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2002 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: 9 of 11 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 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

11 reports
Mileage unknown · Aug 25, 2026
Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other

The cars ignition switch locks up and prevents the car from starting, it can also cause the car to stall when running creating a very dangerous situation. Mercedes is aware of this problem with the ignition switch.

NHTSA ODI #11759368

Mileage unknown · Dec 5, 2025
Exterior Lighting

Previous recall 05V505 has been completed but the issue has returned the issue has been intermittent for a fee months but the tail light has been non op for a few months, i have tried different sockets and bulbs to no avail. The issue has not caused any incidents but i have no brake light on the drivers side due to melting on th…

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Previous recall 05V505 has been completed but the issue has returned the issue has been intermittent for a fee months but the tail light has been non op for a few months, i have tried different sockets and bulbs to no avail. The issue has not caused any incidents but i have no brake light on the drivers side due to melting on the lamp itself aswell as the pins on the connector are warped

NHTSA ODI #11703211

106,000 miles · Jun 1, 2023
Exterior Lighting

The contact owns a 2002 Mercedes-Benz SLK320. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the message that the rear light had malfunctioned was displayed. Upon inspection, it was discovered that while depressing the brake pedal, the driver’s side brake light failed to illuminate as needed. The vehicle was taken to the l…

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The contact owns a 2002 Mercedes-Benz SLK320. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the message that the rear light had malfunctioned was displayed. Upon inspection, it was discovered that while depressing the brake pedal, the driver’s side brake light failed to illuminate as needed. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the rear lamp module was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 05V505000 (Exterior Lighting). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced that failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 106,000.

NHTSA ODI #11524795

145,000 miles · Mar 27, 2023
EngineVisibility

The contact owns a 2002 Mercedes-Benz SLK320. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate as it went into Limp mode. Several warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that he had replaced the spark plugs and the accelerator pedal; however, the failure persisted, and the engine was misfirin…

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The contact owns a 2002 Mercedes-Benz SLK320. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate as it went into Limp mode. Several warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that he had replaced the spark plugs and the accelerator pedal; however, the failure persisted, and the engine was misfiring. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the PCM, the speed sensor, and the ignition coil were malfunctioning. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that the defroster had failed. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the vehicle was not included in a recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 145,000.

NHTSA ODI #11513974

68,000 miles · Oct 11, 2016
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Service Brakes

THE BAS/ESP LIGHT AND SUDDEN BRAKING JUST OCCURRED TODAY(10.11.16) ON OUR 2002 MERCEDES BENZ SLK 320. THIS HAPPENED THREE TIMES IN ABOUT AN HOUR OF DRIVING ON CITY STREETS BETWEEN 15 AND 45 MPH. ONE OCCURRENCE WAS WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT, THE OTHER TWO HAPPENED WHILE CHANGING LANES IN MOVING TRAFFIC. THE EXPERIENCE TODAY WAS T…

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THE BAS/ESP LIGHT AND SUDDEN BRAKING JUST OCCURRED TODAY(10.11.16) ON OUR 2002 MERCEDES BENZ SLK 320. THIS HAPPENED THREE TIMES IN ABOUT AN HOUR OF DRIVING ON CITY STREETS BETWEEN 15 AND 45 MPH. ONE OCCURRENCE WAS WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT, THE OTHER TWO HAPPENED WHILE CHANGING LANES IN MOVING TRAFFIC. THE EXPERIENCE TODAY WAS THAT THE CAR HAD A BRIEF MOMENTARY HARD BRAKING. FIRST ON THE LEFT FRONT AND THEN THE RIGHT FRONT (2 SEPARATE TIMES). EACH WAS A SEPARATE INCIDENT AND EACH TIME THE BAS/ESP LIGHT LIT UP AFTERWARD. AFTER INTERNET RESEARCH, IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG THE SLK LINE AND POSSIBLY EXTENDS TO OTHER MODELS. IN MERCEDES BENZ ONLINE COMMUNITIES, MANY OTHERS HAVE STATED EXPERIENCING THIS SAME PROBLEM. THERE ARE APPARENTLY NUMEROUS POTENTIAL REMEDIES. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THE CULPRITS(S) COULD BE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, NUMEROUS SENSORS MALFUNCTIONING. I.E.: YAW SENSOR, LATERAL ACCELERATION SENSOR, STEERING ANGLE SENSOR, BAS RELEASE SWITCH, MAF SENSOR, ROTATIONAL SPEED SENSOR, TO NAME A FEW. THIS SEEMS TO BE OCCURRING OFTEN ENOUGH TO DEMAND A RECALL.

