# 2003 MERCEDES BENZ SL55 — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
> NHTSA complaint `669632` · 2008-05-13 · Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 1
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** Yes
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** MERCEDES BENZ
- **Model:** SL55
- **Year:** 2003
- **Manufacturer:** Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
- **Component:** SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
- **Miles at failure:** 22,000
- **Speed:** 38 mph
## Narrative
I WAS HAVING SOME TROUBLE WITH THE BRAKES, I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK INTO THE SHOP 3 TIMES TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THE BRAKES WERE FAILING - ONCE I ALMOST RAN A PEDESTRIAN OVER AS I TRIED TO STOP AND THE VEHICLE BRAKES APPEARED TO NOT WORK AT ALL - THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM THEY SAY DOES NOTHING.  ANOTHER TIME PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE NO BRAKES AGAIN AND IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE CONCRETE BLOCK I WOULD HAVE RUN INTO THE STORE FRONT.  THE LAST TIME WAS AT MY HOME - PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY.  AFTER BRINGING THE CAR INTO THE MERCEDES DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM THEY TOLD ME EVERYTHING WAS FINE UNTIL I WAS OUT ONE NIGHT AND CAME TO A STOP SIGN AND THE BRAKES FAILED AND I WENT INTO A CONCRETE BARRIER.  I WISH I HAD VISITED THIS SITE BEFORE THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED - I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT ANYONE WITH A 2003 MERCEDES SL GET RID OF IT - BRING IT BACK TO MERCEDES AND DEMAND A 2004 OR NEWER CAR BEFORE THIS HAPPENS TO YOU.  MERCEDES CAME TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AT THE AUTOBODY SHOP AND WILL NOT RELEASE THEIR FINDINGS TO ME - I AM THINKING OF GETTING A LAWYER INVOLVED. - I HAVE NEVER IN MY LIFE BEEN IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU ARE SO HELPLESS AND MERCEDES KNOWS ABOUT THIS - WHAT A CRIME.  *TR
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*