Mercedes-Benz CLK500 Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 37 consumer complaints across the 3 model years of the Mercedes-Benz CLK500 (2004–2006) that have at least 5 complaints. 2005 has the most, with 18. Across all years, the part named most often is fuel system (14 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All CLK500 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 5 | 66,000 | 4 | 48 | — | Not enough data |
| 2005 | 18 | 48,000 | 3 | 51 | — | Rising |
| 2004 | 14 | 77,000 | 3 | 41 | — | Not enough data |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Fuel system14 39%
- Seat belts4 11%
- Electrical system4 11%
- Air bags4 11%
- Transmission and drivetrain3 8.3%
- Tires3 8.3%
- Steering2 5.6%
- Exterior lighting2 5.6%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2004: “Vehicle show an srs light issue on the dashboard, I took the vehicle many times to tyson's corner, va mercedez benz dealership to figure what was the problem, and the dealership was unable to find the issue. After a lot of investigation I found out it may be the seatbelt buckles, or the child recognition emulator which are giving and issue. If he srs light is on the airbags will not deploy in case of an accident.”
NHTSA complaint #10734393, filed 2015-07, 102,666 miles2005: “I was driving to work and it felt like the car ran over something. This is when I noticed that the tire had ran completely flat with tread splitting all around it. The tire has not been replaced but I have contacted the mercedes service department because the tire has only 22,000 miles. I believe there are defects with the tires because the other front tire has a bubble in the tread.”
NHTSA complaint #10275003, filed 2009-06, 22,000 miles2006: “My transmission intermittently goes into low gear while driving at freeway speeds. The car suddenly slows down without the brake lights to warn traffic behind me. If I pull over & turn the engine off & back on, the transmission will shift gears normally for a few days. The mercedes dealer says there is no problem & no other cars do this. Now the check engine light is on & the transmission won't change gears at all. Now the dealer says the transmission must be replaced for $6500. …”
NHTSA complaint #10453628, filed 2012-03, 60,211 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