IllustrationTHE PIXELS ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WENT OUT AND YOU CAN NO LONGER TELL WHAT GEAR YOU ARE IN. I'VE BROUGHT THE CAR TO MY LOCAL DEALER FOR THEIR INSPECTION AND I WAS QUOTED $1500 FOR THE REPAIR BECAUSE IT IS NOT COVER UNDER WARRANTY. *TR
2001 Mercedes Benz Clk Class
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 Clk Class years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
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: 12 of 14 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.
- Electrical System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 4 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 reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
14 reportsFUEL GAUGE NOT READING CORRECT FUEL. AFTER FILLING TANK, FUEL GAUGE READS EMPTY. AFTER APPROX 20 MILES OF DRIVING FUEL GAUGE MOVES TO FULL. FUEL GAUGE THEN CONTINUES TO READ INACCURATE MEASUREMENTS. I AM USING THE MILEAGE TO KNOW WHEN TO REFUEL. *TR
ENGINE STALLING AND FAILURE TO START DUE TO CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR (CPS) FAILURE. CAR IS A 2001 CLK430 WITH APPROX 60,000 MILES. *TR
LEDS ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAULTY. ACCIDENT FREE VEHICLE. *TR
INSTRUMENT CLUSTER OF MY 2001 MERCEDES BENZ CLK430 IS FAULTY. I CANNOT READ THE GEAR INDICATOR SINCE THE LED LIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT. NOT KNOWING WHAT GEAR I AM IN CAN CAUSE AN ERROR WHILE DRIVING THAT CAN LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS WORKING FINE UNTIL A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WHERE LED STARTED TO FAIL. GEAR INDICATOR …
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INSTRUMENT CLUSTER OF MY 2001 MERCEDES BENZ CLK430 IS FAULTY. I CANNOT READ THE GEAR INDICATOR SINCE THE LED LIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT. NOT KNOWING WHAT GEAR I AM IN CAN CAUSE AN ERROR WHILE DRIVING THAT CAN LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS WORKING FINE UNTIL A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WHERE LED STARTED TO FAIL. GEAR INDICATOR IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IS NO LONGER READABLE. THIS IS A DRIVING SAFETY ISSUE. *JB
THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IN MY 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK430 DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE PIXELS IN THE GEAR SELECTOR, TEMPERATURE AND CLOCK SECTION DO NOT LIGHT UP. THIS MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL WHAT GEAR THE CAR IS IN, AND POSES A SAFETY HAZARD. THE "P" AND "R" ARE DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH. THIS CAR HAS TRANSMISSION PROBLE…
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THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IN MY 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK430 DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE PIXELS IN THE GEAR SELECTOR, TEMPERATURE AND CLOCK SECTION DO NOT LIGHT UP. THIS MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL WHAT GEAR THE CAR IS IN, AND POSES A SAFETY HAZARD. THE "P" AND "R" ARE DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH. THIS CAR HAS TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, AND THE NECESSITY TO IDENTIFY WHICH GEAR THE CAR IS IN BY "FEEL" IS DANGEROUS. *TR
