MERCEDES-BENZ CLK500 · model year

2004 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK500

15 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2004MERCEDES-BENZCLK500 carries 15 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.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2004 CLK500 is fuel/propulsion system with 6 filings, followed by seat belts (3) and electronic stability control (esc) (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 2004 CLK500. 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.

15
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

15 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
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM6
SEAT BELTS3
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP1
POWER TRAIN1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE1
AIR BAGS1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1

Recent Complaints

20250427UNKNOWN OR OTHER

After evaluation by garage it is concluded that there’s subframe damage to the vehicle

20180123FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

STRONG GAS SMELL FROM REAR SEAT WHENEVER GAS FILLED UP.

20171227FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

MY CAR AFTER FUELING LEAKS A VERY STRONG FUEL SMELL ENTERS MY CAR. THE STRONG FUEL VAPOR WILL REMAIN UNTIL THE TANK GETS BELOW 3/4. IT WILL BE THERE WHETHER IT IS IN MOTION, STATIONARY, OR AT IDLE. MY ENTIRE GARAGE WILL SMELL OF FUEL DURING THIS TIME WHEN THE TANK IS FULL. I KNOW MERCEDES RECALLED THE E CLASS FUEL TANK BECAUSE OF THIS SAME ISSUE. MY CLK500 IS THE SAME AS THE E CLASS BUT THE CONVERTIBLE VERSION. THESE ARE DANGEROUS FAULTY TANKS THAT NEED TO BE RECALLED IN EVERY VEHICLE THEY INSTALLED THEM IN.

Mileage: 84,000

20160715FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

AFTER FILLING FUEL TANK STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE. OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS NATURE IN YOUR SYSTEM. RECALL ALREADY ISSUED FOR OTHER MODEL MERCEDES BENZ WITH SAME ISSUE.

Mileage: 83,000

20151117SEAT BELTS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ CLK500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED AND THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000.

Mileage: 121,000

20150715AIR BAGS

VEHICLE SHOW AN SRS LIGHT ISSUE ON THE DASHBOARD, I TOOK THE VEHICLE MANY TIMES TO TYSON'S CORNER, VA MERCEDEZ BENZ DEALERSHIP TO FIGURE WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM, AND THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO FIND THE ISSUE. AFTER A LOT OF INVESTIGATION I FOUND OUT IT MAY BE THE SEATBELT BUCKLES, OR THE CHILD RECOGNITION EMULATOR WHICH ARE GIVING AND ISSUE. IF HE SRS LIGHT IS ON THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT.

Mileage: 102,666

20150715SEAT BELTS

VEHICLE SHOW AN SRS LIGHT ISSUE ON THE DASHBOARD, I TOOK THE VEHICLE MANY TIMES TO TYSON'S CORNER, VA MERCEDEZ BENZ DEALERSHIP TO FIGURE WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM, AND THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO FIND THE ISSUE. AFTER A LOT OF INVESTIGATION I FOUND OUT IT MAY BE THE SEATBELT BUCKLES, OR THE CHILD RECOGNITION EMULATOR WHICH ARE GIVING AND ISSUE. IF HE SRS LIGHT IS ON THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT.

Mileage: 102,666

20140124FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ CLK500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER HE WOULD REFUEL, THERE WAS A STRONG OVERWHELMING FUEL ODOR COMING FROM INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN DEALER WHERE TIT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.

Mileage: 82,000

20130423FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

BOUGHT CAR IN SEPT. 2012. STARTED TO NOTICE FUEL SMELL AFTER FILL UPS. GETTING WORSE, AND CHECKED FUEL SENDING UNIT ON TOP OF TANK. PUDDLE OF FUEL ON TOP OF SENDING UNIT. *TR

