERAL PEOPLE WITH THESE CARS ARE HAVING SIMILAR EXPERIENCES. BELOW IS A LINK TO ONE SUCH SIGHT FOR YOU TO RESEARCH. HTTP://WWW.SLKWORLD.COM/SLK-R170-GENERAL-DISCUSSION/10071-2001-SLK-320-SUDDENLY-BRAKES-BAS-ESP-LIGHT-COMES.HTML I ASK YOU TO PLEASE RECONSIDER AND RE-EVALUATE THE DEFECTIVE SENSOR(S) FAILURE CAUSING THE SPORADIC UNINTENTIONAL BRAKING. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10457096

90,000 miles · Mar 9, 2012
Electrical System

THE TWO ON BOARD COMPUTERS FAILED; BECAUSE OF A SHORT CIRCUIT INSIDE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THEM TWICE. THE COOLING FAN CONTROL MONITOR IS DEFECTIVE AND FAIL; CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. I WAS TOLD THE COOLING FAN CONTROL MONITOR IS DEFECTIVE. MY CAR IS STILL AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR 3 WEEKS NOW BECAUS…

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THE TWO ON BOARD COMPUTERS FAILED; BECAUSE OF A SHORT CIRCUIT INSIDE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THEM TWICE. THE COOLING FAN CONTROL MONITOR IS DEFECTIVE AND FAIL; CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. I WAS TOLD THE COOLING FAN CONTROL MONITOR IS DEFECTIVE. MY CAR IS STILL AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR 3 WEEKS NOW BECAUSE THEY CANT FIND THE RIGHT CONTROL MONITOR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10450841

45,000 miles · Nov 20, 2011
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHILE DRIVING AT SPEED WITH WEATHER CONDITIONS CLEAR. THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL LOCKED UP FOR A SPLIT SECOND CAUSING CAR TO SEVERELY PULL TO THE RIGHT INTO OTHER LANE, LUCKILY NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE AROUND AND ESP/BAS LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON UNTIL RESTART. PROBLEM THEN REAPPEARED AGAIN AT SPEED AND WEATHER CLEAR TRIGGERING ON AN…

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WHILE DRIVING AT SPEED WITH WEATHER CONDITIONS CLEAR. THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL LOCKED UP FOR A SPLIT SECOND CAUSING CAR TO SEVERELY PULL TO THE RIGHT INTO OTHER LANE, LUCKILY NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE AROUND AND ESP/BAS LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON UNTIL RESTART. PROBLEM THEN REAPPEARED AGAIN AT SPEED AND WEATHER CLEAR TRIGGERING ON AND OFF MAKING VEHICLE UNDRIVABLE AGAIN LUCKILY NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE INVOLVED. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS AS IT IS NOT JUST HAPPENING ON THIS MODEL VEHICLE OF MERCEDES BENZ. I HAVE SEARCH ONLINE(ESP/BAS PROBLEMS) AT BENZWORLD.COM AND ALSO AT SLKWORLD.COM AND FOUND NUMEROUS PEOPLE LOOKING INTO THIS ONGOING PROBLEM. MERCEDES MORE THAN LIKELY HAS THE REPAIR RECORDS TO SUPPORT THIS IF THEY ARE WILLING TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND FIX THIS SEVER SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10436485

70,000 miles · Nov 10, 2010
Power Train

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ SLK320. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THE VEHICLE STALLED. HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HIS RESIDENCE WHERE AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INFORMED HIM THAT TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 7…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ SLK320. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THE VEHICLE STALLED. HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HIS RESIDENCE WHERE AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INFORMED HIM THAT TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 70,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10365253

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.