Reliability & cost of ownership
Mercedes Benz CL500 Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Mercedes Benz CL500? Compare every model year side by side — NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, and crash-test stars where on file — then open the year you're shopping for its AI reliability outlook where NHTSA has enough data.
Mercedes Benz CL500 problems by model year
1 recall entry across 1 model year and 34 owner complaints across 5 model years on file, sourced from the federal NHTSA database. We couldn't confirm the NHTSA recall list for the remaining 4 model years — check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | NCAP stars | Full report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 CL500 | Not confirmed | 9 | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2002 CL500 | Not confirmed | 12 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2001 CL500 | Not confirmed | 5 | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2000 CL500 | 1 | 6 | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 1999 CL500 | Not confirmed | 2 | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Mercedes Benz CL500, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- electrical system18 complaints
- suspension14 complaints
- engine4 complaints
- exterior lighting4 complaints
- seat belts2 complaints
- power train2 complaints
- interior lighting1 complaint
- vehicle speed control1 complaint