AI Damage2012 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250: common problems
Owners of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 filed 7 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and engine. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 7
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 43% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 43% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 29% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel/propulsion system 14% of all complaints
- Air bags: 3 complaints (43% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine: 3 complaints (43% of all).
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (29% of all).
- Fuel/propulsion system: 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 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 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.
Was notified by mercedes benz that my vehicle was included in the takata airbag recall and that replacement parts would not be available until dec 2018. Since it was the only vehicle I owned and I had to continue work I drove the vehicle with defective parts until I was involved in an automobile accident in july 2018.
Electrical ignition lock, reparked car one day, next day engine would not crank. Vehicle was stationary in driveway.
When attempting to pass or pulling out onto road way the car will suddenly lose power, check engine light comes on. This leaves the drivers in a very dangerous situation with on-coming traffic.
The contact stated while driving at an unknown speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to mercedes-benz of alexandria (200 s pickett st, alexandria, [ZIP]) where the vehicle was diagnosed.
The cam shaft intake and exhaust adjusters need to be replaced at 77k mi, this is a $5k repair. I initially replaced the cam shaft position senors at 65k mi and the vehicle has been regularly serviced.
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 mercedes-benz cla250. The contact received a recall notification for nhtsa campaign number: 16v081000 (air bags). The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was not contacted.
Takata recall. The car has been parked for some time due to inability to have the recall repair done. Is there a remedy? 1
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 12,538 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 34% most complained about).
On average one model year of the CLA 250 has 30 complaints (15 years in the data). This year has 7, below average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Other years of this model
- CLA 250 20139 sources
- CLA 250 2014179 sources
- CLA 250 201561 sources
- CLA 250 2016139 sources
- CLA 250 2017105 sources
- CLA 250 2018118 sources
- CLA 250 2019144 sources
- CLA 250 2020290 sources
- CLA 250 2021251 sources
- CLA 250 2022186 sources
- CLA 250 2023184 sources
- CLA 250 2024168 sources
- CLA 250 202575 sources
- CLA 250 202659 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, engine, electrical system. Total complaints: 7. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (29%), won't start (14%), oil leak or consumption (14%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250?
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 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 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 2012 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 2026-11-05.