# 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class - Just 4 problems **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** mercedes-benz\ **Created:** [September 22, 2021, 1:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-mercedes-benz-sl-class-just-4-problems/179531 "2021-09-22T13:31:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Henk58](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d26b3c/32.png) [@Henk58](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Henk58)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2021, 1:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-mercedes-benz-sl-class-just-4-problems/179531/1 "2021-09-22T13:31:00Z")
SL 500, 2004 1. Suspension…car lowers when stationary 2. Electronics…most functions on dash not working 3. Fuel tank noises from loose baffle plates 4. Booth cover does not stay open ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2021, 3:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-mercedes-benz-sl-class-just-4-problems/179531/2 "2021-09-22T15:53:39Z")
Four solutions: $+$+$+$ OK, serious answer, find yourself a MB specialist shop, have them diagnose these problems, get an estimate, then see above. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2021, 4:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-mercedes-benz-sl-class-just-4-problems/179531/3 "2021-09-22T16:07:44Z")
> [@Henk58](#): > > Suspension…car lowers when stationary Leaks in air system. $$ > [@Henk58](#): > > Electronics…most functions on dash not working New electronic parts, search and clean grounds. $$$ > [@Henk58](#): > > Fuel tank noises from loose baffle plates New fuel tank. $$ > [@Henk58](#): > > Booth cover does not stay open What is a “booth cover” ? I estimate $ BENZ is an acronym for Bring Enormous Numbers, Zillions. Find a M-B specialist. Get an estimate. Buy a wheelbarrow. Fill it with money. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2021, 4:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-mercedes-benz-sl-class-just-4-problems/179531/4 "2021-09-22T16:19:34Z")
How to become millionaire. Get 1 billion, buy used Mercedes. Done ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2021, 4:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-mercedes-benz-sl-class-just-4-problems/179531/5 "2021-09-22T16:26:20Z")
I’m guessing “booth” should be “boot”, or trunk lid in US-speak, so I think the hydraulic strut is worn out. May be the cheapest fix of all 4 problems. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2021, 4:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-mercedes-benz-sl-class-just-4-problems/179531/6 "2021-09-22T16:26:21Z")
> [@Mustangman](#): > > What is a “booth cover” ? My best _guess_ is that the OP meant “boot cover”. Edited to add: Texases beat me to it! In any event, the OP will need a barrel-full of cash to remediate all of these problems, and the only good news is that he will need a _slightly_ smaller barrel if he takes his SL to an _independent_ MB specialist’s shop, instead of a dealership. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 12:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-mercedes-benz-sl-class-just-4-problems/179531/7 "2021-09-23T00:18:12Z")
As a practical matter, repairing the trunk lid problem shouldn’t be overly expensive. OP could probably just live with the suspension lowering problem as long as the car isn’t bottoming out. After all, a lower car makes it easier to get in and out. Think of this as a high- end attribute. Likewise the fuel tank noise can be solved by turning up the radio. That just leaves only one important issue, the dashboard electronics. That pretty much has to be addressed, can’t be ignored. However there is probably an at least semi-affordable repair awaiting at the local auto dismantlers yard; i.e a used instrument cluster from a wrecked 2004 SL 500. 2004 SL 500. Nice looking ride indeed! ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 11:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-mercedes-benz-sl-class-just-4-problems/179531/8 "2021-09-23T11:40:13Z")
> [@George\_San\_Jose1](#): > > a lower car makes it easier to get in and out. Huh? The SL series are low-slung to begin with. While a younger person might not have any difficulty getting in and out of a low-slung car, this is something that tends to be very problematic as people get older. A few years ago, I decided to sit in a Subaru BRZ that was on the showroom floor, just to see how comfortable the seats are. While I was able to lower myself onto the seat without too much difficulty, getting out was another proposition entirely. In order to not wrench my back, I had to–literally–crawl out onto the showroom floor and then raise myself by holding onto the car’s body. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 9:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-mercedes-benz-sl-class-just-4-problems/179531/9 "2021-09-23T21:27:31Z")
Heh. A 17 year old Mercedes with only 4 problems is statistically problem-free. 😉 Since you called the trunk a boot, I suspect you aren’t from the USA. So Rockauto won’t save you as much money as it does us yanks, but they do ship internationally, so this might be something you can fix yourself. The others… That stuff’s pricey. Especially the dash. If this were my car I’d very carefully consider how much I wanted to spend rehabbing it. My priority would be the fuel tank, followed by the dash stuff, followed by the suspension (until the leak gets bad enough that the car won’t stay up while the engine is running, this can be put off for awhile, but keep an eye on it), followed by the ~~trunk~~ boot because if the other stuff is too expensive, there’s no point in bothering with it. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 10:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-mercedes-benz-sl-class-just-4-problems/179531/10 "2021-09-23T22:13:44Z")
Heck, I’d pay the $7.54 plus shipping just so I could brag I fixed 25% of my SL500’s problems! [2004 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500 5.0L V8 Lift Support | RockAuto](https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/mercedes-benz,2004,sl500,5.0l+v8,1426474,body+&+lamp+assembly,lift+support,1404) ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2021, 1:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-mercedes-benz-sl-class-just-4-problems/179531/11 "2021-09-24T01:57:28Z")
Did you just buy the car . . . ?! As for the suspension, it doesn’t have air suspension. it has ABC active body control, which is nice when it’s working and extremely expensive to repair afaik, there’s no repair short of replacing the fuel tank . . . this was actually a fairly common repair, and also a very expensive repair. It’s a pita to replace the tank, so expect to be charged accordingly Booth cover does not stay open . . . maybe you mean the trunk lid? Probably just the shocks for the trunk lid. That was also a common repair Here’s my recommendation Either bring the car to the Benz dealership and hope the most experienced guy works on it . . . you want some middle-aged guy working on it, NOT the young whipper snapper who just “graduated” from UTI Or bring it to a reputable and established independent shop who only or primarily works on Benzes. Even there, look for middle-aged guys, not youngsters. You need somebody who’s had a ton of experience working on this specific vehicle