2004 Ford Thunderbird vs 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL500
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 2004 Ford Thunderbird | 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL500 |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 34 | 44 |
| Recall campaigns | 1 | 0 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 32 | 48 |
| Investigations | 0 | 1 |
| Crash reports | 5 | 4 |
| Fire reports | 0 | 3 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 18 | 17 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 30,000 mi | 76,000 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford Thunderbird | Mercedes-Benz SL500 |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 1 | 21 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 9 | 2 |
| Power Train | 7 | 3 |
| Service Brakes | 0 | 9 |
| Electrical System | 4 | 4 |
| Engine | 7 | 0 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 5 | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 5 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Misfire / rough idle | 6 | 0 |
| Clunking / rattling | 0 | 5 |
2004 Ford Thunderbird
2004 Mercedes-Benz SL500
Compare all Ford Thunderbird vs Mercedes-Benz SL500 years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.