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CarsLore / Mercedes-Benz / SL-Class / 1998

1998 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class

12 owner complaints — the most of any SL-Class model years, 6.0× the typical year. 0 recalls, 5 service bulletins.

12complaints · 0 crashes, 0 fires
0recalls
5manufacturer bulletins
25,095 mimedian mileage at failure

Problems owners report

Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1998 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.

  • Equipment3
  • Service brakes, hydraulic3
  • Fuel system, other2
  • Suspension2
  • Visibility2
  • Structure1
  • Exterior lighting1
  • Tires1
  • Latches/locks/linkages1
  • Fuel system, gasoline1

NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported

Compared with other years

’96’98’01’03’05’0912’96’98’99’03’0612
199619971998199920012002200320042005200620092013

NHTSA ODI complaints by model year

New York safety inspections

At its first New York inspection the 1998 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class failed the safety check 0.88% of the time — 49% less often than the average 1998 passenger car (1.71%). Median odometer at inspection: 78,875 miles.

911first inspections
0.88%failed on safety
78,875 mimedian odometer
0.0%0.7%1.5%’94’96’98’00’02’04’06’08’11’13’15’17’19’22’24’260.9%0.0%0.7%1.5%’94’97’98’00’03’06’09’13’16’19’23’260.9%

NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count

In the Netherlands

51 first registered in 1998 are on Dutch roads; 78% arrived later as imports.

58.8%had an APK defect recorded since June 2022
76.9%logical odometer history
0.0%with a recall still open

Most common APK defects

Colours

Grey 35%Black 24%Blue 22%

RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording

In the United Kingdom

389 cars built in 1998 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 497 more were declared off the road (SORN).

389licensed, end of 2025
44%of those still registered are on the road

Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0

In Finland

10 of these cars first registered in 1998 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 148,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.

Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0

In New Zealand

1 1998 cars are on the New Zealand register; 100% arrived as used imports, 0% were sold new in New Zealand.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0

Recalls

No recall campaigns cover the 1998 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class.

Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words

Service bulletins

What Mercedes-Benz told its dealers about the 1998 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class: known faults, fixes and updates.

BulletinSummary
601449UPDATED INFORMATION TO REFLECT ADDITON OF APPROVED TIRES. *YC
10030964MERCEDES: THE LIMITED WARRANTY ON THE SBC HYDRAULIC UNIT FOR MODELS 211, MODEL 219 AND MODELS 230 WAS EXTENDED FROM THE ORIGINAL 4 YEARS/50,000 MILES TO 10 YEARS WITH NO MILEAGE LIMITATION. THE SBC HYDRAULIC UNIT EXTENDED LIMITED WARRANTY APPLIES TO ALL CONDITIONS THAT JUSTIFY THE REPLACEMENT OF THE SBC HYDRAULIC UNIT UNDER THE STANDARD WARRANTY TERMS AND CONDITIONS. *PE
10030941MERCEDES: CRACKING NOISE FROM THE AREA OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL/FIREWALL WHEN CORNERING, DURING THROTTLE LIFT OFF AND ON UNEVEN ROADS. STRESS AT THE SPOT WELDS ON THE FIREWALL TO THE RIGHT OF THE BRAKE BOOSTER CAN RESULT IN CRACKING NOISES. NO RIGHT HAND DRIVE. NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE
10030939MERCEDES: PARKTRONIC INTERMITTENTLY NOT FUNCTIONING. THE FUNCTION WORKS AGAIN AFTER A SHORT TIME OR DISTANCE. WHEN THE FOOT OPERATED PARKING BRAKE IS APPLIED, THE PARKTRONIC SYSTEM IS DEACTIVATED. IF THE FOOT OPERATED PARKING BRAKE IS ON AT THE FIRST NOTCH, THE CONTACT SWITCH MAY REACT WITH A CONSIDERATION DELAY WHEN THE PARKING BRAKE IS RELEASED. NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE
10030929MERCEDES: CORROSION PROTECTION COATINGS FOR BRAKE COMPONENTS AND HARDWARE MAY BE DAMAGED AND OR STRIPPED AWAY IF HIGHLY CONCENTRATED ACID BASED CLEANERS ARE USED. ONCE THE CORROSION PROTECTION IS DAMAGED OR REMOVED THE BRAKE COMPONENTS AND OR HARDWARE CAN BEGIN TO CORRODE. INCLUDE ALL MODELS AND MODEL YEARS. *PE

NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)