RoadVitals

1998 Mercedes-Benz SL320

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
3
Latest Nov 7, 2000
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
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InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1

Overview

Our database contains 3 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1998 Mercedes-Benz SL320, most frequently naming the airbags, electrical and seat belts categories. 4 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Airbags125.0%
  • Electrical125.0%
  • Seat belts125.0%
  • Transmission125.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Electrical
Filed Nov 7, 2000

BATTERY "EXPLODED" TRYING TO START CAR. BATTTERY ACID WAS SPREYED ALL ABOUT, AND ACRID FUMES FILLED OUR GARAGE. WAS COMPENSATED $2500 BY MERCEDES AND THE DEALER OFFFERED A NEW VEHICAL "AT COST" WHICH WE ACCEPTED. WERE TOLD THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME A BATTERY HAD EXPLODED IN A ML320. THESE BATTERIES AND/OR THE IGNITION SYSTEM NEED TO BE RECALLED. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS HURT IN THIS INCIDENT, BUT IT DID OCCUR IN A GARAGE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO GAS LINES AND PILOT LIGHTS FOR THE WATER HEATER AND HOME HEATING UNIT, WITH MY WIFE AND CHILDREN IN THE CAR. THANK GOODNESS THEY DIDN'T ALL BLOW UP WITH THE BATTERY! *AK

NHTSA ID
735940
Incident
Aug 8, 2000
Transmission
Filed Apr 19, 2000
Crash reported

VEHICLE WAS SITTING ON SMALL INCLINE & SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR. ROLLED BACK, JUMPED A CURVE AND WENT INTO A STREET, REARENDING ANOTHER VEHICLE. DEALER WILL BE CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID
860559
Incident
Apr 18, 2000
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Feb 1, 1999

DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG FAILED. YH PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG FAILED. YH

NHTSA ID
606840
Incident
May 1, 1998

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

LI27.50-P-071658

POWER TRAIN

Harsh engagement when changing gear range from P to D or R

LI27.50-P-049281

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)

Harsh engagement when changing gear range from P to D

LI82.70-P-060004

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL

iPhone mobile phone: Various complaints after software update to iOS8

GI88.40-P-057430

EQUIPMENT

Message in instrument cluster "DISTRONIC PLUSCurrently Unavailable - See Owner's Manual"

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Mercedes-Benz SL320 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2000100—
1999200—
1998Viewing300—
1997610—
1996400—
1995160040.0
1994200—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.