Total Complaints
9 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ SL320 · model year
1997 MERCEDES-BENZ SL320
9 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997MERCEDES-BENZSL320 carries 9 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1997 SL320 is electrical system:wiring with 2 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine (2) and visibility:windshield wiper/washer (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 15 investigation files overlapping the 1997 SL320. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
9
Complaints
0
Crashes
2
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 2 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| WHEELS:MULTI PIECE | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20190409SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER
AT A SLOW 5 MPH PARKING LOT SPEED THE SEAT BELT TENSIONING DEVICES IGNITED. THE SRS SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. THERE WERE NO IMPACTS, PREVIOUS COLLISIONS, OR ANY REASON FOR THESE PRE-TENSIONING DEVICES TO ACTIVATE. IT WAS STARTING AND MY WIFE'S CHEST HURT FOR A FEW DAYS AFTER.
Mileage: 150,000
20190409SEAT BELTS
AT A SLOW 5 MPH PARKING LOT SPEED THE SEAT BELT TENSIONING DEVICES IGNITED. THE SRS SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. THERE WERE NO IMPACTS, PREVIOUS COLLISIONS, OR ANY REASON FOR THESE PRE-TENSIONING DEVICES TO ACTIVATE. IT WAS STARTING AND MY WIFE'S CHEST HURT FOR A FEW DAYS AFTER.
Mileage: 150,000
20041222ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
BURN SMELL COMING FROM ELECTRICAL HARNESS BOX. MR THE HARNESS BOX WAS LOCATED IN THE TRUNK. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAD AN OIL LEAK. *JB
20041222ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
BURN SMELL COMING FROM ELECTRICAL HARNESS BOX. MR THE HARNESS BOX WAS LOCATED IN THE TRUNK. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAD AN OIL LEAK. *JB
20030422FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
WHILE PARKED IN A GARAGE THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO USE THE KEYLESS ENTRY REMOTE BUT IT DID NOT UNLOCK THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER THEN TRIED TO START THE VEHICLE BUT IT WOULD NOT START. THE CONSUMER THEN OPENED THE TRUNK AND AT THAT TIME THE CONSUMER SMELLED A STRONG BURNING ODOR. THE CONSUER THEN NOTICED THAT THE BLACK BOX, IMMEDIATELY ABOVE THE BATTER, BURNED. TEH VEHICLE ALSO LEAKED OIL. *AK *NLM
20030422FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE PARKED IN A GARAGE THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO USE THE KEYLESS ENTRY REMOTE BUT IT DID NOT UNLOCK THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER THEN TRIED TO START THE VEHICLE BUT IT WOULD NOT START. THE CONSUMER THEN OPENED THE TRUNK AND AT THAT TIME THE CONSUMER SMELLED A STRONG BURNING ODOR. THE CONSUER THEN NOTICED THAT THE BLACK BOX, IMMEDIATELY ABOVE THE BATTER, BURNED. TEH VEHICLE ALSO LEAKED OIL. *AK *NLM
19990823WHEELS:MULTI PIECE
CHROME TIRE WHEEL IS LOOSE. YH
19990415EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
A/C FAILURE.
19980930VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
SINGLE WIPER BLADE HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIME IN 1 YR. DEALER STATES THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH BLADES NOT LASTING.
Compare 1997MERCEDES-BENZSL320 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ SL320 have?▼
The 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ SL320 has 9 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ SL320?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ SL320 is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE and VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER.
Is the 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ SL320 safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ SL320; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.