RoadVitals

2004 Mercedes-Benz S 500 Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
12
Latest Dec 8, 2021
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Feb 16, 2014

What this page shows

Our database holds 12 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2004 Mercedes-Benz S 500. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–12 of 12

Exterior lightingSuspension
Filed Dec 8, 2021

The dash board lights lose their ability to illuminate the dashboard and the back airbags on the suspension keep deflating

NHTSA ID
11443151
Incident
Jan 13, 2021
Suspension
Filed Feb 4, 2019

SUSPENSION PROBLEM

NHTSA ID
11173879
Incident
Nov 1, 2018
Mileage
98,000 mi
BrakesEngineSteering
Filed Dec 12, 2017
1 injury reported

SYSTEMATIC WATER INTRUSION BY AIR COWL DISABLED ELECTRONICS WHILE DRIVING AND ALSO LONG TERM CAUSED A HEALTH ISSUE RESPIRATORY NEUROLOGICAL - TWO YEARS HOMEBOUND AFTER WAS FINALLY DIAGNOSED W/UNKNOWN CANCER

NHTSA ID
11054140
Incident
May 20, 2015
Mileage
93,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Oct 27, 2015

THE TRUNK WIRING HARNESS HAVE WIRES THAT THE PROTECTIVE COVERING HAS SHRED AND ALL COME APART. CAUSING WRITERS TO TOUCH. LOCKS NOT TO LOCK. TRUCK WON'T OPEN AND LICENSE PLATES LIGHTS ARE OUT

NHTSA ID
10786265
Incident
Apr 22, 2015
Mileage
108,000 mi
AirbagsElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Oct 4, 2015

LICENSE PLAYE LIGHT OUT SHORT CAUSES SRS LIGHT TO COME ON AND HAVE TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THERE IS NOW AN SIS DEFECTIVE LIGHT DUE TO THE WIRING. MY TRUCK DOES NOT POWER CLOSE. HAPPENS AT ALL TIMES. AND WHILE TURNING IT CAUSED AN ERROR FOR TURN LIGHTS

NHTSA ID
10779591
Incident
Feb 19, 2014
Mileage
106,000 mi
BrakesElectricalSteering
Filed Jul 12, 2015
Crash reported

DURING RAIN STORM, WATER SEEPEED INO AIR COWL INTO CABIN-PASSENGER SIDE- FLOODED FLOOR EVENTUALLY SAM ELECTRONIC MODULE UNDER FLOOR WAS DAMAGED AND SHUT OFF ELECTRONICS IN AUTOMOBILE WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEED ON FREEWAY- WITH OUT POWER CONTROLS OPERATING IT MADE DRIVING AND STOPPING THE CAR A VERY DANGEROUS FEAT EVENTUALLY WENT OFF ROAD INTO GUARDRAIL AND STOPPED. MERCEDES BENZ HAS BEEN AWARE (A LAWSUIT WAS FILED IN CA) OF DESIGN DEFECT OF AIR COWL DRAIN CLOGGING AND FLOODING CABIN BUT HAS KEPT THIS DANGEROUS FLAW FROM OWNERS EVEN THOUGH WE LEARNED THEY HAVE FOR SALE AN UPDATE KIT TO PREVENT THIS AT OWNERS EXPENSE. OUR CASE FORTUNATELY DID NOT CAUSE A FATALITY BUT IT COULD HAVE EASILY HAD IF THE VEHICLE WAS NOT BEING DRIVEN BY AN EXPERT DRIVER- LOOSING POWER CONTROLS ON A RAIN STORM/ WET ROAD WITH NO POWER ACCESORIES / BRAKES IS NOT A SAFE CONDITION WHICH NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED ASAP FOLLOWING THIS MISHAP WE CONTACTED LOCAL MERCEDS DEALERSHIP IN PLANO,TX AUTOHAUS WHO RESPONDED BEING UNAWARE AND HAD NO HISTORY OF SUCH PROBLEM- APPARENTLY MERCEDES IS BEING WRONGFULLY SECRETIVE OF THIS SERIOUS FLAW NOT ONLY TO CONSUMERS BUT THEIR OWN PEOPLE 9

NHTSA ID
10733487
Incident
Apr 14, 2015
Mileage
98,000 mi
Heating & air conditioningElectrical
Filed Apr 22, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ S500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VENT CONTROLS FAILED TO ACTIVATE THE AIR CONDITIONING AND THE HEATING SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE MOTOR REGULATOR AND THE AIR CONDITIONER BLOWER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000.

