AI Damage1999 Mercedes-Benz CLK320: common problems
Owners of the 1999 Mercedes-Benz CLK320 filed 18 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and visibility. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 18
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 28% of all complaints
- 2 Visibility 17% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel system 11% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 11% of all complaints
- 5 Structure 11% of all complaints
- 6 Suspension 11% of all complaints
- 7 Child seat 6% of all complaints
- 8 Electrical system 6% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 5 complaints (28% of all).
- Visibility: 3 complaints (17% of all).
- Fuel system: 2 complaints (11% of all).
- Powertrain: 2 complaints (11% of all).
- Structure: 2 complaints (11% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 18 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Child seat | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 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 while driving approximately 65 mph, the sun roof suddenly shattered without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 199,000.
Rear roll bar will not raise or lower, could be fatal to rear passengers in a roll over situation. Roll bar/ head restraints stuck in lower position. This was an intermittent problem at first, now it does not work at all.
Mercedes benz 1999 clk320: the outside mirror on the driver's door has turned so dark, it is virtually black and the driver cannot see anything in it. This inability to see in this exterior side-view mirror is extremely dangerous.
Massive loss of transmission fluid from sealed transmission unit. 1999 mercedes benz clk 320 causing trans to stop functioning while on the highway.
Dt: vehicle is burning oil. Dealer said they can't find the cause of the problem. Manufacturer has not been contacted yet. Independent mechanic stated that the vehicle was burning excessive oil, and recommended that the dealer or manufacturer look into it.
(1) vibrations of engine at idle was felt 1 day prior to the failure. (2) heard loud/knocking noise the next day while driving home. (3) home inspections revealed disengagement of the outer belt pulley from the harmonic balancer. (4) called the san diego dealer for a repair/replacement.
The tires experienced excessive tire wear, the vehicle had a front alignment, and the tires were rotated, however the problem recurred.
Since the date of ownership consumer has experienced problems with the electrical system.
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 8,622 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 24% most complained about).
On average one model year of the CLK320 has 13 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 18, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- 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 1999 Mercedes-Benz CLK320?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, visibility, fuel system. Total complaints: 18. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: windows, sunroof (17%), knocking, grinding or other noise (11%), stalls while driving (11%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 Mercedes-Benz CLK320?
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 1999 Mercedes-Benz CLK320 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 1999 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.