NHTSA ODI #10915378

75,000 miles · Jun 30, 2016
Exterior Lighting

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAIL LIGHTS FAILED AND AN UNKNOWN ERROR MESSAGE ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY SERVICED UNDER A MANUFACTURER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TAIL LIGHT…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAIL LIGHTS FAILED AND AN UNKNOWN ERROR MESSAGE ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY SERVICED UNDER A MANUFACTURER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLIES WERE REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SIX OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000. ..UPDATED 07/20/16 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED FROM THE DEALER THE GAS CAP LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. UPDATED 10/19/2017*JS

NHTSA ODI #10881746

34,000 miles · Jun 26, 2015
Service Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ SLK320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE AUTOMATICALLY ENGAGED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO RESTART. IN ADDITION, THE REAR AND DRIVER SIDE MIRRORS AUTOMATICALLY DIMMED IN LIGHTING CAUSING IT HARD…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ SLK320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE AUTOMATICALLY ENGAGED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO RESTART. IN ADDITION, THE REAR AND DRIVER SIDE MIRRORS AUTOMATICALLY DIMMED IN LIGHTING CAUSING IT HARDER TO VIEW THE ROAD WHEN DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,000. UPDATED 09/09/15*LJ UPDATED 10/31/2017*CN

NHTSA ODI #10730534

16,600 miles · Sep 29, 2014
Service Brakes

FAST MOVING TRAFFIC, DRY WEATHER. ALL OF A SUDDEN CAR APPLIED BRAKES, THOUGHT I WAS HAVING ONE OF THE TIRES BREAKING INTO PIECES. THIS LASTED UNTIL I PULLED OVER AND STOPPED, NEVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THIS. AN INEXPERIENCED DRIVER IN THIS FAST TRAFFIC SURELY WOULD HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT, MAYBE EVEN FATALLY. ANYWAY, I SAW NO…

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FAST MOVING TRAFFIC, DRY WEATHER. ALL OF A SUDDEN CAR APPLIED BRAKES, THOUGHT I WAS HAVING ONE OF THE TIRES BREAKING INTO PIECES. THIS LASTED UNTIL I PULLED OVER AND STOPPED, NEVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THIS. AN INEXPERIENCED DRIVER IN THIS FAST TRAFFIC SURELY WOULD HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT, MAYBE EVEN FATALLY. ANYWAY, I SAW NOTHING BROKEN, ALL TIRE IN TACT, SO I CONTINUED. THIS WAS IN FL AND HAVING JUST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE THE NIGHT BEFORE, I WAS ON A LONG JOURNEY TO MY HOME STATE DE. IT DID HAPPEN A COUPLE OF MORE TIME WITH LIGHTER IMPACT. TODAY IS MONDAY SEPT.29TH, I AM BACK AND HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING MBENZ FORUMS AND FOUND OUT, NOT DEFINITE, PEOPLE BELIEVE IT IS YAW SENSOR. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10639907

98,500 miles · Jul 10, 2014
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

THE CAR SUDDENLY BRAKES FOR ABOUT ONE SECOND, AND THE BAS-ESP LIGHTS ILLUMINATE, AND IT RESUMES TO NORMAL DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10609717

64,807 miles · Mar 31, 2014
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service Brakes

SUDDENLY, FOR NO REASON, THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE ACTIVATED, CAUSING THE CAR TO PULL TO THE RIGHT. THIS RELEASED WITHIN A SECOND. I STOPPED AND RESTARTED. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN AT ABOUT 60 MILES PER HOUR. I HAD THE CAR CHECKED BY A CERTIFIED MECHANIC. SEVERAL SENSORS WERE REPLACED. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED SEVERAL MORE TIMES. I CALLED M…

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SUDDENLY, FOR NO REASON, THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE ACTIVATED, CAUSING THE CAR TO PULL TO THE RIGHT. THIS RELEASED WITHIN A SECOND. I STOPPED AND RESTARTED. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN AT ABOUT 60 MILES PER HOUR. I HAD THE CAR CHECKED BY A CERTIFIED MECHANIC. SEVERAL SENSORS WERE REPLACED. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED SEVERAL MORE TIMES. I CALLED MERCEDES ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THEY WANTED ME TO TAKE IT TO DEALER AND PAY THE DEALER TO CHECK THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE OVER TIME. I HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY A FEW MONTHS AGO. SINCE THEN, I HAVE HAD NO MORE PROBLEMS. THIS CAUSES A GREAT DEAL OF CONCERN. I DO NOT DO KNOW IF THE PROBLEM IS FIXED AND IF IT IS, WHAT FIXED IT. THIS IS KNOW ISSUE TO MERCEDES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10576072

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.