2012 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 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 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250, 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
- Airbags333.3%
- Engine333.3%
- Electrical222.2%
- Fuel system111.1%
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
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
WAS NOTIFIED BY MERCEDES BENZ THAT MY VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL AND THAT REPLACEMENT PARTS WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL DEC 2018. SINCE IT WAS THE ONLY VEHICLE I OWNED AND I HAD TO CONTINUE WORK I DROVE THE VEHICLE WITH DEFECTIVE PARTS UNTIL I WAS INVOLVED IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT IN JULY 2018. I AM NOW DISABLED AFTER A LENGTHY HOSPITAL & REHAB STAY AND HAD TO SEVERAL SURGERIES IN ORDER TO WALK/LIMP AGAIN IN 2019. I WAS HIT ALMOST HEAD ON AND WAS OKAY UNTIL THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED AND I FELT A SHARP BURNING SENSATION IN MY LOWER EXTREMITIES AND COULD NOT MOVE AFTERWARDS. EMS PULLED ME OUT OF MY CAR AND I WAS ADMITTED TO HOSPITALICU. I AM UNABLE TO FULLY FUNCTION WITH MY MOBILITY, LOST MY JOB, CANNOT DRIVE DUE TO NERVE DAMAGE TO MY ANKLE, LEG AND HIP AND CURRENTLY RECEIVING DISABILITY PAY. THE COMPANY THAT TOWED MY TOTALED MERCEDES BENZ NOTED THAT THE AIRBAG WAS IN "POOR CONDITION". I JUST REALIZED AFTER MANY MONTHS OF MEDICATION AND PAIN THAT I HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING ELSE FROM MERCEDES BENZ IN REGARDS TO THIS MATTER AND WOULD LIKE TO JOIN ANY CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT THAT IS AVAILABLE IN REGARDS TO THIS MATTER, AS I SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN SOLD THIS VEHICLE IN 2016 WITHOUT THIS MATTER BEING DISCLOSED!!!*DT *TR
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ CLA250. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V081000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.
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
WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PASS OR PULLING OUT ONTO ROAD WAY THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY LOSE POWER, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. THIS LEAVES THE DRIVERS IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH ON-COMING TRAFFIC.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES BENZ CLS 550. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF ALEXANDRIA (200 S PICKETT ST, ALEXANDRIA, VA 22304) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT AN OIL LEAK HAD CAUSED DAMAGE TO A WIRING HARNESS, THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE AND SEVERAL OTHER UNSTATED ELECTRICAL FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THERE WAS NO ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 610,708.
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
ELECTRICAL IGNITION LOCK, REPARKED CAR ONE DAY, NEXT DAY ENGINE WOULD NOT CRANK. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN DRIVEWAY. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES BENZ CLS 550. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF ALEXANDRIA (200 S PICKETT ST, ALEXANDRIA, VA 22304) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT AN OIL LEAK HAD CAUSED DAMAGE TO A WIRING HARNESS, THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE AND SEVERAL OTHER UNSTATED ELECTRICAL FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THERE WAS NO ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 610,708.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PASS OR PULLING OUT ONTO ROAD WAY THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY LOSE POWER, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. THIS LEAVES THE DRIVERS IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH ON-COMING TRAFFIC.
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 .