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2004 Mercedes Benz SLK230

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →
4Owner complaints

Model-year median: 31

0Recall campaigns

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1Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
31
20014
2004
Compare all SLK230 years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Electrical System
2Exterior Lighting
2Engine And Engine Cooling
1Equipment Adaptive/mobility
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 3 of 4 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Exterior Lighting complaints

2 reports
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65,000 miles · Jan 12, 2016
Exterior Lighting

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…

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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.

NHTSA ODI #10819606

Mileage unknown · Jun 15, 2004
Exterior Lighting

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 (MO…

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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

NHTSA ODI #10078296

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

PE05051 · Brake Lamp Failure

Opened Sep 22, 2005 · Closed Dec 2, 2005

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights

IN ITS LETTER DATED OCTOBER 28, 2005, MERCEDES-BENZ USA STATED THAT IT WOULD CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL TO REMEDY DEFECTIVE BRAKE LAMP ASSEMBLIES IN MODEL YEAR 1998 THROUGH 2004 MERCEDES BENZ SLK VEHICLES.THE BASE OF THE BRAKE LAMP SOCKET CAN BE SUBJECT TO THERMAL DEFORMATION OVER TIME.THIS DEFORMATION CAN CAUSE MOVEMENT IN THE SOCKET-TO-BULB CONNECTION, WHICH MAY LEAD TO A LOOSENING OF THE ELECTRICAL CONTACTS IN THE SOCKET, AND FAILURE OF THE BULB TO ILLUMINATE.ALL REAR LAMP MODULES (WHICH CONTAIN BRAKE, TURN SIGNAL, TAIL AND BACKUP LAMPS) WILL BE REPLACED WITH REDESIGNED REAR LAMP MODULES WITH A MORE HEAT RESISTANT MATERIAL AND ENHANCED SOCKET HOLDER DESIGN TO WITHSTAND THE HEAT INSIDE THE REAR LAMP MODULE.SEE NHTSA RECALL NO. 05V505 FOR MORE INFORMATION.