2004 Mercedes-benz Cl-class
The Verdict
The 2004 Mercedes-benz Cl-class has 7 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are body (3 complaints) and electrical (3 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 99/100, it earns a "Smooth Ride" rating. If you're shopping for a Mercedes-benz Cl-class, consider the 2012 model year which has 85% fewer complaints.
Safe Bet
The 2012 has 85% fewer complaints
View the 2012 Mercedes-benz Cl-class dashboard →
Klunk Score: Smooth Ride
This vehicle year has significantly fewer complaints than average. A reliable choice.
How is this calculated?
The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.
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Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
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Worst Problems
Complaints
The contact owns a 2004 Mercedes Benz CL600. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, a warning message stating that the ABS system needed to be serviced was displayed. The contact noticed that the front end of the vehicle had dropped. The vehicle was taken to an unknown location, where it was diagnosed that the front passenger shock sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. An unknown dealer and the manufacturer were contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under in NHTSA Campaign Number: 08V405000 (Suspension) because the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was 105,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ CL500. THE CONTACT WAS ENTERING A PARKING SPACE WHEN THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED, CAUSING HIM TO CRASH INTO THE BUMPER OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE DAMAGES TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY WAS NOTIFIED OF THE CRASH. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,809.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ CL WITH MICHELIN PRIMACY MXV4 TL TIRES, LINE SIZE 225/55/R17, DOT NUMBER: 898KEF1X4707. THE CONSUMERS GRANDSON WAS DRIVING 65 MPH WHEN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW, CAUSING HIM TO CRASH INTO AN EMBANKMENT, HIT A SIGN POST AND CAME BACK ONTO THE ROAD INTO THE RIGHT LANE TO REST. THERE WERE NO INJURIES BUT THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE POLICE WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE ESTIMATED MILEAGE ON THE TIRES WAS 16,000 AND THE REMAINING TREAD DEPTH WAS 5/16 INCHES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT HE SHOULD RETURN THE TIRE TO THEM FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE MILEAGE WAS 88,000. UPDATED 08/31/11*LJ ACCORDING TO MICHELIN. THE TIRE CAME IN CONTACT WITH AN UNKNOWN OBJECT OR OBSTRUCTION, WHICH CUT AND ABRADED THROUGH THE SIDEWALL RUBBER AND POLYESTER PILES CAUSING RAPID LOSS OF AIR. MICHELIN DENIED THE CONSUMERS CLAIM. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. UPDATE 09/09/11*JB
MY COMMAND CENTER WILL NOT WORK, IT STATES [ UNAVAILABLE ] WHEN THE CARS TEMP. OR OUTSIDE IS BELOW 70 DEG. ABOVE 70 DEG. EVERYTHING WORKS FINE. THIS IS SAFETY ISSUE, AS IF I GET SICK,OR HAVE A HEART PROBLEM, OR JUST NEED HELP FOR ME OR SOMEBODY ELSE, NOTHING WORKS, LIKE PHONE, EMERGENCY SERVICES, RADIO, NAVIGATION SYSTEM, AND THINKS I DON'T SEE THAT CAN BE HAPPENING WITH THE CARS EMERGENCY COMPUTER SYSTEM. *TR
I BOUGHT A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED 2004 CL 500 MB FROM HBL TYSONS ON 8545 LEESBURG PIKE, VIENNA, VA ON APR 19, 2008. THE SALESMAN SHOWED ME THE CARFAX REPORT WHICH SHOWED NO PRIOR PROBLEMS. SO, I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE W/ AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. HOWEVER, 2 WEEKS AFTER I PURCHASED THE CAR, I EXPERIENCED MANY ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, TIRE PROBLEMS, & PROBLEMS WITH MY AIR CONDITIONER/ HEAT. OVER A 1 YEARS LATER, MY CAR HAS BEEN BACK & FORTH AT THE HBL TYSONS CORNER, VA & MB ANNAPOLIS, MD SVC CNTR OVER 40 TIMES FOR THE SAME