2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
66 owner complaints analyzed
8 distinct recall campaigns
37,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2016 model year. Data snapshot: . 25 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Unknown Or Other is the most frequently named component, appearing in 20 of 66 complaints (30.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 6 | 9.1% |
| Engine operation | 6 | 9.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 6 | 9.1% |
| Steering behavior | 5 | 7.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 5 | 7.6% |
| Braking behavior | 4 | 6.1% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Unknown Or Other | 20 |
| Engine | 15 |
| Air Bags | 13 |
| Electrical System | 7 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 6 |
| Steering | 6 |
| Structure:Body | 6 |
| Power Train | 5 |
Unknown Or Other: 20; Engine: 15; Air Bags: 13; Electrical System: 7; Fuel/Propulsion System: 6; Steering: 6; Structure:Body: 6; Power Train: 5
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 9 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 7 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 4 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 2 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 9; 25,000 to 49,999: 7; 50,000 to 74,999: 4; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 1
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (9). 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 8 |
| 2018 | 6 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2021 | 8 |
| 2022 | 5 |
| 2023 | 6 |
| 2024 | 8 |
| 2025 | 6 |
| 2026 | 6 |
2016: 3; 2017: 8; 2018: 6; 2019: 4; 2020: 6; 2021: 8; 2022: 5; 2023: 6; 2024: 8; 2025: 6; 2026: 6
Pattern summary
Unknown Or Other leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 6 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 6 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 6 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 11152832 · 2018-11-20 (November 20, 2018)
I LEASED THIS VEHICLE END OF SEPTEMBER 2016 BUT HAVE REPLACED TIRES 6 TIMES WITHIN LAST TWO YEARS DUE TO BUBBLE IN SIDE OF THE TIRES. I DON'T THINK IT IS ISSUE WITH TIRES SINCE I HAVE 2016 BMW WITH SAME TIRES WITHOUT ANY ISSUES. IT COULD THE RIM SIZE OR THE SUSPENSION ON THIS VEHICLE CAUSE TIRES TO BUBBLE UP. I HAVE BEEN LEASING CARS FOR 30 YEARS AND NEVER HAD ISSUES LIKE THIS. NUMEROUS TIME I HAVE ASKED THE DEALER TO FIND OUT THE ROOT CAUSE FOR IT BUT NO LUCK SO FAR. THE ISSUE HERE IS IT PUTTING MYSELF AND MY FAMILY DANGER OF OUR LIFE BECAUSE …
Owner-reported narrative. 37,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11152832 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11255117 · 2019-09-12 (September 12, 2019)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 MERCEDES-BENZ CLA250. WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE VEHICLE STALLED, THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL, AND THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN DEPRESSED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE POLICE ASSISTED WITH MOVING THE VEHICLE OFF THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF LOS ANGELES (801 S FIGUEROA ST, LOS ANGELES, CA 90015, [phone removed]) WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT A NEW STARTER WAS NEEDED; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT OFFICIALLY DIAGNO…
Owner-reported narrative. 21,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 11255117 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11032300 · 2017-10-09 (October 9, 2017)
CAR CANNOT BE FILLED WITH GAS MORE THAN 7/8 OF THE TANK. WHEN FILLED FULL, THE ENGINE SPUTTERS AND CAR START TO STALL/SHAKE VIOLENTLY, ENGINE LOSES POWER AND ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THEN ENGINE SHUTS DOWN BY ITSELF. AFTER ENGINE SHUTS DOWN ALL LIGHTS ON THE DASH BOARD LIT UP AND NEED TO TURN OFF CAR. THIS HAPPENS ON BOTH CITY ROAD AND HIGHWAY DRIVING SOON AFTER FILLING THE TANK. ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT ON THE HIGHWAY AS I COULD PULL FAST ENOUGH ONTO THE SHOULDER AND GET OUT OF THE WAY FROM OTHER CARS BEHIND ME ON THE HIGHWAY DRIVING AT 60…
Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11032300 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11161569 · 2018-12-17 (December 17, 2018)
2016 MERCEDES BENZ CLA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE LOSS POWER AND DROVE ROUGHLY. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED HAVING A FUEL INJECTOR REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. *JS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11161569 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11113952 · 2018-07-26 (July 26, 2018)
"TAKATA RECALL" THE DRIVER WAS KILLED IN A CAR ACCIDENT ON MARCH 21ST 2018 AND THE CAR WAS ON A RECALL. THE ACCIDENT WAS AT OCKECHOBEE ROAD, MIAMI, FL WITH 11TH STREET. THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. THE DRIVER RECEIVED A LETTER FROM MERCEDES-BENZ IN NOVEMBER 2017 STATING THAT THE CAR HAD AN INSUFFICIENT ELECTRICAL GROUNDING IN THE STEERING COLUMN COMPONENTS AND THAT THIS COULD LEAD TO AN INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER AIRBAG CAUSING A RISK OF A POTENTIAL CRASH, BUT THAT UNFORTUNATELY THE REMEDY WAS NOT AVAILABLE YET. DESPITE OF THIS, THE DRIVER…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11113952 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11157040 · 2018-12-08 (December 8, 2018)
I WAS DRIVING MY CLA IN THE RAIN ON THE 405N IN IRVINE, CA AT ABOUT 4PM TO GO TO MY NEW PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT FOR ONBOARDING. I WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 25-30MPH BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER AND TRAFFIC IT WAS VERY SLOW. I PUT MY BLINKER ON TO MERGE OVER INTO THE SECOND LANE AND MY CAR BEEPED AND AUTOMATICALLY WENT INTO NEUTRAL. I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING, IT FELT LIKE MY STEERING LOCKED UP AND I COULD ONLY SLIGHTLY MOVE THE WHEEL, MY BLIND SPOT ASSIST WAS INOPERABLE, MY DASHBOARD LIT UP EVERY LIGHT/WARNING SIGN IT COULD AND I COULD NOT SWITCH GEARS. I HAD …
Owner-reported narrative. 10 miles reported. Look up ODI 11157040 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11032301 · 2017-10-09 (October 9, 2017)
CAR CANNOT BE DRIVEN WHEN GAS GAGE SHOWS A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN TANK. THE RANGE ON THE CAR SHOWED ALMOST 90 MILES TO EMPTY ON HIGHWAY DRIVING AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE ENGINE STARTED TO LOSE POWER AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, PULLED TO THE SIDE OF ROAD LIMPING ALONG AT 20 MILES PER HOUR WITH GAS PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND THEN ENGINE SHUT DOWN BY ITSELF AFTER 2 MILES. AFTER ENGINE SHUT DOWN ALL LIGHTS ON THE DASH BOARD LIT UP AND NEEDED TO TURN OFF CAR. RESTARTED THE CAR AND THE CAR WOULD NOT DRIVE IN REVERSE, MANUAL PADDLE SHIFTER WOULD …
Owner-reported narrative. 8,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11032301 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10935452 · 2016-12-15 (December 15, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT RENTED A 2016 MERCEDES-BENZ CLA250. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND FAILED TO OPERATE AS INTENDED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE AUTONOMOUS BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED TO OPERATE AS INTENDED. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE RENTAL AGENCY WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN AND FAILURE…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10935452 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11182865 · 2019-02-27 (February 27, 2019)
CARS BRAKE SYSTEM VIOLENTLY SHAKES THE FRONT OF THE CAR WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. CAR HAS 17K MILES ON IT AND IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. DEALER REFUSES TO REPAIR, SAYS THE ROTORS ARE WARPED BECAUSE I DROVE THE CAR IN THE RAIN, AND THE RAIN WARPED THE ROTOS.
Owner-reported narrative. 17,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11182865 at NHTSA ↗