AI DamageMercedes-Benz CL500: problems, complaints, bulletins
Summary for the Mercedes-Benz CL500 across 8 model years: 44 owner complaints and 0 NHTSA service bulletins, plus repair videos. Pick a year for details.
Model years
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 41% of all complaints
- 2 Suspension 34% of all complaints
- 3 Exterior lighting 11% of all complaints
- 4 Engine 9% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 9% of all complaints
- 6 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
- 7 Air bags 5% of all complaints
- 8 Seat belts 5% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 18 complaints (41% of all).
- Suspension: 15 complaints (34% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 5 complaints (11% of all).
- Engine: 4 complaints (9% of all).
- Service brakes: 4 complaints (9% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 44 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Lane departure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The contact stated that the TPMS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the tires were diagnosed with a slow leak on the sidewall. The tires were replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 13,000.
Recently I Also had the Sun roof glass shatter from Heat. That now Needs to be replaced. Nothing touched the glass it Just popped one Day when it was hot In CA, donât know of the cold Air from the AC caused it to do that. My car has low miles.
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.
The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 mph and attempting to make a left turn, the vehicle hesitated momentarily to shift from 1st to 2nd gear. The contact stated that the failure was most evident while the vehicle was being driven at speeds under 40 mph.
The active body control is off terribly. The front left and back right sides of my car sag so low but the opposite sides don't. This can cause an accident etc..
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 mercedes-benz cl500. When the vehicle was started, the srs indicator illuminated. The contact stated that the front driver's side of the vehicle was tilted and low. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the suspension was faulty.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Other models of this make
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.