AI Damage2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK: common problems
Owners of the 2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK filed 4 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and exterior lighting. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 4
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 25% of all complaints
- 2 Exterior lighting 25% of all complaints
- 3 Latches, locks, linkages 25% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 25% of all complaints
- 5 Seats 25% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 25% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Latches, locks, linkages: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (25% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Seats: 1 complaints (25% of all).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 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.
2008 clk 550 - transmission locked in drive, when shifter indicated that car was in park. We were advised that a shift linkage clip broke. The car drove uncontrolled into a low wall damaging the vehicle. Had this happened 5 minutes before in a hospital parking lot, this could have caused serious injury.
The brake light on the trunk simply fell off. I have searched the internet and have found that there are at least 50 other owners that have experienced the same problem. This does not include those that simply just went ahead and got it fixed without posting it.
I have sent a communication to mercedes-benz usa, llc on 7/15/2010, next day after my injury from one of the car's automatic feature (head rest automatically thrusts down when the lever is lifted and seat moves forward).
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 15,524 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 42% most complained about).
On average one model year of the CLK has 2 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 4, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- Latches, locks, linkages. Door, hood and tailgate latches, especially near the impact.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, exterior lighting, latches, locks, linkages. Total complaints: 4.
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK?
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 2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK 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 2008 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.