NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
THE SUNROOF SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED WITH A LARGE NOISE RAINING GLASS DOWN ON US. THERE WERE NO CARS AROUND, NO OBJECTS HIT THE SUNROOF. WE WERE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS ISSUE IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT WAS STARTLING LIKE AN EXPLOSION AND COULD HAVE CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL. THE CAR HAD VERY LOW MILEAGE WAS PRACTICALLY BRAND NEW IN PERFECT CONDITION.
TAKATA RECALL. CONTACTED MERCEDES BENZ GREENWAY SPOKE WITH SERVICE DEPARTMENT EXPLAINED THAT I CHECKED UPON MAIL NOTIFICATION OF A RECALL ON MY VEHICLE. SPOKE WITH RECEPTIONIST WHO TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL (TAMMY OR CHRYSTAL). CALLED BACK AND LUIS TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A RECALL BUT NO SOLUTION. WHAT DO I DO? CONTINUE DRIVING AT RISK WITH MY CHILD IN THE CAR!!!!???
HELLO, I AM WRITING TO FILE A COMPLAINT THAT I WAS NOT CONTACTED OR INFORMED BY MERCEDES BENZ OR MY DEALER IN BOSTON (MERCEDES BENZ OF BOSTON, HERB CHAMBERS) THAT MY VEHICLE (VIN) WAS AFFECTED BY THE RECENT RECALL REGARDING THE ISSUE WITH THE ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE INADVERTENTLY SETTING OFF THE AIRBAG. I HAD TO FIND THIS OUT THROUGH THE NHTSA WEBSITE AND UNTIL NOW I HAVE BEEN DRIVING AROUND UNAWARE OF THIS SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND RISK. MY AIRBAG WAS NOT DEPLOYED OR I DID NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE AFFECT ME YET BUT NOW I'M HESITANT AND AFRAID TO DRIVE WITHOUT HAVING THIS ISSUE FIXED. IT ALSO SCARES ME THAT I HAVE BEEN DRIVING UNAWARE OF THIS ISSUE BECAUSE NEITHER MERCEDES BENZ OR THE DEALER CONTACTED ME IN A TIMELY MANNER AND IT MAKES ME WONDER WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THIS ISSUE STRUCK ME WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE LAST FEW WEEKS.
CAR CANNOT BE DRIVEN WHEN GAS GAGE SHOWS A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN TANK. THE RANGE ON THE CAR SHOWED ALMOST 90 MILES TO EMPTY ON HIGHWAY DRIVING AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE ENGINE STARTED TO LOSE POWER AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, PULLED TO THE SIDE OF ROAD LIMPING ALONG AT 20 MILES PER HOUR WITH GAS PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND THEN ENGINE SHUT DOWN BY ITSELF AFTER 2 MILES. AFTER ENGINE SHUT DOWN ALL LIGHTS ON THE DASH BOARD LIT UP AND NEEDED TO TURN OFF CAR. RESTARTED THE CAR AND THE CAR WOULD NOT DRIVE IN REVERSE, MANUAL PADDLE SHIFTER WOULD NOT WORK AT ALL, AND DRIVING A FEW YARDS WAS IMPOSSIBLE. CAR SHUT DOWN A FEW TIMES AND THEN LOW GAS LIGHT CAME ON (TWO MILES BEFORE THAT THE RANGE ON THE DASH BOARD WAS SHOWING ALMOST 90 MILES TO DRIVE UNTIL EMPTY) AFTER THIS HAPPENED, I GOT TOWED AND PUT SOME PREMIUM GAS. STARTED THE CAR (AFTER ABOUT ONE HOUR OF THE FIRST INCIDENT), THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ON AND STARTED DRIVING AT SLOW SPEED TO MAKE IT HOME. AFTER A FEW HOURS/OVERNIGHT STARTED THE CAR NORMAL IN THE MORNING (NO SIGN OF LOSING POWER) AND ENGINE LIGHT TURN OFF. NEED TO MENTION THAT CAR HAD FUEL TANK AND OTHER EMISSION COMPONENTS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY THREE MONTHS AGO FOR A SIMILAR BUT NOT IDENTICAL ISSUE. PROBLEM APPEARED TO HAPPEN WHEN TANK IS EITHER ALMOST FULL OR ALMOST EMPTY AND DRIVING LONG DISTANCE ON THE HIGHWAY.
