RAM 5500 vs Mercedes Benz CLA250

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	RAM 5500	Mercedes Benz CLA250
Complaints on file	211	519
Model years covered	2013–2025	2012–2017
Worst model year	2018	2014
Best model year	2015	2013
Crashes reported	15	33
Fires reported	15	7
Injuries reported	8	30
Deaths reported	0	2
Most complained-about part	Transmission & Drivetrain	Engine & Cooling
Share of complaints involving harm	18%	13.9%

RAM 5500 by year

6 21 20 24 26 49 13 11 6 32 3

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 25

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

What breaks

Transmission & Drivetrain 51 24.2%

Brakes 40 19.0%

Wheels 19 9.0%

Engine & Cooling 18 8.5%

Electrical System 15 7.1%

Steering 14 6.6%

Fuel & Propulsion 13 6.2%

Suspension 11 5.2%

Mercedes Benz CLA250 by year

9 11 280 83 99 37

12 13 14 15 16 17

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

What breaks

Engine & Cooling 108 20.8%

Electrical System 68 13.1%

Other & Unspecified 61 11.8%

Airbags 45 8.7%

Acceleration & Cruise Control 41 7.9%

Transmission & Drivetrain 36 6.9%

Body & Structure 29 5.6%

Stability & Traction Control 25 4.8%