2001 Mercedes-Benz CL500 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2001 Mercedes-Benz CL500, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Suspension337.5%
- Electrical225.0%
- Driver assistance112.5%
- Engine112.5%
- Exterior lighting112.5%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ CL500. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE AIRMATIC WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. UPON INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED FLUID LEAKING FROM UNDER THE HOOD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY AN UNKNOWN DEALER PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 07V263000 (SUSPENSION, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), BUT THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL BODY SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FLUID WAS DUE TO THE COMPRESSOR THAT FRACTURED AND THE COMPRESSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ CL500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE CHASSIS LOWERED OVER THE WHEELS OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HYDRAULIC LINE WAS CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HYDRAULIC FUSE SYSTEM PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER CAUGHT ON FIRE AND ALMOST CHOKED ME AND MY COUSIN TO DEATH SMH. IT SAYS THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS BUT I GUESS MY CAR IS TO OLD. IT ONLY HAS A 130,000 MILES ON IT THIS SHOULDNT HAVE BEEN AN ISSUE.
DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT BLACK AND HAS NOT COME BACK ON. THIS INCLUDES THE SPEEDOMETER, THE FUEL GAUGE AND ALL THE OTHER ENGINE GAUGES. THE CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK. SEARCHING ONLINE, THIS APPEARS TO BE A PREVALENT PROBLEM AND THAT WAS CONFIRMED BY MY MECHANIC. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE AND THE MANY OTHERS AFFECTED. THE VEHICLE HAS ABOUT 100,000 MILES ON IT (I CAN'T SEE EXACTLY HOW MAY WITH THE DASH BLACK).
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT BLACK AND HAS NOT COME BACK ON. THIS INCLUDES THE SPEEDOMETER, THE FUEL GAUGE AND ALL THE OTHER ENGINE GAUGES. THE CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK. SEARCHING ONLINE, THIS APPEARS TO BE A PREVALENT PROBLEM AND THAT WAS CONFIRMED BY MY MECHANIC. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE AND THE MANY OTHERS AFFECTED. THE VEHICLE HAS ABOUT 100,000 MILES ON IT (I CAN'T SEE EXACTLY HOW MAY WITH THE DASH BLACK).
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ CL500. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE AIRMATIC WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. UPON INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED FLUID LEAKING FROM UNDER THE HOOD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY AN UNKNOWN DEALER PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 07V263000 (SUSPENSION, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), BUT THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL BODY SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FLUID WAS DUE TO THE COMPRESSOR THAT FRACTURED AND THE COMPRESSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT BLACK AND HAS NOT COME BACK ON. THIS INCLUDES THE SPEEDOMETER, THE FUEL GAUGE AND ALL THE OTHER ENGINE GAUGES. THE CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK. SEARCHING ONLINE, THIS APPEARS TO BE A PREVALENT PROBLEM AND THAT WAS CONFIRMED BY MY MECHANIC. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE AND THE MANY OTHERS AFFECTED. THE VEHICLE HAS ABOUT 100,000 MILES ON IT (I CAN'T SEE EXACTLY HOW MAY WITH THE DASH BLACK).
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .