AI Damage2008 Mercedes-Benz CLS 550: common problems
Owners of the 2008 Mercedes-Benz CLS 550 filed 17 complaints with NHTSA, most often about fuel/propulsion system and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 17
What fails most often
- 1 Fuel/propulsion system 29% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 18% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 18% of all complaints
- 4 Engine 12% of all complaints
- 5 Suspension 12% of all complaints
- 6 Electronic stability control 6% of all complaints
- 7 Exterior lighting 6% of all complaints
- 8 Powertrain 6% of all complaints
- Fuel/propulsion system: 5 complaints (29% of all).
- Air bags: 3 complaints (18% of all).
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (18% of all).
- Engine: 2 complaints (12% of all).
- Suspension: 2 complaints (12% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 17 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 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 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.
After noticing the faint smell of gas in my car i checked under the rear driver side passenger seat. I was shocked to find more than 16 fluid ounces of gas floating freely around the well of the gas pump.the insulation under the rear passenger seat is soaked in gas.
It idles very rough and shakes my car. I'm unable to drive it safely at this point. The engine is also mimicking symptoms of an idler gear/ balance shaft wearing down due to poor building materials from factory allowing movement of the timing chain. Apparently causing the engine to blow. I don't know what to do now.
I see there was a recall on instrument clusters on my vehicle in 2001. My instrument cluster is completely black and I canât see speed or any thing at night. You cant replace the bulb or cluster unless mercedes reprogram it which the price is rediculous.
My doors will open without the keyfob being in close proximity to the vehicle. My car has been stolen d/t this feature. Also the electrical lighting system malfunctions causing dimmer lights especially when driving at night
All the airbags in the roof and by the back window detonating! I cant understand why to this day the car was locked keys where in my room in the house. And I have no idea how this could of happened. !
The contact stated that at start-up the check engine warning light illuminated and remained illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed nor repaired. The local dealer was not contacted or informed of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
The airbags located in the roof just deployed out of no where when I was on my way home from work only the 2 side curtain airbags
While driving 45 mph, the tpms warning indicator illuminated and the rear passenger tire blew out. The vehicle was taken to mercedes-benz of stockton (located at [address], stockton, [ZIP], [phone]). The contact requested that the tires be replaced, but the dealer declined to assist with having the vehicle repaired.
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 8,820 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 24% most complained about).
On average one model year of the CLS 550 has 8 complaints (13 years in the data). This year has 17, above average.
What to check before buying
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Mercedes-Benz CLS 550?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: fuel/propulsion system, air bags, electrical system. Total complaints: 17. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: fuel system, fuel smell (12%), rollaway, parking brake (6%), smoke, burning smell, fire (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2008 Mercedes-Benz CLS 550?
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 CLS 550 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 2026-11-05.