Total Complaints
19 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ CLK320 · model year
19 NHTSA complaints, 7 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2000MERCEDES-BENZCLK320 carries 19 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 7 crashes, 1 fire, 3 injuries, 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 2000 CLK320 is electrical system with 3 filings, followed by electrical system: instrument cluster/panel (3) and unknown or other (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 2000 CLK320. 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.
Total Complaints
19 filings
Crashes Reported
7 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 3 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL | 3 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 |
| AIR BAGS | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL) | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES | 1 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS | 1 |
| STEERING | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
THE SFLOOR SHIFTER AND LINKAGE JUST WENT OUT RANDOMLY AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BE COMPLACENT AND NON-REPAIRABLE WITHOUT ANY FAULT OR DAMAGE BY ME OR PREVIOUS OWNER THE ENTIRE VEHICLE IS BEEN UNSERVICEABLE AND HAS BEEN UNABLE TO LOCATE THE ORIGINAL DISCONTINUED PART AND I BELIEVE ALL 2000 CLK 320 BENZ CABRIOLET MODELS HAVE THE SAME DEFECT WITHIN THE LINKAGE AND SHIFTER WHICH IS IT BECOMES STUCK AND GEARS LOCK CAUSING INABILITY TO GO INTO GEAR AND SAFELY MANUVER THE VEHICLE AS IT WAS MADE TO BE MANUVERED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE BENZ SERVICE CENTER AND STILL WAS UNABLE TO BE FIXED BASICALLY THE SOLENOID GOES OUT WITH THE SHIFTER THEN THE VEHICLE BECOMES INOPERABLE OR STARTABLE WHILE THE REST OF THE VEHICLE IS IN PERFECT CONDITION A COMPONENT IS CAUSING MAJOR LOSSES AND SAFETY HAZARDS. GEAR SLIPPING AND MISFIRES AS WELL TO THE ECM UNIT. AS WELL AS SENSOR ISSUES CAUSING EMISSIONS FAILURES AND FALSE READS.
THE SFLOOR SHIFTER AND LINKAGE JUST WENT OUT RANDOMLY AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BE COMPLACENT AND NON-REPAIRABLE WITHOUT ANY FAULT OR DAMAGE BY ME OR PREVIOUS OWNER THE ENTIRE VEHICLE IS BEEN UNSERVICEABLE AND HAS BEEN UNABLE TO LOCATE THE ORIGINAL DISCONTINUED PART AND I BELIEVE ALL 2000 CLK 320 BENZ CABRIOLET MODELS HAVE THE SAME DEFECT WITHIN THE LINKAGE AND SHIFTER WHICH IS IT BECOMES STUCK AND GEARS LOCK CAUSING INABILITY TO GO INTO GEAR AND SAFELY MANUVER THE VEHICLE AS IT WAS MADE TO BE MANUVERED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE BENZ SERVICE CENTER AND STILL WAS UNABLE TO BE FIXED BASICALLY THE SOLENOID GOES OUT WITH THE SHIFTER THEN THE VEHICLE BECOMES INOPERABLE OR STARTABLE WHILE THE REST OF THE VEHICLE IS IN PERFECT CONDITION A COMPONENT IS CAUSING MAJOR LOSSES AND SAFETY HAZARDS. GEAR SLIPPING AND MISFIRES AS WELL TO THE ECM UNIT. AS WELL AS SENSOR ISSUES CAUSING EMISSIONS FAILURES AND FALSE READS.
THE SFLOOR SHIFTER AND LINKAGE JUST WENT OUT RANDOMLY AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BE COMPLACENT AND NON-REPAIRABLE WITHOUT ANY FAULT OR DAMAGE BY ME OR PREVIOUS OWNER THE ENTIRE VEHICLE IS BEEN UNSERVICEABLE AND HAS BEEN UNABLE TO LOCATE THE ORIGINAL DISCONTINUED PART AND I BELIEVE ALL 2000 CLK 320 BENZ CABRIOLET MODELS HAVE THE SAME DEFECT WITHIN THE LINKAGE AND SHIFTER WHICH IS IT BECOMES STUCK AND GEARS LOCK CAUSING INABILITY TO GO INTO GEAR AND SAFELY MANUVER THE VEHICLE AS IT WAS MADE TO BE MANUVERED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE BENZ SERVICE CENTER AND STILL WAS UNABLE TO BE FIXED BASICALLY THE SOLENOID GOES OUT WITH THE SHIFTER THEN THE VEHICLE BECOMES INOPERABLE OR STARTABLE WHILE THE REST OF THE VEHICLE IS IN PERFECT CONDITION A COMPONENT IS CAUSING MAJOR LOSSES AND SAFETY HAZARDS. GEAR SLIPPING AND MISFIRES AS WELL TO THE ECM UNIT. AS WELL AS SENSOR ISSUES CAUSING EMISSIONS FAILURES AND FALSE READS.
