AI Damage2009 Mercedes-Benz CLK350: common problems
Owners of the 2009 Mercedes-Benz CLK350 filed 8 complaints with NHTSA, most often about fuel/propulsion system and visibility. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 8
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Fuel/propulsion system 25% of all complaints
- 2 Visibility 25% of all complaints
- 3 Air bags 13% of all complaints
- 4 Electronic stability control 13% of all complaints
- 5 Seats 13% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 13% of all complaints
- 7 Wheels 13% of all complaints
- Fuel/propulsion system: 2 complaints (25% of all).
- Visibility: 2 complaints (25% of all).
- Air bags: 1 complaints (13% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electronic stability control: 1 complaints (13% of all).
- Seats: 1 complaints (13% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 8 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 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 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.
I was involved in a car accident last february, my airbag didn't deploy as compared to the other vehicle (toyota) where her airbag worked. My car and the other person's car were totaled.
The contact stated he turned on the air condition of his vehicle and an odor of mold came from the vents. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and stated that there was no recall for that failure.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 mercedes benz clk350. The contact stated that the front driver seat headrest air bag exploded while driving, as a result, the contact sustained loss of hearing in her left ear that required medical attention.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 mercedes benz clk350. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken for state emission testing and she was informed that the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign number: 19v918000 (visibility) however, parts to do the recall repair were not yet available.
No warning lights (e.g. Esp) flashed during any of the braking episodes. Even at low speed on a empty road the unintended braking was so violent as to leave me shaken. If it occurred at high speed, on a busy road, and/or of with an inexperienced driver the consequences could have been serious.
The tpms constantly displays false warning messages about the tires being low on pressure. This began about two years ago, when the car was 7 years old, 100k miles. Numerous trips to the dealer and other repair shops has not alleviated the problem.
The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the seal connected to the fuel pump was faulty and the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 38,000.
Strong fuel odor outside of vehicle following fill up. Mileage 59590.just purchased used without extended warranty.. Have not taken for service. Will seek info prior to taking to mb service.
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 11,896 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 32% most complained about).
On average one model year of the CLK350 has 21 complaints (5 years in the data). This year has 8, below average.
What to check before buying
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Electronic stability control. ABS/ESC sensors, steering angle, codes after suspension repair.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Mercedes-Benz CLK350?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: fuel/propulsion system, visibility, air bags. Total complaints: 8. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (25%), airbags did not deploy (13%), A/C or heater (13%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2009 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 2009 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 2009 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.