Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class failed the safety check 0.61% of the time — 76% less often than the average 2009 passenger car (2.52%). Median odometer at inspection: 49,560 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the Netherlands
70 first registered in 2009 are on Dutch roads; 81% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €160,143.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde41
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm16
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld10
- Band beschadigd8
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm6
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen5
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt5
- Schokdemper aanwezig die lekkage vertoont4
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
366 cars built in 2009 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 136 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
In Finland
6 of these cars first registered in 2009 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 122,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
7 2009 cars are on the New Zealand register; 100% arrived as used imports, 0% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls
MERCEDES-BENZ IS RECALLING MY 2006-2008 M-CLASS, R-CLASS, MY 2005-2009 SLK-CLASS, MY 2005-2008 C-CLASS, MY 2003-2004 AND 2006-2008 CLK-CLASS, MY 2003-2008 E-CLASS, MY 2004 AND 2008 CL-CLASS, MY 2008 CLS-CLASS, MY 2004 AND 2007-2008 S-CLASS, MY 2003 G-CLASS, AND MY 2003-2004, 2006 AND 2009 SL-CLASS VEHICLES. A SOFTWARE CALIBRATION NUMBER (SCN) CODING RECEIVED ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES DURING A RECENT WORKSHOP VISIT WAS INCORRECT. DEPENDING ON THE MODEL YEAR AND MODEL AFFECTED, THE RESULTS OF AN INCORRECT SCN CODING CAN AFFECT A NUMBER OF VEHICLE SAFETY AND EMISSION FUNCTIONS INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING TYPES OF FUNCTIONS: (1) THE FUEL GAUGE READINGS MAY BE INCORRECT; (2) A STUCK FUEL-LEVEL SENSOR MAY NOT BE DISPLAYED IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER; (3) THE OBD SYSTEM MAY CAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE INCORRECTLY; AND, (4) THE SPEEDOMETER MAY BE OUT OF TOLERANCE.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Mercedes-Benz told its dealers about the 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 10042611 | MERCEDES: ON CERTAIN S AND CL CLASS VEHICLES, THE RESTRICTOR ORIFICE ON THE TRANSMISSION COOLER LINE HAD BEEN INSTALLED INCORRECTLY. *PE |
| 10039256 | MERCEDES-BENZ: THE MALFUNCTION LIGHT IS ON WITH MULTIPLE POSSIBLE TROUBLE CODES STORED. THERE COULD BE A PROBLEM WITH THE CAMSHAFT AND/OR SCORING OF A PISTON. *RM |
| 10039254 | MERCEDES-BENZ: THERE IS A TRANSMISSION TROUBLE CODE STORED. IT IS A DIAGNOSTIC PROBLEM WITH THE WET START-UP CLUTCH. *RM |
| 10038977 | MERCEDES-BENZ: THE AUTO-TRANSMISSION SWITCHES TO LIMP HOME MODE OR HAS NO POWER. THERE ARE MULTIPLE POSSIBLE FAULT CODES. A PISTON MAY BE DAMAGED. *RM |
| 10037408 | MERCEDES-BENZ: SHOCK ABSORBER PROCEDURE. *RM |
| 10034504 | MERCEDES (XENTRY): ENGINE DIAGNOSIS WARNING LAMP ACTIVATED. MAGNETIC SHORT BETWEEN ARMATURE AND POLE CORE DUE TO CALIBRATION ERROR AT VALVE AND TOLERANCE DEVIATION BY SUPPLYING MANUFACTURER. THIS CAUSES THE PURGE VALVE TO JAM IN THE OPEN STATE. *PE |
| 10034306 | MERCEDES: AIRBAG DURABILITY AND RELIABILITY. AIR BAG SRS CONTROL MODULE (N2/2) DOES NOT HAVE A SET SHELF LIFE AND WILL NORMALLY BE RELIABLE FOR THE LIFE OF A VEHICLE. WITH 164, 216 221, 251 AND NEWER, THE AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT CAN BE RESET FIVE TIMES. WITH MODES 202, 210 AND NEWER, THE AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT CAN BE RESET THREE TIMES. EARLIER MODELS WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THEIR AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT AND TRIGGERED RESTRAIN COMPONENTS CHANGED ONLY AFTER AN ACCIDENT. NO MODELS OR MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE |
| 10030964 | MERCEDES: THE LIMITED WARRANTY ON THE SBC HYDRAULIC UNIT FOR MODELS 211, MODEL 219 AND MODELS 230 WAS EXTENDED FROM THE ORIGINAL 4 YEARS/50,000 MILES TO 10 YEARS WITH NO MILEAGE LIMITATION. THE SBC HYDRAULIC UNIT EXTENDED LIMITED WARRANTY APPLIES TO ALL CONDITIONS THAT JUSTIFY THE REPLACEMENT OF THE SBC HYDRAULIC UNIT UNDER THE STANDARD WARRANTY TERMS AND CONDITIONS. *PE |
| 10030941 | MERCEDES: CRACKING NOISE FROM THE AREA OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL/FIREWALL WHEN CORNERING, DURING THROTTLE LIFT OFF AND ON UNEVEN ROADS. STRESS AT THE SPOT WELDS ON THE FIREWALL TO THE RIGHT OF THE BRAKE BOOSTER CAN RESULT IN CRACKING NOISES. NO RIGHT HAND DRIVE. NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE |
| 10030939 | MERCEDES: PARKTRONIC INTERMITTENTLY NOT FUNCTIONING. THE FUNCTION WORKS AGAIN AFTER A SHORT TIME OR DISTANCE. WHEN THE FOOT OPERATED PARKING BRAKE IS APPLIED, THE PARKTRONIC SYSTEM IS DEACTIVATED. IF THE FOOT OPERATED PARKING BRAKE IS ON AT THE FIRST NOTCH, THE CONTACT SWITCH MAY REACT WITH A CONSIDERATION DELAY WHEN THE PARKING BRAKE IS RELEASED. NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE |
| 10030929 | 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 AND MODEL YEARS. *PE |
| 10027829 | MERCEDES BENZ: REPLACE REAR AXLE DIFFERENTIAL IN MODELS 219 AND 230; MODEL YEARS 2009. THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL MAY HAVE BEEN FILLED WITH THE INCORRECT GEAR OIL. *PE |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)