There are 4 owner-reported steering complaints for the 2004 Mercedes-Benz S-Classin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
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
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
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ SL500. WHILE DRIVING THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT HER CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND OIL WAS LEAKING IN THE VEHICLE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AS THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 68,000.
I PURCHASED A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED 2004 MERCEDES BENZ S430-4MATIC IN MARCH 2007, AFTER RETIRING. I ALSO BROUGHT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY COSTING OVER $3000 DOLLARS. I HAVE RETURNED THIS VEHICLE TO A MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS OVER APPROXIMATELY 27 TIMES SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEMS INCLUDE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (DOOR LOCKS); TRUNK LID LOCK, SUSPENSION SYSTEM, TIRE PRESSURE SENSORS, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM (AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM WILL ONLY DISPENSE COLD AIR AT 55 DEGREES AND LOWER) AND MOST RECENTLY THE RADIO AND NAVIGATION SYSTEM ARE FAILING. NOW THAT THE WARRANTIES ON THE VEHICLE HAVE EXPIRED THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT REPAIR THE ABOVE PROBLEMS UNDER WARRANTY. I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH MERCEDES BENZ USA AND I'M WAITING FOR A DECISION REGARDING THE REPAIRS TOTALING OVER $4700.00. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026