2001 Mercedes Benz CL Class

Routine

Owners filed 4 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the interior lighting. It has been recalled 4 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Tires › Pressure Monitoring and Regulating Systems1
000
Suspension1
000
Interior Lighting1
000
Electrical System1
000

4 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Engine and Engine Cooling07V263000
Filed Jun 12, 200719,924 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Llc.

Defect. ON CERTAIN 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 HUMIDITY CAUSING DETERIORATION OF THE HOSE.

Risk. THIS MAY RESULT IN ABC HYDRAULIC FLUID LEAKAGE NEAR THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. LEAKING FLUID MAY COME IN CONTACT WITH HOT ENGINE COMPONENTS AND LEAD TO A POSSIBLE FIRE.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW CORROSION RESISTANT ABC HIGH PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION HOSE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 2, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

Interior Lighting06V028000
Filed Feb 2, 200636,911 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Llc.

Defect. ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IS EXPERIENCING ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER CONTAINS GAUGES AND INDICATORS THAT MUST BE ILLUMINATED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE IS IN OPERATION.

Risk. DUE TO INADEQUATE ILLUMINATION, THE DRIVER WILL BE UNABLE TO READ THE GAUGES AND INDICATORS, SUCH AS THE SPEEDOMETER, WHICH COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MODULES. THE RECALL WILL BE CONDUCTED IN PHASES. PHASE I WAS MAILED OUT TO APPROXIMATELY 7,500 OWNERS ON SEPTEMBER 29, 2006. PHASE II AND PHASE III IS SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

Electrical System › Wiring › Fuses and Circuit Breakers04V227000
Filed May 13, 200454,454 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Llc.

Defect. ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, DURING THE PRODUCTION PROCESS OF THE BLOWER MOTOR FUSE HOLDER, THE SIZE OF THE ELECTRIC CONDUCTOR OF THE HOLDER MAY BE BELOW APPROPRIATE TOLERANCES.

Risk. CONSEQUENTLY, THE ELECTRIC CONDUCTOR OF THE BLOWER MOTOR FUSE HOLDER MAY DISSIPATE MORE HEAT THAN THE PLASTIC FUSE HOLDER WAS DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND, WHICH COULD RESULT IN OVERHEATING OF THE HOLDER AND DISABLING OF THE BLOWER MOTOR AND THE ABILITY TO DEFROST OR DEFOG THE WINDSHILED IN COLD OR HOT AND HUMID WEATHER CONDITIONS. DEPENDING ON THE OCCURRENCE AND WEATHER SITUATION, DRIVER VISIBILITY COULD BE REDUCED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW BLOWER MOTOR FUSE HOLDERS. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING OCTOBER 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

Visibility › Windshield Wiper/Washer01V014000
Filed Jan 17, 20013,400 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Llc.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE SHEATHING MATERIAL ON THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION OF THE HEATED WINDSHIELD WASHER BOTTLE HOSE COULD OVERHEAT.

Risk. THIS COULD CAUSE THE SURROUNDING PLASTIC AND INSULATION TO MELT.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HEATED WASHER BOTTLE HOSE ASSEMBLY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JANUARY 29, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Suspension
Filed Jun 4, 200767,000 milesMI

THERE IS SUPPOSE TO BE A RECALL ON THE ABC ACTIVE BODY CONTROL ON THE MERCEDES BENZ CL CLASS FROM 2001 TO 2004. MY CAR HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM AND JUST FOUND OUT IT WAS A RECALL BY FORUM YESTERDAY, BUT IT DOES NOT SAY THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS ON YOUR SITE OR ANY OTHER RECALL SITE. IF YOU COULD POST THIS RECALL TO THE LIST THAT WOULD BE GREAT. THANK YOU *TR

Tires › Pressure Monitoring and Regulating Systems
Filed Dec 11, 2006110,000 milesCA

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM FAILED TO MONITOR THE ADEQUATE TIRE PRESSURE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM FAILED, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO ALERTED. UPDATED 01/10/07. *JB

Electrical System
Filed Sep 13, 200638,000 milesGA

I HAVE A 2001 MERCEDES CL 500 THAT I PAID 90K FOR AND HAS LESS THAN 40 K MILES. THE LIGHTS WENT OUT AND I COULD SMELL ELECTRICAL SMOKE. EVERY TIME I TURN ON THE IGNITION, I SMELL BURNING. I NOTICED ON AN INTERNET SEARCH THAT THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT THE DEALERSHIP SAYS IT HAS NOT BEEN FINALIZED, I KNOW THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTERS BURNING UP ON THESE VEHICLES AS MY PARTNER'S CAR ( ALSO A MERCEDES) HAD HIS DO THE SAME THING. I REQUEST THAT YOU TAKE ACTION ON THIS MATTER AS I DON'T FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY $2000 TO FIX A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT AFTER PAYING THAT KIND OF MONEY FOR A VEHICLE. THE VIN NUMBER ON MY CAR [XXX]. RESPECTFULLY, [XXX]. *NM UPDATED 07/12/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Interior Lighting
Filed Sep 8, 200665,000 milesMI

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WENT OUT AND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAD MALFUNCTIONED. THIS INCIDENT CAUSED THE BATTERY TO DRAIN. THERE WAS AN NHTSA RECALL, # 06V028000, REGARDING THE INTERIOR LIGHTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *AK UPDATED 9/22/2006 - *NM

4 of 4 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2002
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20050100Routine
20044400Routine
20035249Fatalities reported
200219220Routine
2001 — this page4400Routine
20001410Routine

Compare every CL Class year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Jun 12, 2007. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.