Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2001 Mercedes-Benz SLK, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Visibility6
- Electrical system3
- Engine and engine cooling2
- Electronic stability control (esc)2
- Exterior lighting2
- Vehicle speed control2
- Fuel system, gasoline1
- Structure1
- Service brakes1
- Steering1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 4 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Engines
The most common engines in 2001 Mercedes-Benz SLK cars on Dutch roads are the 2.0 petrol (120 kW, 161 hp), 2.3 petrol (145 kW, 194 hp) and 3.2 petrol (160 kW, 215 hp).
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0 petrol | 120 kW 161 hp | 342 |
| 2.3 petrol | 145 kW 194 hp | 115 |
| 3.2 petrol | 160 kW 215 hp | 111 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
602 first registered in 2001 are on Dutch roads; 57% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €46,324.
Most common APK defects
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm284
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde281
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen179
- Band onvoldoende profiel175
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm122
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld91
- Richtingaanwijzers kleur wijkt af/niet toegestaan89
- Remlicht werkt niet (goed)71
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
1,356 cars built in 2001 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 1,267 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
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 2,379 of these cars first registered in 2001 took their annual MOT test. 69% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2001 the figure was 59%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2001 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 16.3% | 19.3% |
| Brakes | 7.4% | 13.4% |
| Visibility | 7.1% | 7.6% |
| Suspension | 6.0% | 15.4% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 4.7% | 6.8% |
| Tyres | 4.3% | 5.6% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
127 of these cars first registered in 2001 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 193,000 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
54 2001 cars are on the New Zealand register; 52% arrived as used imports, 44% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 4 variants: combined 10.4–12.3 L/100 km (about 19–23 mpg US), CO₂ 239–283 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLK 230 Kompressor · Two-seater · Premium gasoline | 11.8 | 8.7 | 10.4 |
| SLK 230 Kompressor · Two-seater · Premium gasoline | 13.2 | 8.7 | 11.2 |
| SLK 320 · Two-seater · Premium gasoline | 12.9 | 9.4 | 11.3 |
| SLK 320 · Two-seater · Premium gasoline | 14.6 | 9.5 | 12.3 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
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.
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 2001 Mercedes-Benz SLK: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 621570 | 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 MODIFICATION IN THE FIELD. *TT |
| 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 |
| 10022893 | 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 |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION
BRAKE LAMP FAILURE
SUDDEN ENGINE SHUT DOWN
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation