The seat occupancy sensor on the passenger seat of this car is malfunctioning. This is a RECOGNIZED PROBLEM for Mercedes cars. There are numerous websites and YouTube videos describing this problem, offering replacement sensors, offering bypass kits and describing how to make this repair. (Please see attached for small sample). But Mercedes does not acknowledge this problem and has not responded to correspondence about the problem. Instead, the local dealer has said that it will cost >$1,000 to diagnose the problem and that they will probably have to replace the entire bottom section of the seat, which would cost at least $5,000 for parts and labor. This problem WILL cause the child safety seat feature to malfunction and may keep the passenger side airbag from deploying in a collision. The consumer stated the seat occupancy is defective and the parts are not available for his vehicle.
2003 Mercedes Benz CL55
Owners filed 5 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the electrical system. No safety recall has been issued.
| Component | Reports | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Air Bags | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
What owners reported
Newest filingsThe Instrument cluster has no light so I cannot see the speed. The dealer refuses the recall. RECALL - #06V028000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 (NA) MERCEDES BENZ CL55. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LIGHTS SUDDENLY SHUT OFF AND THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO READ THE INSTRUMENT GAUGES. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ CL55. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACTIVE BODY CONTROL WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE HYDRAULIC FLUID AND RESET THE LIGHT HOWEVER, THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC PERFORMED. THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE BODY CONTROL SYSTEM, WHICH WAS FOUND TO BE CORRODED AND CAUSED THE STEEL LINING OF THE HOSES TO CORRODE AND LEAK HYDRAULIC FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 51,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ CL55 AMG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, HE NOTICED THAT THE ACTIVE BODY CONTROL (ABC) WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE DROPPED TO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE ABC SYSTEM FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY TWO MONTHS LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 105,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 105,471. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *TR
5 of 5 complaints, reproduced as filed.
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.
Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.