2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK320 Owner Complaints

WE HAD A BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM LINE THAT CONNECTS TO THE ALUMINUM INTAKE WITH A PLASTIC FITTING ON A 2002 MERCEDES CLK320 (173K MILES) THAT GOT BRITTLE AND BROKE. THANKFULLY NO ONE WAS INJURED OR KILLED. I'M AN EX-MECHANIC AND HAVE NEVER SEEN PLASTIC FITTING USED FOR THE VACUUM LINE TO THE BRAKE BOOSTER ON THE ENGINE. OVER TIME THIS WILL GET BRITTLE AND BREAK. THIS VACUUM LINE DOES 2 THINGS, #1 IT KEEPS THE CAR RUNNING WITH NORMAL POWER, #2 ALLOWS YOU TO HAVE BRAKES THAT OPERATE NORMALLY. I HAVE DONE A QUICK SEARCH AND IT'S NOT JUST MERCEDES, OTHER MANUFACTURERS DO THIS IN SOME AND/ OR ALL MODELS OF THEIR CARS. THIS WAS A WAKE UP CALL FOR ME ESPECIALLY BEING A MECHANIC. IF I SAW THIS AS A MECHANIC IT WOULD HAVE BEEN REPORTED. THIS IS A MAJOR CATASTROPHE WAITING TO HAPPEN. PEOPLE ARE KEEPING CARS LONGER AND IF THIS PLASTIC GETS BRITTLE AND BREAKS WHILE OUT ON THE HIGHWAY THE PERSON COULD LOSE ENGINE POWER AND/ OR BRAKING POWER. THIS NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT TO LIGHT AND I WANT TO DO THIS NOT JUST FOR ME BUT THE OTHER MILLIONS OF PEOPLE THAT COULD HAVE THIS HAPPEN TO THEM.

NHTSA ID

11040268

Incident

Oct 24, 2017

Mileage

173,000 mi

THERE IS TOO MUCH RUST ON THE VEHICLE! CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENTS & HAS BEEN WASHED & WAXED REGULARLY. SUPPOSEDLY THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH THESE CARS WHICH IS DISAPPOINTING. THIS POSES A SAFETY ISSUE AS IF THE VEHICLE IS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION, THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY IS HIGHLY DIMINISHED DUE TO THE CORROSION. WHAT IS EVEN MORE SCARY IS THAT THE CORROSION STARTS FROM THE INSIDE OUT SO YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SEE THE DAMAGE UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE. MB USA: PLEASE ASSIST/HELP & BACK YOUR PRODUCTS UP!

NHTSA ID

10823951

Incident

Nov 30, 2015

Mileage

255,000 mi

WHILE ON MY WAY TO WORK I STOP TO GET GAS. I GET IN MY CAR TO LEAVE AND KEY WILL NOT TURN LEFT OR RIGHT. ALSO STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED. I WAS STRANDED AND HAD CAR TOWED THE MB DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID FIRST I HAVE TO BUY NEW KEY BEFORE THEY DO ANYTHING WHICH COST ME $380. GOT NEW KEY AND THAT WASN'T THE PROBLEM. THEN THEY SAID MY EIS NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THEY REPLACED THE EIS, THEN I GET A CALL SAYING CAR STILL WILL NOT START. NOW THEY SAY I NEED A ESL(ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK) NOW MY TOTAL JUMPED UP TO 2,200. I AM SO DISAPPOINTED THAT ALL THESE PROBLEMS CAN GO OUT AT THE EXACT SAME TIME WITH NO WARNING AT ALL. THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING DONE ABOUT THIS COMMON PROBLEM IN MERCEDES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10695181

