U.S. public vehicle records

2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

177 owner complaints analyzed

6 distinct recall campaigns

16,769 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2014 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 136 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 66 of 177 complaints (37.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Engine operation	23	13.0%
Braking behavior	20	11.3%
Electrical and battery issues	13	7.3%
Transmission and shifting	9	5.1%
Steering behavior	8	4.5%
Fuel system concerns	3	1.7%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Engine

Electrical System

Vehicle Speed Control

Unknown Or Other

Electronic Stability Control (Esc)

Power Train

Air Bags

Fuel/Propulsion System

Engine: 66; Electrical System: 43; Vehicle Speed Control: 36; Unknown Or Other: 21; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 20; Power Train: 19; Air Bags: 10; Fuel/Propulsion System: 10

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 92; 25,000 to 49,999: 16; 50,000 to 74,999: 15; 75,000 to 99,999: 10; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 2

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (92). 41 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

2013: 1; 2014: 31; 2015: 44; 2016: 13; 2017: 12; 2018: 13; 2019: 5; 2020: 22; 2021: 10; 2022: 5; 2023: 6; 2024: 7; 2025: 5; 2026: 3

Pattern summary

Engine leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 23 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 20 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 13 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10573053 · 2014-03-18 (March 18, 2014)

1ST- ON FEB 11TH & 12TH MY 2014 CLA WHICH WAS PURCHASED AT THE MB OF PEMBROKE PINES HAD BEEN TOWED TO THE MB OF POMPANO, FL DEALERSHIP BECAUSE OF THE EPS LIGHTS, "INOPERATIVE" WARNING MESSAGES THAT WERE COMING UP AS WELL AS THE STALLING AND DELAYED ACCELERATION, WHICH I TOOK PHOTOS OF. IT WAS TOWED TO POMPANO FORM MY JOB, MY CAR WAS KEPT AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR 4 DAYS (AS OPPOSED TO THE FEW HRS I WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD TAKE TO FIX THE COMPUTER ISSUES). NOT ONLY WAS MY CAR IN THE SHOP FOR 3 DAYS, BUT A PART THAT HAD BEEN ORDERED,WHICH MEANS SOMETH…

Owner-reported narrative. 5,354 miles reported. Look up ODI 10573053 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10597069 · 2014-06-09 (June 9, 2014)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 MERCEDES BENZ CLA250. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. THE INOPERABLE POWER WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED DURING THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. AFTER EACH FAILURE, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE AND RESUME NORMAL FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES, BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE DEALER CONCLUDED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE M…

Owner-reported narrative. 5,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10597069 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10550890 · 2013-11-04 (November 4, 2013)

ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27, AND TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013, MY VEHICLE LISTED ABOVE HAD WARNING LIGHTS COME ON THAT STATED, "PRE SAFE, FUNCTIONS LIMITED, INOPERATIVE." IN ADDITION TO THE WORDS, THE ESP AND ABS LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO PENSKE MBZ IN WEST COVINA, CA, ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30. THEY REPAIRED THE VEHICLE BY DOING A SOFTWARE UPDATE. ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2013, THE CODES RETURNED AND I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO WHERE I BOUGHT IT, ENCINO, CA, MBZ. I WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE CODES AND THEY FOUND NO PROBLEM…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10550890 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10574797 · 2014-03-25 (March 25, 2014)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 MERCEDES-BENZ CLA250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PRE-SAFE FUNCTIONS LIMITED INOPERATIVE, THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM, AND THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 2,500. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10574797 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10588401 · 2014-05-14 (May 14, 2014)

CAR COMPLETELY SHUTOFF TONIGHT ON THE HIGHWAY AND LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO GET PULLED OVER WITHOUT INCIDENT. I HAD NUMEROUS MESSAGES ON THE DISPLAY, INCLUDING "SERVICE REQUIRED, DO NOT SHIFT GEARS, VISIT DEALER" AND "ESP INOPERABLE, SEE OPERATOR'S MANUAL". THE CAR WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING ONCE I PULLED OVER, NOTHING HAPPENED WHEN I TURNED THE KEY, NO NOISES, NOTHING. MB ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE CAME AND TRIED TO JUMP START AND DISCONNECT THE BATTERY TO NO AVAIL. SO, OFF ON THE TOW TRUCK IT WENT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 4,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10588401 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10609701 · 2014-07-10 (July 10, 2014)

I JUST PICKED UP MY CAR FROM MERCEDES SERVICE TODAY, 7/10/2014 FOR THE ISSUE DESCRIBED BELOW. IT HAD BEEN IN SERVICE SINCE 7/1/2014. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE SAID THAT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE. ONE PART THEY NEEDED WAS BACK-ORDERED AND UNAVAILABLE FROM MERCEDES SO THE MECHANIC REBUILT THE CONNECTION. THAT STILL DID NOT STOP THE FAULT CODE SO IN CONSULTATION WITH MERCEDES THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPLACED ADDITIONAL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS AND BELIEVED THEY RESOLVED THE ISSUE. THE EXACT SAME INCIDENT OCCURRED TODAY, APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUT…

Owner-reported narrative. 5,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10609701 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10578246 · 2014-04-08 (April 8, 2014)

I HAVE PARTIAL VIDEO IF THIS INCIDENT. INCIDENT OCCURRED AT 991 ODOMETER MILES. AFTER DRIVING APPROX. ~300 MOSTLY CONTIGUOUS, FLAT, RURAL HIGHWAY MILES IN-BETWEEN LINCOLN, NE AND ST. LOUIS, MO (HEADING TO ATLANTA, GA) IN APPROX. 30 WEATHER ON DRY PAVEMENT, THE ENGINE STOPPED PRODUCING ENOUGH ENGINE POWER TO PROPEL THE VEHICLE AT THE 70-75 MPH THAT I WAS TRAVELING. AT APPROX. 60-65 MPH, I APPLIED ADDITIONAL PRESSURE TO THE GAS PEDAL WHICH WAS NOT EFFECTIVE. PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOOR DID NOTHING EXCEPT, OCCASIONALLY, THE TRANSMISSION…

Owner-reported narrative. 991 miles reported. Look up ODI 10578246 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10648491 · 2014-10-17 (October 17, 2014)

ON OCTOBER 17, 2014, VEHICLE 'PRE SAFE FUNCTIONS LIMITED, INOPERATIVE' LIGHT CAME ON THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AT APPROXIMATELY 50-60 MPH. VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE SO COASTED TO SIDE OF INTERSTATE AND CAME TO A STOP. TRIED TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, CAR WOULD ONLY MOVE AT A FEW MPH AND THE TRANSMISSION FELT LIKE IT WAS STUCK IN THE HIGHEST GEAR. TURNED CAR OFF AND BACK ON. PROBLEM SEEMED TO RESET AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME. DID NOT TAKE TO DEALERSHIP FOR THIS INCIDENT DUE TO READING ABOUT OTHERS' EXPERIENCE AND THAT DEALERSHI…

Owner-reported narrative. 15,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10648491 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10630432 · 2014-09-03 (September 3, 2014)

AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AROUND 65 MILES PER HOUR, THE VEHICLE'S CHECK ENGINE CAME UP AND SAID " INOPERATIVE, PRE SAFE INACTIVE" I FREAKED OUT. I WAS AT HIGHWAYS SPEEDS AND IT WAS INOPERATIVE. I NOTICED THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS AFFECTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS UNRESPONSIVE WHEN I ACCELERATED. THE ABS SYSTEM WAS DISABLED, I WAS SCARED EVEN TO BRAKE BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WHEN THE ABS SYSTEM IS DISABLED THE BRAKES CAN LOCK UP AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT, INJURIES AND EVEN DEATH. I HAVE NOTICED THAT MANY CLA250 OWNERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10630432 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10676575 · 2015-01-20 (January 20, 2015)

PURCHASE MY 2014 CLA 250 IN JANUARY 2014 FOR MY DAUGHTER. IN MAY MY DAUGHTER CALL AND SAID THE CAR JUST STOPPED RUNNING WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING IT. DIDN'T REALLY THINK ANYTHING OF IT BECAUSE SHE WAS A NEW DRIVER. ABOUT 3 WEEKS LATER SHE SAID IT DID THE SAME THING. AGAIN IN OCTOBER 2014 I WAS DRIVING THE CAR. DRIVING ABOUT 40MPH AND THE CAR JUST STOP MOVING. A MESSAGE OF INOPERATIVE CAME THE SCREEN. I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE STEERING WAS VERY HARD TO TURN AND NOTHING WOULD WORK EXCEPT FOR THE BRAKES. IF YOU TURN THE C…

Owner-reported narrative. 8,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10676575 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11360706 · 2020-09-23 (September 23, 2020)

WHEN THE CAR IS IN IDLE AND IN MOTION, THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE FILLS WITH A SMELL OF FUEL, AND IT WAS ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE CAR ALSO HAS BEGAN LEAKING FROM THE FUEL TANK LOCATED UNDERNEATH THE REAR SEATS.

Owner-reported narrative. 94,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11360706 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11374400 · 2020-11-12 (November 12, 2020)

STRONG GASOLINE ODOR INSIDE THE CAR. DEALER REMOVED THE REAR SEAT. REMOVED LEFT AND RIGHT FUEL TANK ACCESS COVERS. FOUND SUCTION JET PUMP AREA WET WITH GASOLINE. FOUND THE FUEL SENDING UNIT LEFT SIDE CRACKED AND LEAKING. THEY RECOMMENDED REPLACING SUCTION JET PUMP AND AUXILIARY PUMP COSTING $1,571.00. THE SMELL IS CONSTANT WHETHER MOVING OR NOT AND REGARDLESS OF LOCATION. I COUGH WHEN DRIVING THE CAR HENCE I SELDOM USE IT. IF I CAN NOT AVOID USING THE CAR I OPEN ALL WINDOWS AND TELL ANY PASSENGER TO AVOID SMOKING TO PREVENT FIRE. I STARTED TO N…

Owner-reported narrative. 33,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11374400 at NHTSA ↗