Owners filed 6 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the visibility/wiper. It has been recalled 1 time.
What fails
Component
Reports
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Electrical System
2
0
0
0
Visibility/Wiper
1
0
0
0
Tires
1
0
0
0
Structure › Frame and Members
1
0
0
0
Fuel/Propulsion System
1
0
0
0
1 safety recall
Part 573 reports
Wheels06E014000
Filed Feb 6, 200631,422 vehiclesZf Trading North America, Llc
Defect. CERTAIN ZF TRADING NORTH AMERICA AFTERMARKET WHEEL BEARING KITS, LEMFOERDER P/N 1402301, SOLD FOR INSTALLATION ON 1992-2001 MERCEDES BENZ SL500 (R129) VEHICLES AFTER APRIL 1, 2005. THE CALIPER MOUNTING BOLTS USED IN THE WHEEL BEARING KIT MAY BE DEFECTIVE, SHEAR OFF AND BREAK. IF BOTH CALIPER MOUNTING BOLTS BREAK, THE BRAKE CALIPER MAY BECOME UNFIXED AND, WHEN THE VEHICLE IS BRAKED, THE BRAKE ROTOR COULD DRAG THE CALIPER, CAUSING THE BRAKE HOSE TO RUPTURE AND THE VEHICLE'S SUSPENSION TO BE DAMAGED.
Risk. THIS COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF A PORTION OF THE VEHICLE'S BRAKING ABILITY, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy. ZF TRADING WILL NOTIFY ITS OWNERS AND REPAIR THE WHEEL BEARING KITS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 27, 2006.
What owners reported
Newest filings
Tires
Filed Oct 10, 201992,204 milesCO
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.
Electrical System
Filed Feb 2, 201719 milesPR
CAR WAS IN MOTION ON HIGHWAY WHEN THICK DARK BLACK SMOKE BECAME VISIBLE FROM THE INTERIOR REAR VIEW MIRROR AND DOME LIGHT HOUSING.
Electrical System
Filed Jul 28, 201618,677 milesPR
CAR WAS IN MOTION ON HIGHWAY WHEN THICK DARK BLACK SMOKE BECAME VISIBLE FROM THE INTERIOR REAR VIEW MIRROR AND DOME LIGHT HOUSING.
Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed May 17, 2015153,000 milesCA
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?
Visibility/Wiper
Filed Dec 22, 201435,000 milesCA
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.
Structure › Frame and Members
Filed Aug 26, 201055,000 milesCO
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
No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.
Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.
Most recent recall on file: Feb 6, 2006. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.