Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 18, 2026.
Fuel economy
23–27 mpgcombined; city 20–25, highway 29–32; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$14,910–$17,500U.S. average; Ohio $14,050–$16,490 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA overall safety rating
Not ratedNHTSA has no overall rating for this year
Owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 SLC-Class. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Communication
1
0
0
0
Electrical system
1
0
0
0
Engine
1
0
0
0
Structure
1
0
0
0
Unknown or other
1
0
0
0
What the columns count
Complaints: complaints that name that part. One complaint can name several parts, so the rows overlap and don't add up to the total.
Crashes and Fires: complaints that report one. Two owners can file about the same event, and NHTSA doesn't link them, so these count reports, not events.
Injuries: the number of people the complaints say were injured.
None of these columns shows that a part caused a crash, fire or injury: they're what owners reported, unverified.
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2017 SLC-Class over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Communication: auto crash notification; Electrical system: software
NHTSA campaign 21V058000 · reported Feb 5, 2021 · 1,292,258 vehicles potentially affected across the whole campaign
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and the communication module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. The recall began March 12, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-877-762-8267. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2021020025.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 - 2021 CLA-Class, GLA-Class, GLE-Class, GLS-Class, SLC-Class, A-Class, GT-Class, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, CLS-Class, SL-Class, B-Class, GLB-Class, GLC-Class, and G-Class vehicles. Please refer to the Part 573 report for specific vehicle model details. The software design of the communication module may fail to communicate the correct vehicle location for the emergency call system (eCall) in the event of a crash.
Risk: Failure of the eCall system may result in emergency responders being dispatched to the wrong location, increasing the risk of injury following a crash.
NHTSA campaign 17V308000 · reported May 9, 2017 · 5,818 vehicles potentially affected across the whole campaign
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the ESC system, free of charge. The recall began June 9, 2017. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2015 SLK 250, 2016 SLK 350, 2016-2017 SLC 300, and 2017 SLC 43 AMG vehicles. In these vehicles, the electronic stability control (ESC) system software may incorrectly keep the brakes slightly applied.
Risk: If brake pads are constantly applied over long periods of driving, the brake components may heat up, affecting braking performance and increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, the dragging brakes may overheat, increasing the risk of a fire.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 99 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2017 SLC-Class, the latest on Sep 26, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: power train (24), electrical system (19), exterior lighting (14), equipment (11), engine (10).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
Investigation
Part
Opened
Status
Engineering analysis EA21002 Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture · covers 37 makes
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2017 SLC-Class.
EPA class: two seaters. EPA greenhouse gas score: 5–6 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
AMG SLC43 Rear-Wheel Drive
3.0 L, 6 cyl, turbo
Automatic 9-spd
Premium Gasoline
20 / 29 / 23
SLC300 Rear-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic 9-spd
Premium Gasoline
25 / 32 / 27
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data