Total Complaints
6 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ CLS550 · model year
2009 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS550
6 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2009MERCEDES-BENZCLS550 carries 6 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, 16 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 2009 CLS550 is engine with 1 filings, followed by fuel/propulsion system (1) and power train (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 2009 CLS550. 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.
6
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
16
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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE | 1 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 1 |
| SUSPENSION | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20171031CrashAIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS550. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANED AND CRASHED INTO A GUARDRAIL. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE SHOULDERS, NECK, AND BACK. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT REQUIRED; HOWEVER, THERAPY TREATMENTS WERE RECEIVED MONTHS LATER. THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOWED THE VEHICLE WITHOUT AN INVESTIGATION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER ISSUED ONE TSB, BUT THERE WAS NO MANUFACTURER AIR BAG RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT WAS NOTIFIED MONTHS LATER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
20170427SUSPENSION
THE ISSUES REGARDING THE MERCEDES AIRMATIC SUSPENSION SYSTEM HAVE BEEN WIDELY KNOWN FOR YEARS, AND MERCEDES NEVER MADE AN EFFORT TO MITIGATE THE MERCEDES LOYAL OWNERS EXCESSIVE EXPENSE TO COVER THE REPAIR. IT IS ALSO HARD TO BELIEVE THE DEALER NEVER INFORMED, INSPECTED OR RECOMMENDED REPAIRS TO THE AIRMATIC SYSTEM. IT TOOK BREAKING DOWN OFF THE HIGHWAY WITH MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR TO DISCOVER THIS PROBLEM. THE SUSPENSION FAILED AND THE CAR COULD NOT BE DRIVEN. A A TOW WAS NECESSARY AND A HUGE REPAIR BILL FOLLOWED.
Mileage: 100,000
20161012TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS550 EQUIPPED WITH SENTRY THUNDER D7 TIRES, SIZE: 275/30/R20. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR TIRES EXHIBITED THREAD SEPARATION. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT IT WAS DUE TO A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 68,000 AND THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 15,000.
Mileage: 68,000
20140725ENGINE
ON MAY 19, 2014 I PURCHASED A 2009 MERCEDES CLS550 FROM MOSSY FORD DEALERSHIP IN SAN DIEGO, CA WITH A GUARANTEE OF NO CURRENT OR PRE-EXISTING MECHANICAL OR HAZARD ISSUES. DAYS AFTER PURCHASE I NOTICED ACCELERATION ISSUES, STRONG ODOR OF FUEL OR CHEMICALS, ENGINE NOISE AND GAS EFFICIENCY PROBLEMS. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND ASKED TO RETURN THE VEHICLE AND ALSO CANCEL THE SALES CONTRACT BUT WAS DENIED. I WAS ASKED TO BRING IN THE VEHICLE AND THE GAS TANK WAS FILLED BY THE DEALERSHIP STATING THAT PROBLEMS WERE LIKELY CAUSED BY LOW FUEL AS THE CAR WAS PURCHASED WITH 1/4 TANK OF FUEL. THIS DID NOT FIX THE ISSUES. I ATTEMPTED TO CANCEL PAYMENT AND ASKED TO RETURN THE VEHICLE DUE TO CONTINUED ISSUES AND WAS AGAIN DENIED. DUE TO THE VEHICLE MECHANICAL FAULTS WHEN PURCHASED DIRECT EXPOSURE OF FATAL CARBON MONOXIDE POISONS AND HARMFUL GAS EMISSIONS FROM THE MERCEDES CAUSED SEVERE ILLNESS AND LIFE THREATENING SYMPTOMS INCLUDING HEADACHES, DIZZINESS, NAUSEA, FATIGUE, AND FEVER THAT QUICKLY
Mileage: 61,000
20140725FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
ON MAY 19, 2014 I PURCHASED A 2009 MERCEDES CLS550 FROM MOSSY FORD DEALERSHIP IN SAN DIEGO, CA WITH A GUARANTEE OF NO CURRENT OR PRE-EXISTING MECHANICAL OR HAZARD ISSUES. DAYS AFTER PURCHASE I NOTICED ACCELERATION ISSUES, STRONG ODOR OF FUEL OR CHEMICALS, ENGINE NOISE AND GAS EFFICIENCY PROBLEMS. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND ASKED TO RETURN THE VEHICLE AND ALSO CANCEL THE SALES CONTRACT BUT WAS DENIED. I WAS ASKED TO BRING IN THE VEHICLE AND THE GAS TANK WAS FILLED BY THE DEALERSHIP STATING THAT PROBLEMS WERE LIKELY CAUSED BY LOW FUEL AS THE CAR WAS PURCHASED WITH 1/4 TANK OF FUEL. THIS DID NOT FIX THE ISSUES. I ATTEMPTED TO CANCEL PAYMENT AND ASKED TO RETURN THE VEHICLE DUE TO CONTINUED ISSUES AND WAS AGAIN DENIED. DUE TO THE VEHICLE MECHANICAL FAULTS WHEN PURCHASED DIRECT EXPOSURE OF FATAL CARBON MONOXIDE POISONS AND HARMFUL GAS EMISSIONS FROM THE MERCEDES CAUSED SEVERE ILLNESS AND LIFE THREATENING SYMPTOMS INCLUDING HEADACHES, DIZZINESS, NAUSEA, FATIGUE, AND FEVER THAT QUICKLY
Mileage: 61,000
20140725POWER TRAIN
ON MAY 19, 2014 I PURCHASED A 2009 MERCEDES CLS550 FROM MOSSY FORD DEALERSHIP IN SAN DIEGO, CA WITH A GUARANTEE OF NO CURRENT OR PRE-EXISTING MECHANICAL OR HAZARD ISSUES. DAYS AFTER PURCHASE I NOTICED ACCELERATION ISSUES, STRONG ODOR OF FUEL OR CHEMICALS, ENGINE NOISE AND GAS EFFICIENCY PROBLEMS. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND ASKED TO RETURN THE VEHICLE AND ALSO CANCEL THE SALES CONTRACT BUT WAS DENIED. I WAS ASKED TO BRING IN THE VEHICLE AND THE GAS TANK WAS FILLED BY THE DEALERSHIP STATING THAT PROBLEMS WERE LIKELY CAUSED BY LOW FUEL AS THE CAR WAS PURCHASED WITH 1/4 TANK OF FUEL. THIS DID NOT FIX THE ISSUES. I ATTEMPTED TO CANCEL PAYMENT AND ASKED TO RETURN THE VEHICLE DUE TO CONTINUED ISSUES AND WAS AGAIN DENIED. DUE TO THE VEHICLE MECHANICAL FAULTS WHEN PURCHASED DIRECT EXPOSURE OF FATAL CARBON MONOXIDE POISONS AND HARMFUL GAS EMISSIONS FROM THE MERCEDES CAUSED SEVERE ILLNESS AND LIFE THREATENING SYMPTOMS INCLUDING HEADACHES, DIZZINESS, NAUSEA, FATIGUE, AND FEVER THAT QUICKLY
Mileage: 61,000
Compare 2009MERCEDES-BENZCLS550 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS550 have?▼
The 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS550 has 6 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 16 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS550?▼
The most-complained component for the 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS550 is ENGINE with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM and POWER TRAIN.
Is the 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS550 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.