Mileage: 68,000

20130319FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

I SMELLED GASOLINE WHEN MY TWO CARS WERE PARKED IN THE GARAGE. THIS OCCURRED ONLY AFTER FILLING THE GAS TANKS (NO TOPPING OFF.) I THOUGHT IT WAS MY 2010 MBZ BUT THE DEALER CHECKED AND FOUND NO PROBLEM. I HAD MY 2004 MBZ CHECKED. THE DEALER TOLD ME I NEEDED A NEW GAS TANK, BECAUSE IT WAS LEAKING. MY CAR HAS 80K MILES AND LOOKS NEW; GARAGED, SERVICED AND NEVER IN AN ACCIDENT AND HAS NO LEAKS. A NEW GAS CAP DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. OVER THREE QUARTERS OF A TANK DOES NOT EMIT ANY ODOR, SO I DON'T FILL THE TANK COMPLETELY. I FEEL THE FUMES COULD BE A SAFETY HAZARD INSIDE A GARAGE CONTAINING A HOT WATER HEATER. *TR

Mileage: 70,000

20120912SEAT BELTS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES CLK500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 78,000.

Mileage: 78,000

20120128FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

STRONG SMELL OF GAS FUMES AT REAR WHEEL WELL AREA WHEN FUEL TANK IS FILLED. DEALER FOUND FUEL LEAKING FROM THE TOP OF THE FUEL SENDING UNIT AND WAS FILLING THE RECESSED AREA ON TOP OF FUEL TANK WITH GAS. THE DEALER SAID THAT THE PLASTIC SENDING UNIT HAS A SMALL CRACK OR PIN HOLE AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. I FOUND ON THE MERCEDES BENZ USER BLOG THAT OTHER CLK OWNERS HAD SIMILAR ISSUES. I CONTACTED MERCEDES BENZ USA AND FILED A COMPLAINT STATING THIS IS A FIRE HAZARD. THEY SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST ME WITH THIS PROBLEM SINCE THE VEHICLE OUT OF WARRANTY. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF BY MERCEDES BENZ. *TR

Mileage: 53,900

20110207POWER TRAIN

I WAS DRIVING ON A BUSY STREET WHEN THE MERCEDES BENZ STARTED JERKING. AFTER STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT, I COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO ACCELERATE PAST 2ND GEAR; THUS, I WAS DRIVING ON A STREET WITH A 45 MPH SPEED LIMIT AT LESS THAN 20 MPH. THEN, AS I WAS CROSSING AN INTERSECTION, THE CAR FINALLY STALLED. LUCKILY, BECAUSE IT WAS AN INTERSECTION, THE ONCOMING CARS MANEUVERED AROUND ME. AFTER TURNING THE IGNITION, IT STARTED UP AGAIN, AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT INTO A PARKING LOT (ONCE AGAIN, NOT PAST 2ND GEAR). I TOWED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY HAVE INFORMED ME THAT THE RADIATOR LEAKED FLUID INTO THE TRANSMISSION; AS A RESULT, THE TRANSMISSION, THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL UNIT, AND THE TORQUE CONVERTER ARE ALL DAMAGED AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT. I BELIEVE THAT THE FAULT LIES ON MERCEDES TO REPLACE THE DAMAGED PARTS DUE TO THEIR KNOWLEDGE THAT THERE WAS A POTENTIALLY FAULTY RADIATOR INSTALLED IN THEIR VEHICLES. IT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE ON A BUSY STREET OR HIGHWAY ONLY TO HAVE THE CA

Mileage: 76,000

20100428FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ CLK500. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A GARAGE WHEN THE CONTACT SMELLED FUEL AND NOTICED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS LEAKING FUEL. THE FUEL PUMP WAS LEAKING UNDERNEATH THE REAR SEAT WHICH WAS WHERE ITS LOCATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP ON BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 70,000.

Mileage: 70,000

20090508ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

MY 2004 MBZ 500 CABRIOLET STOPPED RUNNING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT WARNING. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY AND THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS. IT WAS IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC IN IRVINE CA. TOWED TO AUTHORIZED REPAIR SHOP- CRANKSHAFT ELECTRONIC SENSOR SHUT VEHICLE DOWN. COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT. LESS THAN 48K MILES ON CAR. *TR

Mileage: 48,380

Compare 2004MERCEDES-BENZCLK500 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK500 have?
The 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK500 has 15 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK500?
The most-complained component for the 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK500 is FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM with 6 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS and ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC).
Is the 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK500 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.