2004 Mercedes-Benz SLK230 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 SLK230, 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
- Electrical233.3%
- Exterior lighting233.3%
- Engine116.7%
- Other / unspecified116.7%
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
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ SLK230. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A LIGHT, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT HER VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL PERTAINING TO THE SAME ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
MY BLACK MERCEDES 2004, 230SLK KOMPRESSOR, L4, 2.4L, SUPERCHARGED. VIN [XXX] HAD THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE ME-SFI MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" CAME ON AND WAS DIAGNOSED AT THE BEVERLY HILLS MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP WITH MISFIRING IN THE ENGINE (DUE TO THE CAMSHAFT SOLENOID AND THE MASS ALRFLOW SENOR (O2 SENOR) WAS DAMAGED, WITH A MAJOR OIL LEAK. I BELIEVE THAT OIL HAS LEAKED INTO THE MASS AIR FLOW SENOR FROM WICKING. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPLACED THE SOLENOID 111-051-01-77-05 AND STARTER LINE 271-150-27--33, PLUG 111-997-01-86-05 AND CABLE TIE 002-997-24-90, BUT NOT THE CLOSING COVER 271-051-00-32 WHICH IS PART OF THE RECALL. A ELECTRONIC DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED AFTER THE REPAIR WAS MADE WITH A MAJOR OIL LEAK PRESENT AND THE AIR FLOW SENOR DEFECTIVE. I DOUBT THAT THEY CORRECTLY FIXED THE RECALL AS THE OIL LEAK IS FROM THE SAME AREA. MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE RECALL, AS THE CAMSHAFT SOLENOID IS LEAKING OIL INTO THE MASS AIR FLOW SENOR. THE ME-SFI NEEDS TO BE ADDED, AS THE LIGHT WILL NOT TURN OFF WITHOUT THE PERMANENT AND REGISTERED FAULTS BEING ERASED EVEN AFTER THE REPAIR IS MADE, THEREBY DEPRECIATING THE VALUE OF THE CAR. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
BOUGHT CAR WITH 60000 MILES AND AFTER 3 YEARS RIGHT SIDE REAR BRAKE LIGHT STOPPED WORKING. REPLACED BULB AND ADAPTER BUT ALSO HAD TO BEND ADAPTER CONNECTOR PRONGS FOR BETTER CONTACT. SIX MONTHS LATER SAME PROBLEM AND REPLACED WHOLE RIGHT SIDE UNIT. SOME TIME LATER SAME PROBLEM WITH OTHER SIDE. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY SAID RECALL HAD BEEN DONE. MB OFFERED A $1000 TOWARDS NEW CAR. (FUNNY) REPAIRED WITH SAME ITEM AND SAME DEFECT, I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS RIGHT FOR MB TO GET AWAY WITH.
THE NEW HIGH-INTENSITY HEADLIGHTS, THAT ARE BLUISH IN COLOR, ARE EXTRAORDINARILY BLINDING. THIS HEADLIGHT, OBVIOUSLY, SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN APPROVED, AND NEVER USED. PERHAPS IT IS AN IMPROVEMENT TO THE DRIVERS THAT USE THE BLUISH HEADLIGHTS, BUT IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD TO ONCOMING AUTOMOBILES. THEY NEED TO BE BANNED BEFORE (MORE) LIVES ARE LOST. WITH THE NHTSA BEING SO SAFETY CONSCIOUS, I CANNOT FATHOM WHY THESE HEADLIGHTS WERE EVER APPROVED, AND EVEN NOW THAT WE KNOW HOW BLINDING THEY ARE, WHY THEY HAVE NOT BEEN BANNED. YOU REALLY NEED TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU. *LA
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
MY BLACK MERCEDES 2004, 230SLK KOMPRESSOR, L4, 2.4L, SUPERCHARGED. VIN [XXX] HAD THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE ME-SFI MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" CAME ON AND WAS DIAGNOSED AT THE BEVERLY HILLS MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP WITH MISFIRING IN THE ENGINE (DUE TO THE CAMSHAFT SOLENOID AND THE MASS ALRFLOW SENOR (O2 SENOR) WAS DAMAGED, WITH A MAJOR OIL LEAK. I BELIEVE THAT OIL HAS LEAKED INTO THE MASS AIR FLOW SENOR FROM WICKING. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPLACED THE SOLENOID 111-051-01-77-05 AND STARTER LINE 271-150-27--33, PLUG 111-997-01-86-05 AND CABLE TIE 002-997-24-90, BUT NOT THE CLOSING COVER 271-051-00-32 WHICH IS PART OF THE RECALL. A ELECTRONIC DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED AFTER THE REPAIR WAS MADE WITH A MAJOR OIL LEAK PRESENT AND THE AIR FLOW SENOR DEFECTIVE. I DOUBT THAT THEY CORRECTLY FIXED THE RECALL AS THE OIL LEAK IS FROM THE SAME AREA. MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE RECALL, AS THE CAMSHAFT SOLENOID IS LEAKING OIL INTO THE MASS AIR FLOW SENOR. THE ME-SFI NEEDS TO BE ADDED, AS THE LIGHT WILL NOT TURN OFF WITHOUT THE PERMANENT AND REGISTERED FAULTS BEING ERASED EVEN AFTER THE REPAIR IS MADE, THEREBY DEPRECIATING THE VALUE OF THE CAR. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY BLACK MERCEDES 2004, 230SLK KOMPRESSOR, L4, 2.4L, SUPERCHARGED. VIN [XXX] HAD THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE ME-SFI MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" CAME ON AND WAS DIAGNOSED AT THE BEVERLY HILLS MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP WITH MISFIRING IN THE ENGINE (DUE TO THE CAMSHAFT SOLENOID AND THE MASS ALRFLOW SENOR (O2 SENOR) WAS DAMAGED, WITH A MAJOR OIL LEAK. I BELIEVE THAT OIL HAS LEAKED INTO THE MASS AIR FLOW SENOR FROM WICKING. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPLACED THE SOLENOID 111-051-01-77-05 AND STARTER LINE 271-150-27--33, PLUG 111-997-01-86-05 AND CABLE TIE 002-997-24-90, BUT NOT THE CLOSING COVER 271-051-00-32 WHICH IS PART OF THE RECALL. A ELECTRONIC DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED AFTER THE REPAIR WAS MADE WITH A MAJOR OIL LEAK PRESENT AND THE AIR FLOW SENOR DEFECTIVE. I DOUBT THAT THEY CORRECTLY FIXED THE RECALL AS THE OIL LEAK IS FROM THE SAME AREA. MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE RECALL, AS THE CAMSHAFT SOLENOID IS LEAKING OIL INTO THE MASS AIR FLOW SENOR. THE ME-SFI NEEDS TO BE ADDED, AS THE LIGHT WILL NOT TURN OFF WITHOUT THE PERMANENT AND REGISTERED FAULTS BEING ERASED EVEN AFTER THE REPAIR IS MADE, THEREBY DEPRECIATING THE VALUE OF THE CAR. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *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 .