The Lemon Index
Mercedes-AMG's 5.4 L supercharged 90° V8 in the SL55, CL55, S55, E55, G55 and CLS55, model years 2003–2011. YouTube likes the 2004 best.
Less liked than most on YouTube: YouTube owner tone 44/100, #116 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the bottom third); no engine-related recall on record, 3 known issues listed below.
Everyday cars with this engine Tap a year for that car's full report.
- Mercedes-Benz E-Class Mercedes-AMG E552003200420052006
Model years from EPA version lists. Only years we have a car page for.
Reliability by year
Why the car page shows more: the G63 page counts 0 complaints and 0 recall campaigns for 2003–2012, everything NHTSA files as "G63", other engines included. This page counts only the 380 complaints and 0 recalls we can tie to the Mercedes-AMG M113K 5.4 supercharged V8 by model name or the owner's own words.
YouTube videos are most positive about the 2004 (47) and least about the 2008 (41); neighboring years share many of the same videos, so small gaps mean little.
How we count: owner complaints only where the car's name and year leave no doubt; YouTube tone from videos that name this engine or its cars. How we count
Owner complaints (NHTSA) are filed by model and year, not engine. We count one for this engine only when the model name and year had no other engine (e.g. "488 GTB", "GT-R"), or when the owner's own words name a version that had only this engine that year (Z06, ZR1, Hellcat, GT500 ...). They cover the whole car (wheels, air bags, electrics ...), not only the engine, and none of them is a failure rate. We chart them only for engines with 30 or more, over 3 or more years. YouTube tone = how positive the videos are, 0–100, from titles and transcripts (praise vs trouble words, the title counts 3 times), weighted by views; a year needs at least 3 videos' worth. A video counts for this engine when its title names the engine or a car that only had this engine in the years it names; a video whose title names no model year counts toward every year of that car, so neighboring years share most of their videos.
All the numbers, year by year
| Year | Cars | Owner complaints | YouTube says | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | SL55, CL55, S55, E55 | 70 | 44 (143 videos) | 0 |
| 2004 | SL55, CL55, E55, S55 | 111 | 47 (146 videos) | 0 |
| 2005 | SL55, CL55, E55, S55, G55 | 132 | 45 (159 videos) | 0 |
| 2006 | SL55, CL55, CLS55, E55, S55, G55 | 67 | 45 (160 videos) | 0 |
| 2007 | SL55 | 0 | 44 (87 videos) | 0 |
| 2008 | SL55, G55 | 0 | 41 (84 videos) | 0 |
| 2009 | G55 | 0 | 44 (39 videos) | 0 |
| 2010 | G55 | 0 | 43 (38 videos) | 0 |
| 2011 | G55 | 0 | 44 (39 videos) | 0 |
Recalls on cars with this engine
No NHTSA recalls we can tie to this engine's cars.
Engine problems Mercedes-AMG told dealers about
Mercedes-AMG sent dealers 14 repair notes about the engine on these cars, including:
- The fuel level indicated in the instrument cluster does not match the actual fill level
- Srs indicator lamp on
- Following fault codes are entered in the control unit and displayed-fc5320 drain valve:open circuit or…
NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins), matched by model name and year like the complaints, engine-related ones only. A repair note is not a recall: ask a seller whether it was done.
Known issues on record
- Intercooler pump failure (Enthusiast outlet). The pump that cools the supercharger's intercooler fails often. Intake air heats up and the engine cuts boost. Fix: Replace it with the updated Bosch 010 pump.
- Supercharger coupler (Parts seller). The plastic coupler that drives the supercharger can crack and break, usually around 80,000–120,000 miles, causing a sudden loss of boost. Fix: Replace it with a billet aluminum coupler.
- Oil leaks (Enthusiast outlet). The rear main seal and valve cover gaskets harden with age and leak. Fix: Replace the rear main seal before the leak gets bad.
Sources: 8020 Automotive: Mercedes M113 V8 engine problems, reliability and specs, Euro Premium Parts: Mercedes-Benz M113 engine guide, common problems (2026). The same list as on the G63 page.
Every US version with this engine
| Car and versions | Years |
|---|---|
| Mercedes-AMG SL55 SL55 AMG | 2003–08 |
| Mercedes-AMG CL55 CL55 AMG | 2003–06 |
| Mercedes-AMG S55 S55 AMG | 2003–06 |
| Mercedes-AMG E55 E55 AMG, E55 AMG (Wagon), E55 AMG (wagon) · Mercedes-Benz E-Class, every year | 2003–06 |
| Mercedes-AMG G55 G55 AMG | 2005–11 |
| Mercedes-AMG CLS55 CLS55 AMG | 2006 |
Engine code: M113 E55 ML (M113K). AMG versions assembled in Affalterbach. Power: 469–493 hp, factory figures. Versions and years: EPA (fueleconomy.gov). Sources: Mercedes-Benz M113 engine.
Quick answers
What cars have the Mercedes-AMG M113K 5.4 supercharged V8 engine?
In the US: the Mercedes-AMG SL55, Mercedes-AMG CL55, Mercedes-AMG S55, Mercedes-AMG E55, Mercedes-AMG G55, Mercedes-AMG CLS55, model years 2003–2011. See the version table for each one.
Is the Mercedes-AMG M113K 5.4 supercharged V8 reliable?
Not one of the safer bets on our data. YouTube owner tone 44/100, #116 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the bottom third); no engine-related recall on record, 3 known issues listed below. Owners filed 380 complaints we can tie to it, about any part of the car. Have any used car inspected.
How much horsepower does the Mercedes-AMG M113K 5.4 supercharged V8 make?
469–493 hp in factory figures, depending on the car.