AI Damage2011 Mercedes-Benz CLS 550: common problems
Owners of the 2011 Mercedes-Benz CLS 550 filed 4 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and fuel/propulsion system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 25% of all complaints
- 2 Fuel/propulsion system 25% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 25% of all complaints
- 4 Seats 25% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Fuel/propulsion system: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Seats: 1 complaints (25% of all).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 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.
Sitting @ red light not moving and both head rests deployed. Hadn't hit any pot holes nor was my vehicle jarred in any way. Had to pay $165 for dealer to reset them as it was not under warranty....updated 09/22/15 the headrest mechanism must be defective to deploy while the vehicle is sitting perfectly still.
I smell gas fumes in and around the vehicle. I am worry because the smell is very strong were the baby car seat is, he is inhaling all that fumed.
[address] when taking the car in for service that the reverse camera for backing up safely, coaxial cable was damaged causing the camera to malfunction due to opening and closing the truck.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 mercedes benz cls 550. The contact stated that the vehicle lunged forward after being shifted into drive and driven out of a driveway. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the dealer stated that the transmission codes needed to be reset. The manufacturer was notified.
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 15,521 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 42% most complained about).
On average one model year of the CLS 550 has 8 complaints (13 years in the data). This year has 4, below average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Seats. Occupant sensor, power adjustment, seat mounts.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Mercedes-Benz CLS 550?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, fuel/propulsion system, powertrain. Total complaints: 4. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rear-view camera (25%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2011 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 2011 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 2011 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.