NHTSA ID
10712150
Incident
Feb 5, 2015
Mileage
103,000 mi
AirbagsBrakesElectrical
Filed Mar 7, 2015

ON MAY 16, 2014, I PURCHASED A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ S500 WITH 61,649 MILES FROM CAR CREDIT NATION.AFTER A FEW WEEKS OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE, AND VISITING WITH THE MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP FOR ROUTINE INSPECTIONS, WE FOUND FURTHER ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE, THAT WE FELT WERE LIFE THREATENING AND HAZARDOUS TO THE ROAD, OTHER DRIVERS, AND OUR SAFETY. MERCEDES BENZ STATED THAT THE ROTORS AND BRAKES WERE EXTREMELY BAD ON THE VEHICLE, WHICH THEY NOTICE AT THE TIME OF THEIR INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE.WE NOTICED THAT THERE WERE ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE, WHERE THE LIGHTS IN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT CUTOFF,THE ALARM SYSTEM WOULD CONTINUE TO RUN AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS CUT OFF AND LOCKED, THE COMMAND CENTER SHUTTING OFF WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, AND THE SRS AND TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT DISPLAYING ON THE DASHBOARD CENTER. ALSO WHILE OUT ONE NIGHT AT A FAMILY EVENT, HAS WE WERE LEAVING THE EVENT DRIVING HOME WE APPROACHED A TRAFFIC LIGHT TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP,THE BREAKS WERE TOUCHING THE FLOOR AND WE STOPPED SEVERAL FEET THROUGH THE LIGHT NEARLY CROSSING THE INTERSECTION. THIS WAS LIFE THREATENING AND FRIGHTENING FOR ALL PASSENGERS.ON JANUARY 29, 2015 THE VEHICLE STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC COMPLETELY SHUTTING OFF, CAUSING A DANGEROUS SITUATION, WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED FURTHER DAMAGES TO THE VEHICLE, OUR SAFETY AND OTHERS. FORTUNATELY WE WERE WITHIN DISTANCE OF THE MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP WHO IMMEDIATELY ASSISTED US. HE STATED THAT THE CAUSE FOR THE SHUT OFF MAY BE CAUSED BY ELECTRICAL FAILURES, SUCH AS THE ALARM SYSTEM, AND OTHER ELECTRICAL FAILURES. THE 2004 MERCEDES BENZ THAT WE PURCHASED ON MAY 16, 2014 IN OUR ESTIMATION IS A TOTAL LEMON AND IS NOT WORTH THE MONEY WE HAVE PAID. OUR VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE REPAIR FACILITY FOR 30 DAYS, BEFORE BEING REPOSSESSED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10692762
Incident
Jan 29, 2014
Mileage
68,000 mi
ElectricalInterior & seats
Filed Oct 8, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ S500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 06V028000 (INTERIOR LIGHTING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 158,000. UPDATED 12/2/14*CN UPDATED 08/30/2017*CT

NHTSA ID
10643349
Incident
Sep 15, 2014
Mileage
158,000 mi
Other / unspecified
Filed Oct 3, 2014
1 injury reported

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE THE LUG WRENCH ITSELF FAILED. THE LUG WRENCH CAME APART LEAVING THE HEAD STILL ATTACHED TO THE LUG NUT WITHOUT THE HANDLE CAUSING FORWARD MOMENTUM INJURY TO HEAD AND SHOULDER. *TR

NHTSA ID
10641084
Incident
Aug 11, 2014
Mileage
65,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Feb 27, 2014

I HAVE A 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ AND THE SEAT BELT LOOK NEW BUT WILL NOT RETRACT. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THE CAR. I CALLED THE COMPANY IN USA AND THEY WILL NOT REPLACE THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF THE CAR. MY BELIEF THAT THE SEAT BELT IS A SAFETY COMPONENTS AND THE COMPANY SHOULD REPLACE IT FREE OF CHARGE SINCE IT IS THE LAW IN MASSACHUSEETS TO WEAR A SEAT BELT. BUT I COULD NOT WEAR BECAUSE THE BELT IS STUCK. I SPENT $1141.62 TO REPLACE THE DRIVERS FRONT SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ON NOVEMBER 07 2013. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IS THERE ANY SAFETY RECALL ON THIS CAR REGARDING THE SEAT BELT RETRACT ISSUES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION ON THIS ISSUES AND MAKE SURE THE BENZ MANUFACTURE MAKING THE SEAT BELT MECHANISM WORKING FOR LIFE TIME OR REPLACE IT FREE OF CHARGE FOR CONSUMERS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10566246
Incident
Oct 1, 2013
Mileage
76,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Feb 16, 2014

ISSUES WITH AIRMATIC SYSTEM. WILL NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. CAR IS SITTING TOO LOW TO THE GROUND TO DRIVE SAFELY. ISSUES WITH PUMP. *TR

NHTSA ID
10564568
Incident
Feb 12, 2014
Mileage
121,431 mi

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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .