FaultScore report
Owners have filed 14 complaints about the 2005 Mercedes Benz CLK320 with NHTSA between 2006 and 2023. The largest single group is the electrical system. Across this model's run it ranks 7 of 7 worst.
FaultScore 37/100
Higher is worse. Measured against the other years of the Mercedes Benz CLK320.
How this is worked out14
Complaints
0
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
69,896 mi
Median mileage at failure
Half of reported failures happened before this
31%
Failed under 36,000 miles
Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
Click any bar to open that year's report.
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Median failure at 20,000 miles
0 crashes, 1 fires · median 130,000 mi
Median failure at 46,000 miles
Median failure at 145,500 miles
Median failure at 53,348 miles
Median failure at 133,680 miles
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY 2005 MERCEDES CLK320 CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. I PULLED OVER, THE ENTIRE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND TOTALED. IT STARTED WITH SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE AC VENTS. WHEN I TURNED THE AC OFF THE SMOKE GOT WORSE AND FIRE PROCEEDED.
NHTSA complaint #11092499 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Transmission slips out of gear while driving when you accelerate.
NHTSA complaint #11539955 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY 2005 MERCEDES CLK320 CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. I PULLED OVER, THE ENTIRE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND TOTALED. IT STARTED WITH SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE AC VENTS. WHEN I TURNED THE AC OFF THE SMOKE GOT WORSE AND FIRE PROCEEDED.
NHTSA complaint #11092499 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
AT APPROXIMATELY 74,000 MILES THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT ELECTRIC EXTENDER WENT IN AND OUT 6 SIX TIMES UNCONTROLLABLY, THEN IN THE RETRACTED POSITION FAILED ALL TOGETHER, WHILE THE SEAT BELT ITSELF REMAINED IN THE SLACK POSITION AND WOULD NOT RETRACT. THIS MALFUNCTION LEFT THE FRONT DRIVERS SEAT BELT USELESS, A HUGE SAFETY RISK AND VIOLATES COLORADO SEAT BELT LAW. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF DOCUMENTED COMPLAINTS IN MULTIPLE MODEL AND YEARS OF THE SAME ISSUE WITH MERCEDES BENZ SEAT BELTS AS PUBLISHED ONLINE. THE LOCAL MERCEDES BENZ DEALER STATES THIS IS NOT A CONSUMER SERVICEABLE ITEM, AND MERCEDES BENZ SERVICE BULLETIN PASSES OFF THEIR MANUFACTURER DEFECT AS THE CONSUMERS FAULT FOR "SOILING THE SEAT BELT AND NOT KEEPING IT CLEAN" WHICH IS RUBBISH. MERCEDES BENZ DEALER QUOTE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE SEAT BELT SYSTEM FRONT DRIVER SIDE ONLY, $900.00. FRONT PASSENGER SIDE STARTING TO MALFUNCTION, REAR PASSENGER SIDE NOT FULLY RETRACTING WHEN EXITING THE VEHICLE. THE LOCAL DEALER DID NOT OFFER A LOANER CAR AS I HAD TO WAIT TWO WEEKS FOR THEM TO "SCHEDULE ME IN" FOR THE REPAIR, THUS DRIVING AN UNSAFE VEHICLE DURING THE TWO WEEK WAITING PERIOD.
NHTSA complaint #10872563 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES BENZ CLK320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED BUT THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND. IN ADDITION, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SENSOTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,680.
NHTSA complaint #10689619 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES BENZ CLK320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED BUT THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND. IN ADDITION, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SENSOTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,680.
NHTSA complaint #10689619 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
SRS LIGHT ON DIAGNOSIS FAULTY FRONT SEAT SENSOR AND CONTROL UNIT. SRS THEREFORE NO LONGER WORKING. THIS IS THE THIRD ONE OF THESE I HAVE HAD THAT HAS HAD THIS FAULT ALL ON MERCEDES. EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE THAT IS REPETITIVE AND CONTINUOUS. ISSUE NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO IMMEDIATELY!
NHTSA complaint #10680977 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
SEAT BELT EXTENDED WITHOUT TENSION AND CONTINUED TO RELEASE. SO THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WAS OF NO FUNCTIONAL USE. BROUGHT TO MERCEDES SERVICE, REPLACED ENTIRE SEAT-BELT AND RETRACTION SYSTEM. WAS TOLD THE WHEEL THAT RETRACTS THE BELT IS DEFECTIVE. SEEMS LIKE A REAL SAFETY ISSUE, MAYBE WHEN SOMEONE NEEDS THERE BELT, THIS WILL OCCUR, AND THE RESULT WILL NOT BE A SERVICE CALL, THIS SHOULD BE FIXED BY MERCEDES...
