Model year record
2004 Mercedes-Benz SLK230 recalls & problems
The 2004 Mercedes-Benz SLK230 has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 4 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is exterior lighting (2 complaints).
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 2004 Mercedes-Benz SLK230.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Fuel economy
SLK230
| City / highway | 19 / 26 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Premium Gasoline |
2.3 L · 4 cyl · Automatic 5-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $3,750/year to fuel
SLK230
| City / highway | 19 / 26 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Premium Gasoline |
2.3 L · 4 cyl · Manual 6-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $3,900/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior lightingHeadlights | 2 | — |
| Electrical system | 2 | — |
| Engine and engine coolingEngine | 1 | — |
| Equipment adaptive/mobility | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- 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 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.
- Electrical system
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.
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine
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…
- Exterior lighting › Headlights
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
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
NHTSA defect investigations
- BRAKE LAMP FAILUREClosedLed to recall 05V505000
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.