2004 Mercedes Benz SL500 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other SL500 years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 12 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 45 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 Mercedes Benz SL500. That ranks 2nd out of 12 SL500 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is suspension (21 complaints, 47%), typically at around 58,000 miles. Complaints mention 4 crashes, 3 fires, 6 injuries. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 45owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 4complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2004 Mercedes Benz SL500 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 21 | 47% | 58,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 9 | 20% | 82,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 5 | 11% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 4 | 9% | 61,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 4 | 9% | 118,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 3 | 7% | 76,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 7% | 61,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 7% | 19,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 4% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 4% | 81,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 2% | 74,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 2% | 795,908 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 2% | 100,300 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2004 Mercedes Benz SL500 recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 2004 Mercedes Benz SL500.
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
- Air suspension system failure (PE07042) — opened Aug 14, 2007, closed Nov 20, 2007.
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 SL500. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the message "Brakes Reached Historic Threshold" was displayed, which indicated that the brake control unit had malfunctioned. Additionally, while depressing the brake pedal, the brake pedal was spongy…
Question 1: The Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC) unit, which is a high-pressure "brake-by-wire" hydraulic system. Component A7/3. The component is currently installed in the vehicle and is available for inspection. Question 2: The vehicle experienced a sudden, catastrophic loss of hydraulic brake…
The 2003-2006 R230 series seem to have a problem with the BCM (Battery Control Module) as start an electrical fire in the trunk. Very common issue and a safety hazard - this is what happened with my car. Vehicle has dual battery, starter in front, convenience battery in trunk and fuses that operate…
On many 2003 and 2004 models. Broken fuel tank baffle inside fuel tank. This is well documented and could possibly cause explosion.
On july 22, 2020 the vehicle (2004 mercedes-benz sl500 (r230)began making a loud banging noise in the rear when stopping and turning. I delivered the vehicle to a local shop where the vehicle was diagnosed as having a broken baffle in the fuel tank. The only solution is to replace the entire fuel…
Other Mercedes Benz SL500 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 SL500 | 2 | 0 |
| 2006 SL500 | 13 | 0 |
| 2005 SL500 | 19 | 0 |
| 2004 | 45 | 0 |
| 2003 SL500 | 80 | 0 |
| 2001 SL500 | 3 | 0 |
| 2000 SL500 | 2 | 0 |
| 1999 SL500 | 2 | 0 |
| 1998 SL500 | 6 | 0 |
| 1997 SL500 | 9 | 1 |
| 1996 SL500 | 6 | 0 |
| 1995 SL500 | 22 | 0 |
See all Mercedes Benz SL500 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 SL500?
Owners most often report suspension, service brakes, fuel system, gasoline problems. The top one, suspension, accounts for 21 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2004 Mercedes Benz SL500?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 2004 Mercedes Benz SL500 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other SL500 model years, the 2004 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.