Skip to content
Emergency

Before you buy a used Mercedes-Benz SL (R230).

2001–2012 · Petrol · 3 engines

Taken only from Testigo's sourced sheets. Use it to question the seller and on the test drive: it does not confirm that any particular car is affected.

Mercedes-Benz SL (R230), real photo of this generation
M 93 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo source

The essentials.

Typical faults by engine

The period and mileage are those mentioned by each sheet's sources. They are not a maintenance interval and do not predict that any particular car will fail.

All versions

Sheets the catalogue links to all 3 of its engines.

SL 350 / 500 · SL 65 AMG (6.0 V12)

Petrol

We have no faults specific to this engine, only those common to every version.

SL 55 / 63 AMG (5.4 / 6.2 V8)

Petrol

Which engine has the fewest documented faults?

Documented faults and recalls by engine for the Mercedes-Benz SL (R230)
EngineDocumented faultsRecalls
SL 350 / 500PetrolFewest documented22 with conditions1
SL 55 / 63 AMG (5.4 / 6.2 V8)Petrol32 with conditions0
SL 65 AMG (6.0 V12)PetrolFewest documented22 with conditions1

According to the data we have, the engines with the fewest documented faults are: SL 350 / 500 (Petrol), SL 65 AMG (6.0 V12) (Petrol).

We only count the sourced sheets we have. An engine with fewer is not guaranteed to be more reliable: it may have been studied less or sold in smaller numbers.

Official recalls: ask before you pay

A recall existing does not mean this car is affected or that it is still outstanding: it depends on the chassis number, the market and the production date.

  1. Ask the seller for the chassis number (VIN): it has 17 characters, appears in the car's documents and can usually also be seen at the base of the windscreen.
  2. Ask an official Mercedes-Benz dealer, or the brand's official website if it lets you check by chassis number, whether each recall has been done or is still outstanding for that VIN.
  3. Manufacturer recalls are normally carried out free of charge by the official service network. If one is outstanding, ask for it to be done before you close the sale.
Recall: SBC brake hydraulic unitBrakes

Engines: SL 350 / 500 (Petrol) · SL 65 AMG (6.0 V12) (Petrol)

How to check it: Check VIN; inspect unit and replace as required.

View full entry

On the test drive: what to look and listen for

Taken from each sheet's symptoms and checks. You can tick off what you have already looked at: it is saved only in this browser.

0 of 3 checked

Engine (cylinder head / valvetrain)

  • Look out for: Coolant loss, coolant in the oil or white smoke (broken head bolts); rattle or ticking on start-up (camshaft and lifter wear).

    Ask them to check: Overnight cooling system pressure test, oil analysis and camshaft inspection with a borescope.

Brakes

  • Look out for: Red messages in the cluster such as “STOP VEHICLE”, “Brake defective” or “Reduced braking power – visit workshop”, a hard pedal or little assistance, and pump noises when braking or opening the door. In a complete failure only the front wheels brake, using foot force alone.

    Ask them to check: With any red brake warning, stop driving and call for assistance. At a Mercedes dealer: read the SBC control unit with official diagnostics, check open recalls and warranty extensions by VIN, and change the brake fluid only with the procedure SBC requires. The cycles-exhausted warning means replacing the unit, not clearing the code.

Automatic gearbox

  • Look out for: Oil around the electrical connector on the side of the gearbox, harsh shifts or slipping, delayed engagement and limp mode: the car stays in one gear (usually 2nd and reverse after a restart) and the engine light comes on.

    Ask them to check: Read the gearbox control unit codes before switching off if possible (a restart can clear them). Look for oil at the connector and, with it unplugged, on its pins and at the control unit plug. According to the service bulletin, the connector should only be removed with gearbox oil below 50 °C to avoid damaging the conductor plate, and the harness must be routed without tension.

OBD codes worth looking for

If they let you read the fault memory with an OBD reader, these are the codes mentioned in this model's sheets:

C249FC2498P0700P0715P0720

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from these Testigo sheets and their original sources. Sources are not checked in real time.

More Mercedes-Benz buying guides

View the model pageAll buying guides