IllustrationABC HYDRAULIC SYSTEM HIGH PRESSURE HOSE CORROSION AND FAILURE OF FITTINGS. CAUSED DAMAGE TO VEHICLE, SMOKE POURED FROM UNDER VEHICLE, AND POSSIBLE FIRE. THE FLUID SPRAYED ALL OVER EXHAUST. VEHICLE RIDE HEIGHT WAS THROWN QUICKLY TO GROUND.
2002 Mercedes Benz CL600
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all CL600 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 11 of 13 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Suspension. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports
Suspension complaints
6 reportsABC HOSE LEAKED HYDRAULIC FLUID IN HUGE PUDDLE AS THE VEHICLE WAS BEING BACKED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. NOT LONG AFTER THE WHEELS WERE SITTING ON TOP OF THE WHEEL WELL. MERCEDES SERVICE DIAGNOSED AS HOSE THAT REQUIRES TRANSMISSION TO BE REMOVED TO FIX. WAS TOLD RECALL WORK WAS DONE IN 2004 SO I HAD TO PAY FULL REPAIR PRICE ($4,7…
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ABC HOSE LEAKED HYDRAULIC FLUID IN HUGE PUDDLE AS THE VEHICLE WAS BEING BACKED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. NOT LONG AFTER THE WHEELS WERE SITTING ON TOP OF THE WHEEL WELL. MERCEDES SERVICE DIAGNOSED AS HOSE THAT REQUIRES TRANSMISSION TO BE REMOVED TO FIX. WAS TOLD RECALL WORK WAS DONE IN 2004 SO I HAD TO PAY FULL REPAIR PRICE ($4,700). *TR
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, THEN THE CARS SUSPENSION STARTED ACTING ERRATIC, I COULD NOT MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE TILL A SHORT TIME LATER. MY CARS SUSPENSION RAISED AND LOWERED IN A VIOLENT WAY. MY HEAD WAS THROWN FORWARD INTO THE STEERING WHEEL, AND BACK IN THE HEAD REST. I WAS WEARING MY SEATBELT. I CONTACTED MERCEDES,…
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I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, THEN THE CARS SUSPENSION STARTED ACTING ERRATIC, I COULD NOT MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE TILL A SHORT TIME LATER. MY CARS SUSPENSION RAISED AND LOWERED IN A VIOLENT WAY. MY HEAD WAS THROWN FORWARD INTO THE STEERING WHEEL, AND BACK IN THE HEAD REST. I WAS WEARING MY SEATBELT. I CONTACTED MERCEDES, AND THEY TOLD ME IN SO MANY WORDS, TOO BAD FOR ME. *TR
THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM SUSPENSION GOES ERRATIC, RAISING AND LOWERING AS IT PLEASES. DANGEROUS. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ CL-600. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUSPENSION IN THE VEHICLE FAILED SEVERAL TIMES. THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE COLLAPSED AND THE ABC PRESSURE CONTROL VALVE LEAKED AND FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE HYDRAULICS, SEAL RINGS, AND VALVES. THE VEH…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ CL-600. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUSPENSION IN THE VEHICLE FAILED SEVERAL TIMES. THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE COLLAPSED AND THE ABC PRESSURE CONTROL VALVE LEAKED AND FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE HYDRAULICS, SEAL RINGS, AND VALVES. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE MULTIPLE TIMES AND WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE REPAIR COSTS TOTALLED APPROXIMATELY $10,000. HE HAD NOT NOTICED ANY FAILURES SINCE RETRIEVING THE VEHICLE TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE COMPLAINT. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V228000 (SUSPENSION). THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 98,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 85,000. UPDATED 3/11/09 *CN UPDATED 03/16/09. *JB
BOUGHT CAR FEB. 2005; IT HAS BEEN IN (WARRANTY COVERED) REPAIR 6 TIMES FOR GRINDING IN REAR WHEN GOING OVER SPEED BUMPS. THE ABS SYSTEM HAS BEEN REPLACED AS WELL AS REPAIRS TO REAR & FRONT AXLES & BALL BEARINGS & HYDRAULICS. STILL THE NOISE CONTINUES. ALSO WHEN TRAVELING OVER 40 MPH, THE REAR JUMPS TO SIDE WHEN SMALL BUMPS ARE H…
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BOUGHT CAR FEB. 2005; IT HAS BEEN IN (WARRANTY COVERED) REPAIR 6 TIMES FOR GRINDING IN REAR WHEN GOING OVER SPEED BUMPS. THE ABS SYSTEM HAS BEEN REPLACED AS WELL AS REPAIRS TO REAR & FRONT AXLES & BALL BEARINGS & HYDRAULICS. STILL THE NOISE CONTINUES. ALSO WHEN TRAVELING OVER 40 MPH, THE REAR JUMPS TO SIDE WHEN SMALL BUMPS ARE HIT. *JB
Official recalls
104V228000 · Suspension
May 13, 2004
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, CORROSION MAY OCCUR IN THE INNER STEEL PORTIONS OF THE ACTIVE BODY CONTROL'S (ABC) HIGH-PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION HOSE DUE TO EXTENSIVE EXPOSURE TO HEAT AND HUMIDITY. OVER TIME, CORROSION MAY DETERIORATE THE INNER STEEL PORTIONS OF THE HOSE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS MAY RESULT IN ABC HYDRAULIC FLUID LEAKAGE. UNDER SOME CIRCUMSTANCES, LEAKING HYDRAULIC FLUID MAY COME IN CONTACT WITH HOT ENGINE COMPONENTS AND LEAD TO A POSSIBILITY OF FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW, CORROSION RESISTANT ABC HIGH-PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION HOSES. THE RECALL BEGAN AUGUST 31, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.