Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG Repair and Maintenance - Get an online auto repair estimate for your Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG

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Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG Repair and Maintenance

Image for Mercedes Benz 2003 2007 Mercedes Benz SL55 AMG

Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG Questions and Answers

jb_amg, 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG, Gasoline, Rockville, MD

I have to yank on the shifter alot of times to get it out of park. Why is this happening?

jb_amg, 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG, Gasoline, Rockville, MD

Is there a battery in the key I can replace to get the buttons to work?

ecn, 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG, Absecon, NJ

when my car gets hot the engine performance is retarded ? not overheating
engine management retards, or super charger not switched on ? about 50% of the normal power ?

shouraki, 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG, Albertson, NY

I would like to get the service specifications of this car

bob99, 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG, Draper, UT

the top will only lift part way up trunk opens but top stay in trunk

Lothar, 2008 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG, Spring, TX

When I 'm going through the menue to check the oil level electronically I'm getting the message: Wait For 3- seconds and then the Menu jumps back where it was before.

What is the short red dip st...

evie2977, 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG, Paragould, AR

I am wanting to buy this car but it has three engine codes in it. No dealer near me that I can take it to. Could you please tell me what these codes are c2258, c152E, c249E ? thank you so much

Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG Car Reviews (2)

2004 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG, wlee, Richfield, NC, December 21, 2009 11:09

Great car. MB need to do more R@D on the suspention. Have had to replace the supention flud pump with 90,000 miles on car. 3800.00. And has a gear shift lock out problem that will not let you shift the car out of park, 1200.00. You wold expect a car that cost that much to live up to the MB reputation for relibinlty.

2003 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG, edkeven, Mukilteo, WA, December 15, 2008 09:08

Very strong drivetrain. Issues are with electronics and accessories, particularly Active Body Control. Shame the rest of the car isn't a great as the engine and transmission, but it still is a wonderful beast! It's a completely different car from the standard SL with the non-supercharged engine.

Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG Problems

Brakes
  • This vehicle has sensotronic brake control (SBC). If the SBC light on the dash illuminates, have the brakes checked. If the SBC is not working, limited brake pressure is delivered to the front brakes, increasing the distance it takes to stop. The SBC hydraulic unit has a specific service life programmed into the control module; follow the manufacturer's recommended service procedure for proper maintenance of the SBC.
  • Follow the two-year service interval for brake fluid flush.
Engine
  • Oil leaks from the PCV vent housings on the valve covers and inspection plates on the front of the engine are common.
  • The rubber bond in the harmonic balancer can decay, which causes the balancer to move and work its way into the timing chain cover. If the balancer comes into contact with the timing cover while the engine is running, it will fracture and damage the timing case and potentially other surrounding parts. The harmonic balancer should be inspected at every service.
  • Oil leaks from the oil level sensor are common.
  • The crankshaft position sensors tend to fail.
Suspension & Steering
  • Front thrust arm and control arm bushings can crack and sometimes tear completely. If this is not repaired quickly, damage to the front subframe unit will occur, which is very expensive to repair. Updated control arms (that prevent damage to the subframe when the bushings wear out) are available.
  • The active body control system can leak fluid from numerous areas, including the tandem pump, hydraulic lines, struts, and/or seals. If it is not repaired, the vehicle ride height could drop too low and cause damage to the undercarriage.
Drive Train
  • A vibration felt through the center floor of the vehicle can be caused by driveshaft flex discs, which crack and shred, causing excessive driveshaft movement. Not repairing these can cause damage to the driveshaft center support bearing, or, in the worst case scenario, damage to the transmission or differential.
  • High mileage or older vehicles develop leaks at the differential seals and cover; the whole unit needs to be resealed to repair the leaks.
  • The wire connector on the transmission leaks fluid into the wiring harness. If not repaired, the oil will migrate through the wiring harness and damage the transmission control module. A new harness and control module are required to fix the problem.
Electrical & Lights
  • Brake light switch failure can cause the ESP and BAS warnings to illuminate.
  • The early versions of the central gateway module (which allows different systems to communicate with each other) have software problems.
Heating & Air Conditioning The evaporator temperature sensor can fail, causing the AC compressor not to cycle. If the AC compressor does not cycle on, the AC system will not blow cold air. If the AC compressor is stuck on, the air will be very cold at first, before warming up.

Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG Recalls and TSBs

Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG Recalls (Recent)

Brakes: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Campaign Number: 05V133000
Dates Manufactured: 06/2001 to 03/2005
Number of Vehicles Affected: 204,000
Model Years Affected: 2003, 2004, 2005
Date Owner Notified: 08/2005

Defect Summary: ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE SENSOTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL (SBC) SYSTEM MAY PREMATURELY SHIFT TO THE HYDRAULIC BACK-UP FUNCTION MODE, DUE TO DETERIORATION OF THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTION, OR DUE TO PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE HYDRAULIC PUMP.

Consequence Summary: IN THE HYDRAULIC BACK-UP MODE, THE DRIVER HAS BRAKING POWER SUFFICIENT TO STOP THE VEHICLE, ALTHOUGH GREATER BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE IS REQUIRED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL WILL BE NOTICEABLY LONGER.

Corrective Summary: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A BRACKET AND REPLACEMENT GROUND WIRE TO THE SBC PUMP UNIT ON ALL VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. ADDITIONALLY DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE SBC PUMP UNIT IN SL VEHICLES PRODUCED DURING A LIMITED PRODUCTION PERIOD. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 8, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

Recall Notes: MERCEDES-BENZ RECALL NO. 2005070007 AND 2005110001. CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

Brakes: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Campaign Number: 04V296000
Dates Manufactured: 10/2001 to 05/2004
Number of Vehicles Affected: 143,387
Model Years Affected: 2003, 2004
Date Owner Notified: 10/2004

Defect Summary: ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE ELECTRONIC MONITORING SYSTEM OF THE SENSOTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL (SBC) IS DESIGNED TO MONITOR THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WITHIN THE HIGH PRESSURE LINE OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM. IF AN UNACCEPTABLE PRESSURE GRADIENT IS DETECTED, THE SYSTEM WILL SWITCH, AS IT IS DESIGNED TO DO, INTO THE HYDRAULIC FUNCTION MODE.

Consequence Summary: IF VEHICLES ARE NOT ROUTINELY SERVICED AND HAVE EXTREMELY HIGH MILEAGE COMBINED WITH A HIGH NUMBER OF BRAKE ACTUATIONS, OR A HIGH BRAKE ACTUATION FREQUENCY, THE PUMP MOTOR OF THE SBC MAY RUN OUT OF PERMISSIBLE TOLERANCES, THEREBY TRIGGERING THE HYDRAULIC FUNCTION MODE.

Corrective Summary: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SBC HYDRAULIC UNIT, REPLACING IT IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 21M 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

Recall Notes: MERCEDES-BENZ RECALL NO. 2004 050014.CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION¿S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Electrical & Lights: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Campaign Number: 08V303000
Dates Manufactured: 11/2002 to 05/2008
Number of Vehicles Affected: 404
Model Years Affected: 2003, 2004, 2006

Defect Summary: 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.

Consequence Summary: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE ELECTRICAL FUEL PUMP MAY NOT RECEIVE A CRASH SIGNAL THAT IS REQUIRED FOR THE FUEL PUMP TO DISCONNECT AND PREVENT FUTURE FUEL DELIVERY AS DESIGNED.

Corrective Summary: DEALERS WILL RECODE THE SCN FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING AUGUST 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

Recall Notes: MERCEDES-BENZ RECALL NO. 2008 070001.CUSTOMERS MAY CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG Technical Service Bulletins (Recent)

None reported.

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Most Common Mercedes-Benz Repair Estimates

Maintenance Service B
$351 - $660
Maintenance Service A
$181 - $262