AI Damage2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK320: common problems
Owners of the 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK320 filed 16 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 16
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 50% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 13% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 13% of all complaints
- 4 Structure 13% of all complaints
- 5 Air bags 6% of all complaints
- 6 Engine 6% of all complaints
- 7 Exterior lighting 6% of all complaints
- 8 Fuel system 6% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 8 complaints (50% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (13% of all).
- Service brakes: 2 complaints (13% of all).
- Structure: 2 complaints (13% of all).
- Air bags: 1 complaints (6% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 16 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 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 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.
I was the driver with seatbelt of the mb clk 430 2002 on a full stop on a red light at cor. Bergen ave and jfk blvd jersey city when another driver from opposite direction crossed the yellow line,inner lane and hit me on the driver side full speed.the front ot side airbag did not inflate.he sped away.
We had a brake booster vacuum line that connects to the aluminum intake with a plastic fitting on a 2002 mercedes clk320 (173k miles) that got brittle and broke. Thankfully no one was injured or killed. I'm an ex-mechanic and have never seen plastic fitting used for the vacuum line to the brake booster on the engine.
There is too much rust on the vehicle! Car has never been in any accidents & has been washed & waxed regularly. Supposedly this is a very common issue with these cars which is disappointing.
They replaced the eis, then I get a call saying car still will not start. Now they say I need a esl(electronic steering lock) now my total jumped up to 2,200. I am so disappointed that all these problems can go out at the exact same time with no warning at all.
Cluster recall for mb clk 430 2002 w208 comments: dear nhtsa rep., I own a 2002 mercedes benz clk 320 the vin# is:________. My concern is over its faulty display readouts that I hear many other owners are experiencing. The safety concern is that the left half of the display blank and it is impossible to read.
I was driving up the mountain home ,the gas pedal gave out. I set the cruise control on and drove an hour home. When I got home I looked under the hood and came to see that the throttle cable had came detached. The car only has 59,000 miles on it. This is the first time it has happened to me.
Ultimately the audio system had castrophic failure which resulted in a very load sqealing sound which blew out the amplifier the left door speaker and my ear which has resulted in permanent ringing in my ears, and hearing loss which has cost me to date nearly $4000.00 dollars in medical bills and has permanently…
Vehicle was towed three different occasions due to the check engine light illuminating. The dealer has not been able to permanently correct the problem. They replaced the conductor plate, 2 rings on the connector, trans pan and valve body. The passenger side door never closed properly the first time.
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 9,040 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 25% most complained about).
On average one model year of the CLK320 has 13 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 16, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK320?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, engine and cooling, service brakes. Total complaints: 16. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (13%), won't start (6%), rust, corrosion (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2002 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 2002 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 2002 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.