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 SL500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I submitted via fax earlier this week a formal letter to mr. Exler the president & ceo of mbusa and, cc'd mr. King of the NHTSA that included information about known critical safety issued these vehicles had prior to mbusa importing them to the united states. Mbusa failed to disclose these known issues and, chose to importation these vehicles violating vehicle importation rules. Yesterday-January 31, 2019 I received a call from a representative of mbusa stating he was calling on behalf of mr. Exlers office concerning my letter. I will not be intimidated by mbusa while seeking the truth on why mbusa allowed these vehicles to enter the USA knowing these critical safety issues existed while misleading consumers and, the NHTSA. On January 21, 2019 my vehicle had what is described by mbusa as a catastrophic failure when the entire brake system failed. …
Addendum info to original complaint #10308437 shows that mb service advisor j. Steach advised m .b. Not responsible as driver should "miss" potholes. Engineering analysis shows that it is not possible for driver to steer around potholes. At 70mph mb SL500 travels 103 ft/sec and it is not possible to observe the pothole hazard and categorize as safety risk at speeds of 70mph(103ft/sec) react physiologically and actuate steering system -all in less than one second-one half second each for human response and same for mechanical actuation-insufficient time to avoid pot hole hit. Dark or low light conditions render pothole miss impossible. In any case, the improperly engineered soft low strength alloy wheel design leads any prudent vehicle driver into a crash trap. Wheel,tire, suspension damage evident-needs corrected immediately at expense of mercedez-Benz.. …
I live in texas and my Mercedes went into limp mode at a red light. I can not get my transmission repaired anywhere else because they have made it impossible for any other shops to be able to service this specific transmission. They tell me and I quote "we are unable to work on this transmission because it requires special tools which only Mercedes dealership carry so you will have to take it to them, sorry" please, please, please recall this transmission!!! Another time I was diving down the hwy doing 70mph when the abc too low dash light came on as well as my car dropping 2 inched to the ground as I was drive 70mph plus I lost control of steering. And once again no one could work on it because it requires special tools. And the one place that could said they were Mercedes Benz certified. After having my car 3 days and paying $125 for a diagnostic test. …
The vehicles suspension erratically lowers and rises while driving causing the driver to lose temporary control of the vehicle. This occurs unexpectedly at all speeds. The vehicle has been towed to the Mercedes dealer 4 times. The dealer has flushed the hydraulic fluid once, replaced one strut twice, and 3 suspension acceleration sensors and 1 send unit. The vehicle was returned to me several times and condition continued and was returned back to the dealer. Currently the dealer has the vehicle and is not sure how to repair it. The vehicle computer does not indicate codes, but dealer has driven the vehicle and witness this unsafe condition. A formal compliant been filed with Mercedes USA. The vehicle is unsafe to drive based on current condition.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL500. The contact stated on various occasions while his vehicle was stationery and in park, either the right side or the left side of the vehicle would raise up then descend to ground over a thirty second period independently without warning. The contact also stated that the hydraulic fluid leaked out of the engine. The vehicle had yet to be taken to a dealer to be diagnosed or serviced for the failure. Upon investigation, the contact linked his failure to NHTSA campaign number :08V405000 (suspension) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.
Red abc warning light on. Suspension system in failure mode reducing road handling and vehicle control below minimum safety levels. Mb repair costs exceed blue book car value even though vehicle use less than half life. Lic. P.e #6274 notes mb design/engineering failure--intentional mal-design scheme set-up to defraud consumers of billions $. Severe graft/ over charge in process in that airbus aircraft and nuclear design /engineering by mb facilitates pathway to appropriate scaled down costs for ground transportation vehicles. Mb also needs to respond this mb car owner so that elevated discontent is a non occurrence.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Mercedes Benz SL500. The contact stated that the vehicle was equipped with a compressed air suspension system and while driving approximately 35 MPH, the active body control warning indicator illuminated. In addition, another indicator displayed that the vehicle was too low as the passenger's side ride height was lowered. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed that the active body control system or the sensor would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL500. The contact stated that the vehicle abruptly accelerated while driving 2 MPH. The activate body control system failed and caused the hydraulic system to drop lower while driving. The contact was able to coast onto the road shoulder. The active body control system warning light illuminated after the failure occurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the hydraulic system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 56,000.
The vehicle has a bracket on top of the gas tank that comes disengaded and causes this distinctive noise which sounds like something swinging and tapping against the gas tank and I has to happen a lot due to every service I have been asked about the problem. It also has to be something with multiple vehicles due to online Mercedes owners are having the same problem. The sound is really disturbing and I would like an answer as to what to do. Thanks [redacted] '
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL500. The contact stated that the suspension failed and caused the wheels to drop against the inside of the fenders. The vehicle was inoperable unless lifted up with some sort of lifting equipment. The contact informed Mercedes-Benz of oklahoma city who stated that the failure was a design issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer. The approximate failure mileage was 81,000.
NHTSA investigations
Air suspension system failure
The subject s-class vehicles contain a compressed air suspension system that uses air struts on each of the four wheels in lieu of traditional springs and shock absorbers.these air struts use compressed air to support the weight of the vehicle and control ride height.in the event of the loss of air from the system, an alert will flash on the instrument cluster warning the driver to either drive carefully or to stop…
Suspension complaints in other SL500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL500?
NHTSA has 21 complaints about the suspension of the 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL500, 47% of the model year's 45 complaints. The component named most often is front (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL500 suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension recall for the 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL500. 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 SL500 suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 56,000 miles, and 18% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 1 fire and 2 injuries and 1 death to suspension problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.