MERCEDES-BENZ CLS550 · model year

2013 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS550

5 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2013MERCEDES-BENZCLS550 carries 5 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 2013 CLS550 is seat belts with 1 filings, followed by fuel system, gasoline (1) and electrical system (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 2013 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.

5
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

5 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
SEAT BELTS1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
POWER TRAIN1
SERVICE BRAKES1

Recent Complaints

20231116SERVICE BRAKES

I brought the car to my Mercedes dealer for a State required safety and emissions inspection. It passed but they said the rear brake line were rusted and needed replacement at a cost of $2546.00. This model and numerous others were recently provided an extended warranty for rusted subframes. This is a $5-$7K repair. They do not cover the brake lines or include them as part of the repair. The sub-frame rust from the inside out so it is not initially obvious of impending failure. There is a pending class action lawsuit against MBUSA that mentions the failure to include the brake line and other components. The rusted brake lines are indicative of internal rust of the subframe. I am facing potential brake failure if I don't act on this expensive repair when clearly Mercedes is not acting in good faith to repair the entirety of their faulty components.

20220411ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Car looses communication with the Electronic Ignition System (keyless system) and while rolling to a stop light, slams the car into park while still rolling. It also will throw itself into park while first accelerating - almost causing the car following me to crash into my rear end.

20220411POWER TRAIN

Car looses communication with the Electronic Ignition System (keyless system) and while rolling to a stop light, slams the car into park while still rolling. It also will throw itself into park while first accelerating - almost causing the car following me to crash into my rear end.

20201207FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS550. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER REFUELING AND PARKING IN THE GARAGE, THE ODOR OF FUEL WAS PRESENT COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT FUEL HAD LEAKED FROM UNDER THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT YET DETERMINED. NEITHER THE MANUFACTURER NOR THE LOCAL DEALER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

Mileage: 85,000

20171018SEAT BELTS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS550. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RETRACT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC OR A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

Mileage: 50,000

Compare 2013MERCEDES-BENZCLS550 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS550 have?
The 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS550 has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS550?
The most-complained component for the 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS550 is SEAT BELTS with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2013 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.