AI Damage2004 Mercedes-Benz AMG E55: common problems
Owners of the 2004 Mercedes-Benz AMG E55 filed 111 complaints with NHTSA, most often about fuel/propulsion system and fuel system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 111
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Fuel/propulsion system 56% of all complaints
- 2 Fuel system 47% of all complaints
- 3 Suspension 3% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 2% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 2% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 2% of all complaints
- 7 Electrical system 1% of all complaints
- 8 Seat belts 1% of all complaints
- Fuel/propulsion system: 62 complaints (56% of all).
- Fuel system: 52 complaints (47% of all).
- Suspension: 3 complaints (3% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (2% of all).
- Powertrain: 2 complaints (2% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 111 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel/propulsion system | 62 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 52 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Other | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
When I was parking my car I lost full control of my front brakes and hit my front bumper to the pole to avoid a near miss with a pedestrian. After the incident, I pressed on my brakes and there was not pressure, meaning I could press the brakes all the way to the floor and the car would be not stop.
Additionally, the contact stated that the front passengerâs side seat belt was loosened. The contact stated upon taking the vehicle for State Inspection, she was informed that the air ride suspension system had failed. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure.
Upon inspection, the contact removed the rear seat and saw that fuel had leaked from the fuel pumps. The contact reached out to the manufacturer through the manufacturerâs website and his request to repair the vehicle was denied.
Takata recall ok I bought my wife the 04 e55 amg mercedes about 3 years ago shortly after buying the car we started to notice a faint fuel smell occasionally, so within the past the three years the fuel smell has gotten significantly worse and worse on the inside of the car causing my wife to not want to drive the…
This issue could create electrical spark and your car could be on fire! Big issue check your vehicle. The design of the connector are under heat capacity. And that the root cause of leak of full.
While driving approximately 40 mph approaching a stop light, the brakes failed the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that it was a known failure, but the vehicle was out of the extended warranty by two years.
The fuel smell is constant and so strong it burns your eyes. Fuel is leaking into the car and damaging the rear seats, discoloration is evident from the leaking fuel on the leather. A simple towel left will stink like gasoline over a matter of minutes when left in the back seat.
A strong smell of gas was in the car. Took to dealer and they had to replace tanks and emitters. Gas had gotten in the seats as well and they had to be replaced. The smell was so strong that it made me and wife sick.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 3,319 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 9% most complained about).
On average one model year of the AMG E55 has 87 complaints (4 years in the data). This year has 111, above average.
What to check before buying
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Mercedes-Benz AMG E55?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: fuel/propulsion system, fuel system, suspension. Total complaints: 111. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: fuel system, fuel smell (60%), smoke, burning smell, fire (14%), warning lights, check engine (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2004 Mercedes-Benz AMG E55?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2004 Mercedes-Benz AMG E55 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2004 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.