AI Damage2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS 550: common problems
Owners of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS 550 filed 23 complaints with NHTSA, most often about fuel/propulsion system and engine. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 23
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Fuel/propulsion system 35% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 17% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 13% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 13% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 13% of all complaints
- 6 Steering 9% of all complaints
- 7 Suspension 9% of all complaints
- 8 Visibility 9% of all complaints
- Fuel/propulsion system: 8 complaints (35% of all).
- Engine: 4 complaints (17% of all).
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (13% of all).
- Powertrain: 3 complaints (13% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 3 complaints (13% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 23 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 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 3 | 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.
While driving 45 mph, the brakes were applied however, the vehicle would not decelerate. In addition, the steering wheel seized simultaneously and the contact lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnosis.
Mercedes-Benz offers an extended warranty, effectively a 20-year/unlimited mileage coverage, for the rear subframe due to corrosion with perforation, covering specific model years my vehicles make and model are included. Iâm having the issues they claim free repair for.
Premature rusting on brake and fuel lines which lead to further issues with driveability and saftey. This us caused by the same defects leading to the Premature rust on the subframe that can cause a serious wreck on the interstate.
The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the sun visor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 25,000.
The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the sunroof exploded. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 86,000.
Unknown every time the car is refueled there is a very strong smell of gasoline in and around the vehicle. If you check carcompliants. Com the are many complaints about this defect..
Fuel leak into rear driver side back seat from below. Gas leaked into passenger cabin due to a seal that broke from gas tank. Dangerous smell and fire hazard. Leak happens all the time, when parked and especially when driving.
Engine started misfiring and would go into limp mode so I brought it to dealership for diagnostic and was told oil was leaking from the camshaft sensors into the engine wiring harness and ecu. All of which needed to be replaced at a cost of over $6033.00 and the car has only around 50k miles on it.
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 7,735 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 21% most complained about).
On average one model year of the CLS 550 has 8 complaints (13 years in the data). This year has 23, 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.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS 550?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: fuel/propulsion system, engine, electrical system. Total complaints: 23. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: fuel system, fuel smell (17%), oil leak or consumption (13%), rust, corrosion (13%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2012 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 2012 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 2012 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.