2004 Mercedes Benz E320 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other E320 years
- Far more complaints than other years 3rd of 15 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 203 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 Mercedes Benz E320. That ranks 3rd out of 15 E320 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is fuel/propulsion system (79 complaints, 39%), typically at around 96,500 miles. Complaints mention 6 crashes, 1 fire, 5 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
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- 203owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 6complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2004 Mercedes Benz E320 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 79 | 39% | 96,500 | “fuel tank” (27%) | $3,250 |
| Service Brakes | 41 | 20% | 106,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 38 | 19% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 13 | 6% | 104,101 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 9 | 4% | 75,847 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 6 | 3% | 101,500 | — | — |
| Structure | 6 | 3% | 162,200 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 6 | 3% | 175,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 2% | 139,551 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 2% | 107,787 | — | — |
| Suspension | 4 | 2% | 43,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 4 | 2% | 85,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 3 | 1% | 111,573 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 3 | 1% | 105,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 3 | 1% | 134,500 | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 1% | 37,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 1% | 158,200 | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 1% | 186,500 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 1% | 216,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 1% | 500 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 1% | 250,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 0% | 74,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 0% | 35,500 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2004 Mercedes Benz E320 recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Visibility:sun/moon roof assembly
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2001-2011 C-Class, CLK, E-Class, and CLS vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models and model years. The glass sunroof panel may not be properly secured and can detach.
Risk: A detached sunroof panel can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sunroof panel as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 10, 2025. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. This recall is an expansion of previous NHTSA recall number 22V-954. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2024120001/2/3.
Visibility:sun/moon roof assembly
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2001-2011 vehicles. The bonding between the glass panel and the sliding roof frame may deteriorate, possibly resulting in the glass panel detaching from the vehicle. For a full list of the affected models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2019/RMISC-19V918-4126.pdf
Risk: A detached glass panel can separate from the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the glass panel bonding and replace the sliding roof, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 10, 2020. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2020040011.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Fuel Leakage From The Fuel Tank (EA13003) — opened Mar 15, 2013, closed Dec 19, 2014.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2004 Mercedes-Benz E320. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V918000 (Visibility); however, the contact was informed by the dealer that the sunroof glass was manufactured in a year outside of the year stated in the recall. The contact stated that the…
To Whom It May Concern, I took my 2004 Mercedes-Benz into the Stevens Creek location located in San Jose, CA 95129 to have the sliding roof bonding recall fixed on December 24, 2024. I have attached the repair invoice to this complaint. It has now been almost two full months and I am still being…
SBC braking system stated as covered under 25 year/unlimited miles warranty. SBC system failed on 2/1/25. Vehicle towed to local dealer service facility on 2/3/25. Tow was authorized at no charge by MB Roadside Assistance at no charge plus $100.00 credit toward diagnostic. Was told by phone on…
The sunroof has a recall due to the fact that it has a bad seal, which could fly off due to this issue. I know the seal is bad because the whole roof leaked a few years ago and fried all the electronic; e.g. lights, sunroof controls, trunk light controls, side door controls. I went to the…
The driver's side mirror auto-dim function failed (as theorized by simple research where others have this issue) December 2023 and leaked a liquid behind the glass causing blurriness, double vision, and extremely dim reflection. This makes it difficult to safely judge other traffic using the mirror…
Other Mercedes Benz E320 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 E320 | 8 | 3 |
| 2008 E320 | 10 | 3 |
| 2007 E320 | 17 | 4 |
| 2006 E320 | 41 | 4 |
| 2005 E320 | 231 | 3 |
| 2004 | 203 | 2 |
| 2003 E320 | 214 | 2 |
| 2002 E320 | 23 | 0 |
| 2001 E320 | 38 | 0 |
| 2000 E320 | 44 | 0 |
| 1999 E320 | 83 | 0 |
| 1998 E320 | 37 | 0 |
| 1997 E320 | 63 | 0 |
| 1996 E320 | 45 | 0 |
| 1995 E320 | 96 | 0 |
See all Mercedes Benz E320 problems by year, every Mercedes Benz model, or the Mercedes Benz VIN decoder.
Similar Mercedes Benz models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Mercedes Benz E320?
Owners most often report fuel/propulsion system, service brakes, fuel system, gasoline problems. The top one, fuel/propulsion system, accounts for 79 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2004 Mercedes Benz E320?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2004 Mercedes Benz E320 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other E320 model years, the 2004 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.