2004 Mercedes-Benz CLS500 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLS500, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Driver assistance133.3%
- Engine133.3%
- Fuel system133.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
FROM A STOPPED POSITION THERE IS DELAY WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS PRESSED BEFORE THE ENGINE ACTUALLY BEGINS TO ACCELERATE. THE DELAY IS APPROXIMATELY 2 SECONDS AND PRESENTS SERIOUS DANGER WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PULL INTO APPROACHING TRAFFIC. I HAVE HAD A FEW CLOSE CALLS WHERE I WAS ALMOST HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THE SIGNIFICANT HESITATION WITH THE ACCELERATION. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER A FEW TIMES, BUT THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM AND NO ERROR FAULTS HAD BEEN LOGGED IN THE VEHICLES COMPUTER. THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT INITIALLY BUT IS NOT CONSISTENTLY OCCURRING. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND SUSPECT MY CASE IS NOT UNIQUE. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ S500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSOR WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,530. *TR UPDATED 06/07/13*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER ULTIMATELY OFFERED A 20 PERCENT DISCOUNT ON THE PART ONLY. UPDATED 06/13/2013 *JS
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
FROM A STOPPED POSITION THERE IS DELAY WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS PRESSED BEFORE THE ENGINE ACTUALLY BEGINS TO ACCELERATE. THE DELAY IS APPROXIMATELY 2 SECONDS AND PRESENTS SERIOUS DANGER WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PULL INTO APPROACHING TRAFFIC. I HAVE HAD A FEW CLOSE CALLS WHERE I WAS ALMOST HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THE SIGNIFICANT HESITATION WITH THE ACCELERATION. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER A FEW TIMES, BUT THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM AND NO ERROR FAULTS HAD BEEN LOGGED IN THE VEHICLES COMPUTER. THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT INITIALLY BUT IS NOT CONSISTENTLY OCCURRING. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND SUSPECT MY CASE IS NOT UNIQUE. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .