1997 Mercedes Benz SL Class Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other SL Class years
- Not enough data 4th of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Mercedes Benz SL Class. That ranks 4th out of 11 SL Class model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (2 complaints, 100%). Complaints mention 1 injury. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 2owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Mercedes Benz SL Class problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 2 | 100% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 50% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Mercedes Benz SL Class recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Corrosion of the electrical ignition filament of the air bag gas generator module can occur if the vehicle is operated in areas of frequently high humidity.
Risk: Corrosion of the ignition filament can result in the driver's air bag being deployed unintentionally.
Fix: Dealers will replace the driver's air bag module.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Inadvertent side impact airbag deploymen (RQ00013) — opened Jun 2, 2000, closed Jul 20, 2001, led to recall 00V388000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
False deployment of passenger side airbag while vehicle was parked. Nlm
During vehicle collision seat belts did not restrain properly (better harness control) and no deployment of air bags. Mjs
Other Mercedes Benz SL Class years
← 1996 SL Class · 1998 SL Class →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 SL Class | 0 | 1 |
| 2009 SL Class | 0 | 1 |
| 2006 SL Class | 0 | 1 |
| 2005 SL Class | 2 | 1 |
| 2004 SL Class | 3 | 3 |
| 2003 SL Class | 9 | 3 |
| 2002 SL Class | 1 | 0 |
| 1999 SL Class | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 SL Class | 12 | 0 |
| 1997 | 2 | 1 |
| 1996 SL Class | 2 | 2 |
See all Mercedes Benz SL Class problems by year, every Mercedes Benz model, or the Mercedes Benz VIN decoder.
Similar Mercedes Benz models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Mercedes Benz SL Class?
Owners most often report air bags, seat belts problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 2 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Mercedes Benz SL Class?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 Mercedes Benz SL Class a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other SL Class model years, the 1997 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.