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U.S. public vehicle records

Mercedes-Benz CLA250 problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

347 owner complaints analyzed

15 distinct recall campaigns

22,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2012 to 2017 model years. Data snapshot: . 215 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 103 of 347 complaints (29.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Engine operation3510.1%
Braking behavior308.6%
Electrical and battery issues288.1%
Transmission and shifting236.6%
Steering behavior174.9%
Fuel system concerns92.6%

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
103
Electrical System
66
Unknown Or Other
61
Air Bags
44
Vehicle Speed Control
41
Power Train
34
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)
24
Fuel/Propulsion System
20
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Engine103
Electrical System66
Unknown Or Other61
Air Bags44
Vehicle Speed Control41
Power Train34
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)24
Fuel/Propulsion System20

Engine: 103; Electrical System: 66; Unknown Or Other: 61; Air Bags: 44; Vehicle Speed Control: 41; Power Train: 34; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 24; Fuel/Propulsion System: 20

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000
114
25,000 to 49,999
40
50,000 to 74,999
31
75,000 to 99,999
20
100,000 to 149,999
6
150,000 and above
4
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,000114
25,000 to 49,99940
50,000 to 74,99931
75,000 to 99,99920
100,000 to 149,9996
150,000 and above4

Under 25,000: 114; 25,000 to 49,999: 40; 50,000 to 74,999: 31; 75,000 to 99,999: 20; 100,000 to 149,999: 6; 150,000 and above: 4

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (114). 132 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
1
2014
31
2015
45
2016
19
2017
29
2018
32
2019
18
2020
55
2021
29
2022
13
2023
18
2024
29
2025
19
2026
9
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20131
201431
201545
201619
201729
201832
201918
202055
202129
202213
202318
202429
202519
20269

2013: 1; 2014: 31; 2015: 45; 2016: 19; 2017: 29; 2018: 32; 2019: 18; 2020: 55; 2021: 29; 2022: 13; 2023: 18; 2024: 29; 2025: 19; 2026: 9

Pattern summary

Engine leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 35 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 30 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 28 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 11323508 · 2020-05-06 (May 6, 2020)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MERCEDES BENZ CLA250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING INTO THE GARAGE, THE STEERING CEASED, AND THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO RBM OF ALPHARETTA LOCATED AT 345 MCFARLAND PKWY, ALPHARETTA, GA 30004, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REPAIR WAS STILL PENDING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. NO FURTHER ASSISTANC…

Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11323508 at NHTSA ↗

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 11321194 · 2020-04-15 (April 15, 2020)

THE PURPOSE OF THIS CORRESPONDENCE IS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT CAUSED MY VEHICLE TO LOSE ITS BREAKING POWER AND HAVE ME ALMOST HAVE A NEAR FATAL ACCIDENT. IF I WAS NOT AN EXPERIENCED DRIVER, I MIGHT NOT BE SENDING THIS LETTER AT THIS TIME. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED ON THURSDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 27, 2020. I COMMUTE FROM NEWNAN, GA TO MIDTOWN ATLANTA DAILY. MY COMMUTE CAN RANGE FROM 40-45 MILES AND 50 MINUTES TO MORE THAN AN HOUR ON ANY GIVEN DAY. THE FIRST 30 MILES OF MY COMMUTE IS USUALLY SPENT ON CRUISE CONTROL. I CAN CRUISE INTO DOWNTOWN ATLA…

Owner-reported narrative. 147,982 miles reported. Look up ODI 11321194 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 11307528 · 2020-02-06 (February 6, 2020)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES BENZ CLS 550. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF ALEXANDRIA (200 S PICKETT ST, ALEXANDRIA, VA 22304) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT AN OIL LEAK HAD CAUSED DAMAGE TO A WIRING HARNESS, THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE AND SEVERAL OTHER UNSTATED ELECTRICAL FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THERE WAS NO ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE …

Owner-reported narrative. 610,708 miles reported. Look up ODI 11307528 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11327504 · 2020-06-06 (June 6, 2020)

ELECTRICAL IGNITION LOCK, REPARKED CAR ONE DAY, NEXT DAY ENGINE WOULD NOT CRANK. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN DRIVEWAY. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 85,918 miles reported. Look up ODI 11327504 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 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 ↗

Compare model years

Recalls by model year

All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.

Recall campaigns

Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.

2012
0
2013
0
2014
6
2015
7
2016
8
2017
10
Recall campaigns data
CategoryCount
20120
20130
20146
20157
20168
201710

2012: 0; 2013: 0; 2014: 6; 2015: 7; 2016: 8; 2017: 10

Year-by-year records

Mercedes-Benz CLA250 model-year comparison
Model yearComplaintsRecallsChange in recalls
201270Not available
2013900
20141776+6
2015617+1
2016668+1
20172710+2