2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK500 Owner Complaints

After evaluation by garage it is concluded that there’s subframe damage to the vehicle

NHTSA ID

11657100

Incident

Apr 17, 2025

STRONG GAS SMELL FROM REAR SEAT WHENEVER GAS FILLED UP.

NHTSA ID

11064321

Incident

Jan 10, 2018

MY CAR AFTER FUELING LEAKS A VERY STRONG FUEL SMELL ENTERS MY CAR. THE STRONG FUEL VAPOR WILL REMAIN UNTIL THE TANK GETS BELOW 3/4. IT WILL BE THERE WHETHER IT IS IN MOTION, STATIONARY, OR AT IDLE. MY ENTIRE GARAGE WILL SMELL OF FUEL DURING THIS TIME WHEN THE TANK IS FULL. I KNOW MERCEDES RECALLED THE E CLASS FUEL TANK BECAUSE OF THIS SAME ISSUE. MY CLK500 IS THE SAME AS THE E CLASS BUT THE CONVERTIBLE VERSION. THESE ARE DANGEROUS FAULTY TANKS THAT NEED TO BE RECALLED IN EVERY VEHICLE THEY INSTALLED THEM IN.

NHTSA ID

11057004

Incident

Dec 27, 2017

Mileage

84,000 mi

AFTER FILLING FUEL TANK STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE. OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS NATURE IN YOUR SYSTEM. RECALL ALREADY ISSUED FOR OTHER MODEL MERCEDES BENZ WITH SAME ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

10885068

Incident

Jul 14, 2016

Mileage

83,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ CLK500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED AND THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000.

NHTSA ID

10794424

Incident

Sep 1, 2015

Mileage

121,000 mi

VEHICLE SHOW AN SRS LIGHT ISSUE ON THE DASHBOARD, I TOOK THE VEHICLE MANY TIMES TO TYSON'S CORNER, VA MERCEDEZ BENZ DEALERSHIP TO FIGURE WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM, AND THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO FIND THE ISSUE. AFTER A LOT OF INVESTIGATION I FOUND OUT IT MAY BE THE SEATBELT BUCKLES, OR THE CHILD RECOGNITION EMULATOR WHICH ARE GIVING AND ISSUE. IF HE SRS LIGHT IS ON THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID

10734393

Incident

Mar 2, 2015

Mileage

102,666 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ CLK500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER HE WOULD REFUEL, THERE WAS A STRONG OVERWHELMING FUEL ODOR COMING FROM INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN DEALER WHERE TIT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.

NHTSA ID

10561301

Incident

Jun 13, 2013

Mileage

82,000 mi

BOUGHT CAR IN SEPT. 2012. STARTED TO NOTICE FUEL SMELL AFTER FILL UPS. GETTING WORSE, AND CHECKED FUEL SENDING UNIT ON TOP OF TANK. PUDDLE OF FUEL ON TOP OF SENDING UNIT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10509220

Incident

Oct 4, 2012

Mileage

68,000 mi

I SMELLED GASOLINE WHEN MY TWO CARS WERE PARKED IN THE GARAGE. THIS OCCURRED ONLY AFTER FILLING THE GAS TANKS (NO TOPPING OFF.) I THOUGHT IT WAS MY 2010 MBZ BUT THE DEALER CHECKED AND FOUND NO PROBLEM. I HAD MY 2004 MBZ CHECKED. THE DEALER TOLD ME I NEEDED A NEW GAS TANK, BECAUSE IT WAS LEAKING. MY CAR HAS 80K MILES AND LOOKS NEW; GARAGED, SERVICED AND NEVER IN AN ACCIDENT AND HAS NO LEAKS. A NEW GAS CAP DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. OVER THREE QUARTERS OF A TANK DOES NOT EMIT ANY ODOR, SO I DON'T FILL THE TANK COMPLETELY. I FEEL THE FUMES COULD BE A SAFETY HAZARD INSIDE A GARAGE CONTAINING A HOT WATER HEATER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10503648

Incident

Jun 15, 2011

Mileage

70,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES CLK500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 78,000.

NHTSA ID

10475169

Incident

Sep 7, 2012

Mileage

78,000 mi

STRONG SMELL OF GAS FUMES AT REAR WHEEL WELL AREA WHEN FUEL TANK IS FILLED. DEALER FOUND FUEL LEAKING FROM THE TOP OF THE FUEL SENDING UNIT AND WAS FILLING THE RECESSED AREA ON TOP OF FUEL TANK WITH GAS. THE DEALER SAID THAT THE PLASTIC SENDING UNIT HAS A SMALL CRACK OR PIN HOLE AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. I FOUND ON THE MERCEDES BENZ USER BLOG THAT OTHER CLK OWNERS HAD SIMILAR ISSUES. I CONTACTED MERCEDES BENZ USA AND FILED A COMPLAINT STATING THIS IS A FIRE HAZARD. THEY SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST ME WITH THIS PROBLEM SINCE THE VEHICLE OUT OF WARRANTY. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF BY MERCEDES BENZ. *TR

NHTSA ID

10445717

Incident

Nov 1, 2011

Mileage

53,900 mi

I WAS DRIVING ON A BUSY STREET WHEN THE MERCEDES BENZ STARTED JERKING. AFTER STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT, I COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO ACCELERATE PAST 2ND GEAR; THUS, I WAS DRIVING ON A STREET WITH A 45 MPH SPEED LIMIT AT LESS THAN 20 MPH. THEN, AS I WAS CROSSING AN INTERSECTION, THE CAR FINALLY STALLED. LUCKILY, BECAUSE IT WAS AN INTERSECTION, THE ONCOMING CARS MANEUVERED AROUND ME. AFTER TURNING THE IGNITION, IT STARTED UP AGAIN, AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT INTO A PARKING LOT (ONCE AGAIN, NOT PAST 2ND GEAR). I TOWED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY HAVE INFORMED ME THAT THE RADIATOR LEAKED FLUID INTO THE TRANSMISSION; AS A RESULT, THE TRANSMISSION, THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL UNIT, AND THE TORQUE CONVERTER ARE ALL DAMAGED AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT. I BELIEVE THAT THE FAULT LIES ON MERCEDES TO REPLACE THE DAMAGED PARTS DUE TO THEIR KNOWLEDGE THAT THERE WAS A POTENTIALLY FAULTY RADIATOR INSTALLED IN THEIR VEHICLES. IT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE ON A BUSY STREET OR HIGHWAY ONLY TO HAVE THE CAR SUDDENLY STOP OPERATING. I HAD NO IDEA THAT THERE WAS POTENTIALLY SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE CAR UNTIL THIS INCIDENT. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE SINCE THE INCIDENT AND HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO NUMEROUS PEOPLE. PLEASE HELP US. *TR

NHTSA ID

10381946

Incident

Oct 1, 2010

Mileage

76,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ CLK500. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A GARAGE WHEN THE CONTACT SMELLED FUEL AND NOTICED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS LEAKING FUEL. THE FUEL PUMP WAS LEAKING UNDERNEATH THE REAR SEAT WHICH WAS WHERE ITS LOCATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP ON BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 70,000.

NHTSA ID

10327902

Incident

Apr 22, 2010

Mileage

70,000 mi

MY 2004 MBZ 500 CABRIOLET STOPPED RUNNING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT WARNING. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY AND THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS. IT WAS IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC IN IRVINE CA. TOWED TO AUTHORIZED REPAIR SHOP- CRANKSHAFT ELECTRONIC SENSOR SHUT VEHICLE DOWN. COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT. LESS THAN 48K MILES ON CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10268261

Incident

May 7, 2009

Mileage

48,380 mi