2003 Ford Thunderbird vs 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL500
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 2003 Ford Thunderbird | 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL500 |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 33 | 80 |
| Recall campaigns | 0 | 0 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 42 | 45 |
| Investigations | 0 | 1 |
| Crash reports | 2 | 2 |
| Fire reports | 0 | 3 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 18 | 16 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 35,479 mi | 62,859 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford Thunderbird | Mercedes-Benz SL500 |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 3 | 34 |
| Electrical System | 4 | 10 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 11 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 5 | 6 |
| Power Train | 6 | 4 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 8 |
| Engine | 7 | 2 |
| Air Bags | 4 | 4 |
2003 Ford Thunderbird
2003 Mercedes-Benz SL500
Compare all Ford Thunderbird vs Mercedes-Benz SL500 years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.