CSR

Mercedes-Benz · NHTSA safety record

2015 Mercedes-Benz CLS400

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

8

Complaints

0

Crashes

1

Fires

0

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2015 Mercedes-Benz CLS400 have filed 8 safety complaints with NHTSA between May 2015 and January 2023. The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 3 of them (38%). The typical failure was reported at 23,250 miles, the median across the 6 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 4 recalls covering this vehicle. A further 1 defect investigation is open and unresolved.

Recalls (4)

COMMUNICATION

19V787000 · November 1, 2019

The defect
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2013-2017 vehicles due to a software fault that may cause the date and time for the emergency call system (eCall) to differ from the actual date and time, potentially relaying an inaccurate vehicle location. For a full list of the affected models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2019/RMISC-19V787-4620.pdf
The risk
An inaccurate vehicle location may delay emergency responders, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy
MBUSA has initiated an Over the Air (OTA) remote update. MBUSA will also notify owners, and dealers will check software for a successful OTA or update the communication module software as needed, free of charge. The recall began December 23, 2019. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2019120008.

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. · up to 24,226 vehicles across all model years covered · fixed by software update

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

15V505000 · August 11, 2015

The defect
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2016 Mercedes Benz E350, E400, E400 4Matic, E63 4M S AMG, E350 4Matic, E63-4M S AMG, 2015 CLS400, CLS400 4Matic, CLS550, CLS63-4M "P" AMG, and CLS550 4Matic vehicles manufactured April 16, 2015, to April 22, 2015. The integral steel cable that secures the rubber seal to the bulkhead might have been damaged due to the supplier rework of the rubber seal. In the event the rubber seal is not properly secured around the engine compartment, it is possible for the rubber seal to temporarily stick to the hood when it is opened and then may fall into the engine bay when the hood is closed.
The risk
If the rubber seal falls into the engine compartment, it may contact parts of the engine or exhaust system, increasing the risk of a fire.
The remedy
MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rubber seal, in the engine compartment, free of charge. The recall began on September 2, 2015. MBUSA's number is 2015080001. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-201-573-5339.

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. · up to 209 vehicles across all model years covered

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

15V137000 · March 10, 2015

The defect
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2015 CLS 400 and CLS 400 4matic, 2012-2015 CLS 550 and CLS 550 4matic, 2012-2013 CLS 63, 2014 CLS 63, and 2014-2015 CLS 63P. The affected vehicles have LED tail lights that may not light on the sides, reducing the rear side visibility of the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
The risk
Reduced rear side marker illumination may prevent other drivers from seeing the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will update the lighting controller software, free of charge. The recall began April 6, 2015. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2015030005.

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. · up to 30,141 vehicles across all model years covered

STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD

15V088000 · February 13, 2015

The defect
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 E350 Sedan, E350 4Matic Sedan, E350 4Matic Station Wagon, E400 Hybrid Sedan, CLS 550 CGI, and CLS550 4Matic, 2013-2014 E550 4Matic Sedan, 2013 E63 Sedan, E63 Station Wagon and CLS63, 2014-2015 CLS63 4Matic, E63 4Matic Sedan, E63 4Matic Sedan "S", and E63 4Matic Station Wagon, 2015 CLS400, 2015 E400 Sedan, E400 4Matic Sedan and CLS400 4Matic and 2014 CLS63 "S". The affected vehicles have a rubber seal at the back of the engine bay that may temporarily stick to the hood when it is opened and then may fall into the engine bay when the hood is closed.
The risk
If the rubber seal falls into the engine compartment, it may contact parts of the exhaust system, increasing the risk of a fire.
The remedy
MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will attach four additional retaining clips to the rubber seal, free of charge. The recall began March 6, 2015. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-201-573-5339. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2015020001.

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. · up to 147,224 vehicles across all model years covered

Defect investigations (1)

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

EA21002

Still open engineering analysis · opened September 17, 2021

the air bags

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 8.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 3 38%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 2 25%
ENGINE 1 13%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 1 13%
POWER TRAIN 1 13%
SEATS 1 13%
SERVICE BRAKES 1 13%
STEERING 1 13%
WHEELS 1 13%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2015 at 3.

2015 2023
2015 to 2023

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

ENGINE

fire

2015 mercedes benz CLS 400 - Engine caught fire while in a parking lot approximately 10 minutes after i parked it and went inside department store. The vehicle had no open recalls

NHTSA complaint 11504181. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
while going on freeway at 70 mph car came up with code service required do not shift see dealer and lost power had to pull off lane onto shoulder luckily was able to, could not get car to shift or go anywhere could not contact their roadside assistance, this is the third time it has done it too me, this last time could have resulted in a crash and possible death

NHTSA complaint 11475315. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES

40,000 miles

A FEW TIMES A MONTH, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON AND THE CAR'S ENGINE AND VOLUME START TO DECREASE. THE TEMPORARY FIX, IS TO RELEASE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE.

NHTSA complaint 11319021. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SEATS

43,500 miles

THE DRIVER'S SEAT WITH NOT MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARDS

NHTSA complaint 11318825. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

WHEELS

36,500 miles

CLS 400 4 MAGIC 2015. REAR TIRES WEARING FROM INSIDE OF TIRE AT 36,000 MILES. LOOKING AT TIRES FROM OUTSIDE AND TOP LOOKS GREAT AS IF TIRES ARE IN GOOD SHAPE. LUCKILY WHILE ON HIGH WAY TIRE BEGAN TO DEFLATE BEFORE COMING APART AT 60 MPH. 😥

NHTSA complaint 11283121. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

9,000 miles

THIS IS THE 2ND TIME MY 2015 CLS400 MERCEDES HAS BEEN RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THIS REOCCURRING PROBLEM OF THE ELECTRONIC COMMAND SYSTEM TOTALLY SHUTTING DOWN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN ON THE STREET AND FRWY.NAVIGATION BLINKS ON & OFF,SIDE VIEW MIRRORS FOLD IN & OUT WHILE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN,RADIO TURNS ON & OFF,ELECTRONIC BRAKING SYSTEM ACTIVATED ITSELF WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FRWY & AROUND TOWN,KEYLESS ENTRY WOULD NOT WORK SO I HAD TO USE THE MANUAL KEY TO GET INTO VEHICLE & REMOVE PUSH START BUTTON TO INSERT THE KEY TO START VEHICLE,WINDOWS WOULD NOT WORK NOR AIR CONDITIONING & IT WAS A HOT DAY.SPEEDOMETER WOULD NOT WORK & GAS METER SHOWED EMPTY EVEN THOUGH VEHICLE

NHTSA complaint 10778277, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other 2015 Mercedes-Benz models

Every Mercedes-Benz on this site — 216 vehicles, 576 recall campaigns and 1 open investigation .

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst