AI Damage1999 Mercedes-Benz 500: common problems
Owners of the 1999 Mercedes-Benz 500 filed 7 complaints with NHTSA, most often about equipment and seat belts. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 7
What fails most often
- 1 Equipment 29% of all complaints
- 2 Seat belts 29% of all complaints
- 3 Visibility 29% of all complaints
- 4 Seats 14% of all complaints
- 5 Structure 14% of all complaints
- Equipment: 2 complaints (29% of all).
- Seat belts: 2 complaints (29% of all).
- Visibility: 2 complaints (29% of all).
- Seats: 1 complaints (14% of all).
- Structure: 1 complaints (14% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 7 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equipment | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Plastic rear view window of convertible top is distorted, hazy and impairs vision. Dealer stated the mfg's representative would not authorize repair/replacement. I purchased an extended 5 years warranty. Dealer sold me a "do it yourself" kit to restore but does not work. Faulty design.
The driver's side belt retractor was not working. The part was replaced at the owner's expense of $425.00. The dealer indicated, that there was no warranty and there was nothing they could do.
This was caused by corrosion due to the fact the unit was not sealed from moisture. Toxic fumes and smoke were instantaneous. When it shorted out, turning the key didn't stop electricity flow. The consumer had to disconnect the battery.
Seat belt problem with 1999 mercedes s500. Seat belt would not retract. I called mercedes benz technical support (twice) to ask if there was a problem with their seat belts. Their immediate response was that they had not received any complaints about seat belt failure.
Plastic rearview window has a distortion in it which causes poor driver's visibility. Window was looked at by a factory representative. This was a design problem with all mercedes benz convertibles. Rear window has not been changed.
Air conditioning system has been in for repair on several occasions and is still experiencing failures. Mjs
A hose is missing from air conditioning system causing system to blow warm air, it never gets cold.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 12,539 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 34% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 500 has 7 complaints (14 years in the data). This year has 7, about average.
What to check before buying
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- Seats. Occupant sensor, power adjustment, seat mounts.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Mercedes-Benz 500?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: equipment, seat belts, visibility. Total complaints: 7. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: A/C or heater (29%), windows, sunroof (29%), rust, corrosion (14%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 Mercedes-Benz 500?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1999 Mercedes-Benz 500 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1999 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.