IllustrationMVC WITH FRONTAL IMPACT FIRST THROUGH AN T INTERSECTION THEN A CULVERT AND STRIKING A TREE AT A SPEED >45 MPH. AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND SEATBELT DID NOT LOCK ON DRIVERS SIDE WHILE ENGAGED. DRIVER INCURRED A 20% COMPRESSION FRACTURE ON L1 VERTABRAE.
2001 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 15 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.
- Air Bags. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. 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.
6 crash reports0 fire reports4 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
4 reportsAIR BAG DRIVER TYPE UNKNOWN-- DRIVER STERNUM FRACTURED I WAS DRIVING A 2001 MERCEDES CLK320 DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC 1/2 CAR LENGTH BEHIND NEXT CAR. THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME CHANGED LANES, TWO 3 SERIES BMWS WERE STOPPED FOR CITY BUS. I SLAMMED ON BRAKES, THEN REALIZED I WOULD HIT THE CAR IN FRONT, DID NOT SWRIVE LINED MY BODY UP…
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AIR BAG DRIVER TYPE UNKNOWN-- DRIVER STERNUM FRACTURED I WAS DRIVING A 2001 MERCEDES CLK320 DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC 1/2 CAR LENGTH BEHIND NEXT CAR. THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME CHANGED LANES, TWO 3 SERIES BMWS WERE STOPPED FOR CITY BUS. I SLAMMED ON BRAKES, THEN REALIZED I WOULD HIT THE CAR IN FRONT, DID NOT SWRIVE LINED MY BODY UP BOTH ARMS ON WHEEL SKIDDED AND HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THE AIRBAG HIT ME IN THE CHEST VERY HARD AT ABOUT 1300, THERE WAS A TEAR WITH WHITE PUFF AND LITTLE METAL BEAD THINGS ON AIRBAG. I CHECK TO SEE IF MY FILINGS HAD BEEN BROKEN. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT THE LITTLE METAL CIRCLE WAS. I COULD MOVE MY HANDS, FEET WITHOUT NUMBNESS OR TINGLING NECK DIDN'T HURT, CHEST HAD SHARP PINPOINT PAIN, THERE WAS SMOKE, ENGINE WAS DAMAGED I WAS WORRIED ABOUT FIRE. REACHED FOR SEATBELT A GUY WANTED ME TO STAY. THEN FIREFIGHTER SAID TO LEAVE TO SPRAY. EMS ON SCENE. TRANSPORTED TO NFRMC CT CHEST STERNAL FRACTURE NOT DISPLACED. POLICE REPORT IS WRONG. AIRBAG DEPLOYED, EMS TRANSPORTATION. RECORDS AVAILABLE CLK TOTALED, ENGINE DAMAGE SPEED EST 25 M/HR FLOW OF TRAFFIC LIMIT 45.
I WAS HIT IN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND MY AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. MERCEDES SENT OUT A TECHNICAL TEAM WHO FOUND THAT THE AIRBAG OPERATED PROPERLY. THEY SAID I GOT HIT TOO LOW BUT I WAS HIT BY A FORD WORK VAN WHOSE BUMPER IS 27" UP. THERE IS NOT AN INCH OF THAT DOOR THAT IS NOT CAVED IN. I WAS HIT SO HARD I WAS PUSHED ACROSS TH…
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I WAS HIT IN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND MY AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. MERCEDES SENT OUT A TECHNICAL TEAM WHO FOUND THAT THE AIRBAG OPERATED PROPERLY. THEY SAID I GOT HIT TOO LOW BUT I WAS HIT BY A FORD WORK VAN WHOSE BUMPER IS 27" UP. THERE IS NOT AN INCH OF THAT DOOR THAT IS NOT CAVED IN. I WAS HIT SO HARD I WAS PUSHED ACROSS THE INTERSECTION AND UP ON A CURB. MY SEAT AND CONSOLE WERE MOVED OVER. I DON'T THINK I CAN SAFELY REPAIR AND USE OR RESELL THE CAR DUE TO THE AIRBAG DEFECT. *NM
I WAS HIT BY A FORD E350 FORD WORK VAN IN THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY CAUSING INJURY TO MY SHOULDER FROM THE DOOR BUCKLING INTO ME AND MOVING MY SEAT AND CONSOLE OVER. ALL PROFESSIONALS THAT SEE THIS CAR ARE VERY SURPRISED I AM NOT CRITICALLY INJURED OR DEAD. MERCEDES-BENZ SENT A TECHNICAL TEAM TO INSPECT …
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I WAS HIT BY A FORD E350 FORD WORK VAN IN THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY CAUSING INJURY TO MY SHOULDER FROM THE DOOR BUCKLING INTO ME AND MOVING MY SEAT AND CONSOLE OVER. ALL PROFESSIONALS THAT SEE THIS CAR ARE VERY SURPRISED I AM NOT CRITICALLY INJURED OR DEAD. MERCEDES-BENZ SENT A TECHNICAL TEAM TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THE AIRBAG OPERATED PROPERLY. THEY SAID THE VEHICLE WAS HIT BENEATH THE AIRBAG AND THE VAN STARTS AT 27" OFF THE GROUND. THERE IS NOT AN INCH OF THAT DOOR THAT IS NOT CAVED IN. CAR HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED BECAUSE WE ARE CONVINCED IT HAS A MAJOR DEFECT AND IS UNSAFE TO BE LEGALLY PUT BACK ON THE ROAD AND I AM CONCERNED THE REST OF THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT WORK. OLD DOOR IS STILL ON CAR AND STILL UNABLE TO OPEN AT ALL. *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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.