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Mercedes-Benz SL500Model year report

1997 Mercedes-Benz SL500 Problems

Complaints
9filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
122,000miles, 6 complaints with mileage
Recalls
1campaigns on record
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
16 mpgcombined, 5.0L 8-cyl RWD · 14 city / 21 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 1997 Mercedes-Benz SL500 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 9 consumer complaints for the 1997 Mercedes-Benz SL500. The part named most often is air bags, with 4 complaints (44% of the total), followed by brakes (1) and electrical system (1). 6 of the complaints include a mileage, and 17% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 122,000 miles. Of all complaints, 2 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 4 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 15 technical service bulletins for this model year. Air bags complaints overlap with 1 recall campaign filed under the same part. Brakes complaints overlap with 1 technical service bulletin filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Example complaints

Air bags: “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 immediately tightened and both driver and passenger felt strong air blast; that each described as being hit in chest. Sound/airblast followed immediately by a burning/gunpowder smell and slight white smoke in cabin. Srs light on dashboard went on. …”

NHTSA complaint #11301461, filed 2020-01, 209,000 miles

Electrical system: “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 to stop mercedes is deinying all involvment.”

NHTSA complaint #10189295, filed 2007-04, 114,000 miles

Engine: “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 to be towed. Turn signals, brake lights, power steering, half of the instruments (including speedometer and odometer), battery and charging system are inoperable due to bare wires shorting out the wiring harnesses. …”

NHTSA complaint #10522165, filed 2013-06, 137,452 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

17% of the 6 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 56,000 and 137,452 miles.

0%0–100%10–2517%25–5017%50–750%75–10050%100–15017%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (6 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 122,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

200120022003200522007201120132020
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 1997 Mercedes-Benz SL500 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
SL500 RWD5.0L 8-cyl5-speed automatic142116$5,150

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 1997 Mercedes-Benz SL500 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 15 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 15 bulletins →

Other model years of the Mercedes-Benz SL500

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20061354,0000—17—Not enough data
20051940,2820—17—Falling
20044575,0000—17Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20038062,8590—16Not compared (before 2008)Falling
1998645,0000—17—Not enough data
19979122,0001—16—Not enough data
1996685,0000—17—Not enough data
19952297,5000—16—Stable
1994890,0000—16—Not enough data
1993666,0000———Not enough data

All Mercedes-Benz SL500 model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 1997 Mercedes-Benz SL500 have?

NHTSA recorded 9 consumer complaints for the 1997 Mercedes-Benz SL500 as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1997 Mercedes-Benz SL500 is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 4 complaints (44% of the total), followed by brakes with 1.

Has the 1997 Mercedes-Benz SL500 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 1997 Mercedes-Benz SL500 get?

The EPA rates the 1997 Mercedes-Benz SL500 (SL500, 5.0L 8-cyl) at 16 mpg combined, 14 city and 21 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $5,150 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 1997 Mercedes-Benz SL500 reported?

Among the 6 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 122,000 miles and the middle half falls between 56,000 and 137,452 miles; 17% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.