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IN MY 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK430 WILL FREQUENTLY BECOME STUCK IN ONLY ONE GEAR. MOST OFTEN 3RD GEAR, BUT SOMETIMES 2ND. THIS IS A TERRIFYING SITUATION FOR ME, ESPECIALLY IN TRAFFIC, AS THE AUTOMOBILE DOES NOT ACCELERATE FROM A STOP IN 3RD GEAR AND ABRUPTLY SLOWS WHEN LETTING OFF THE ACCELERATOR IN 2ND…
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THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IN MY 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK430 WILL FREQUENTLY BECOME STUCK IN ONLY ONE GEAR. MOST OFTEN 3RD GEAR, BUT SOMETIMES 2ND. THIS IS A TERRIFYING SITUATION FOR ME, ESPECIALLY IN TRAFFIC, AS THE AUTOMOBILE DOES NOT ACCELERATE FROM A STOP IN 3RD GEAR AND ABRUPTLY SLOWS WHEN LETTING OFF THE ACCELERATOR IN 2ND. 2ND GEAR ALSO LIMITS THE SPEED OF THE CAR SIGNIFICANTLY AND HAS CAUSED ME TO BE THE TRAFFIC SLOWDOWN AT RUSH HOUR ON MANY OCCASIONS. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS, AS I CANNOT GET THE CAR OUT OF A BUSY INTERSECTION QUICKLY OR CHANGE LANES TO MAKE A TURN WHEN THIS IS HAPPENING. I DRIVE MY CHILDREN IN THIS CAR AND AM AFRAID THAT A 3RD GEAR START OR A 2ND GEAR ABRUPT SLOWDOWN OR ITS SEVERELY LIMITED VELOCITY WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AND THEY MAY GET HURT. THE ONLY WAY TO REMEDY THIS SITUATION IS TO PULL OVER, SHUT OFF THE CAR AND RESTART IT. THIS IS NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE ON A BUSY STREET, AND IS DANGEROUS AT BEST. MY MECHANIC HAS DETERMINED THAT THIS IS NOT A MECHANICAL FAILURE IN THE TRANSMISSION, BUT A FAILURE IN THE ELECTRONIC MODULE THAT CONTROLS THE TRANSMISSION. I UNDERSTAND THROUGH CORROBORATIVE AND ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE THAT THIS COULD BE A RESULT OF LIQUID FROM THE CUPHOLDER SEEPING DOWN INTO THE ELECTRONICS. THERE IS EVIDENCE OF A LIQUID SPILL, AND IT IS CLEAR THAT THE POOR DESIGN OF THE CUPHOLDER AND ITS LOCATION ABOVE THE TRANSMISSION ELECTRONICS ARE THE CAUSE OF THIS SAFETY ISSUE. WE HAVE NOT PURSUED REPAIR AS OF YET, AS THE PARTS AND LABOR ARE QUITE EXPENSIVE. THE CAR IS NOW PARKED IN MY GARAGE, AS I CONSIDER IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *TR
DASH LED'S ARE FAILING CAUSING THE DRIVE INDICATOR TO NOT REGISTER CORRECTLY. WHEN I PLACE IT IN GEAR BECAUSE THE LIGHTS GO ON AND OFF AS A BAD CONNECTION I CANNOT TELL WHAT GEAR I AM IN. ALSO THE SAME LED'S FOR THE CLOCK AND TEMP ARE FAILING IN THE SAME UNIT. *TR
MY CAR SHUTS DOWN WHENEVER I DRIVE IN TEMPERATURES OVER 90 DEGREES IN SLOW TRAFFIC. BROUGHT CAR TO DEALER WHO STATED NOTHING WRONG WITH CAR THAT THEY CAN FIND. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WATER WAS SPILLED ON THE CONSOLE CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO BE INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE RESIDENCE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT IN THE CONSOLE WHICH CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 8/14/2006 - *NM
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
2DP05007 · Transmission Malfunction
Opened Nov 7, 2005 · Closed Mar 27, 2006
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:automatic Transmission; Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
