Is fuel odor and fuel sending unit or tank leak a known issue with the 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class?

10 NHTSA complaints have been filed about fuel odor and fuel sending unit or tank leak on the 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class (2010-08 → 2018-01). Reported component: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM. From an owner report (NHTSA ODI #10548199): "I SMELLED STRONG VAPORS OF GAS INSIDE MY CAR AND OUTSIDE THE AREA" Source: NHTSA.

Is sunroof recall 19v918 repair parts and dealer response a known issue with the 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class?

7 NHTSA complaints have been filed about sunroof recall 19v918 repair parts and dealer response on the 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class (2020-02 → 2021-08). Reported component: UNKNOWN OR OTHER. From an owner report (NHTSA ODI #11316015): "SUNROOF DEFECTIVE AND MERCEDES IS NOT HONORING THIS RECALL" Source: NHTSA.

Is oil leak onto cam sensor, o2 sensor and wiring harness a known issue with the 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class?

5 NHTSA complaints have been filed about oil leak onto cam sensor, o2 sensor and wiring harness on the 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class (2008-12 → 2010-10). Reported component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING. From an owner report (NHTSA ODI #10250881): "MERCEDES BENZ C230 KOMPRESSOR SPORT SEDAN BEGAN TO LEAK OIL INTO THE CAM MAGNET SENSOR WHICH LEAD TO THE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS, COSTING HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO REPLACE" Source: NHTSA.

Is coolant leak into transmission and radiator replacement a known issue with the 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class?

3 NHTSA complaints have been filed about coolant leak into transmission and radiator replacement on the 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class (2011-11 → 2015-12). Reported component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, POWER TRAIN. From an owner report (NHTSA ODI #10437010): "CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFECT THAT ALLOWS COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE TRANSMISSION, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION, TORQUE CONVERTER AND RADIATOR" Source: NHTSA.

Is seat belt buckle and restraint component failure a known issue with the 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class?

5 NHTSA complaints have been filed about seat belt buckle and restraint component failure on the 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class (2008-04 → 2018-04). Reported component: SEAT BELTS. From an owner report (NHTSA ODI #10861520): "DRIVERS BUCKLE OR LATCH NO LONGER OPERATING" Source: NHTSA.

Is smoke or fire from dashboard, vents or fuse box a known issue with the 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class?

6 NHTSA complaints have been filed about smoke or fire from dashboard, vents or fuse box on the 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class (2007-04 → 2017-10). Reported component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. From an owner report (NHTSA ODI #11034475): "I WAS DRIVING ON THE I-95 AT 60 MPH AND TURNED ON MY AIR CONDITIONER WHEN SMOKE BEGAN TO COME OUT OF THE VENTS" Source: NHTSA.

Is engine stalling or shutting off while driving a known issue with the 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class?

4 NHTSA complaints have been filed about engine stalling or shutting off while driving on the 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class (2004-08 → 2014-01). Reported component: ENGINE. From an owner report (NHTSA ODI #10513731): "THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING" Source: NHTSA.

2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Recalls, Problems & Maintenance

The 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class has no open NHTSA recalls. Owners report 7 recurring issue clusters, led by “Fuel odor and fuel sending unit or tank leak.” Mercedes-Benz alternates two service events: Service A (oil, filter, inspection) at roughly 10,000 miles or 1 year, then Service B (Service A plus brake fluid, cabin filter, and deeper checks) at roughly 20,000 miles or 2 years — the ASSYST Plus counter in the cluster tells you which is due. Oil must carry the MB-Approval number your engine specifies (commonly 229.5, or 229.71 for newer 0W-20 engines); 'meets or exceeds' marketing language is not an approval. Electric EQB and EQS models keep the A/B rhythm for inspections, brake fluid, and cabin filters — just without oil.

Save this car as:

No open recalls on file. NHTSA lists no unrepaired safety recalls for this year, make and model. A recall can be issued at any time, and a specific car can still have one open — check yours by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Known issues & problems for this vehicle

What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

Reported to NHTSA

Fuel odor and fuel sending unit or tank leak

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

10 NHTSA complaints · 2010-08 → 2018-01

“I SMELLED STRONG VAPORS OF GAS INSIDE MY CAR AND OUTSIDE THE AREA”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10548199

“BOUGHT THE CAR USED IN JUNE 2014, AFTER EVERY TIME I FILLED THE GAS TANK, THERE WAS A STRONG SMELL OF GAS INSIDE THE CAR, AUGUST 2, 2014 CAR JUST CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, LOST ALL POWER LIKE IT WAS GETTING NO GAS AND JUST CUT OFF”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10631279

“MY VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS MANY OTHER MERCEDES BENZ OWNERS THE FUEL SMELL INSIDE THE CABIN BECAUSE A FAILURE IN THE FUEL SENDING UNITS”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10641919

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Sunroof recall 19V918 repair parts and dealer response

