Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2005 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class failed the safety check 1.26% of the time — 45% less often than the average 2005 passenger car (2.30%). Median odometer at inspection: 87,036 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the United Kingdom
109 cars built in 2005 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 77 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 165 of these cars first registered in 2005 took their annual MOT test. 77% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2005 the figure was 56%.
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
5 of these cars first registered in 2005 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 132,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
Recalls in Canada
2 Transport Canada recalls for the 2005 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class.
| 2008290 15 Aug 2008 | Other Certain vehicles equipped with Active Body Control (ABC) the sensors on the front struts may not operate within tolerances. As such, the sensor signal may not … |
| 2006031 7 Feb 2006 | Electrical Certain vehicles may experience instrument cluster backlighting malfunction. There are three distinct failure modes. (1) Vehicles built between 06/2000 and 11… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Mercedes-Benz told its dealers about the 2005 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 10043813 | MERCEDES: LEAKAGE AT PRESS-FIT SLEEVE OF ABC PULSATION DAMPER. MODELS 215, AND 220. MODEL YEARS NOT GIVEN. *KB UPDATED 12/30/13. *PE UPDATED 12/12/14. *PE |
| 10043811 | MERCEDES: VEHICLE JERKS DURING GEARCHANGE, HARD 1-2 AND 2-3 SHIFTS, TORQUE CONVERTER LOCKUP CLUTCH NOT ENGAGEABLE. MODELS 212, 216, 218, 221, 251, AND 164. MODEL YEARS NOT GIVEN. *KB UPDATED 10/11/12. *PE |
| 10034306 | MERCEDES: AIRBAG DURABILITY AND RELIABILITY. AIR BAG SRS CONTROL MODULE (N2/2) DOES NOT HAVE A SET SHELF LIFE AND WILL NORMALLY BE RELIABLE FOR THE LIFE OF A VEHICLE. WITH 164, 216 221, 251 AND NEWER, THE AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT CAN BE RESET FIVE TIMES. WITH MODES 202, 210 AND NEWER, THE AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT CAN BE RESET THREE TIMES. EARLIER MODELS WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THEIR AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT AND TRIGGERED RESTRAIN COMPONENTS CHANGED ONLY AFTER AN ACCIDENT. NO MODELS OR MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE |
| 10034305 | DAIMLER/XENTRY: FUEL LEVEL INDICATOR AND RADIO FREQUENCY CENTRAL LOCKING INOPERATIVE, INSTRUMENT CLUSTER REPORTS TURN SIGNALS INOPERATIVE, DIAGNOSIS OF REAR SAM NOT POSSIBLE. CONTROL MODULES. MODELS C CLASS, MODEL SERIES 204. NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE UPDATED 7/8/11. *PE |
| 10019822 | INSPECT TRANSMISSION PILOT BUSHING AT ELECTROCHYDRAULIC UNIT AND REPLACE IF NECESSARY. THE TRANSMISSION PILOT BUSHING MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ON THE CONTROL UNITS WITH NON-TEMPERED SEALING RINGS WHICH MAY CAUSE A SMALL LEAK TO OCCUR. *TT UPDATED 04-11-07. *KB |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)