Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Engine and engine cooling3
- Power train3
- Seats2
- Tires2
- Air bags2
- Electrical system2
- Visibility2
- Unknown or other1
- Fuel/propulsion system1
- Steering1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 2 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 13 2004 C-Class vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 10 people died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class failed the safety check 2.16% of the time — 2% less often than the average 2004 passenger car (2.21%). Median odometer at inspection: 114,100 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Engines
The most common engines in 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class cars on Dutch roads are the 1.8 petrol (105 kW, 141 hp), 1.8 petrol (120 kW, 161 hp) and 2.1 diesel (90 kW, 121 hp), out of 10 versions with at least 20 cars.
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 1.8 petrol | 105 kW 141 hp | 1,104 |
| 1.8 petrol | 120 kW 161 hp | 392 |
| 2.1 diesel | 90 kW 121 hp | 266 |
| 2.1 diesel | 110 kW 148 hp | 86 |
| 2.6 petrol | 125 kW 168 hp | 71 |
| 2.1 diesel | 105 kW 141 hp | 53 |
| 1.8 petrol | 141 kW 189 hp | 45 |
| 3.2 petrol | 160 kW 215 hp | 44 |
| 5.4 petrol | 270 kW 362 hp | 40 |
| 2.7 diesel | 125 kW 168 hp | 30 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
2,180 first registered in 2004 are on Dutch roads; 25% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €50,581.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde973
- Band onvoldoende profiel895
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm714
- Fusee(kogel) te veel speling608
- Waarschuwingsinrichting airbag- / gordelsysteem geeft defect596
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm567
- Veer gebroken of gescheurd550
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld463
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
4,560 cars built in 2004 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 3,246 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 129 of these cars first registered in 2004 took their annual MOT test. 62% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2004 the figure was 56%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2004 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 0.8% | 6.7% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
1,818 of these cars first registered in 2004 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 325,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
118 2004 cars are on the New Zealand register; 91% arrived as used imports, 3% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls in Canada
4 Transport Canada recalls for the 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
| 2022740 22 Dec 2022 | Structure Issue: On certain vehicles, the sunroof glass may not be properly attached to the sliding roof frame. Over time, the glass can become loose and could separat… |
| 2021478 23 Jul 2021 | Structure Issue: This recall is for certain vehicles inspected under Mercedes-Benz recall 7891003 (Transport Canada recall 2019-668) that require a second inspection. … |
| 2019668 23 Dec 2019 | Structure Issue: On certain vehicles, the sunroof glass may not be properly attached to the sliding roof frame. Over time, the glass can become loose and could separate… |
| 2003338 17 Dec 2003 | Seats And Restraints On certain vehicles, the seat belt buckles may have a burr on a metal component of the locking mechanism. The presence of the burr may prevent the seat belt fr… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, SOME SEAT BELT BUCKLES MAY HAVE A BURR ON A METAL COMPONENT OF THE LOCKING MECHANISM. THE PRESENCE OF THE BURR COULD PREVENT THE SEAT BELT FROM LOCKING UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Mercedes-Benz told its dealers about the 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 10028147 | MERCEDES: REPLACING THE LONGITUDINAL MEMBER (LEFT AND RIGHT) BELOW THE MAIN FLOOR PANEL ON ALL MY 204 UP TO 12/31/07. (C300, C350, C300 4-MATIC, C63 AME). *PE |
| 10019822 | INSPECT TRANSMISSION PILOT BUSHING AT ELECTROCHYDRAULIC UNIT AND REPLACE IF NECESSARY. THE TRANSMISSION PILOT BUSHING MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ON THE CONTROL UNITS WITH NON-TEMPERED SEALING RINGS WHICH MAY CAUSE A SMALL LEAK TO OCCUR. *TT UPDATED 04-11-07. *KB |
| 10018652 | INSPECT BOOT ON BOTH FRONT DOORS. THE BOOT AT THE DOOR CONNECTING TO THE A PILLAR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN CLIPPED CORRECTLY LEADING TO INSUFFICIENT SEALING. *NM |
| 10017493 | THE PVC SEAM SEAL ON THE TRANSMISSION SUPPORT BRACKET MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY APPLIED. INSPECT TRANSMISSION SUPPORT SEAM SEAL, RESEAL IF NECESSARY. *TT |
| 10016626 | COOLANT HOSE AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT OF THE RADIATOR MUST BE CHECKED TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE TWO CATCHES OF THE COOLANT HOSE ARE LATCHED CORRECTLY. INSPECT LATCHING OF LOWER RADIATOR HOSE, REPLACE RADIATOR IF NECESSARY. *TT |
| 10014547 | HIGH-PITCHED WHINING NOISE HEARD ON TELEPHONE/VCS/TELE AID CALLS. *TT |
| 10006927 | BLEED BRAKE SYSTEM AND CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM FOR AIR ON THE SENSOTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL (SBC) SYSTEM USING STAR DIAGNOSIS. ALSO INCLUDES MERCEDES-BENZ 211 MODEL MY2004. *TT |
| 10005713 | VOLUNTARY RECALL CAMPAIGN 2003 SEAT BELT BUCKLE. *JB |
| 10005699 | VOLUNTARY RECALL CAMPAIGN 2003 SEAT BELT BUCKLE. *JB |
| 10005694 | VOLUNTARY RECALL CAMPAIGN 2003 SEAT BELT BUCKLE. *JB |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)