Mercedes Benz CLK CLASS problems and owner complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WATER WAS SPILLED ON THE CONSOLE CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO BE INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE RESIDENCE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT IN THE CONSOLE WHICH CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 8/14/2006 - *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10163069 at NHTSA ↗

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IN MY 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK430 WILL FREQUENTLY BECOME STUCK IN ONLY ONE GEAR. MOST OFTEN 3RD GEAR, BUT SOMETIMES 2ND. THIS IS A TERRIFYING SITUATION FOR ME, ESPECIALLY IN TRAFFIC, AS THE AUTOMOBILE DOES NOT ACCELERATE FROM A STOP IN 3RD GEAR AND ABRUPTLY SLOWS WHEN LETTING OFF THE ACCELERATOR IN 2ND. 2ND GEAR ALSO LIMITS THE SPEED OF THE CAR SIGNIFICANTLY AND HAS CAUSED ME TO BE THE TRAFFIC SLOWDOWN AT RUSH HOUR ON MANY OCCASIONS. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS, AS I CANNOT GET THE CAR OUT OF A BUSY INTERSECTION …

Owner-reported narrative. 59,875 miles reported. Look up ODI 10200844 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE CONSUMER INFORMED THE MECHANIC THAT PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED MORE THAN ONCE . PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10083528 at NHTSA ↗

IN MOST PARKING LOTS, LOW CONCRETE "CURBS" ARE PLACED IN STALLS TO PREVENT CARS FROM PULLING TOO FAR FORWARD. TYPICAL CURBS ARE ABOUT SIX INCHES IN HEIGHT. WHEN PARKING IN MANY LOTS IT IS NECESSARY TO PULL A CAR FORWARD SO THE FRONT TIRES TOUCH (OR NEARLY TOUCH) THESE CURBS. OTHERWISE, THE BACK END OF THE CAR WILL BE TOO FAR OUT IN THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC. THE FRONT BUMPER OF THE 2001 MERCEDES CLK 430 IS PRONE TOWARD DAMAGE ON THESE CURBS WHEN BACKING OUT OF A PARKING STALL. THIS OCCURS BECAUSE OF A LIP ON THE LOWER PORTION OF THE FRONT BUMPER…

Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10095870 at NHTSA ↗

1ST, IN MAY 2006, I WAS PARKING MY 2001 MERCEDES BENZ, CLK-430, INTO PARKING LOT AT 7-11 STORE. I PLACE THE SHIFTER INTO P (PARK). THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING AT THIS TIME. I REMOVE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE CAR RUNNING BACK OUT OF THE PARKING STALL AS IF IT WAS IN THE REVERSE GEAR. I PLACED MY FOOT BACK ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE CAR MOVEMENT. I PLACE THE SHIFTER BACK IN THE DRIVE LOCATION AND DRIVE THE CAR BACK TO THE ORIGINAL PLACE. AND PLACE THE SHIFTER BACK IN PARK AND AGAIN THE CAR START ROLLING BACKWARDS. ON THE SAME EVENING…

Owner-reported narrative. 32,850 miles reported. Look up ODI 10159952 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN TO PULL INTO THE GARAGE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT A HIGH SPEED. THE CONSUMER'S FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THE CONSUMER APPLIED EXCESSIVE FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM ACCELERATING, BUT IT FAILED TO DO SO. THE VEHICLE STOPPED ACCELERATING WHEN IT SMASHED INTO THE GARAGE WALL. THE FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE CAME OUT TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE, BUT INDICATED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A 3 FEET LONG BRAKE MARK ON THE GARAGE FLOOR. *AK *SC *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 21,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10073868 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ CLK 500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED FLAMES UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND TWO OTHER VEHICLES WERE MODERATELY DAMAGED BY THE FLAMES. HE NOTICED EXCESSIVE POWER STEERING FLUID ON THE GROUND WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS LOCATED. A POLICE OFFICER STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP OR THE LINES/FITTINGS/HOSES WERE THE CAUSES OF THE FAILURE. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR "B" SERVICE, BUT NO FAILURE COULD…

Owner-reported narrative. 57,528 miles reported. Look up ODI 10240228 at NHTSA ↗

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. THERE WILL BE AN ACCIDENT ONE DAY AND S…

Owner-reported narrative. 103,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10558710 at NHTSA ↗

MY COMPLAINT IS AGAINST MERCEDES-BENZ, USA FOR THEIR FAILURE TO INFORM ME OF THE SUBSTANTIVE DEFECTS AND RECALLS AT THE TIME OF MY PURCHASE OF THE 2006 MERCEDES C280; VIN [XXX]. ON APRIL 24, 2009, I ENGAGED IN A CONTRACT WITH MERCEDES BENZ FINANCIAL SERVICES FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE ABOVE 2006 C-280. I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF THE SERIOUS DEFECTS ON THE VEHICLE. I WAS NEVER GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION. HENCE, THE BUSINESS PRACTICE OF MERCEDES BENZ AND OR IT'S DEALERSHIP WAS DECEPTIVE. IT IS HARD TO IMAGINE THAT ANYONE…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10438188 at NHTSA ↗

WE SMELLED THE ODOR OF GASOLINE IN OUR GARAGE, SO TOOK OUR VEHICLE TO MERCEDES OF HENDERSON. WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS CRACKED AROUND THE TOP MOUNTING BOLT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, WE NOTED THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE MERCEDES E AND CLK CLASS VEHICLES. THE FACT THAT THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS. WHEN RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET, WE OBSERVED NUMEROUS MERCEDES OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. DOES OU…

Owner-reported narrative. 72,094 miles reported. Look up ODI 10568602 at NHTSA ↗