AI Damage2006 Mercedes-Benz CLK350 reliability: common problems
Owners of the 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLK350 filed 37 complaints with NHTSA, most often about fuel/propulsion system and engine. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 37
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Fuel/propulsion system 24% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 16% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 14% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 14% of all complaints
- 5 Air bags 11% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel system 8% of all complaints
- 7 Powertrain 8% of all complaints
- 8 Exterior lighting 5% of all complaints
- Fuel/propulsion system: 9 complaints (24% of all).
- Engine: 6 complaints (16% of all).
- Electrical system: 5 complaints (14% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 5 complaints (14% of all).
- Air bags: 4 complaints (11% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 37 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel/propulsion system | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 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.
My mercedes 350 abs brake system failed and caused very rapid acceleration. I avoided crossing a busy intersection and crashed into a beverly hills lamp post which caused over $25,000.00 damage to the post and my car. Mercedes not accepting any responsibility.
I've just bought the car and it has only 70k, the engine doesn't want to go, it stalls but there is no check engine light on, I'll be driving and the car will just die, or start to diminish, and gas consumption , now all my lights fail, high beams, low beams, turn signals, Brake lights one after another, so I go to…
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 mercedes-benz clk350. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 19v918000 (visibility) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable.
I was also told that since the srs system warning light is on the entire airbag system is disabled. In the event of a collision the airbags will not deploy. I also had to replace the clockspring in the steering wheel which was also causing the srs light to come on. The parts and labor bill was over $600.
I took my car to the mechanic and he said my fuel pump is leaking on to the top of my fuel tank at an excessive rate and is not safe to drive. My car only has 84,000 miles so I did some research on recalls. Mercedes has extended warranties on several models from 2006-2009 but mine is not on the list.
After the vehicle was serviced for regularly scheduled maintenance, the check engine indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to mercedes-benz of orange park ([address], jacksonville, fl) where it was diagnosed that the balance shaft needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired.
This problem can cause the engine to misfire, stall or break down completely. Mercedes benz and its dealerships basically say, oh well, you got a lemon. We also cannot possibly pass the emission test without repairs that cost more than the bluebook value of the car - which has been dealer maintained and garaged since…
The dealership found the fuel smell was coming from the left rear fuel sending unit leaking. Although I was aware of the extended warranty agreement between mercedes-benz and nhtsa covering leaking gas tank components on mercedes-benz cars, I was informed by the dealership that the agreement did not include gas tank…
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 5,959 of 32,257 model years in the NHTSA data (top 18% most complained about).
On average one model year of the CLK350 has 21 complaints (5 years in the data). This year has 37, above average.
What to check before buying
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- 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.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLK350?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: fuel/propulsion system, engine, electrical system. Total complaints: 37. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (35%), fuel system, fuel smell (16%), airbag warning light (5%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLK350?
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 CLK350 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.