Skip to content
Mercedes-Benz CL550Model year report

2011 Mercedes-Benz CL550 Problems

Complaints
5filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
39,000miles, 1 complaints with mileage
Recalls
1campaigns on record
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA crash rating
—no overall rating published
EPA fuel economy
18 mpgcombined, 4.7L 8-cyl 4WD · 15 city / 23 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2011 Mercedes-Benz CL550 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 5 consumer complaints for the 2011 Mercedes-Benz CL550. The part named most often is other or unknown, with 2 complaints (40% of the total), followed by electrical system (1) and engine (1). 1 of the complaints include a mileage, and 100% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 39,000 miles. Of all complaints, 2 a fire, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 61 technical service bulletins for this model year. Electrical system complaints overlap with 7 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

Other or unknown: “My back up just stops producing an image. I can restart the car and it might or might not come back on. For the most part the camera is on but I’ve been reading on all the MB forums this is a very common issue, with these W216 and also it’s sister car, the W221. The problem is, these were extremely low production vehicles and I’m sure not many are in existence now. I feel these 130-210k cars, shouldn’t have safety issues like this. I don’t mind paying for aging components but safety components should always be working properly. …”

NHTSA complaint #11495721, filed 2022-12

Electrical system: “On October 17, 2023, my vehicle experienced a significant issue—a fire incident—while I was leaving the garage of my house. According to the fire department & my insurance adjuster, it appeared that electrical components started the fire. Separately, on June 22, 2023, I was stuck inside the vehicle as I could not open the doors of the car. The batteries of the car had completely been drained, and the car was just jump-started by my insurance road-side assistant, but I turned off the engine (I was inside the car) forgetting about the fact that the car was not sufficiently being charged. …”

NHTSA complaint #11551150, filed 2023-10

Engine: “The contact owns a 2011 mercedes benz CL550. After parking the vehicle, it caught fire. The fire initiated in the engine compartment and the contact was able to extinguish the fire. The vehicle was taken to a dealer. The technician was unable to determine what caused the fire. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure mileage was 39,000.”

NHTSA complaint #10691644, filed 2015-03, 39,000 miles

Engine cooling: “I was driving on the highway when the speed just dropped from 80 MPH to 40 MPH and brake lights, of course, did not turn on. Because of that, the driver behind me was not warned and almost crashed behind me. It was not only this incident but this happened numerous times and the problem was still not fixed.”

NHTSA complaint #10441684, filed 2011-12

Mileage when problems were reported

100% of the 1 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 39,000 and 39,000 miles.

0%0–100%10–25100%25–500%50–750%75–1000%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (1 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 39,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

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

20112015202222023
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 2011 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 4matic 4WD4.7L 8-cyl7-speed automatic152318$4,550

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

Recall details for the 2011 Mercedes-Benz CL550 → · Check a 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. 61 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 61 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 2011 Mercedes-Benz CL550 have?

NHTSA recorded 5 consumer complaints for the 2011 Mercedes-Benz CL550 as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2011 Mercedes-Benz CL550 is reported most often?

Other or unknown is named most often, in 2 complaints (40% of the total), followed by electrical system with 1.

Has the 2011 Mercedes-Benz CL550 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2011 Mercedes-Benz CL550 get?

The EPA rates the 2011 Mercedes-Benz CL550 (CL550 4matic, 4.7L 8-cyl) at 18 mpg combined, 15 city and 23 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,550 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2011 Mercedes-Benz CL550 reported?

Among the 1 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 39,000 miles and the middle half falls between 39,000 and 39,000 miles; 100% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 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.