Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Exterior lighting1
- Electrical system1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 4,521 of these cars first registered in 2005 took their annual MOT test. 61% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2005 the figure was 56%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2005 |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 19.8% | 17.3% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 15.1% | 21.5% |
| Brakes | 9.5% | 13.7% |
| Tyres | 7.1% | 7.0% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 6.2% | 6.8% |
| Visibility | 4.8% | 7.5% |
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 New Zealand
146 2005 cars are on the New Zealand register; 31% arrived as used imports, 65% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 6 variants: combined 11.5–14.4 L/100 km (about 16–20 mpg US), CO₂ 265–331 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| CLK 320 · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 13.3 | 9.3 | 11.5 |
| CLK 320 Cabriolet · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 13.3 | 9.7 | 11.7 |
| CLK 500 · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 15.6 | 10.3 | 13.2 |
| CLK 500 Cabriolet · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 15.6 | 10.3 | 13.2 |
| CLK 55C AMG · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 16.5 | 11.3 | 14.2 |
| CLK 55 AMG Cabriolet · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 16.8 | 11.4 | 14.4 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK.
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 CLK: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 10136041 | Selector lever blocks in position "P" (brake applied) |
| 10136031 | Engine noises (rattling) after engine start |
| 10037653 | MERCEDES-BENZ: THERE ARE ELECTRICAL PRODUCTION QUALITY ISSUES THAT CAUSE THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. *RM |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)