2004 Mercedes Benz Sl500: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 63 complaints
63
Total Complaints
61,000mi
Median Mileage
SUSPENSION
Top Issue
5
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

47,250 25th Percentile
61,000 Median Mileage
90,500 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

SUSPENSION
21
SERVICE BRAKES
9
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
4
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
4
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
4
WHEELS
3
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
2
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
2
POWER TRAIN
2
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
2

Severity Assessment

5
Crashes
4
Fires
8
Injuries
2
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ SL500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE UP A HILL IN ORDER TO STOP AND THEN PULLED INTO HIS DRIVEWAY. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 3,200."
"THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED TO UPSHIFT BEYOND THIRD GEAR WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY. COULD ONLY GO 30MPH AS REVS HIGH. HAD TO TAKE VEHICLE TO DEALER TO REPAIR TRANSMISSION. ONLY 39,000 MILES ON CAR. NOT ABUSED. *TR"
"MY MERCEDES BENZ SL 500 2004 CAME WITH CAR NEW ALLOY WHEELS ARE IMPROPERLY DESIGNED AND ENGINEERED TO MEET MINIMUM SAFETY REQUIREMENTS. RECENTLY AT NEAR SPEED LIMIT HIT A 2-3" POT HOLE IN ROAD. SOFT METAL ALLOY RF WHEEL BENT, "Z" RATED MICHELAN TIRE BLEW, FOLLOW-ON CONTROL PROBLEM PLACEDWIFE AND..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28