THE PETITIONER ALLEGES THAT COFFEE FROM A CUP, PLACED IN THE CUP HOLDER, SPILLED ONTO THE GEAR SHIFTER AND SHUT DOWN THE VEHICLE?S ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE CONCERN RAISED BY THE PETITIONER WAS INVESTIGATED (SQ01-010) AND WAS CLOSED AFTER ODI CONCLUDED THAT THE FACTS DID NOT DEMONSTRATE A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT.ODI HAS SUBSEQUENTLY RECEIVED NINE MORE COMPLAINTS ALLEGING FLUID CONTAMINATION OF THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER SINCE THE INVESTIGATION WAS CLOSED, NONE OF WHICH REPORT CRASHES OR INJURIES.THESE NINE COMPLAINANTS MAINLY EXPRESSED DISSATISFACTION WITH THE DESIGN OF THE CUP HOLDER AND THE COST OF REPLACING THE CONTAMINATED ELECTRONIC SELECTOR MODULE.SIMILARLY, IN PETITIONER?S CASE SHE WAS ABLE TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE TO A PLACE WHERE IT COULD BE SAFETY STOPPED AFTER THE LIQUID SPILLAGE.THE PETITIONER HAS NOT PROVIDED ANY EVIDENCE OF A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT.IN VIEW OF THE FOREGOING AND THE NEED TO ALLOCATE AND PRIORITIZE NHTSA'S LIMITED RESOURCES TO BEST ACCOMPLISH THE AGENCY'S SAFETY MISSION, THE PETITION IS DENIED.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
THE PETITIONER ALLEGES THAT COFFEE FROM A CUP, PLACED IN THE CUP HOLDER, SPILLED ONTO THE GEAR SHIFTER AND SHUT DOWN THE VEHICLE?S ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE CONCERN RAISED BY THE PETITIONER WAS INVESTIGATED (SQ01-010) AND WAS CLOSED AFTER ODI CONCLUDED THAT THE FACTS DID NOT DEMONSTRATE A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT.ODI HAS SUBSEQUENTLY RECEIVED NINE MORE COMPLAINTS ALLEGING FLUID CONTAMINATION OF THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER SINCE THE INVESTIGATION WAS CLOSED, NONE OF WHICH REPORT CRASHES OR INJURIES.THESE NINE COMPLAINANTS MAINLY EXPRESSED DISSATISFACTION WITH THE DESIGN OF THE CUP HOLDER AND THE COST OF REPLACING THE CONTAMINATED ELECTRONIC SELECTOR MODULE.SIMILARLY, IN PETITIONER?S CASE SHE WAS ABLE TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE TO A PLACE WHERE IT COULD BE SAFETY STOPPED AFTER THE LIQUID SPILLAGE.THE PETITIONER HAS NOT PROVIDED ANY EVIDENCE OF A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT.IN VIEW OF THE FOREGOING AND THE NEED TO ALLOCATE AND PRIORITIZE NHTSA'S LIMITED RESOURCES TO BEST ACCOMPLISH THE AGENCY'S SAFETY MISSION, THE PETITION IS DENIED.
Power Train:automatic Transmission
THE PETITIONER ALLEGES THAT COFFEE FROM A CUP, PLACED IN THE CUP HOLDER, SPILLED ONTO THE GEAR SHIFTER AND SHUT DOWN THE VEHICLE?S ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE CONCERN RAISED BY THE PETITIONER WAS INVESTIGATED (SQ01-010) AND WAS CLOSED AFTER ODI CONCLUDED THAT THE FACTS DID NOT DEMONSTRATE A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT.ODI HAS SUBSEQUENTLY RECEIVED NINE MORE COMPLAINTS ALLEGING FLUID CONTAMINATION OF THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER SINCE THE INVESTIGATION WAS CLOSED, NONE OF WHICH REPORT CRASHES OR INJURIES.THESE NINE COMPLAINANTS MAINLY EXPRESSED DISSATISFACTION WITH THE DESIGN OF THE CUP HOLDER AND THE COST OF REPLACING THE CONTAMINATED ELECTRONIC SELECTOR MODULE.SIMILARLY, IN PETITIONER?S CASE SHE WAS ABLE TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE TO A PLACE WHERE IT COULD BE SAFETY STOPPED AFTER THE LIQUID SPILLAGE.THE PETITIONER HAS NOT PROVIDED ANY EVIDENCE OF A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT.IN VIEW OF THE FOREGOING AND THE NEED TO ALLOCATE AND PRIORITIZE NHTSA'S LIMITED RESOURCES TO BEST ACCOMPLISH THE AGENCY'S SAFETY MISSION, THE PETITION IS DENIED.
SQ01010 · Sudden Engine Shut Down
Opened Sep 25, 2001 · Closed Feb 4, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
No summary supplied.