Total Complaints
7 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ CL500 · model year
2006 MERCEDES-BENZ CL500
7 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2006MERCEDES-BENZCL500 carries 7 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2006 CL500 is steering with 1 filings, followed by air bags (1) and power train:automatic transmission (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 15 investigation files overlapping the 2006 CL500. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
7
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| STEERING | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW | 1 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20240702TIRES
The contact owns a 2006 Mercedes Benz CLS500 equipped with Continental Tires, Tire Line: Extreme Contact, Tire Sizes: 275/40/ZR18 and 275/35/ZR18, DOT Numbers: 1HW0FBD0A and 1AF0FB0M5 respectively. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the neighbor informed the contact that the driverâs side front and rear tires were flat. The contact stated that the TPMS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the tires were diagnosed with a slow leak on the sidewall. The tires were replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 13,000.
Mileage: 13,000
20190323SERVICE BRAKES
I WAS DRIVING MY MERCEDES ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE LIGHT FLASHED ON FOR THE BRAKES SAYING BRAKING POWER REDUCED. ALL OF A SUDDEN I COULD NOT STOP MY CAR, I WAS SO SCARED ON THE HIGHWAY I REALLY THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE. ME AND MY BOYFRIEND WAS IN THE CAR AT THE TIME. SOMEHOW I GOT OVER TO THE FAR LANE TOWARDS THE GUARDRAIL WHERE NO ONE NORMALLY DRIVES AND THEN I ROLLED THE CAR UNTIL IT SLOWED ALL THE WAY DOWN AND THEN I FORCED IT INTO PARK. SMH THERE SHOULD REALLY BE SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. NOW I FEAR TO DRIVE MY CAR EVER AGAIN.
Mileage: 152,000
20150106FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
EXTREMELY STRONG FUEL ODOR UPON LEAVING FUEL STOP FOR THE PAST SEVERAL FILL UPS. TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR DIAGNOSIS AND DISCOVERED THAT FUEL TANK IS CRACKED AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I AM REPORTING THIS BECAUSE THE REPAIR GARAGE TOLD ME IT IS A MAJOR PROBLEM IN THE SAME AREA OF THE FUEL TANK THAT AFFECTS MY VEHICLE AND THAT THEY HAVE REPAIRED THIS SAME ISSUE ON MY VEHICLE MODEL ALL THE TIME.
Mileage: 35,853
20080804AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITH NO ACCIDENT OR PHYSICAL DAMAGED. *TR
Mileage: 79,842
20060822POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ACCELERATING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE TRANSMISSION JERKED AND SHIMMIED. ALSO, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, THE TRANSMISSION BANGED. BOTH PROBLEMS WERE INTERMITTENT. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE COMPUTER AND TRANSMISSION, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED.
Mileage: 2,200
20060427AIR BAGS
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN MY ACTIVE HEAD RESTRAINTS DEPLOYED AND STRUCK MY HEAD AND NECK. THE SOUND WHEN THEY ACTIVATED WAS LIKE A GUNSHOT INSIDE THE CAR. THE DEALER SAID THEY FOUND NO REASON FOR THE DEPLOYMENT. THEY SAY NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE CAR. *NM *AK
20060228STEERING
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AT SPEEDS BELOW 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE FELT AS THOUGH THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING. THE TENSION IN THE STEERING CHANGES FROM DAY TO DAY. THE DEALERSHIP IS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM, BUT HAS REPLACED MULTIPLE COMPONENTS. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND THE DEALERSHIP STATED THERE ARE NO FURTHER REPAIRS AVAILABLE AND THE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE RETURNED.
Mileage: 12,700
Compare 2006MERCEDES-BENZCL500 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ CL500 have?▼
The 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ CL500 has 7 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ CL500?▼
The most-complained component for the 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ CL500 is STEERING with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS and POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.
Is the 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ CL500 safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.