AI Damage2006 Mercedes-Benz CL500: common problems
Owners of the 2006 Mercedes-Benz CL500 filed 7 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and fuel/propulsion system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 7
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 29% of all complaints
- 2 Fuel/propulsion system 14% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 14% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 14% of all complaints
- 5 Steering 14% of all complaints
- 6 Tires 14% of all complaints
- Air bags: 2 complaints (29% of all).
- Fuel/propulsion system: 1 complaints (14% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (14% of all).
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (14% of all).
- Steering: 1 complaints (14% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 7 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 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.
I was driving my mercedes on the highway when the light flashed on for the brakes saying braking power reduced. All of a sudden I could not stop my car, I was so scared on the highway I really thought I was going to die. Me and my boyfriend was in the car at the time.
Extremely strong fuel odor upon leaving fuel stop for the past several fill ups. Took vehicle in for diagnosis and discovered that fuel tank is cracked and needs to be replaced.
Dt*: the contact stated while accelerating at various speeds, the transmission jerked and shimmied. Also, when the vehicle was stopped, the transmission banged. Both problems were intermittent. The dealership replaced the computer and transmission, but the problem persisted.
I was driving down the road when my active head restraints deployed and struck my head and neck. The sound when they activated was like a gunshot inside the car. The dealer said they found no reason for the deployment. They say nothing is wrong with the car.
Dt*: the contact stated at speeds below 30 mph, the vehicle felt as though there was no power steering. The tension in the steering changes from day to day. The dealership is unable to determine the problem, but has replaced multiple components.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 12,539 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 34% most complained about).
On average one model year of the CL500 has 6 complaints (8 years in the data). This year has 7, above average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Mercedes-Benz CL500?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, fuel/propulsion system, powertrain. Total complaints: 7. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: jerking, harsh shifts (14%), steering or power steering problems (14%), warning lights, check engine (14%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2006 Mercedes-Benz CL500?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2006 Mercedes-Benz CL500 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2006 models
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 2026-11-06.