2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK430 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 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK430, 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
- Electrical228.6%
- Body & structure114.3%
- Driver assistance114.3%
- Interior & seats114.3%
- Other / unspecified114.3%
- Visibility114.3%
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
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
For some unknown reasons my windows go down while Driving , Sometimes they may work fine, then out of Know where all all 4 Windows go Down at any Time , came be Very Dangerous in a Rain Storm or Huracane , i have taken my Car to atleasat 2-3 Shops they Pretend to repair it and said they needed a better Scanner. I don't Know what to do, it's Very dangerous to Drive in the Rain.
WHILE DRIVING MY WINDOWS GO DOWN WHEN DRIVING WITHOUT A NOTICE, THIS CAN BE SAFETY ISSUE WHEN I'M DRIVING, ALSO CAN BE A DISTRACTION FAR AS SAFETY GOES, THIS HAPPENS OFTEN WITHOUT NOTICE AND ALLOWS THE RAIN TO ENTER INSIDE MY VEHICLE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
OPENED DOOR AND GOT IN CAR TO CLOSE AND PULLING HANDLE THE HANDLE BROKE OFF. WENT TO MERCEDES TO ORDER PART AND THEY SAID IT WAS A WEAK PART AND HAVE TO ORDER FROM GERMANY. *TR
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
WENT TO PUT MY TOP UP ON MERCEDES CABRIOLET PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. WITH THE KEY ON AND THE VEHICLE TURNED OFF, IN PARK, PARKING BRAKE ON, PRESSED CLOSURE BUTTON. DURING CLOSURE HEADRESTS BEGAN TO RAISE. NOT A SUDDEN POP UP KIND OF RAISING, BUT A SLOW, STEADY RAISING, AS IF I HAD MY HAND ON THE BUTTON TO RAISE THEM, YET I DID NOT. IT'S ON THE DASH, AND I WAS THE ONLY ONE IN THE CAR, AND HAD NO ITEMS IN THE CAR EITHER. FOR THE RECORD, WHILE FEMALE, I GREW UP RACING CARS, HAVE CHANGED MY OWN ENGINE, TURBO, TRANSMISSION, SHOCKS, SPRINGS, ETC. THESE TWO SEAT AND TOP PROCESSES ARE MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE SO THEN NEITHER WOULD WORK. CLEARLY UP THEY GREATLY IMPACT VISIBILITY PLUS THE TOP WILL NOT GO UP. SECONDLY TO GET THE TOP OVER THE HEADRESTS, ACCORDING TO THE MANUAL IT'S IMPOSSIBLE, BUT SAID ANOTHER WAY, IT'S A FOUR PERSON JOB. GIVEN THE LIMITED VISIBILITY OF THE CABRIOLET TOP UP ANYWAY, ADDING THE RAISED HEADRESTS, NOW IT'S A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THE TOP BLOCKS 2/5 OF THE VISIBILITY. THE HEADRESTS UP BLOCK 2/5 OF THE VISIBILITY. ALL THAT IS LEFT IS THE 1/5 BETWEEN THEM - A VERY NARROW RANGE OF VIEW. AT THE DEALERSHIP, THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.THEY SAY WHEN THEY DEPLOY FALSELY IT'S LIKE AIRBAGS AND THEY CANNOT JUST GO BACK DOWN AND THEY REPLACE A NUMBER OF THESE. IF THIS IS SUPPOSED TO DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A ROLLOVER OR ACCIDENT, FOR THIS TO DEPLOY WITHOUT HITTING ANYTHING, YET TO IMPACT VISIBILITY WITH NO WAY TO RETURN TO NORMAL VISIBILITY OR PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE ELEMENTS, SURELY THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THIS SEEMS MUCH AKIN TO THE AIRBAGS FALSELY DEPLOYING. THE CAR WAS NOT TURNED ON, NOT MOVING, HAD NOT HIT ANYTHING, AND HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN IN A HALF HOUR. FOR THE DEALERSHIP TO INSTANTLY RECOGNIZE WHAT IT WAS, WHAT PART IT NEEDED, HOW THE SEATS NEEDED TO COME OUT TO FIX IT, ETC. SHOWS THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED SAFETY INCIDENT AND SHOULD MAKE IT A RECALL ITEM.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
