Total Complaints
3 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ SLK · model year
1998 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK
3 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 1998MERCEDES-BENZSLK carries 3 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 2 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 1998 SLK is electronic stability control (esc) with 1 filings, followed by electrical system (1) and tires (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 1998 SLK. 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.
3
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
2
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 |
|---|---|
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20090213TIRES
ON 02/02/2009 I HAD MY VEHICLE, A 1998 MERCEDES-BENZ 230SLK SERVICED FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE. DURING THAT SERVICE THE SERVICEMAN INSPECTED MY TIRES AND BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT THEY WERE BALD. THE TIRES IN QUESTION WERE THE THIRD SET OF DUNLOPS THAT THIS AUTO HAS HAD, THE FIRST BEING ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT WHICH I HAD SUCCESS WITH SO I WAS A LOYAL DUNLOP CUSTOMER. WHEN IT WAS TIME FOR TIRE REPLACEMENT I NATURALLY PURCHASED THE SAME DUNLOP TIRES. TO MY SHOCK, THEY EXHIBITED PREMATURE TIRE WEAR WITHIN SIX-TO TWELVE MONTHS OF PURCHASE. ALTHOUGH I WAS TOLD THEY WOULD BE REPLACED FOR FREE BECAUSE THEY WERE DEFECTIVE, DUNLOP DID NOT MAKE GOOD ON SUCH OFFER OR WARRANTY. ON 10/22/2007 I PURCHASED TWO DUNLOP TIRES, 225/50R1692V, DOT DN 41 29W AND TWO DUNLOP TIRES 205/55R1691V, DOT DM CP 38W, ALL SPSPORT 2020E. WHILE DUNLOP FAILED TO STAND BY THE TIRE WARRANTY, I WAS ASSURED THAT IF I PURCHASED FOUR NEW DUNLOP TIRES THEY WOULD MAIL ME A CHECK FOR A PARTIAL REFUND. RESTING ON THEIR AS
Mileage: 17,584
20080326ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ALL THE SUDDEN AND WITHOUT WARNING, CAR STOPPED IN MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY, ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OF CAR WAS SHOT OUT AND COULD NOT OPERATE THE BRAKE STEERING AND CAR WAS TOWED TO A FACTORY TRAIED MERCEDES BENZ FACILITY, DIAGNOSIS (NO POWER TO ME2 CONTROL UNIT) THE K40 RELAY MODULE WAS REPLACED WHILE IN GARAGE ANOTHER SLK MODEL WAS IN FOR SAME IDENTICAL PROBLEM SINCE THIS COULD BE A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE IS REPORTED TO YOU. *TR
Mileage: 31,758
20080326ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ALL THE SUDDEN AND WITHOUT WARNING, CAR STOPPED IN MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY, ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OF CAR WAS SHOT OUT AND COULD NOT OPERATE THE BRAKE STEERING AND CAR WAS TOWED TO A FACTORY TRAIED MERCEDES BENZ FACILITY, DIAGNOSIS (NO POWER TO ME2 CONTROL UNIT) THE K40 RELAY MODULE WAS REPLACED WHILE IN GARAGE ANOTHER SLK MODEL WAS IN FOR SAME IDENTICAL PROBLEM SINCE THIS COULD BE A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE IS REPORTED TO YOU. *TR
Mileage: 31,758
Compare 1998MERCEDES-BENZSLK to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1998 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK have?▼
The 1998 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK?▼
The most-complained component for the 1998 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK is ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM and TIRES.
Is the 1998 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK 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 1998 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK; 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.