The pulley fitted to the front of the crankshaft is also a vibration damper: a rubber insert connects the outer ring to the inner one.
Applies to the engine M112E28, M112E32, M113E50 and 1 more.
Repair: from 750 EUR
vinkodex.Mercedes-Benz SL-Class R129 common faults.
1993–2001. The fault list covers this generation and the engines in it. If the listing gives the exact version, pick it below.
Rudolf Stricker / Attribution
What to watch for
What can go wrong on this car?
The list covers the generation, the engines and the transmissions. Once you pick the version, only the faults that apply to it stay.
critical1
expensive4
The Mercedes 5 speed 722.6 automatic (5G-Tronic / NAG1) has three faults that also recur on the used market: (1) the control electronics sit inside the gearbox housing, and a leaking connector lets oil onto the electronics; (2) cooling faults around 2003 (and later) can let antifreeze into the ATF, which shortens its life; (3) wear of the torque converter lock-up clutch contaminates the valve body and causes jerky shifts.
Applies to the transmission MB7226.
The gasket of the cam cover and the cover seals towards the oil filter housing age, harden and start to seep.
Applies to the engine M112E28, M112E32.
Repair: from 18 EUR
The rear crankshaft seal ages and oil seeps at the joint between the engine and the gearbox.
Applies to the engine M113E50, M113E55.
The rubber insert in the harmonic damper on the front of the crankshaft ages and hardens.
Applies to the engine M113E50, M113E55.
cheap repair1
M113 V8: engine mounts that wear early
cheap repairThe engine mounts wear early: failures below 100,000 km have been reported.
Applies to the engine M113E50, M113E55.
Engines and transmissions in this generation
A fault is often tied to the engine, not to the whole generation. You find the engine code in the registration document.
R129 · 1993–2001
Pick the version.
The fault list opens on the version page.
9 versions
EngineVersionPowerFuel · transmissionBody
2.8 l · 2799 cm³
M104E28
SL 280
1993–1995 · SL 280
193 HPpetrol · automaticconvertible2.8 l · 2799 cm³
M104E28
SL 280
1993–1995 · SL 280
193 HPpetrol · manualconvertible2.8 l · 2799 cm³
M112E28
SL 280
1998–2001 · SL 280
204 HPpetrol · manualconvertible2.8 l · 2799 cm³
M112E28 · MB7226
SL 280
1998–2001 · SL 280
204 HPpetrol · automaticconvertible3.2 l · 3199 cm³
M112E32 · MB7226
SL 320
1998–2001 · SL 320
224 HPpetrol · automaticconvertible3.2 l · 3199 cm³
M104E32
SL 320
1993–1995 · SL 320
231 HPpetrol · automaticconvertible5.0 l · 4966 cm³
M113E50 · MB7226
SL 500
1998–2001 · SL 500
306 HPpetrol · automaticconvertible5.0 l · 4973 cm³
M119E50
SL 500
1993–1995 · SL 500
320 HPpetrol · automaticconvertible6.0 l · 5987 cm³
M120E60120981 · M120E60120983
SL 600
1993–1995 · SL 600
394 HPpetrol · automaticconvertible
Neighbouring generations
R129 · 1993–2001
R129 (1993-2001). If the listing is from the changeover year, look at the neighbour too.
Previous generation
This is the earliest.
This generation
R129 · 1993–2001
Next generation
R230 · 2001–2012Common questions
About this generation
Which years does this page cover?
1993–2001. The changeover year can fall in two generations. If the listing is from that year, look at the neighbour too.
Does the fault apply to every car like this?
No. It depends on the engine and the transmission too.
Is it free?
The fault list is.
Information, not an expert opinion
We write the descriptions, and we put the source next to them. A person reviews them before they go out. They are still information, not a technical expert opinion.
- A fault on the list does not mean the car you are looking at has it.
- A fault missing from the list does not mean the model is fault-free. Write-ups are made model by model. Not all of them are done.
- You decide whether to buy. This is no substitute for an inspection. That needs a workshop and a history check.