1999 Mercedes Benz CLK430 Recalls & Complaints

Incident: May 30, 2014 · Filed: May 30, 2014

ON FRIDAY MAY 30, 2014, AT APPROXIMATELY 0200, I WAS GETTING ON THE FREEWAY ON 880-S IN DOWNTOWN OAKLAND. I WAS DRIVING IN THE FAR LEFT LANE, AND THERE WAS CONSTRUCTION GOING ON. WHILE I WAS DRIVING I FELT A LARGE BUMP, AND IMMEDIATELY I TRIED TO PULL TO THE SHOULDER. I LOOKED BACK AND SAW IT WAS A LARGE LOG. I FILED A REPORT WITH THE CHP, AND THEY TOLD ME TO CONTACT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. BECAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT, MY CAR CANNOT DRIVE, AND MY FIANCE USES THIS CAR FOR WORK AND SCHOOL. *TR

Incident: March 27, 2008 · Filed: March 28, 2008

I WAS STUCK IN TRAFFIC AND CAR STALLED OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR. I COULD NOT RE START FOR ABOUT 40 MIN. IT SHUT DOWN TWO MORE TIMES BEFORE I GOT HOME.THIS WAS A BAD SITUATION, VERY DANGEROUS. I HAD NO WHERE TO GO TO GET OUT OF THE WAY. TURNS OUT TO BE A BAD CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. *TR

Incident: July 26, 2007 · Filed: July 27, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCEDES BENZ CLK430. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR CLUSTER PIXEL HAS FADED OUT, PREVENTING HIM FROM SEEING WHAT GEAR HE IS IN WHEN DRIVING. THE FAILURE WAS NOTICED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH. MERCEDES BENZ STATED THAT ALL OF THEIR VEHICLES ARE DESIGNED THAT WAY AND REFUSE TO REPAIR HIS VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 73,000.

Incident: July 6, 2006 · Filed: July 6, 2006

FAILED CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR LEFT MY CAR DEAD IN VERY HEAVY HIGHWAY TRAFFIC DURING RUSH HOUR. THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR IS NOTORIOUSLY FAILURE-PRONE ON THE 8-CYL MERCEDES MODELS. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY (FROM THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS) A DEFECTIVE PART AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED RIGHT AWAY. FAILURE OF THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR RENDERS THE CAR IMMEDIATELY AND SUDDENLY IMMOBILE. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING DEFECT. *NM

Incident: May 10, 2003 · Filed: September 16, 2005

DT: THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER DASHBOARD AFTER IT WAS PARKED. IT SET FOR A SHORT TIME. THERE WAS NO FOREWARNING. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE INSURANCE COMPANY DID AN INVESTIGATION, AND STATED THAT THE FIRE WAS DUE TO A MALFUNCTION IN WIRING FROM DISTRIBUTION PANEL AND THE FUSE GRID TO THE DASHBOARD. THIS HAPPENED ON MAY 10, 2003. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER, AND RECEIVED NO SATISFACTION. *AK

Incident: May 24, 2004 · Filed: July 29, 2004

AT ROUGHLY 80,000 MILES, BEGAN RECEIVING ABS AND ESP WARNING LIGHTS, INTERMITTENTLY AT FIRST AND THEN INCREAING IN FREQUENCY, SO THAT NOW THEY ARE ON ROUGHLY HALF THE TIME. MECHANIC DIAGNOSED ABS CONTROL MODULE FAULT CODE C1120 ("STANDSTILL CALIBRATION OF YAW RATE SENSOR ERRONEOUS") AND CONFIRMS THAT I AM WITHOUT ABS WHEN WARNING LIGHTS ARE ON. MECEDESBENZ TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER AF42.45-U-8103A (DATED 22 JUN 2000) INDICATES THAT THIS DEFECTIVE ABS CONTROL MODULE PART WAS REPLACED IN PRODUCTION STARTING IN 2000, AND WAS REPLACED IN FIELD AS A RECALL ITEM FOR SOME PERIOD OF TIME THEREAFTER, ON REPORT FROM REGIONAL TECHNICAL COORDINATOR. MY ATTEMPT TO HAVE MBUSA REPLACE THIS PART (COST APPROX. $1100) HAS BEEN REFUSED. ATTEMPTING TO HAVE PART COVERED BY AFTERMARKET WARRANTY COMPANY AS WELL BUT A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY DEFECT IS STILL PRESENT IN THIS VEHICLE AND I BELIEVE THAT MBUSA SHOULD REPLACE CONTROL MODULE.*AK

Incident: May 25, 2004 · Filed: May 25, 2004

THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE DEFECT REPORTED IN ODI ID NUMBER 769483: CRACK IN PASSENGER-SIDE AIRBAG COVER (1999 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK430). AT THIS POINT I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A COSMETIC DEFECT ONLY BUT WOULD LIKE TO BE NOTIFIED IF IT TURNS OUT THAT THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE. *NM

Incident: January 7, 2003 · Filed: January 22, 2003

TRANSMISSION BROKE DOWN. WHILE WAS GOING IN REVERSE FORDWARD GEAR WENT ON ,MAKING A LOUD NOISE PUT THE LEVER ON NEUTRAL AND CAR STILL GOING FORWARD

Incident: December 23, 1999 · Filed: December 27, 1999

THE VEHICLE STARTED BACK FIRING AND STALLING, IT SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER. TRACTION LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH. WHEN THE CONSUMER PULLED TO THE SIDE , ENGINE BEGAN SMOKING AND THE CAUGHT ON FIRE. FIRE WAS PUT OUT BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

Incident: October 1, 2002 · Filed: November 8, 2002

CRACK ALONG PASSENGER SIDE FRONT AIR BAG ON THE DASH BOARD, IS AIR BAG GOING TO EXPLODED? DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE $2500. I HAVE DISCUSSED WITH OTHER CLK OWNERS AND FOUND OUT IT'S ACTUALLY A QUITE COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE MERCEDES CLK, SHOULD NHTSA ASK MERCEDES FOR RECALL? IF AIR BAG DEPLOYS AND CAUSES INJURY/ACCIDENTS WHILE DRIVING, COULD BE DEVASTATING. DT