Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Mercedes-Benz E500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
We had just stopped the vehicle in a parking space at a grccery. As we exited the vehicle and were walkng away from it we heard a loud pop as if a tire had a blown. We looked around but did not notice any low tire from loss of air. When we returned to the vehicle after grocery shopping my wife noticed the front passenger side was lower than the front driver side. When I started the vehicle I noticed the red warning light on the dash instrument panel "stop, car too low!" I turned the steering wheel to see if the wheel/tire would rub against the wheel well and it did not, so we drove home which was only one mile. I parked the vehicle in the garage. After reading a nmber of other similar complaints, it appears this malfunction should be a manufacturer recall for a deficient part or engineering design flaw for the malfunction.
Airmatic suspension dropped while driving on the highway. Red light warning flashed that vehicle was low. Tried to raise car but it would not raise. Car was very close to ground and would not raise..began looking up, if other same models as ours have this problem and they do. Read several consumers compliants/ concerns who also own a Mercedes Benz they seem to have this similar problem. It's very expensive to fix at a dearlership. Looks like this vehicle May have a problem/defect with their airmatic suspension and it is very dangerous driving on the highway unknowing that your vehicle is dropping to ground.this really needs to be investigated to see if there is a problem with their airmatic suspension before someone gets hurt or killed while driving.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Mercedes-Benz E500. While driving 40 MPH, the suspension seized and the vehicle pulled to the left. In addition, the 'stop driving/vehicle driving low' warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the suspension failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was approximately 104,000.
While d irving home from work, after stopping for light, when light changed and I proceeded to make a right turn, I suddenly couldn't hardly turn. It took all I had to make turns, then after arriving home my husband noticed the suspension had dropped on the vehicles and was resting on the left rear tire. Power steering resoviour was empty and when he put some in. It all ran on the ground. V echo lie was in motion.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Mercedes-Benz E500. After starting the vehicle, the suspension air bags failed activate to lift the vehicle. The message "stop car, park too low" remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The local dealer and manufacturer were not notified. The failure mileage was 85,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Mercedes Benz E500. When the vehicle was started, the "suspension is too low do not drive" warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the suspension needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 130,000. The VIN was unavailable.
"Takata recall" my Mercedes Benz E500 back air shocks stopped lifting the car when I started it in the morning and the red indicator light want go off unless I stop it will lift up an then goes back down.
Tl contact owns 2004 Mercedes Benz E500. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH the warning light "brake failure and ESP failure" were displayed and also indicated that the contact should drive onto the emergency lane. The contact was unable to stop the vehicle by applying the brakes; however, when he was able to stop it by downshifting and engaging the emergency brake. The contact stated this could have caused a major crash. The vehicle was towed to a local mechanic who was performing a diagnostic test when the complaint was filed. The contact did not call the manufacturer. The contact had also viewed numerous complaints via the internet regarding brake failure for his year, make and model vehicle. The contact stated the manufacturer was not issued a recall but was fully aware of the brake system failure. The failure mileage was 67,000. …
Catastrophic failure of front left suspension strut on a 2004 Mercedes E500 station wagon. The car has an air ride system which maintains the right height of all four corners of the car. It has been serviced regularly by Mercedes since purchase. The air bladder inside the strut blew out while parked in front of my home. This resulted in the ride height of the front of the car dropping immediately without warning to the point where the frame was barely 2" above the pavement. If this had happened at speed on a rough road or one with crown or an irregular surface, or in heavy snow, the frame could contact the ground causing any number of possible outcomes including severe chassis damage and total loss of control.
Drove car fine all day on Saturday. Sunday am, put son and wife in car, started out drive way and car gave notice that car was too low. Walked around exterior of car and found that right front suspension mechanism had let air out itself and tire was well inside the wheel well. Apparently, this is a well known issue. Dtb (daimler technical bulletin) p-b-32.22/15a feb07 vehicle level decreases at front axle. In extreme cases the airmatic compressor will not activate to raise the vehicle. It is not defective. The compressor is not actuated due to insufficient residual pressure in the suspension struts. Any affected struts will be replaced and the compressor will be actuated with star diagnosis.
Suspension complaints in other E500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2004 Mercedes-Benz E500?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the suspension of the 2004 Mercedes-Benz E500, 16% of the model year's 142 complaints. The component named most often is front (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Mercedes-Benz E500 suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension recall for the 2004 Mercedes-Benz E500, though it has 3 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2004 Mercedes-Benz E500 suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 99,000 miles, and 5% before 25,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.