Mercedes-Benz CLK Class Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 31 consumer complaints across the 3 model years of the Mercedes-Benz CLK Class (2001–2004) that have at least 5 complaints. 2001 has the most, with 14. Across all years, the part named most often is transmission and drivetrain (7 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All CLK Class model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 7 | 17,900 | 2 | 4 | — | Not enough data |
| 2003 | 10 | 29,000 | 1 | 4 | — | Not enough data |
| 2001 | 14 | 58,938 | 0 | 4 | — | Not enough data |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Transmission and drivetrain7 24%
- Electrical system6 21%
- Tires4 14%
- Engine cooling4 14%
- Seat belts3 10%
- Body and structure2 6.9%
- Equipment2 6.9%
- Vehicle speed control1 3.4%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2003: “I have had seat belt trouble. When I first bought the car it was weak to retract. Than 9 months later it gave out on me. I looked into it online and it turns out almost all these vehicles have this problem before 100,000 miles. There are dozens of forums in complaints plenty of people saying they have the problem to in each. Its a hazard that people are driving these cars and decide they don't have $500 to buy a seat belt retractor plus $200 in labor. Also it often leaves no warning that it won't retract. …”
NHTSA complaint #10558710, filed 2014-01, 103,000 miles2001: “Dash LED's are failing causing the drive indicator to not register correctly. When I place it in gear because the lights go on and off as a bad connection I cannot tell what gear I am in. Also the same LED's for the clock and temp are failing in the same unit.”
NHTSA complaint #10198355, filed 2007-08, 61,300 miles2004: “On monday, april 4th, I was driving my 2004 clk55 convertible to my office, going 55 MPH and lost all power. I attempted to put the car into neutral and the car going again, with no success. I was able to pull over on the side of the road, and then drive a few miles per hour to get to a safe place off of the highway. The dealer is telling me that the torque converter and the transmission are broken. The torque converter part has been ordered from germany, and it is on backorder for the entire united states. …”
NHTSA complaint #10116614, filed 2005-04, 5,600 milesOther Mercedes-Benz models
3,965 complaintsMercedes-Benz E350
2,215 complaintsMercedes-Benz E320
1,164 complaintsMercedes-Benz ML350
952 complaintsMercedes-Benz GLK350
901 complaintsMercedes-Benz ML320
740 complaintsMercedes-Benz C250
725 complaintsMercedes-Benz GLC 300
659 complaints
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. Methodology