EMERGENCY TRUNK RELEASE FAILED THIS SYSTEM SHOULD BE MECHANICAL AND SHOULD NOT FAIL REMAINS FAILED WHETHER ELECTRICAL POWER IS ON, ACCESSORY IS POWERED OR SWITCH IN CA IN, ALSO REMAIN FAILED WITH KEY
Mileage: 225,000
P-7OO- I'M HAVING SAME CODE FROM LAST YEAR. I REPLACE WHAT NEED BE REPLACE. I BROUGHT RECEIPTS THAT CAME UP TO BE $1100. IT WILL NOT PASS EMISSION. I HAVE GOTTEN A EXTENSION THAT EXPIRE 05/16/18. I'M TIRED!!!
THIS CAR HAD NO MECHANICAL ISSUES. THE CAR WAS STARTED AND THE CONVERTIBLE TOP WAS PUT DOWN. WITHIN A COUPLE OF MINUTES THE CAR WAS SHUT OFF. TWENTY MINUTES LATER SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM THE HOOD VENT NEAR THE WINDSHIELD. THE HOOD WAS OPENED AND A FIRE EXTINGUISHER USED ON THE SITE OF THE SMOKE. CAR WAS STARTED TO CHECK FOR POSSIBLE PROBLEM AREA. ALL INDICATORS WERE GOOD. CAR WAS IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF. FEW MINUTES LATER, FIRE WAS SEEN IN THE PASSENGER FOOTWELL AND THEN SPREAD TO THE ENGINE AREA FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. WITHIN FIVE MINUTES THE ENGINE AND CAR INTERIOR WERE BURNED AND THE AIR BAGS EXPLODED.
Mileage: 32,000
THE SRS WARNING (AIR BAG) LIGHT ON MY MERCEDES-BENZ CLK320 STAYS ON. THE LIGHT WAS RESET BY A LOCAL MERCEDES DEALERSHIP IN 2007 BUT CAME BACK ON 1 MONTH LATER. *TR
Mileage: 90,000
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ CLK320. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE INDICATORS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 89,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
Mileage: 80,000
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ CLK320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR, DATE, AND TEMPERATURE INDICATOR LIGHTS WOULD NOT FULLY ILLUMINATE. IN ADDITION, THE MILEAGE INDICATOR LIGHTS WERE DIFFICULT TO SEE. THE DEALER HAS NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 99,450 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.
