MERCEDES-BENZ CLK · model year

2001 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK

4 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2001MERCEDES-BENZCLK carries 4 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, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 2001 CLK is service brakes, electric with 1 filings, followed by electronic stability control (esc) (1) and service brakes, air (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.

NHTSA currently has 15 investigation files overlapping the 2001 CLK. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.

4
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

4 filings

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

ComponentCount
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC1
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)1
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR1
POWER TRAIN1

Recent Complaints

20130627POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ CLK 430. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO THIRD OR FOURTH GEAR. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY AND PROGRESSED TO A PERMANENT FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL UNIT. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 230,000. RETURNED BY USPS ON 8/9/2013. 2ND ATTEMPT FAILED ON 8/9/2013. *KB

Mileage: 230,000

20100708SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC

AFTER THE 2001 CLK 430 DISPLAYED SEVERAL TIMES THE ABS ALERT AND ESC ALERT THE CAR BEGAN TO JERK AND COMPLETELY STOP. WE HAVE HAD THE COMPLETE BRAKE AND TIRE SYSTEM REPLACE FROM CALIPERS TO RIMS. WE ARE NOW BEING TOLD THE PROBLEM IS THE YAW RATE SENSOR WHICH HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS. *TR

Mileage: 126,768

20100708ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

AFTER THE 2001 CLK 430 DISPLAYED SEVERAL TIMES THE ABS ALERT AND ESC ALERT THE CAR BEGAN TO JERK AND COMPLETELY STOP. WE HAVE HAD THE COMPLETE BRAKE AND TIRE SYSTEM REPLACE FROM CALIPERS TO RIMS. WE ARE NOW BEING TOLD THE PROBLEM IS THE YAW RATE SENSOR WHICH HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS. *TR

Mileage: 126,768

20100708SERVICE BRAKES, AIR

AFTER THE 2001 CLK 430 DISPLAYED SEVERAL TIMES THE ABS ALERT AND ESC ALERT THE CAR BEGAN TO JERK AND COMPLETELY STOP. WE HAVE HAD THE COMPLETE BRAKE AND TIRE SYSTEM REPLACE FROM CALIPERS TO RIMS. WE ARE NOW BEING TOLD THE PROBLEM IS THE YAW RATE SENSOR WHICH HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS. *TR

Mileage: 126,768

Compare 2001MERCEDES-BENZCLK to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK have?
The 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK?
The most-complained component for the 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK is SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) and SERVICE BRAKES, AIR.
Is the 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK 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 vintage: August 2026. 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.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.