Total Complaints
6 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ SL CLASS · model year
2004 MERCEDES-BENZ SL CLASS
6 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2004MERCEDES-BENZSL CLASS carries 6 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2004 SL CLASS is service brakes, hydraulic with 2 filings, followed by equipment:appliance:air conditioner (1) and exterior lighting:headlights:high/low beam dimmer switch (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 15 investigation files overlapping the 2004 SL CLASS. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
6
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 2 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH | 1 |
| SUSPENSION | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20120106SUSPENSION
SOMETHING CALLED AN ABC PUMP AND BLOCK HAS FAILED AND CAR DROPS DOWN ON FRAME. SPENT $3200 ON THE PUMP TO DRIVE 2 MONTHS BEFORE THEY WANT $3800 TO REPAIR THE VALVE BLOCK. BOTH TIMES THE VEHICLE DROPS AND IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. THIS IS IN ADDITION TO A BAFFLE COMING LOOSE IN THE GAS TANK THAT HAS METAL BASHING METAL INSIDE THE GAS CELL. *TR
20120106STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
SOMETHING CALLED AN ABC PUMP AND BLOCK HAS FAILED AND CAR DROPS DOWN ON FRAME. SPENT $3200 ON THE PUMP TO DRIVE 2 MONTHS BEFORE THEY WANT $3800 TO REPAIR THE VALVE BLOCK. BOTH TIMES THE VEHICLE DROPS AND IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. THIS IS IN ADDITION TO A BAFFLE COMING LOOSE IN THE GAS TANK THAT HAS METAL BASHING METAL INSIDE THE GAS CELL. *TR
20120106SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
SOMETHING CALLED AN ABC PUMP AND BLOCK HAS FAILED AND CAR DROPS DOWN ON FRAME. SPENT $3200 ON THE PUMP TO DRIVE 2 MONTHS BEFORE THEY WANT $3800 TO REPAIR THE VALVE BLOCK. BOTH TIMES THE VEHICLE DROPS AND IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. THIS IS IN ADDITION TO A BAFFLE COMING LOOSE IN THE GAS TANK THAT HAS METAL BASHING METAL INSIDE THE GAS CELL. *TR
20050411EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
WHEN TURNING ON THE AIR CONDITIONER OR ANY OTHER VEHICLE ACCESSORY THE HEADLIGHTS DIM OR THEY FLASH ON AND OFF AS IF GOING FROM HIGH BEAM TO LOW BEAM, ETC. TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 040842001A. *AK
Mileage: 1,000
20050411EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH
WHEN TURNING ON THE AIR CONDITIONER OR ANY OTHER VEHICLE ACCESSORY THE HEADLIGHTS DIM OR THEY FLASH ON AND OFF AS IF GOING FROM HIGH BEAM TO LOW BEAM, ETC. TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 040842001A. *AK
Mileage: 1,000
20050204SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
RECALL CAMPAIGN: RECALL 2004 050014 NOTICE RECEIVED FOR DEFECTIVE SENSOTRONIC BRAKE. *BF THE SERVICE DEALER COMPUTERS DISENGAGED THE CONSUMERS BRAKING SYSTEM, THEREFORE THE VEHICLE WAS INOPERABLE. 2004 MERCEDES BENZ SL500 ROADSTER. *SC *JB
Compare 2004MERCEDES-BENZSL CLASS to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ SL CLASS have?▼
The 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ SL CLASS has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ SL CLASS?▼
The most-complained component for the 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ SL CLASS is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER and EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH.
Is the 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ SL CLASS safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.