Mileage: 82,000
MERCEDES BENZ CLK320 W208 INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LED PROBLEM. IT HAS A FAULTY DISPLAY READOUTS THAT I AM EXPERIENCING. IT IS A SAFETY PROBLEM SINCE YOU CAN'T SEE WHICH GEAR YOU ARE IN AND THAT COULD CAUSE A DRIVER ERROR THAT COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. IT ALSO HAS PROBLEMS DISPLAYING TEMPERATURE AND TIME, BUT THE MAIN CONCERN IS THE DISPLAY OF GEARS! *JB
DOOR CHECK ON DRIVER SIDE DOOR FAILED AFTER 70,000 MILES. WHEN PART FAILED, DOOR CHECK MADE OPENING DOOR DIFFICULT CAUSING SAFETY HAZARD. ALSO, DOOR CHECK FAILURE RESULTED IN DEFORMING INTERNAL POWER WINDOW TRACK. COULD NOT OPEN WINDOW CAUSING SAFETY HAZARD. REQUIRED OWNER TO COMPLETELY REPLACE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR ON VEHICLE IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO OPEN WINDOW AGAIN. (COST OF REPLACEMENT $2600.00 WHICH IS EXCESSIVE CONSIDERING THE LOW COST OF THE DOOR CHECK PART.) OWNER BELIEVES THAT THE DOOR CHECK PART MAY BE SUBSTANDARD IN DESIGN AND/OR DEFECTIVE IN NATURE. *NM
Mileage: 70,000
ONE OF THE VEHICLE'S TIRES HAD SEVERE SEPARATION OF THE TREAD ON THE INSIDE. *NM THE TIRE ONLY HAD ABOUT 21000 MILES ON THEM THEREFORE THE CONSUMER REQUEST FULL REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE NEW SET OF TIRES INSTALLED. *NM
Mileage: 21,030
BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND INTO TRAFFIC THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. BOTH LANES CAME TO A SCREECHING HALT. THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART OR ALLOW ME TO PUT IT IN NEUTRAL TO PUSH IT TO THE SIDE. THIS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OTHER OCCASIONS WHERE THE CAR COMPLETELY DIES AS YOU ARE DRIVING AND YOU HAVE TO TRY AND GET THE CAR OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. IT HAS ALSO HAPPENED AS I AM PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC WHICH IS A VERY SCARY SITUATION. THE MERCEDES DEALER IS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE IN THEIR SHOP AND THERE ARE NO FAULT CODES ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROBLEM. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED AND THIS HAS NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM EITHER. I AM VERY FRUSTRATED AND AT A LOSS WITH THIS SITUATION. *JB
Mileage: 35,000
AT ABOUT 2PM ON THE DATE OF THE INCIDENT, DRIVER LEFT STORE PARKING LOT AND HAD STOPPED CAR, WAITING FOR AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO TURN RIGHT INTO THE RIGHT LANE OF A THREE LANE MAJOR HIGHWAY. CAR ACCELLERATED OUT OF DRIVER'S CONTROL ACROSS THE THREE LANES OF THE HIGHWAY, IN FRONT OF AND AMID APPROACHING TRAFFIC, AND THEN ONTO A GRASSY MEDIAN STRIP WITH A RAVINE IN THE CENTER. CAR ENTERED MEDIAN STRIP ALMOST DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM THE POINT WHERE THE CAR HAD BEEN STOPPED AND WAITING TO ENTER THE HIGHWAY. *AK AS THE CAR WAS CROSSING THE HIGHWAY, DRIVER COULD NOT CONTROL THE VEHICLE DESPITE ALL POSSIBLE PHYSICAL FORCE PUT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND WITH BOTH HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL. AS THE CAR ACCELLERATED ACROSS THE HIGHWAY, THE POLICE REPORT DETAILS A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER CAR. AFTER CAR ENTERED THE MEDIAN STRIP, DRIVER TRIED TO KEEP CAR IN THE MEDIAN STRIP AND WAS MOSTLY ABLE TO DO SO. CAR PROCEEDED ABOUT 80 FEET ALONG THE MEDIAN STRIP, AGAIN WITH FULL FORCE ON THE BRAKE AND BOTH HA
DRIVING MERCEDES BENZ CLK 320 ON ROUTE 7 WHEN VEHICLE SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD. UNABLE TO CONTROL VEHICLE CROSSED 3 LANES OF TRAFFIC, SIDE ANOTHER CAR AND ENDED UP IN THE MEDIAN STRIP. *LA
Mileage: 13,000
I WAS INJURED IN AN AUTOMOBILE CRASH, DUE TO MY AIRBAGS NOT DEPLOYING. THE IMPACT WAS CERTAINLY GREAT ENOUGH FOR THEM TO DEPLOY, HOWEVER THE MANUFACTURER DENIES THAT THEY OPERATED INCORRECTLY. I WOULD EXPECT AN IMPACT AT 35-40 MPH WOULD BE ENOUGH TO DEPLOY AN AIRBAG AND PREVENT CERTAIN INJURIES. *JB
Mileage: 27,000
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A T-BONE ACCIDENT AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH INTO DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK
WHEN THERE IS ANY LIQUID SPILL NEAR GEAR SHIFT IT COULD CAUSE THE SHIFT TO MALFUNCTION, AND MAKE GEAR SHIFT LIKE NEUTRAL WITH NO RESPONSE. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TAKEN TO DEALER.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
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.