NHTSA complaint #10651136 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
SRS LIGHT APPEARED AND WE TOOK VEHICLE INTO DEALERSHIP AND WERE TOLD THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WAS DEFECTIVE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. WE HAD THE REPAIR DONE ON 10/03/14. WE THOUGHT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS SAFETY ISSUE SINCE THE VEHICLE IS LESS THAN 10 YEARS OLD. THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS NOT AND THE REPAIR CHARGES WERE PAID BY US. WONDERING IF THIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL RECALL FOR DEFECTIVE AIRBAGS.
NHTSA complaint #10649422 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
THE SRS LIGHT CAME ON ONCE BEFORE LIKE 6 MONTHS BACK, AND THE MECHANIC CLEARED THE CODE. THIS LIGHT CAME BACK ON SEPT 5, 2012. THE MERCEDES DEALER TOLD ME THAT THERE ARE 2 FAULT CODES: 1. 900B - PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE 2. 9243 - PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG IGNITION SQUIB THIS CAR HAS ONLY CLOSE TO 37,000 MILES. AND THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IN ACCIDENTS. THIS CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENTS AND IS IN PRISTINE CONDITION. I VERY STRONGLY FEEL THIS IS POOR WORKMANSHIP BY MERCEDES AND THEY SHOULD HAVE A RECALL TO FIX THIS AS THIS RELATES TO SAFETY.
NHTSA complaint #10475081 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES CLK320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS JUMP STARTED ALL OF THE SERVICE LIGHTS AND SENSORS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD TURN ON AND OFF. THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS WOULD ALSO ENGAGE AND DISENGAGE ON THEIR OWN. THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF BUT THE FAILURES CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THEY SUSPECT THAT IT COULD BE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 62,000.
NHTSA complaint #10341826 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE AUTOMATIC DRIVER SEAT IN THE VEHICLE MOVED FORWARD ON ITS OWN, PUSHING THE CONTACT INTO THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT RECORDING THE CORRECT SEAT POSITION OF EACH DRIVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ALSO, BOTH FRONT TIRES MADE A THUMPING NOISE WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. A SERVICE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE WEAR ON THE TREAD WAS UNEVEN. DUE TO THE VEHICLE HAVING STAGGERED WHEELS, THE TIRES COULD NOT BE ROTATED.
NHTSA complaint #10165668 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE AUTOMATIC DRIVER SEAT IN THE VEHICLE MOVED FORWARD ON ITS OWN, PUSHING THE CONTACT INTO THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT RECORDING THE CORRECT SEAT POSITION OF EACH DRIVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ALSO, BOTH FRONT TIRES MADE A THUMPING NOISE WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. A SERVICE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE WEAR ON THE TREAD WAS UNEVEN. DUE TO THE VEHICLE HAVING STAGGERED WHEELS, THE TIRES COULD NOT BE ROTATED.
NHTSA complaint #10165668 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES
BLOW OUT OF RIGHT REAR TIRE (COSTCO ITEM #758707 BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE RE750 245/40R17 ULTRA HIGH PERFORMANCE) RESULTING IN $2000 WORTH OF VEHICLE DAMAGE. DEFECTIVE TIRE REMNANTS SENT TO BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE. THEIR INSPECTOR DENIES THAT THE TIRE FAILURE WAS A RESULT OF A DEFECT IN MATERIALS OR WORKMANSHIP. I DO NOT BELIEVE THEY HAVE OBJECTIVELY EVALUATED THE TIRE REMAINS AND ARE ATTEMPTING TO AVOID EXCEPTING RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE BLOWOUT WHICH WOULD AMOUNT TO COVERING MY $2000 OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES.
NHTSA complaint #10162342 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES
TIRES ON THE MERCEDES CLK320 ARE NOT DESIGNED TO LAST VERY LONG AND BECOME "BALD" QUICKLY CREATING DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE MANGER AT THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP THE TIRES SUPPLIED WITH THE CAR ARE RATED FOR ONLY 8,000 TO AT BEST 11,000 MILES. THEY TIRES CAN NOT HANDLE SIMPLY BRAKES IN THE ROAD AND RIP APART VERY EASILY. I KNOW OF SOMEONE ELSE WITH THIS CAR THAT HAS EXPERIENCED THE SAME DANGEROUS CONDITIONS.
NHTSA complaint #10151852 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.