REOCCURRING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ARE BECOMING WORSE B/C THE CAR FREEZES; THE STEERING WHEEL MALFUNCTIONS & LOCKS UPON STARTING THE CAR & SOMETIMES, WHILE IN MOTION; IN ADDITION TO OTHER MALFUNCTIONS INVOLVING: SEAT BELT, SEAT HEAD REST, HEADLIGHTS, TAIL LIGHTS, REAR FOG LIGHTS, LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS; HEAT/AIR CONDITIONER, SRS, & AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. I'M PAYING A CAR NOTE & I BARELY HAVE MY CAR B/C THE SVC. CNTRS HAVE MY CAR FOR 2-3 WEEKS AT A TIME B/C THEY CAN'T FIX IT. I'VE EVEN BEEN TOLD BY THEM THAT MY PARTICULAR CAR IS TOO INTRICATE TO FIX. I'VE CONTACTED MB CORPORATE IN MONTVALE, NJ VIA TELEPHONICALLY & CORRESPONDENCE, TO ELEVATE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS, BUT, MY LAST 2 COMPLAINTS WERE TO NO AVAIL B/C I HEARD NOTHING FROM THEM AS OF YET. I KEEP ALL OF MY RECEIPTS FROM EACH TIME I'VE DROPPED MY CAR OFF & I'M READY TO PURSUE A LAWSUIT. IN FACT, I'VE CONTACTED BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU, YOUR AGENCY, & SEVERAL LAWYERS B/C I'VE RECENTLY DISCOVERED VIA A CLASS ACTION SUIT, THAT THE YEAR, MAKE, & MODEL OF MY CAR IS INVOLVED IN A NAT'L RECALL WHERE A FAULTY VALVE W/I THE HEAT/AIR CONDITIONER, CAUSES A BUILD-UP OF DEBRIS & WATER, WHICH LEAKS INTO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, CAUSING IT TO MALFUNCTION & SHUT DOWN. HELP ME B/C IT'S OBVIOUS THE CAR IS UNFIXABLE AND TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. ACCORDING TO THE CLASS ACTION, THESE PROBLEMS PRE-EXISTED BEFORE I BOUGHT THE CAR AND MB WAS AWARE OF THEM PRIOR TO SELLING THE CAR. *TR
I HAVE A 2004 CL 500 MERCEDES. I HAVE NOTICED THAT I HAVE HAD A DEAD SPOT IN THE THROTTLE RESPONSE. I FIRST THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS HOW I HAD MY FOOT ON THE PEDAL BUT I FIGURED OUT THAT WASN'T IT. I DID NOTICE THAT SOMETIMES THE CAR JUST WONT GO THEN LURCHES I ALMOST HIT SOMEONE IN THE POST OFFICE PARKING LOT. NO RESPONSE THEN IT JUMPED FORWARD. LAST SUNDAY, I WENT TOO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN AND NO THROTTLE RESPONSE AT ALL. I FLOORED THE PEDAL,THE ENGINE REVVED REALLY HARD BUT THE CAR WOULDN'T MOVE, EXCEPT AT A SLOW PACE, I WAS ALMOST HIT BY TWO OTHER CARS THAT HAD STARTED TO APPROACH AND THEY BOTH HAD TO SKID TO A STOP TO AVOID HITTING ME. THE CAR MOVED VERY SLOWLY UNTIL I WAS OUT OF THE INTERSECTION, WHERE I PULLED OVER TO LET MY HEART STOP BEATING OUT OF MY CHEST. I THEN STARTED HOME AND I HAD TO FLOOR IT TO GET THE 1.5 MILES TO MY HOUSE..THIS CAR ONLY HAS 49K MILES AND COST 139,000.00 NEW. I JUST SOLD A JAGUAR 2003 XJR AND IT HAD 85K MILES ON IT AND IT HAD A 5 SPEED MERCEDES TRANS IN IT AND I NEVER HAD ONE DAYS TROUBLE WITH IT. I ALSO HAD THE SAME CAR FROM A FEW YEARS BEFORE WITH THE 5 SPEED TRANSMISSION AND IT NEVER GAVE ME A MINUTES TROUBLE. I WENT BACK TO MY CAR ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER AND THE CAR WAS FINE. MONDAY MORNING I TOOK IT TOO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE VALVE BODY. IT WILL COST ME 2,200.00 ON A 49K MILE CAR. HE TOLD ME THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING ALOT ON THESE 7 SPEED TRANSMISSIONS (IN LATE 2003 AS A 2004 MODEL, MERCEDES INTRODUCED THE NEW 7 SPEED TRANSMISSION) AND THEY HAVE UPDATED THE VALVE BODY WITH ONE THAT DOESN'T DO THIS. I HAVE FRIENDS THAT HAD TO REPAIR THE SAME THING BUT UNDER WARRANTY. I THINK THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AND FAST. I CAN AFFORD TO FIX THE ISSUE BUT I DON'T FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TOO, I AM TOLD THAT THE FLUID IN THE TRANS GETS INTO THE ELECTRICAL PARTS AND SHORTS THEM OUT. THIS NEEDS TOO BE A FULL RECALL ON ALL THE EARLY 7 SPEED TRANSMISSION CARS. THE ONES WITH THE OLD PART NUMBERS. PLEASE ADVISE. *TR
CAR WOULD NOT START AND COULD NOT GET THE CAR IN GEAR. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN THE DEALERS SHOP FOR REPAIR 4 TIMES TO FIX THE SAME PROBLEM. CURRENTLY THE CAR IS RUNNING. NEGOCIATING WITH MBZ TO BUY THE CAR BACK.