Owner-reported issues — NHTSA
40 complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for the C216 across model years 2006–2013. Federal public records, updated weekly.
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 9 reports |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 6 reports |
| AIR BAGS | 5 reports |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 4 reports |
| STEERING | 4 reports |
| POWER TRAIN | 4 reports |
| SUSPENSION | 3 reports |
| STRUCTURE | 3 reports |
Selected owner reports
2006 · TIRES
The contact owns a 2006 Mercedes Benz CLS500 equipped with Continental Tires, Tire Line: Extreme Contact, Tire Sizes: 275/40/ZR18 and 275/35/ZR18, DOT Numbers: 1HW0FBD0A and 1AF0FB0M5 respectively. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the neighbor informed the contact that the driver’s side front and rear tires were flat. The contact stated that the TPMS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the tires were diagnosed with a slow leak on the sidewall. The tires were replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The fail
2006 · SUSPENSION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ CL55. THE CONTACT STATED THE BOLT USED TO SECURE THE REAR SUBFRAME LOOSENED AND CAUSED THE BODY TO DETACH FROM THE SUBFRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF FAYETTEVILLE LOCATED AT 420 GLENSFORD DR, FAYETTEVILLE, NC 28314, (910) 487-0000, WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 123,000.
2006 · SERVICE BRAKES
I WAS DRIVING MY MERCEDES ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE LIGHT FLASHED ON FOR THE BRAKES SAYING BRAKING POWER REDUCED. ALL OF A SUDDEN I COULD NOT STOP MY CAR, I WAS SO SCARED ON THE HIGHWAY I REALLY THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE. ME AND MY BOYFRIEND WAS IN THE CAR AT THE TIME. SOMEHOW I GOT OVER TO THE FAR LANE TOWARDS THE GUARDRAIL WHERE NO ONE NORMALLY DRIVES AND THEN I ROLLED THE CAR UNTIL IT SLOWED ALL THE WAY DOWN AND THEN I FORCED IT INTO PARK. SMH THERE SHOULD REALLY BE SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. NOW I FEAR TO DRIVE MY CAR EVER AGAIN.
2006 · FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
EXTREMELY STRONG FUEL ODOR UPON LEAVING FUEL STOP FOR THE PAST SEVERAL FILL UPS. TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR DIAGNOSIS AND DISCOVERED THAT FUEL TANK IS CRACKED AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I AM REPORTING THIS BECAUSE THE REPAIR GARAGE TOLD ME IT IS A MAJOR PROBLEM IN THE SAME AREA OF THE FUEL TANK THAT AFFECTS MY VEHICLE AND THAT THEY HAVE REPAIRED THIS SAME ISSUE ON MY VEHICLE MODEL ALL THE TIME.
2006 · POWER TRAIN
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ACCELERATING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE TRANSMISSION JERKED AND SHIMMIED. ALSO, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, THE TRANSMISSION BANGED. BOTH PROBLEMS WERE INTERMITTENT. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE COMPUTER AND TRANSMISSION, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED.
2006 · AIR BAGS
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN MY ACTIVE HEAD RESTRAINTS DEPLOYED AND STRUCK MY HEAD AND NECK. THE SOUND WHEN THEY ACTIVATED WAS LIKE A GUNSHOT INSIDE THE CAR. THE DEALER SAID THEY FOUND NO REASON FOR THE DEPLOYMENT. THEY SAY NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE CAR. *NM *AK
2006 · STEERING
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AT SPEEDS BELOW 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE FELT AS THOUGH THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING. THE TENSION IN THE STEERING CHANGES FROM DAY TO DAY. THE DEALERSHIP IS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM, BUT HAS REPLACED MULTIPLE COMPONENTS. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND THE DEALERSHIP STATED THERE ARE NO FURTHER REPAIRS AVAILABLE AND THE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE RETURNED.
2007 · FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
THE FUEL TANK IS LEAKING FUEL. THE FUEL TANK HAS CRACKS IN IT CAUSING IT TO LEAVE A PUDDLE OF FUEL. THE COMPANY HAD THE SAME ISSUES WITH OTHER VEHICLES. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN .
2007 · FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
FUELED THE CAR THIS MORNING THEN PARKED IT IN THE GARAGE. WHEN I ENTERED THE GARAGE ABOUT A HOUR LATER THERE IS A VERY STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE IN THE ENTIRE GARAGE. IS THERE ARE RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. I DID NOT OVERFILL THE TANK, AND THE CAP WAS ON. *TR
2007 · SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MERCEDES CL 550. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE BRAKE FLUID LOW MESSAGE SUDDENLY DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN REPAIRED THE REAR BRAKES. IN A SEPARATE INCIDENT, THE ACTIVE BODY CONTROL SYSTEM SENSOR LIGHT SUDDENLY DISPLAYED INDICATING TO STOP THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000...UPDATED 12/11/14 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED LAST MONTH, THE ABS MALFUNCTIO
2007 · FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I FUELED THE CAR THIS MORNING THEN PARKED IT IN THE GARAGE. WHEN I ENTERED THE GARAGE ABOUT A HOUR LATER THERE IS A VERY STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE IN THE ENTIRE GARAGE. IS THERE ARE RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. I DID NOT OVERFILL THE TANK, AND THE CAP WAS ON. *TR
2007 · FUEL SYSTEM
NOTE: DATE LISTED IS NOT FIRST TIME NOR ONLY TIME, THIS IS DATE OF LAST FILL UP. CAR HAS STRONG GAS ODOR INSIDE OF VEHICLE AFTER FILLING UP. THIS LASTS FOR A FEW DAYS. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES BUT DOES NOT STEM TO HAPPEN EVERY TIME. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF LEAKING UNDER CAR OR UNDER HOOD. WHEN CHECKING ONLINE, THERE WERE NUMEROUS REPORTS OF SAME CONDITION, INCLUDING A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT REGARDING THIS DEFECT. *TR
Source: NHTSA consumer complaint database · synced 2026-08-23