RoadVitals

1998 Mercedes-Benz SL500 Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
6
Latest Oct 10, 2019
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.
0
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Aug 26, 2010

What this page shows

Our database holds 6 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1998 Mercedes-Benz SL500. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

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

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–6 of 6

Tires & wheels
Filed Oct 10, 2019

I HAVE A 1998 MERCEDES BENZ THAT I DO NOT DRIVE OFTEN AND KEEP WELL STORED IN A HEATED GARAGE. I WAS DRIVING IT AND NOTICED THE TIRE WAS LOW. I TOOK IT TO DISCOUNT TIRE, WHO INFORMED ME THAT MY TIRES WERE DOWN TO TREAD WEAR OF 2/32. THESE TIRES, ALTHOUGH PURCHASED SEVERAL YEARS AGO, HAVE LESS THAN 11,000 MILES ON THEM. BOTH THE PLACE I PURCHASED THE TIRES AND THE NEW TIRE SHOP REFUSED TO HELP ME PROCESS ANY TYPE OF WARRANTY COMPLAINT.

NHTSA ID
11267711
Incident
Oct 9, 2019
Mileage
92,204 mi
Electrical
Filed Feb 2, 2017

CAR WAS IN MOTION ON HIGHWAY WHEN THICK DARK BLACK SMOKE BECAME VISIBLE FROM THE INTERIOR REAR VIEW MIRROR AND DOME LIGHT HOUSING.

NHTSA ID
10949170
Incident
Jul 2, 2016
Mileage
19 mi
ElectricalVisibility
Filed Jul 28, 2016

CAR WAS IN MOTION ON HIGHWAY WHEN THICK DARK BLACK SMOKE BECAME VISIBLE FROM THE INTERIOR REAR VIEW MIRROR AND DOME LIGHT HOUSING.

NHTSA ID
10889168
Incident
Jul 27, 2016
Mileage
18,677 mi
BrakesFuel system
Filed May 17, 2015

DRIVING AT 40 MPH WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN ENGINE DIES. CAR BECOMES DEAD, VERY DANGEROUS , AT NIGHT MIDDLE LANE OF PACIFIC COAST HWY. CANT USE BREAKS, EVERYTHING IS DEAD! CANT STEER NOTHING. COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE TWICE. NOW I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR IF THIS HAPPENS WHEN IM ON THE FREEWAY, THATS A PROBLEM, ENDANGERING ME AND EVERYONE AROUND. THIS IS NUTS BECAUSE I PRIDE MYSELF ON KEEPING MY CAR IN TIP TOP SHAPE ALWAYS AND THIS IS UNDETECTABLE . BUT EXPENSIVE TO TRY AND FIND OUT UNTIL I SAW THAT 800 OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE EXACT SAME THING! WHAT WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?

NHTSA ID
10716917
Incident
May 17, 2015
Mileage
153,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Dec 22, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MERCEDES BENZ SL500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER HEADLAMP WIPER ARM WAS MISALIGNED. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE WASHER PUMP WOULD RUN CONTINUOUSLY EXPELLING ALL AVAILABLE FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 96V175000 (VISIBILITY). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

NHTSA ID
10667761
Incident
Dec 1, 2014
Mileage
35,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Aug 26, 2010

HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS FOR SOFT TOP AND HARD TOP CONVERTIBLE FAILS AND LEAKS. ALL 12 OF THE CYLINDERS FAILS DUE TO HYDRAULIC FLUID CORROSION THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS. COSTS 12000(TWELVE THOUSANDS DOLLARS TO FIX). *TR

NHTSA ID
10352014
Incident
Aug 10, 2010
Mileage
55,000 mi

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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .