FaultScore

Mercedes Benz CLK320 vs BMW 325XI

Both cars' complete complaint records, side by side.

Read the totals carefully. NHTSA publishes no sales figures, so the car that sold more collects more complaints regardless of quality. The rows worth weighing are the proportions — the share of complaints that involved harm, and which part dominates.

Measure Mercedes Benz CLK320 BMW 325XI
Complaints on file 160 398
Model years covered 1999–2009 2001–2009
Worst model year 2003 2004
Best model year 2005 2001
Crashes reported 25 21
Fires reported 7 14
Injuries reported 16 17
Deaths reported 0 0
Most complained-about part Electrical System Airbags
Share of complaints involving harm 30% 13.1%

Mercedes Benz CLK320 by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Airbags 20 12.5%
Seat Belts 13 8.1%
Engine & Cooling 11 6.9%
Body & Structure 11 6.9%
Tires 10 6.3%
Other & Unspecified 9 5.6%
Transmission & Drivetrain 8 5.0%

BMW 325XI by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Airbags 145 36.4%
Lights 35 8.8%
Steering 22 5.5%
Suspension 16 4.0%
Seat Belts 14 3.5%
Other & Unspecified 13 3.3%