2004 Mercedes Benz E500 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other E500 years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 7 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 142 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 Mercedes Benz E500. That is the most of any E500 model year in the database (7 years). The most reported problem area is fuel/propulsion system (56 complaints, 39%), typically at around 93,000 miles. Complaints mention 3 crashes, 2 fires, 3 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 142owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 3complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2004 Mercedes Benz E500 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 | 56 | 39% | 93,000 | “fuel tank” (25%) | $2,100 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 30 | 21% | 85,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 23 | 16% | 98,750 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 19 | 13% | 99,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 7 | 5% | 61,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 7 | 5% | 109,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 7 | 5% | 45,965 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 7 | 5% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 2% | 49,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 2% | 87,594 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 1% | 55,250 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 1% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | 166,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 1% | 76,933 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | 105 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2004 Mercedes Benz E500 recalls (3)
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 C-Class, CLK, E-Class, and CLS vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. The glass sunroof panel may not be properly secured and may detach.
Risk: A detached sunroof panel may 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 February 3, 2023. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. This recall expands NHTSA recall number 19V-918. MBUSA's numbers for this recall are 2023010004, 2023010005, and 2023010006.
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.
Approximately in March 2026, I started noticing a very strong gasoline odor coming from my 2004 Mercedes-Benz E 500 4-matic with original miles approximately 56,300. The fuel odor always got stronger whenever I would fill up the gas tank. The history on my car is such that it has always been garage…
I am submitting this complaint regarding a suspected safety-related defect involving the fuel system of my Mercedes-Benz vehicle. I have experienced a persistent gasoline odor originating from the vehicle. The presence of fuel odor is not a normal operating condition and reasonably indicates a…
Vehicle started smoking and caught fire while I was driving. Pulled over and vehicle erupted in flames. It took firefighters 2 hours to put out that fire.
The contact owns a 2004 Mercedes-Benz E500. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, there was an abnormally strong fuel odor inside the vehicle. The contact stated that upon making a stop, he noticed fuel leaking onto the driver's side rear wheel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic…
the car has smelled like gas from the minute i received it. the previous owner told me that mercedes had quoted 5 grand to fix it so i would only put half a tank in at a time. turns out there was a warranty on it but has since expired. why wasn't it fixed for free when the previous owner brought…
Other Mercedes Benz E500 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 E500 | 1 | 0 |
| 2008 E500 | 1 | 0 |
| 2007 E500 | 1 | 0 |
| 2006 E500 | 50 | 4 |
| 2005 E500 | 140 | 3 |
| 2004 | 142 | 3 |
| 2003 E500 | 125 | 3 |
See all Mercedes Benz E500 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 E500?
Owners most often report fuel/propulsion system, fuel system, gasoline, suspension problems. The top one, fuel/propulsion system, accounts for 56 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2004 Mercedes Benz E500?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2004 Mercedes Benz E500 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other E500 model years, the 2004 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.