Incident

Mar 5, 2015

Mileage

98,000 mi

CLUSTER RECALL FOR MB CLK 430 2002 W208 COMMENTS: DEAR NHTSA REP., I OWN A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ CLK 320 THE VIN# IS:________. MY CONCERN IS OVER ITS FAULTY DISPLAY READOUTS THAT I HEAR MANY OTHER OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING. THE SAFETY CONCERN IS THAT THE LEFT HALF OF THE DISPLAY BLANK AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO READ. IT'S HAZARDOUS AS I HAVE TO SQUINT TO READ THE DISPLAY WHICH TAKES MY EYES OFF THE ROAD LONGER THAT THEY SHOULD BE. AS PART OF THIS CLUSTER, THE TEMPERATURE PIXELS AND THE GEAR SELECTION PIXELS, WHICH LEADS ME AT TIMES TO INCORRECTLY DOWN SHIFT NOT KNOWING IF I AM IN 1ST, 2ND, 3RD OR 4TH GEAR, ARE HARDLY FUNCTIONAL WHICH HAS BEEN MAINLY UNREADABLE FOR SOME TIME NOW. I WENT TO THE MB DEALER AND REQUESTED TO FIX THIS ISSUE AND FOUND OUT THAT THE ONLY WAY IS TO CHANGE THE PART, BUT THIS PART IS CLOSE TO U$1,200 INCLUDING LABOR. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF. AS I STATED BEFORE I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE COMPLAINING ABOUT IT, SO I THINK YOU SHOULD CONSIDER A RECALL ON THIS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. FROM NHTSA WEB SITE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10266587

Incident

Apr 10, 2009

Mileage

84,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING UP THE MOUNTAIN HOME ,THE GAS PEDAL GAVE OUT. I SET THE CRUISE CONTROL ON AND DROVE AN HOUR HOME. WHEN I GOT HOME I LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND CAME TO SEE THAT THE THROTTLE CABLE HAD CAME DETACHED. THE CAR ONLY HAS 59,000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME. I CALLED MERCEDES-BENZ CUSTOMER CARE NUMBER TO SEE IF THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL ON THIS ,THEY SAID"NO" BUT THEY COULD ARRANGE A TOW BACK TO LAS VEGAS AT MY EXPENSE AND THEY CAN CHECK IT OUT TO SEE IF THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING FOR ME. I WOULD THINK THEY WOULD TOW AND FIX IT WITHOUT ANY EXPENSE TO ME FOR THIS SOUNDS LIKE A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE, I DID COME VERY CLOSE TO AN ACCIDENT THE CAR BEHIND ME ALMOST REAR ENDED ME AND I COULD NOT GET OVER TO THE RIGHT DUE TO OTHER VEHICLES TO THE RIGHT OF ME. I HOPE SOMEONE COULD BRING THIS TO THE ATTENTION TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10231280

Incident

Jun 16, 2008

Mileage

59,000 mi

2002 MERCEDES BENZ 430 CLK DASH BOARD INFORMATION LIGHTS (LED PIXELS) ARE DIMMING AND GOING DARK, THEREBY ELIMINATING THE ABILITY TO SEE DRIVING DATA (E.G. SPEED, TEMPERATURE, ETC.). DEALER STATES THIS PROBLEM IS QUITE COMMON (ANECDOTAL INFORMATION FROM THE INTERNET CONFIRMS THIS), AND REPAIR WILL COST APPROXIMATELY $1,500. *TR

NHTSA ID

10229161

Incident

May 27, 2008

Mileage

61,000 mi

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MALFUNCTIONS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10216337

Incident

Jun 1, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ CLK320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DIGITAL INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS DIMMING ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. AS TIME PROGRESSES, THE PANEL BECOMES MORE DIM. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.

NHTSA ID

10203031

Incident

May 15, 2007

Mileage

55,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES CLK320. THE LIGHTS FOR THE GEAR INDICATOR ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED. THE DEALER STATED THAT HE WOULD HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000, AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 61,000.

