Total Complaints
9 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ CLA250 · model year
2012 MERCEDES-BENZ CLA250
9 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2012MERCEDES-BENZCLA250 carries 9 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 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 2012 CLA250 is air bags with 3 filings, followed by engine (3) and electrical system (2). 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 2012 CLA250. 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.
9
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 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 |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 3 |
| ENGINE | 3 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20200606ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ELECTRICAL IGNITION LOCK, REPARKED CAR ONE DAY, NEXT DAY ENGINE WOULD NOT CRANK. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN DRIVEWAY. *TR
Mileage: 85,918
20200223ENGINE
WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PASS OR PULLING OUT ONTO ROAD WAY THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY LOSE POWER, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. THIS LEAVES THE DRIVERS IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH ON-COMING TRAFFIC.
Mileage: 40,000
20200223FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PASS OR PULLING OUT ONTO ROAD WAY THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY LOSE POWER, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. THIS LEAVES THE DRIVERS IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH ON-COMING TRAFFIC.
Mileage: 40,000
20200206ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES BENZ CLS 550. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF ALEXANDRIA (200 S PICKETT ST, ALEXANDRIA, VA 22304) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT AN OIL LEAK HAD CAUSED DAMAGE TO A WIRING HARNESS, THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE AND SEVERAL OTHER UNSTATED ELECTRICAL FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THERE WAS NO ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 610,708.
Mileage: 610,708
20200206ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES BENZ CLS 550. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF ALEXANDRIA (200 S PICKETT ST, ALEXANDRIA, VA 22304) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT AN OIL LEAK HAD CAUSED DAMAGE TO A WIRING HARNESS, THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE AND SEVERAL OTHER UNSTATED ELECTRICAL FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THERE WAS NO ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 610,708.
Mileage: 610,708
20200123ENGINE
THE CAM SHAFT INTAKE AND EXHAUST ADJUSTERS NEED TO BE REPLACED AT 77K MI, THIS IS A $5K REPAIR. I INITIALLY REPLACED THE CAM SHAFT POSITION SENORS AT 65K MI AND THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REGULARLY SERVICED. CONSISTENT WITH REPORTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY THIS CAM SHAFT COMPONENT WILL FAIL AROUND 50K-80K MILES AND AT THAT POINT THE REPAIR IS 2/3 THE VALUE OF THE CAR IF IT WAS IN GOOD WORKING ORDER. NO ENGINE SHOULD GIVE OUT AFTER 75K MILES, THIS COMPONENT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED.
Mileage: 77,000
20191228CrashAIR BAGS
WAS NOTIFIED BY MERCEDES BENZ THAT MY VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL AND THAT REPLACEMENT PARTS WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL DEC 2018. SINCE IT WAS THE ONLY VEHICLE I OWNED AND I HAD TO CONTINUE WORK I DROVE THE VEHICLE WITH DEFECTIVE PARTS UNTIL I WAS INVOLVED IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT IN JULY 2018. I AM NOW DISABLED AFTER A LENGTHY HOSPITAL & REHAB STAY AND HAD TO SEVERAL SURGERIES IN ORDER TO WALK/LIMP AGAIN IN 2019. I WAS HIT ALMOST HEAD ON AND WAS OKAY UNTIL THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED AND I FELT A SHARP BURNING SENSATION IN MY LOWER EXTREMITIES AND COULD NOT MOVE AFTERWARDS. EMS PULLED ME OUT OF MY CAR AND I WAS ADMITTED TO HOSPITALICU. I AM UNABLE TO FULLY FUNCTION WITH MY MOBILITY, LOST MY JOB, CANNOT DRIVE DUE TO NERVE DAMAGE TO MY ANKLE, LEG AND HIP AND CURRENTLY RECEIVING DISABILITY PAY. THE COMPANY THAT TOWED MY TOTALED MERCEDES BENZ NOTED THAT THE AIRBAG WAS IN "POOR CONDITION". I JUST REALIZED AFTER MANY MONTHS OF MEDICATION AND PAIN THAT I HAVE NOT HEARD ANY
Mileage: 65,000
20190805AIR BAGS
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ CLA250. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V081000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.
20171106AIR BAGS
TAKATA RECALL. THE CAR HAS BEEN PARKED FOR SOME TIME DUE TO INABILITY TO HAVE THE RECALL REPAIR DONE. IS THERE A REMEDY? 1
Mileage: 56,000
Compare 2012MERCEDES-BENZCLA250 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ CLA250 have?▼
The 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ CLA250 has 9 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ CLA250?▼
The most-complained component for the 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ CLA250 is AIR BAGS with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ CLA250 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.