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Mercedes-Benz CL550Model year report

2008 Mercedes-Benz CL550 Problems

Complaints
7filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
68,000miles, 7 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
17 mpgcombined, 5.5L 8-cyl RWD · 14 city / 21 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2008 Mercedes-Benz CL550 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 7 consumer complaints for the 2008 Mercedes-Benz CL550. The part named most often is seat belts, with 2 complaints (29% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain (2) and brakes (1). 7 of the complaints include a mileage, and 29% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 68,000 miles. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 56 technical service bulletins for this model year. Seat belts complaints overlap with 1 technical service bulletin filed under the same part. Transmission and drivetrain complaints overlap with 9 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Example complaints

Seat belts: “I am writing to inform you of a very troubling incident that occurred recently. I own a 2008 mercedes benz CL550 with 31,000 miles on the odometer. On june 16, 2014, the seatbelt on my vehicle would not release from the seat, leaving me unable to buckle my seat. On top of the obvious safety hazard, illegality of driving without a seat belt, constant dinging from the vehicle to remind me that I was not buckled, which did not allow me to speak with my clients by phone in the vehicle, I had to deal with very poor handling of this matter by mbusa. …”

NHTSA complaint #10605381, filed 2014-06, 31,000 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “Transmission cooler which is in radiator cracked and allowed transmission fluid to enter motor cooling system and coolant to enter transmission completely ruining the transmission all components and computer talked to mercedes they would do oohing about total cost to repair $5000.00”

NHTSA complaint #10717074, filed 2015-05, 59,000 miles

Brakes: “My 2008 mercedes benz CL550 is having a problem with brake. There is a thug-thug sound when I press down on the brake pedal. It goes away ~2 seconds after the gear is put into parking or neutral position. Mercedes benz knows about the problem and they told me that there is another car, a s class, that is having a same problem. S class is 4 door version of cl class. Mb told me that they are working on a new part over 3 months ago and now they are telling me that they are working on a software to fix a pressure problem in a valve. …”

NHTSA complaint #10311670, filed 2010-02, 4,000 miles

Fuel system: “Strong odor of gas after fill the tank up. The odor was outside, and it eventually disappeared when the level of gas is lower. There was also gas leaking underneath (driver's rear side). I was told to replace the fuel gasket, after doing that, the odor is now inside the car, constant fuel odor, it never disappear. Driving the car is impossible, and gas leaking underneath continues, same spot.”

NHTSA complaint #10664204, filed 2014-12, 79,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

29% of the 7 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 59,000 and 79,000 miles.

14%0–100%10–2514%25–5029%50–7529%75–10014%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (7 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 68,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

2010201422015201720202023
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2008 Mercedes-Benz CL550 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
CL550 RWD5.5L 8-cyl7-speed automatic142117$4,850

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2008 Mercedes-Benz CL550 in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 56 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 56 bulletins →

Other model years of the Mercedes-Benz CL550

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2011539,0001—18—Not enough data
2008768,0000—17—Not enough data
2007760,0500—16—Not enough data

All Mercedes-Benz CL550 model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2008 Mercedes-Benz CL550 have?

NHTSA recorded 7 consumer complaints for the 2008 Mercedes-Benz CL550 as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2008 Mercedes-Benz CL550 is reported most often?

Seat belts is named most often, in 2 complaints (29% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain with 2.

Has the 2008 Mercedes-Benz CL550 been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2008 Mercedes-Benz CL550 get?

The EPA rates the 2008 Mercedes-Benz CL550 (CL550, 5.5L 8-cyl) at 17 mpg combined, 14 city and 21 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,850 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2008 Mercedes-Benz CL550 reported?

Among the 7 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 68,000 miles and the middle half falls between 59,000 and 79,000 miles; 29% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.