1998 Mercedes Benz SL320: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
2 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
Not available median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1998 model year. Data snapshot: . 0 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 2 complaints (50.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 50.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery | 1 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Park/Neutral Start Interlock Switch | 1 |
Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery: 1; Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Park/Neutral Start Interlock Switch: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
No usable failure mileage is recorded. 2 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 2 |
2000: 2
Pattern summary
Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 735940 · 2000-11-07 (November 7, 2000)
BATTERY "EXPLODED" TRYING TO START CAR. BATTTERY ACID WAS SPREYED ALL ABOUT, AND ACRID FUMES FILLED OUR GARAGE. WAS COMPENSATED $2500 BY MERCEDES AND THE DEALER OFFFERED A NEW VEHICAL "AT COST" WHICH WE ACCEPTED. WERE TOLD THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME A BATTERY HAD EXPLODED IN A ML320. THESE BATTERIES AND/OR THE IGNITION SYSTEM NEED TO BE RECALLED. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS HURT IN THIS INCIDENT, BUT IT DID OCCUR IN A GARAGE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO GAS LINES AND PILOT LIGHTS FOR THE WATER HEATER AND HOME HEATING UNIT, WITH MY WIFE AND CHILDREN IN …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 735940 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 860559 · 2000-04-19 (April 19, 2000)
VEHICLE WAS SITTING ON SMALL INCLINE & SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR. ROLLED BACK, JUMPED A CURVE AND WENT INTO A STREET, REARENDING ANOTHER VEHICLE. DEALER WILL BE CONTACTED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 860559 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.