CAR CANNOT BE FILLED WITH GAS MORE THAN 7/8 OF THE TANK. WHEN FILLED FULL, THE ENGINE SPUTTERS AND CAR START TO STALL/SHAKE VIOLENTLY, ENGINE LOSES POWER AND ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THEN ENGINE SHUTS DOWN BY ITSELF. AFTER ENGINE SHUTS DOWN ALL LIGHTS ON THE DASH BOARD LIT UP AND NEED TO TURN OFF CAR. THIS HAPPENS ON BOTH CITY ROAD AND HIGHWAY DRIVING SOON AFTER FILLING THE TANK. ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT ON THE HIGHWAY AS I COULD PULL FAST ENOUGH ONTO THE SHOULDER AND GET OUT OF THE WAY FROM OTHER CARS BEHIND ME ON THE HIGHWAY DRIVING AT 60 MILES/HOUR. AFTER THIS HAPPENS, I HAD THREE OPTIONS. GET A TOW TRACK AND PULL THE CAR OF THE STREETS, DRIVE THE CAR ON THE HIGHWAY AT SPEEDS NO MORE THAN 25-35 MILES/HOUR USING THE MANUAL PADDLE SHIFTERS, OR WAIT AT LEAST ONE HOUR ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AFTER THIS HAPPENS AND THEN DRIVE THE CAR WITH THE ENGINE LIGHT ON. THIS HAPPENED TWICE AND SINCE THAN I AM NOT PUTTING GAS MORE THAN 7/8 OF THE TANK.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 MERCEDES-BENZ CLA250. WHILE DRIVING AT SLOW SPEEDS, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE UNDERCARRIAGE WAS DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE FACE AND RIGHT ARM, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,583.
IF SOMETHING IN THE ROADWAY HITS THE OIL PAN IT WILL CRACK AND CAUSING THE ENGINE TO LOCK UP WITHOUT NOTICE. IT SEEMS THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING PROTECTING THE OIL PAN PREVENTING THIS FROM HAPPENING AND MORE TIME NOTIFYING OF LOW OIL SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO MOVE OFF THE ROAD WAY AND SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN. I ALSO QUESTION THE STRENGTH OF THE MATERIAL OR DESIGN OF THE OIL PAN.
TL* THE CONTACT RENTED A 2016 MERCEDES-BENZ CLA250. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND FAILED TO OPERATE AS INTENDED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE AUTONOMOUS BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED TO OPERATE AS INTENDED. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE RENTAL AGENCY WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN.
"TAKATA RECALL" WHAT PURPOSE DOES THIS RECALL SERVE IF THE MANUFACTURER STILL DOES NOT HAVE A "REMEDY" AVAILABLE? I HAVE 3 BENZ'S, ALL AFFECTED BY THIS RECALL AND FOR OVER 1 YEAR THE DEALER CANNOT REPAIR DUE TO "NO REMEDY YET AVAIL". SO IN THE MEANTIME, WE SHOULD DRIVE AND PRAY THAT SOMETHING TRAGIC DOES NOT OCCUR?
WE PURCHASED A BRAND NEW MERCEDES BENZ 2016 5 MONTHS AGO. I AM DRIVING ABOUT 28 MILES FROM MY STARTING POINT AND COME TO FIND TWO OF MY FRONT TIRES WITH AIR BUBBLES. COME TO FIND OUT 1 OF MY TIRES EVENTUALLY POPPED AND THE OTHER STILL HAD AN AIR BUBBLE. TOOK IT TO BENZ DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD NOTHING CAN BE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. PRETTY MUCH THEY ARE SELLING DEFECTIVE TIRES AND NOT OFFERING ANY SORT OF REPLACEMENT OR PRORATED COVERAGE. I DROVE FROM QUEENS, NY TO NEW JERSEY. PARKED THE CAR FOR 4 HOURS AND SAW ONE OF THE TIRES GO FLAT AFTER IT HAD A BUBBLE. WHAT WAS WORSE IS THAT I COULD HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN A CRASH/ACCIDENT WITH THESE DEFECTIVE TIRES.
*** I DON'T OWN THIS CAR. *** MERCEDES SENT THE REMOTE ACCESS CREDENTIALS TO AN UNVERIFIED EMAIL ACCOUNT. THE REMOTE ACCESS APP SHOWS VEHICLE LOCATION, ALLOWING UNLOCK AND VEHICLE START WHICH COULD ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO BE EASILY STOLEN. ALSO I FEAR THAT BY NOT SECURELY SENDING REMOTE ACCESS CREDENTIALS THE REMOTE START FEATURE OF THE APP COULD BE USED TO START THE VEHICLE WHEN IT IS PARKED IN AN ATTACHED GARAGE WHICH COULD INUNDATE THE HOUSE WITH CARBON MONOXIDE. MERCEDES NEEDS TO VERIFY OWNER EMAIL PRIOR TO SENDING VEHICLE ACCESS CREDENTIALS. ADDITIONALLY STEPS SHOULD BE TAKEN TO ENSURE THAT REMOTE START FEATURES CANNOT CAUSE HARM TO OWNERS IN CASE ONLINE ACCOUNTS ARE HACKED SUCH AS THE RECENT YAHOO EMAIL FIASCO: * LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF TIME A VEHICLE CAN BE LEFT RUNNING. * LIMIT THE NUMBER OF TIMES A VEHICLE CAN BE REMOTE STARTED IN A ROW. * ADD A CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR TO THE VEHICLE SO IT WILL SHUT ITSELF DOWN IF RUNNING IN AN ENCLOSED SPACE. * REQUIRE 2 FACTOR AUTHENTICATION WHEN LOGGING INTO REMOTE APPS, PERHAPS ONLY THE FIRST TIME?
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026