AI Damage2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK350: common problems
Owners of the 2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK350 filed 15 complaints with NHTSA, most often about fuel/propulsion system and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 15
What fails most often
- 1 Fuel/propulsion system 40% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 27% of all complaints
- 3 Air bags 20% of all complaints
- 4 Exterior lighting 13% of all complaints
- 5 Visibility 13% of all complaints
- 6 Electronic stability control 7% of all complaints
- 7 Engine 7% of all complaints
- 8 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
- Fuel/propulsion system: 6 complaints (40% of all).
- Electrical system: 4 complaints (27% of all).
- Air bags: 3 complaints (20% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 2 complaints (13% of all).
- Visibility: 2 complaints (13% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 15 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 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 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.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 mercedes-benz clk350. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 19v918000 (visibility) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
Many owners of late-model mercedes-benz cars equipped with 3.0l and 3.5l v6 engines (m272 or m273) have experienced performance problems that include poor idle, loss of power and a check engine light with a p2006 code (or sometimes other codes).
The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal rattling noise coming from the sunroof. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 19v918000 (visibility) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable.
Purchased from private individual with mileage 43,000. Filled up the gas tank on two occasions. After each occasion, placed car in garage afterward and closed garage door. The smell of raw gas was overwhelming as soon as garage door was shut.
My partner told me that his passenger headlight was burned out and that he was told it was going to be over $800 to replace. I decided to try to replace the bulb myself, but I found that the insulation on the electrical harness leading the headlight connectors had deteriorated to the point that the wires are bare,…
Routine maintenance identified gasoline leaking from fuel tank's "fuel sender". Small crack in plastic fuel sender at point where fuel hose attached to sender allowed gasoline to accumulate over time in area surrounding sender and then travel to underside of car in an area immediately adjacent to exhaust system.
On 12/31/2017 my car was parked on drive way of [address] naples florida and without any prior sign of trouble car cut in fire from left side of trunk. There was nothing in trunk of this car except to light weight beach chairs.
My wife told me her headlight was burned out. When I replaced the bulb, I found the insulation on the electrical harness and headlights is deteriorating leaving exposed bare wires causing electrical shorting, equipment failures, electrical fires, leading to potentially serious life threatening accidents.
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 9,288 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 25% most complained about).
On average one model year of the CLK350 has 21 complaints (5 years in the data). This year has 15, below average.
What to check before buying
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK350?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: fuel/propulsion system, electrical system, air bags. Total complaints: 15. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (27%), headlights and tail lights (13%), warning lights, check engine (13%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2008 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 2008 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 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.