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

7 NHTSA complaints · 2020-02 → 2021-08

“SUNROOF DEFECTIVE AND MERCEDES IS NOT HONORING THIS RECALL”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11316015

“MY CAR HAVE A RECALL FOR THE SUNROOF SINCE IT MAY DETACH AND FLIGHT OUT, I MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR SERVICE AT EURO MOTOR CAR IN GAITHERSBURG, MARYLAND”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11328573

“THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11310151

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Oil leak onto cam sensor, O2 sensor and wiring harness

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

5 NHTSA complaints · 2008-12 → 2010-10

“MERCEDES BENZ C230 KOMPRESSOR SPORT SEDAN BEGAN TO LEAK OIL INTO THE CAM MAGNET SENSOR WHICH LEAD TO THE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS, COSTING HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO REPLACE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10250881

“I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK AND THAT IT HAD DRIPPED OVER SEVERAL COMPONENTS AND THE WIRING HARNESS”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10267393

“THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE OIL WAS LEAKING ONTO THE O2 SENSOR”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10362802

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Coolant leak into transmission and radiator replacement

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, POWER TRAIN

3 NHTSA complaints · 2011-11 → 2015-12

“CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFECT THAT ALLOWS COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE TRANSMISSION, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION, TORQUE CONVERTER AND RADIATOR”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10437010

“MY COOLANT IS LEAKING ON THE TRANSMISSION”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10721828

“THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10809508

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Seat belt buckle and restraint component failure

SEAT BELTS

5 NHTSA complaints · 2008-04 → 2018-04

“DRIVERS BUCKLE OR LATCH NO LONGER OPERATING”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10861520

“THE CONTACT STATED THAT AS SHE ATTEMPTED TO REACH FOR SOMETHING IN THE VEHICLE, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT SNAPPED AT THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10471714

“THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE WHEN THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SEAT BELT COMPUTER CHIP WAS NOT FUNCTIONING”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10224799

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Smoke or fire from dashboard, vents or fuse box

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

6 NHTSA complaints · 2007-04 → 2017-10

“I WAS DRIVING ON THE I-95 AT 60 MPH AND TURNED ON MY AIR CONDITIONER WHEN SMOKE BEGAN TO COME OUT OF THE VENTS”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11034475

“AFTER DRIVING 1 MILE FROM HOME, THE AIR CONDITIONED SYSTEM SUDDENLY SHUT OFF AND SMOKE STARTED TO COME OUT FROM THE DRIVER'S VENT INTO THE CABIN”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10629406

“ALL OF A SUDDEN, THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10187454

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Engine stalling or shutting off while driving

ENGINE

4 NHTSA complaints · 2004-08 → 2014-01

“THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10513731

“THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10341882

“ENGINE STALLED WHILE WAITING FOR A LEFT TURN”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10559504

Combination / Dust Filter

Every 20,000 mi

Replaced with every Service B. Models with the ENERGIZING air package use a higher-grade filter — priced accordingly.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.

Engine Coolant

On condition / lifetime

MB-spec coolant is long-life (typically ~10 years / 150,000 miles on the sheet). Refresh only with MB 325/326-spec coolant — the wrong chemistry attacks aluminum and head gaskets.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$330

Shop

~$200–$235

DIY

~$25–$60

Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.

12V & Auxiliary Battery

Every 25,000 mi

Test annually after year 3. Most modern Mercedes carry a second auxiliary battery; a weak one triggers cascading warning messages long before a no-start. EQ models also depend on the 12V system to boot.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$225–$390

Shop

~$160–$280

DIY

~$130–$250

Most auto-parts stores test and install batteries free with purchase. Skip the dealer markup.

Fatal crash history & reported problems

Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)

47 crashes 1990–2024

How the 47 occupant deaths break down

driver deaths

passenger deaths

occupant deaths

Crash years covered: 1990–2024 This model year first appears in 2004 crashes. Older models have had more years on the road to appear in these crashes, so a higher count here does not by itself mean a vehicle is less safe.

FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number

FARS 2024 data is an annual report file. NHTSA revises these records when the final file is published, so this count can change.

Why we show driver deaths too

Every vehicle has exactly one driver seat, so driver deaths line up fairly when you compare one model to another. Occupant deaths include passengers, so a three row SUV can show a higher number than a two seat car simply because it carries more people.

Both figures are plain counts, not rates. A rate would need to know how many of each vehicle are on the road, and that registration data is not public, so we do not publish rates or scores of any kind.

IIHS publishes driver death rates using this same driver only idea, paired with a registered vehicle years denominator we do not have. Their rates and these counts answer different questions, so do not read either number here as a safety rating.

Owner-reported problem signals

Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.

complaints mentioning a crash

complaints mentioning a fire

Reviewed known issues for this vehicle

Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.

How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.

This maintenance schedule for the 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class reflects Mercedes-Benz's published service intervals and the ASSYST Plus (Service A / Service B) system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.

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