Model year record
The 1999 Mercedes-Benz CLK320 has 1 safety recall and 18 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (5 complaints).
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
| City / highway | 18 / 26 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Premium Gasoline |
3.2 L · 6 cyl · Automatic 5-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $3,900/year to fuel
| City / highway | 17 / 25 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Premium Gasoline |
3.2 L · 6 cyl · Automatic 5-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $4,100/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and engine coolingEngine; Engine › Gasoline | 5 | 75,000 mi |
| Unknown or other | 4 | — |
| VisibilityWindshield; Sun/moon roof assembly | 3 | — |
| Fuel system, gasolineStorage › Tank assembly | 2 | — |
| Power trainAutomatic transmission | 2 | — |
| SuspensionFront | 2 | — |
| StructureBody › Roof and pillars; Body | 2 | — |
| Seats | 1 | — |
| Fuel system, otherStorage › Fuel gauge system | 1 | — |
| Child seat | 1 | — |
| Electrical system | 1 | — |
| Service brakes, hydraulicFoundation components | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCEDES BENZ CLK320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE SUN ROOF SUDDENLY SHATTERED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 199,000.
REAR ROLL BAR WILL NOT RAISE OR LOWER, COULD BE FATAL TO REAR PASSENGERS IN A ROLL OVER SITUATION. ROLL BAR/ HEAD RESTRAINTS STUCK IN LOWER POSITION. THIS WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM AT FIRST, NOW IT DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. SWITCH WILL NOT RAISE OR LOWER ROLL BAR ALL THE WAY; AS A RESULT, CANNOT RAISE THE CONVERTIBLE TOP. THE TOP WILL NOT RAISE OR LOWER UNLESS THE ROLL BAR IS ALL THE WAY DOWN. WILL NOT RELEASE SO THAT I CAN MANUALLY RAISE THE TOP EITHER. THIS IS A DEFECT THAT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. *TR
MERCEDES BENZ 1999 CLK320: THE OUTSIDE MIRROR ON THE DRIVER'S DOOR HAS TURNED SO DARK, IT IS VIRTUALLY BLACK AND THE DRIVER CANNOT SEE ANYTHING IN IT. THIS INABILITY TO SEE IN THIS EXTERIOR SIDE-VIEW MIRROR IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. IT PROBABLY IS CAUSED BY CHANGES IN THE COATING THAT IS SUPPOSED TO EITHER HEAT THE MIRROR OR DIM IT. *TR
MASSIVE LOSS OF TRANSMISSION FLUID FROM SEALED TRANSMISSION UNIT. 1999 MERCEDES BENZ CLK 320 CAUSING TRANS TO STOP FUNCTIONING WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. *TR
NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT A FAULTY CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR IN MERCEDES BENZ VEHICLES THAT PREVENTS CARS FROM STARTING AND ALSO SHUTS THEM OFF WHILST ON THE ROAD AND IN MOTION. CAR DIED ON ME 6 TIMES. LUCKILY, I WASN'T TRAVELING VERY FAST BUT THIS IS VERY UNSAFE BUT I DID CAUSE A TRAFFIC DELAY AND BLOCKED THE ROAD SEVERAL TIMES WHILE STALLED. *NM
DT: VEHICLE IS BURNING OIL. DEALER SAID THEY CAN'T FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS BURNING EXCESSIVE OIL, AND RECOMMENDED THAT THE DEALER OR MANUFACTURER LOOK INTO IT.*AK
(1) VIBRATIONS OF ENGINE AT IDLE WAS FELT 1 DAY PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. (2) HEARD LOUD/KNOCKING NOISE THE NEXT DAY WHILE DRIVING HOME. (3) HOME INSPECTIONS REVEALED DISENGAGEMENT OF THE OUTER BELT PULLEY FROM THE HARMONIC BALANCER.*AK (4) CALLED THE SAN DIEGO DEALER FOR A REPAIR/REPLACEMENT. (5) THE MODEL IS CLK 320, 1999, APPROXIMATELY 64,000 MILES WHEN THIS HAPPENED. (6) DIRECTED TO THIS SITE FROM AN INTERNET FORUM, WHOSE HUNDRED OF MEMBERS HAD STATED THE SAME PROBLEMS. (7) SURPRISED TO SEE THAT ODI DID NOT FIND THE DEFECT SERIOUS ENOUGH TO FORCE THE MANUFACTURER RECALL.
THE TIRES EXPERIENCED EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR, THE VEHICLE HAD A FRONT ALIGNMENT, AND THE TIRES WERE ROTATED, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RECURRED.*JB
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
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…