1997 Mercedes Benz SL500 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other SL500 years
- Not enough data 6th of 12 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Mercedes Benz SL500. That ranks 6th out of 12 SL500 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (4 complaints, 44%), typically at around 93,000 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 1 fire, 4 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 9owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Mercedes Benz SL500 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 | 4 | 44% | 93,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 1 | 11% | 114,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 11% | 137,452 | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 11% | 209,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 11% | 137,452 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 11% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Mercedes Benz SL500 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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Vehicle has approx. 209k miles. Sunday 1/19/20 driving wb on montauk highway (nys 27a?) at quogue ny. Speed approx. 35-40 mph. Slight turn/bend in road to the right. Sunny, dry pavement. No other cars following or ahead, either direction. Very loud bang heard inside cabin, both seatbelts…
Wiring insulation for lights and power steering deteriorated to the point of causing massive shorts in multiple systems, draining the battery and resulting in engine failure at highway speeds. I maneuvered in heavy traffic onto an off ramp that provided a safe exit from the 6 lane beltway and had…
Tl* the contact owned a 1997 mercedes-benz sl 500. The contact stated that while driving 50 mph, the vehicle hydroplaned up to 70 mph and crashed into a tree. The air bags did not deploy and the vehicle was destroyed. As a result, the contact suffered broken ribs and a shattered spine. The contact…
I had a wiring harness fire in my vehicle a 1997 mercedes benz sl 500, it is due to a defect in the wire harness but mercedes benz is declining any involvement, i know of 129 other failures in like vehicles, it's costing me $10,000 to fix and i will not have my car back until july 2007. This needs…
Dt: contact stated while driving a 1997 mercedes sl-500 it was involved in an accident where the driver, passenger, and side air bags did not deploy. Consumer was driving approximately 15-20 mph, when the vehicle was struck (t-boned) on the passenger side door. The impact caused the vehicle to hit…
Other Mercedes Benz SL500 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 SL500 | 2 | 0 |
| 2006 SL500 | 13 | 0 |
| 2005 SL500 | 19 | 0 |
| 2004 SL500 | 45 | 0 |
| 2003 SL500 | 80 | 0 |
| 2001 SL500 | 3 | 0 |
| 2000 SL500 | 2 | 0 |
| 1999 SL500 | 2 | 0 |
| 1998 SL500 | 6 | 0 |
| 1997 | 9 | 1 |
| 1996 SL500 | 6 | 0 |
| 1995 SL500 | 22 | 0 |
See all Mercedes Benz SL500 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 SL500?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, engine problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 4 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Mercedes Benz SL500?
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 SL500 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other SL500 model years, the 1997 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.