Model year record

1997 MERCEDES BENZ SL500

1 recall campaign on file for this model year. 13 owner complaints on file.

Recalls

Recall campaignNHTSA 99V327000

Air bags: frontal

Component
Air bags: frontal
Manufacturer
MERCEDES-BENZ USA, INC.
Vehicles affected
4,402
Reported to NHTSA
1999-11-22
Owners notified
2000-01-18

Defect description

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. CORROSION OF THE ELECTRICAL IGNITION FILAMENT OF THE AIR BAG GAS GENERATOR MODULE CAN OCCUR IF THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN AREAS OF FREQUENTLY HIGH HUMIDITY.

Safety risk

CORROSION OF THE IGNITION FILAMENT CAN RESULT IN THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG BEING DEPLOYED UNINTENTIONALLY.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG MODULE.

Owner complaints

A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.

ComponentComplaintsMedian mileage
Air bags2130,000 mi
Air bags: side/window240,000 mi
Air bags: frontal140,000 mi
Electrical system: wiring1114,000 mi
Engine1137,452 mi
Power train1
Seat belts1209,000 mi
Seat belts: pretensioner1209,000 mi
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components1
Steering1137,452 mi
Structure: body: door1

The 1996 model has about 1.5 times as many complaints as this one. The 1998 model has about 1.5 times as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.

Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.