NHTSA ID

10198949

Incident

Feb 1, 2007

Mileage

54,000 mi

I PURCHASED A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED 2002 MERCEDES BENZ CLK320. WITHIN THE FIRST MONTH OF PURCHASE I BEGAN TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE AMPLIFIER WHICH WAS LATER DISCOVERED AFTER BEING REPLACED 3 TIMES GETTING WET WHENEVER THE CAR BECAME WET. RESULTING IN A CRACKLING AND POPPING SOUND ULTIMATELY LEADING TO COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE AUDIO SYSTEM. AFTER COMPLAINING TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, I WAS REFERED TO A MERCEDES BENZ REPAIR SHOP. THEY CLAIMED TO NOT BE ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM AFTER WETTING THE CAR WHICH WAS A LIE UPON WASHING THE VEHICLE SHORTLY AFTER RECIEVING THE BACK FROM THE REPAIR SHOP. ULTIMATELY THE AUDIO SYSTEM HAD CASTROPHIC FAILURE WHICH RESULTED IN A VERY LOAD SQEALING SOUND WHICH BLEW OUT THE AMPLIFIER THE LEFT DOOR SPEAKER AND MY EAR WHICH HAS RESULTED IN PERMANENT RINGING IN MY EARS, AND HEARING LOSS WHICH HAS COST ME TO DATE NEARLY $4000.00 DOLLARS IN MEDICAL BILLS AND HAS PERMANENTLY ALTERED MY LIFE AFFECTING MY ABILITY TO SLEEP, FINISHED SCHOOL AND DEPPRESSION. THIS WAS MY CELEBRATION CAR FOR WORKING HARD TO GET INTO MY CURRENT FIELD AS A COMPUTER SPECIALIST FOR THE DOD. I NOW HAVE TO TAKE SLEEPING AIDS TO GET TO SLEEP. AND GOD FORBID IF I WAKE UP DURING THE NIGHT BECAUSE GOING BACK TO SLEEP IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. I HAD NO IDEA THIS WAS AN ISSUE WITH MERCEDES BENZ VEHICLES BUT FURTHER INVESTIGATION ON THE INTERNET HAS LED ME TO A COUPLE OF WEBSITES OF AUDIO REPAIR SHOPS IN FLORIDA AND CALIFORNIA WHICH SHOW THIS IS A NATIONAL PROBLEM. MERCEDES BENZ ULTIMATELY DISCOVERED IT WAS DEFECTIVE DRAIN PLUGS DIRECTLY OVER THE AMPLIFIER WHICH ALLOWED WATER TO LEAK DIRECTLY ONTO THE AMPLIFIER WHEN THE CAR GETS WET INCLUDING WITH MORNING DEW WHICH THE WATER DRAINS DIRECTLY ONTO THE AMPLIFIER. THE AMPLIFIER BLEW UP WHILE DRIVING TO WORK AND FORTUNENATELY FOR ME NO OTHER PERSON WAS INJURED AS I HAD TO PULL OVER BECAUSE I THOUGHT THE CAR WAS GOING TO EXPLODE; THE SOUND WAS THAT LOAD. THE CAR HAD A LITTLE OVER 19,000 MILES WHEN THIS OCCURED

NHTSA ID

10185478

Incident

Sep 6, 2006

Mileage

19,000 mi

WHEN DRIVING ON RTE 6 IN HYANNIS, MASSACHUSETTS IN MY MERCEDES CLK 430 (THE DROP DOWN OPTIONS ONLY INCLUDE CLK 320) , THE "BATTERY ALTERNATOR" LIGHT WENT ON ON THE DASHBOARD. WITHIN SECONDS THE ENTIRE CAR SHUT DOWN AT HIGH SPEED. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO ONE IN THE RIGHT LANE AND I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER WITH A VERY HARD STOP ONTO THE SHOULDER. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THERE WAS AN "OPEN RECALL" ON MY CAR FOR PRECISELY THIS PROBLEM. I CALLED THE MANUFACTURER TO FIND OUT WHY I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. THEY CLAIMED THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT INSTEAD A "SERVICE BULLETIN" WAS ISSUED AND THAT, UNDER THIS CIRCUMSTANCE NO NOTICES WERE REQUIRED TO BE SENT TO THE CAR OWNER. THE RATIONALE WAS THAT THIS WAS NOT DEEMED A "SAFETY" ISSUE. I FAIL TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE POSSIBILITY OF A TOTAL SHUT DOWN OF THE CAR COULD NOT BE DEEMED TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALERSHIPS CAN VOLUNTARILY CORRECT THE PROBLEM IF AND WHEN THE CAR IS BROUGHT IN FOR SERVICE. IF THE CAR IS NOT BROUGHT IN THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM PERSISTS. THE FRONT OF MY CAR WAS DAMAGED DUE TO THE HARD STOP. ALTHOUGH THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPAIRED (THE BUMPER HAS NOT) I HAVE NOT YET PICKED UP MY CAR SO I AM UNSURE AS TO WHETHER I WILL BE CHARGED FOR CORRECTING THE PROBLEM. I WAS LED TO BELIEVE BY THE DEALER THAT I WOULD NOT BE CHARGED SINE THIS IS A RECALL BUT THE MANUFACTURER SAID THAT MIGHT NOT BE THE CASE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10164947

