Smoke coming from engine compartment. Upon closer examination found a piece of material from hood wedged between body of vehicle and exhaust manifold. Material caught fire. Vehicle was parked in driveway idling.
The worst 1999 Mercedes Benz SL500 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Transmission1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Transmission1
Recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Technical service bulletins for the 1999 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...
1999 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 1999 Mercedes Benz SL500 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Dt: the contact stated the drivetrain is leaping as the car starts and as you start to shift. No accidents that LED up to this and the dealer has looked at it several (unknown quanity) times. The powertrain seems to be sending power from the front to the back of the car too quickly and this could lead to future failures and a safety risk.
Compare the 1999 Mercedes Benz SL500
Other model years
199219931994199519961997199819992000200120032004200520062009
Questions about the 1999 Mercedes Benz SL500
Is the 1999 Mercedes Benz SL500 reliable?
Owners have filed 2 complaints about the 1999 Mercedes Benz SL500, fewer than a typical SL500 model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1999 Mercedes Benz SL500?
Transmission and drivetrain, with 1 complaint.
How many recalls does the 1999 Mercedes Benz SL500 have?
No recalls on record.
What gas mileage does the 1999 Mercedes Benz SL500 get?
Official estimates for the 1999 Mercedes Benz SL500 range from 17 mpg combined. The most efficient version (5.0L 8-cyl, RWD) gets 14 city and 21 highway.
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 1999 Mercedes Benz SL500?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history