Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2009 Mercedes-Benz CLS, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Air bags1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 1 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 1,218 of these cars first registered in 2009 took their annual MOT test. 65% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2009 the figure was 59%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2009 |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 12.7% | 16.4% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 11.4% | 18.7% |
| Tyres | 10.8% | 7.5% |
| Brakes | 9.3% | 10.1% |
| Visibility | 5.9% | 6.5% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 3.6% | 5.4% |
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
59 2009 cars are on the New Zealand register; 63% arrived as used imports, 32% 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 1 variant: combined 16.7 L/100 km (about 14 mpg US), CO₂ 384 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| CLS 63 AMG · Compact · Premium gasoline | 19.6 | 13.1 | 16.7 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 2009 Mercedes-Benz CLS.
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 2009 Mercedes-Benz CLS: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 10039256 | MERCEDES-BENZ: THE MALFUNCTION LIGHT IS ON WITH MULTIPLE POSSIBLE TROUBLE CODES STORED. THERE COULD BE A PROBLEM WITH THE CAMSHAFT AND/OR SCORING OF A PISTON. *RM |
| 10038977 | MERCEDES-BENZ: THE AUTO-TRANSMISSION SWITCHES TO LIMP HOME MODE OR HAS NO POWER. THERE ARE MULTIPLE POSSIBLE FAULT CODES. A PISTON MAY BE DAMAGED. *RM |
| 10037408 | MERCEDES-BENZ: SHOCK ABSORBER PROCEDURE. *RM |
| 10034566 | MERCEDES BENZ: REPROGRAM MBRACE (N123/4) DIALED NUMBERS TO HUGHES. THIS ACTION APPLIES TO NEW VEHICLE INVENTORY ONLY. *PE |
| 10034504 | MERCEDES (XENTRY): ENGINE DIAGNOSIS WARNING LAMP ACTIVATED. MAGNETIC SHORT BETWEEN ARMATURE AND POLE CORE DUE TO CALIBRATION ERROR AT VALVE AND TOLERANCE DEVIATION BY SUPPLYING MANUFACTURER. THIS CAUSES THE PURGE VALVE TO JAM IN THE OPEN STATE. *PE |
| 10027829 | MERCEDES BENZ: REPLACE REAR AXLE DIFFERENTIAL IN MODELS 219 AND 230; MODEL YEARS 2009. THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL MAY HAVE BEEN FILLED WITH THE INCORRECT GEAR OIL. *PE |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Loss of rear lighting assembly
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation