2004 Mercedes-Benz SL500 Service and Repair Manual

This factory service and repair manual for the 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL500 addresses a two-door convertible listed in Base trim. Its powertrain is a gasoline 5.0L V8 with a single-overhead-cam layout and natural aspiration, the only engine the data shows for this year. Pairing that V8 with the open two-door body, the manual gives procedures, specifications, torque values, wiring diagrams and diagnostics for the engine, the brakes and suspension, and the electrical systems of the Base car.

Engines covered

• 5.0L V8 — SOHC, naturally aspirated, gasoline

Body styles covered

• 2-door convertible

Trims covered

• Base

Known issues on the 2004 SL500. NHTSA lists 48 complaints about this model year, clustering on suspension (23), service brakes (8) and hydraulic service brakes (5); 3 complaints reported a crash, 3 a fire, 3 an injury and 1 a death. The agency filed three recalls against the 2004 SL-Class line: two for certain vehicles whose Sensotronic Brake Control could drop to hydraulic backup, one after a harness connection degraded or the pump failed early, leaving a harder pedal, the other after the pump motor of poorly serviced, very high-mileage, heavily braked cars drifted out of tolerance, and one for certain vehicles miscoded at a workshop visit so the fuel pump might not shut off after a crash. A fourth, filed against the 2004 R230-chassis models, covered certain vehicles equipped with Active Body Control front strut sensors whose soldering could leave the struts leveling unevenly. Brake, suspension and fuel system procedures, specifications, torque values, wiring diagrams and diagnostics apply.