IllustrationEMERGENCY TRUNK RELEASE FAILED THIS SYSTEM SHOULD BE MECHANICAL AND SHOULD NOT FAIL REMAINS FAILED WHETHER ELECTRICAL POWER IS ON, ACCESSORY IS POWERED OR SWITCH IN CA IN, ALSO REMAIN FAILED WITH KEY
2000 Mercedes Benz CLK320
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 CLK320 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: 10 of 17 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 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
6 reportsTHIS CAR HAD NO MECHANICAL ISSUES. THE CAR WAS STARTED AND THE CONVERTIBLE TOP WAS PUT DOWN. WITHIN A COUPLE OF MINUTES THE CAR WAS SHUT OFF. TWENTY MINUTES LATER SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM THE HOOD VENT NEAR THE WINDSHIELD. THE HOOD WAS OPENED AND A FIRE EXTINGUISHER USED ON THE SITE OF THE SMOKE. CAR WAS STARTED TO CHECK …
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THIS CAR HAD NO MECHANICAL ISSUES. THE CAR WAS STARTED AND THE CONVERTIBLE TOP WAS PUT DOWN. WITHIN A COUPLE OF MINUTES THE CAR WAS SHUT OFF. TWENTY MINUTES LATER SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM THE HOOD VENT NEAR THE WINDSHIELD. THE HOOD WAS OPENED AND A FIRE EXTINGUISHER USED ON THE SITE OF THE SMOKE. CAR WAS STARTED TO CHECK FOR POSSIBLE PROBLEM AREA. ALL INDICATORS WERE GOOD. CAR WAS IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF. FEW MINUTES LATER, FIRE WAS SEEN IN THE PASSENGER FOOTWELL AND THEN SPREAD TO THE ENGINE AREA FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. WITHIN FIVE MINUTES THE ENGINE AND CAR INTERIOR WERE BURNED AND THE AIR BAGS EXPLODED.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ CLK320. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE INDICATORS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 89,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ CLK320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR, DATE, AND TEMPERATURE INDICATOR LIGHTS WOULD NOT FULLY ILLUMINATE. IN ADDITION, THE MILEAGE INDICATOR LIGHTS WERE DIFFICULT TO SEE. THE DEALER HAS NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 99,450 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.
MERCEDES BENZ CLK320 W208 INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LED PROBLEM. IT HAS A FAULTY DISPLAY READOUTS THAT I AM EXPERIENCING. IT IS A SAFETY PROBLEM SINCE YOU CAN'T SEE WHICH GEAR YOU ARE IN AND THAT COULD CAUSE A DRIVER ERROR THAT COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. IT ALSO HAS PROBLEMS DISPLAYING TEMPERATURE AND TIME, BUT THE MAIN CONCERN IS TH…
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MERCEDES BENZ CLK320 W208 INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LED PROBLEM. IT HAS A FAULTY DISPLAY READOUTS THAT I AM EXPERIENCING. IT IS A SAFETY PROBLEM SINCE YOU CAN'T SEE WHICH GEAR YOU ARE IN AND THAT COULD CAUSE A DRIVER ERROR THAT COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. IT ALSO HAS PROBLEMS DISPLAYING TEMPERATURE AND TIME, BUT THE MAIN CONCERN IS THE DISPLAY OF GEARS! *JB
BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND INTO TRAFFIC THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. BOTH LANES CAME TO A SCREECHING HALT. THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART OR ALLOW ME TO PUT IT IN NEUTRAL TO PUSH IT TO THE SIDE. THIS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OTHER OCCASIONS WHERE THE CAR COMPLETELY DIES AS YOU ARE DRIVING AND YOU HAVE TO …
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BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND INTO TRAFFIC THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. BOTH LANES CAME TO A SCREECHING HALT. THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART OR ALLOW ME TO PUT IT IN NEUTRAL TO PUSH IT TO THE SIDE. THIS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OTHER OCCASIONS WHERE THE CAR COMPLETELY DIES AS YOU ARE DRIVING AND YOU HAVE TO TRY AND GET THE CAR OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. IT HAS ALSO HAPPENED AS I AM PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC WHICH IS A VERY SCARY SITUATION. THE MERCEDES DEALER IS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE IN THEIR SHOP AND THERE ARE NO FAULT CODES ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROBLEM. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED AND THIS HAS NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM EITHER. I AM VERY FRUSTRATED AND AT A LOSS WITH THIS SITUATION. *JB
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
1PE03058 · Engine Crankshaft Pulley Failure
Opened Dec 17, 2003 · Closed Apr 22, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline:belts And Associated Pulleys
THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY HARMONIC BALANCER FAILURE THAT COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF POWER-STEERING ASSIST.ODI HAS RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 546 NON-DUPLICATIVE REPORTS THAT ALLEGE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY HARMONIC BALANCER FAILURE ON ALL MERCEDES-BENZ VEHICLES USING THE SUBJECT COMPONENT.THE SUBJECT COMPONENT FAILURES ARE PROGRESSIVE IN NATURE AND ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE COMPLAINTS AND WARRANT CLAIMS INVOLVED A FAILURE THAT HAD PROGRESSED FAR ENOUGH TO EFFECT POWER STEERING PERFORMANCE (6 OF 55 ODI COMPLAINTS REFERENCE INCREASED STEERING EFFORT).THERE HAVE BEEN NO CRASHES OR INJURIES RELATED TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.SEE SUMMARY REPORT ATTACHED FOR FURTHER DETAIL.