Incident

Aug 6, 2006

Mileage

42,000 mi

I WAS THE DRIVER WITH SEATBELT OF THE MB CLK 430 2002 ON A FULL STOP ON A RED LIGHT AT COR. BERGEN AVE AND JFK BLVD JERSEY CITY WHEN ANOTHER DRIVER FROM OPPOSITE DIRECTION CROSSED THE YELLOW LINE,INNER LANE AND HIT ME ON THE DRIVER SIDE FULL SPEED.THE FRONT OT SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT INFLATE.HE SPED AWAY.

NHTSA ID

10116177

Incident

Apr 25, 2004

THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT EVEN ONE MONTH OLD WHEN I BEGAN EXPERIENCING MAJOR PROBLEMS SUCH AS SEAT BROKEN, SIDE MIRROR BROKEN, SUSPENSION/ALIGNMENT OFF, EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR, REAR HYDROLIC BODY MOUNTS LEAKING AND DEFECTIVE. WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR, I HAD THE VEHICLE IN THE SHOP OVER 12 TIMES. MERCEDES WILL NOT SETTLE WITH ME AND I CONTINUE TO HAVE MAJOR PROBLEMS. I FILED FOR THE LEMON LAW BUT HAS TAKEN OVER A YEAR AND IS STILL NOT RESOLVED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10062661

Incident

Nov 23, 2001

VEHICLE WAS TOWED THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS DUE TO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATING. *PH THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO PERMANENTLY CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THEY REPLACED THE CONDUCTOR PLATE, 2 RINGS ON THE CONNECTOR, TRANS PAN AND VALVE BODY. THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR NEVER CLOSED PROPERLY THE FIRST TIME. IT HAD TO BE SLAMMED TO ENSURE IT WAS CLOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD IT WAS FIXED, HOWEVER IT WAS NOT. THE SEAT BELTS DON'T SEEM TO PROVIDE MUCH PROTECTION AS THEY ARE LOOSE AND SLIP OFF THE CONSUMER'S SHOULDER WHILE DRIVING. (NAR)

NHTSA ID

10057181

Incident

Dec 16, 2003

Mileage

14,862 mi

MY MAJOR CONCERN IS WITH REGARD TO THE FAILURE OF ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL WHILE DRIVING IN THE SNOW DURING THE SNOW STORM ON DEC 5TH. THESE SYSTEMS ARE SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE A LAYER OF SAFETY IN THESE CONDITIONS. WHEN I CONTACTED MERCEDES ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE SENSORS MUST HAVE GOTTEN WET AND THEREFORE MADE THE SYSTEM INOPERABLE. THEN DOES THIS MEAN THAT THERE IS AN INHERRENT DESIGN PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. I HOPE YOU WILL TAKE A LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM, BEFORE ANYONE ELSE HAS TO GO THROUGH A NIGHTMARE DRIVING SITUATION AS I HAD TO. THAT I DID NOT GET INTO AN ACCIDENT IS A MIRACLE. HOWEVER SOMEONE ELSE MAY NOT BE SO LUCKY. DT

NHTSA ID

770545

Incident

Dec 5, 2002

WHILE DRIVING NOTICED THAT NEITHER OF HIGH/LOW BEAMS WORK PROPERLY. REPAIRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, HOWEVER VEHICLE CONTINUES WITH SAME PROBLEM. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FEEL FREE TO ADD. *AK

NHTSA ID

8018902

Incident

Dec 15, 2001