Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2003 Mercedes-Benz SLK, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electrical system3
- Visibility2
- Exterior lighting2
- Service brakes, hydraulic1
- Steering1
- Equipment1
- Electronic stability control (esc)1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Engines
The most common engines in 2003 Mercedes-Benz SLK cars on Dutch roads are the 2.0 petrol (120 kW, 161 hp) and 2.3 petrol (145 kW, 194 hp).
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0 petrol | 120 kW 161 hp | 205 |
| 2.3 petrol | 145 kW 194 hp | 28 |
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
253 first registered in 2003 are on Dutch roads; 48% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €48,654.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde152
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm78
- Band onvoldoende profiel73
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen60
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld50
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm43
- Veer gebroken of gescheurd32
- Fusee(kogel) te veel speling28
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
1,195 cars built in 2003 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 761 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, 1,894 of these cars first registered in 2003 took their annual MOT test. 65% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2003 the figure was 57%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2003 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 19.0% | 21.6% |
| Suspension | 9.0% | 16.4% |
| Brakes | 8.9% | 13.9% |
| Visibility | 6.7% | 7.7% |
| Tyres | 5.8% | 6.3% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 4.3% | 7.4% |
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
38 of these cars first registered in 2003 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 162,000 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
26 2003 cars are on the New Zealand register; 42% arrived as used imports, 54% 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 5 variants: combined 10.9–13.5 L/100 km (about 17–22 mpg US), CO₂ 251–311 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLK 230 Kompressor · Two-seater · Premium gasoline | 12.2 | 9.3 | 10.9 |
| SLK 230 Kompressor · Two-seater · Premium gasoline | 13.7 | 9.3 | 11.7 |
| SLK 320 · Two-seater · Premium gasoline | 13.2 | 9.8 | 11.7 |
| SLK 320 · Two-seater · Premium gasoline | 15.2 | 10.1 | 12.9 |
| SLK 32 AMG · Two-seater · Premium gasoline | 15.2 | 11.4 | 13.5 |
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.
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 2003 Mercedes-Benz SLK: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 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
BRAKE LAMP FAILURE
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation