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.
The worst 1998 Mercedes Benz SL500 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Electrical2
- Visibility2
- Body1
- Brakes1
- Fuel system1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Electrical2
- Visibility2
- Body1
- Brakes1
- Fuel system1
- Tires1
Recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Technical service bulletins for the 1998 Mercedes Benz SL500 15
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Harsh engagement when changing gear range from P to D or R
- Harsh engagement when changing gear range from P to D
- IPhone mobile phone: Various complaints after software update to iOS8
- Shift quality complaints on TRANSMISSION 722.9 (7G-TRONIC and 7G-TRONIC PLUS)
- Possible minor leakage at described components or oil transfer from assembly plant.
- The noise comes from the front axle
- Height adjustment of electric steering column adjustment is nonfunctional.
- Message in instrument cluster "DISTRONIC PLUSCurrently Unavailable
- Mercedes benz: front or rear seat belt does not roll up correctly
- Xentry (mercedes): engine warning lamp is currently on or was on and a delay fault of the camshaft adjust...
1998 Mercedes Benz SL500 fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.0L 8‑cyl | RWD | 14 | 21 | 17 |
What 1998 Mercedes Benz SL500 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Car was in motion on highway when thick dark black smoke became visible from the interior rear view mirror and dome light housing.
Car was in motion on highway when thick dark black smoke became visible from the interior rear view mirror and dome light housing.
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?
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 the federal safety agency campaign number: 96v175000 (visibility). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 35,000.
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).
Compare the 1998 Mercedes Benz SL500
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Questions about the 1998 Mercedes Benz SL500
Is the 1998 Mercedes Benz SL500 reliable?
Owners have filed 6 complaints about the 1998 Mercedes Benz SL500, fewer than a typical SL500 model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1998 Mercedes Benz SL500?
Electrical system, with 2 complaints. Next is visibility (2).
How many recalls does the 1998 Mercedes Benz SL500 have?
No recalls on record.
What year does the Mercedes Benz SL500 have the most electrical problems?
The Mercedes Benz SL500 model years with the most electrical complaints are 1995 (18 complaints) and 2003 (10 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 1998 Mercedes Benz SL500 get?
Official estimates for the 1998 Mercedes Benz SL500 range from 17 mpg combined. The most efficient version (5.0L 8-cyl, RWD) gets 14 city and 21 highway.
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