AI Damage2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS: common problems
Owners of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS filed 4 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 4
What fails most often
- Air bags: 4 complaints (100% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 6.2 L · petrol · 8 cyl
- dual-clutch (DCT), 7-speed
Drive: RWD
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 4 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Takata recall. Do you have any idea when mercedes is going to have a fix for my car? They don't seem to be working on the problem. I have received a couple of notices that they are going to start repairing them but then send another notice months later that it's been delayed again.
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 mercedes-benz sls. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign numbers: 16v081000 (air bags) and 17v017000 (air bags); however, the parts to do the repairs were unavailable.
I have been waiting for over 10 months for a solution to this takata airbag recall and there still is none. Other manufacturers are fixing theirs (bmw)...why is mercedes not able to fix theirs? This is a deadly problem that needs to fix.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 15,524 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 42% most complained about).
On average one model year of the SLS has 4 complaints (3 years in the data). This year has 4, about average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags. Total complaints: 4.
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2012 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.