WENT TO PUT MY TOP UP ON MERCEDES CABRIOLET PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. WITH THE KEY ON AND THE VEHICLE TURNED OFF, IN PARK, PARKING BRAKE ON, PRESSED CLOSURE BUTTON. DURING CLOSURE HEADRESTS BEGAN TO RAISE. NOT A SUDDEN POP UP KIND OF RAISING, BUT A SLOW, STEADY RAISING, AS IF I HAD MY HAND ON THE BUTTON TO RAISE THEM, YET I DID NOT. IT'S ON THE DASH, AND I WAS THE ONLY ONE IN THE CAR, AND HAD NO ITEMS IN THE CAR EITHER. FOR THE RECORD, WHILE FEMALE, I GREW UP RACING CARS, HAVE CHANGED MY OWN ENGINE, TURBO, TRANSMISSION, SHOCKS, SPRINGS, ETC. THESE TWO SEAT AND TOP PROCESSES ARE MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE SO THEN NEITHER WOULD WORK. CLEARLY UP THEY GREATLY IMPACT VISIBILITY PLUS THE TOP WILL NOT GO UP. SECONDLY TO GET THE TOP OVER THE HEADRESTS, ACCORDING TO THE MANUAL IT'S IMPOSSIBLE, BUT SAID ANOTHER WAY, IT'S A FOUR PERSON JOB. GIVEN THE LIMITED VISIBILITY OF THE CABRIOLET TOP UP ANYWAY, ADDING THE RAISED HEADRESTS, NOW IT'S A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THE TOP BLOCKS 2/5 OF THE VISIBILITY. THE HEADRESTS UP BLOCK 2/5 OF THE VISIBILITY. ALL THAT IS LEFT IS THE 1/5 BETWEEN THEM - A VERY NARROW RANGE OF VIEW. AT THE DEALERSHIP, THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.THEY SAY WHEN THEY DEPLOY FALSELY IT'S LIKE AIRBAGS AND THEY CANNOT JUST GO BACK DOWN AND THEY REPLACE A NUMBER OF THESE. IF THIS IS SUPPOSED TO DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A ROLLOVER OR ACCIDENT, FOR THIS TO DEPLOY WITHOUT HITTING ANYTHING, YET TO IMPACT VISIBILITY WITH NO WAY TO RETURN TO NORMAL VISIBILITY OR PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE ELEMENTS, SURELY THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THIS SEEMS MUCH AKIN TO THE AIRBAGS FALSELY DEPLOYING. THE CAR WAS NOT TURNED ON, NOT MOVING, HAD NOT HIT ANYTHING, AND HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN IN A HALF HOUR. FOR THE DEALERSHIP TO INSTANTLY RECOGNIZE WHAT IT WAS, WHAT PART IT NEEDED, HOW THE SEATS NEEDED TO COME OUT TO FIX IT, ETC. SHOWS THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED SAFETY INCIDENT AND SHOULD MAKE IT A RECALL ITEM.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
OPENED DOOR AND GOT IN CAR TO CLOSE AND PULLING HANDLE THE HANDLE BROKE OFF. WENT TO MERCEDES TO ORDER PART AND THEY SAID IT WAS A WEAK PART AND HAVE TO ORDER FROM GERMANY. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
WENT TO PUT MY TOP UP ON MERCEDES CABRIOLET PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. WITH THE KEY ON AND THE VEHICLE TURNED OFF, IN PARK, PARKING BRAKE ON, PRESSED CLOSURE BUTTON. DURING CLOSURE HEADRESTS BEGAN TO RAISE. NOT A SUDDEN POP UP KIND OF RAISING, BUT A SLOW, STEADY RAISING, AS IF I HAD MY HAND ON THE BUTTON TO RAISE THEM, YET I DID NOT. IT'S ON THE DASH, AND I WAS THE ONLY ONE IN THE CAR, AND HAD NO ITEMS IN THE CAR EITHER. FOR THE RECORD, WHILE FEMALE, I GREW UP RACING CARS, HAVE CHANGED MY OWN ENGINE, TURBO, TRANSMISSION, SHOCKS, SPRINGS, ETC. THESE TWO SEAT AND TOP PROCESSES ARE MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE SO THEN NEITHER WOULD WORK. CLEARLY UP THEY GREATLY IMPACT VISIBILITY PLUS THE TOP WILL NOT GO UP. SECONDLY TO GET THE TOP OVER THE HEADRESTS, ACCORDING TO THE MANUAL IT'S IMPOSSIBLE, BUT SAID ANOTHER WAY, IT'S A FOUR PERSON JOB. GIVEN THE LIMITED VISIBILITY OF THE CABRIOLET TOP UP ANYWAY, ADDING THE RAISED HEADRESTS, NOW IT'S A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THE TOP BLOCKS 2/5 OF THE VISIBILITY. THE HEADRESTS UP BLOCK 2/5 OF THE VISIBILITY. ALL THAT IS LEFT IS THE 1/5 BETWEEN THEM - A VERY NARROW RANGE OF VIEW. AT THE DEALERSHIP, THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.THEY SAY WHEN THEY DEPLOY FALSELY IT'S LIKE AIRBAGS AND THEY CANNOT JUST GO BACK DOWN AND THEY REPLACE A NUMBER OF THESE. IF THIS IS SUPPOSED TO DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A ROLLOVER OR ACCIDENT, FOR THIS TO DEPLOY WITHOUT HITTING ANYTHING, YET TO IMPACT VISIBILITY WITH NO WAY TO RETURN TO NORMAL VISIBILITY OR PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE ELEMENTS, SURELY THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THIS SEEMS MUCH AKIN TO THE AIRBAGS FALSELY DEPLOYING. THE CAR WAS NOT TURNED ON, NOT MOVING, HAD NOT HIT ANYTHING, AND HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN IN A HALF HOUR. FOR THE DEALERSHIP TO INSTANTLY RECOGNIZE WHAT IT WAS, WHAT PART IT NEEDED, HOW THE SEATS NEEDED TO COME OUT TO FIX IT, ETC. SHOWS THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED SAFETY INCIDENT AND SHOULD MAKE IT A RECALL ITEM.
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 .