2003 Mercedes Benz Clk320 problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Electrical System (3) · Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel (2) · Air Bags:frontal (2)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Mercedes Benz Clk320 model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
Safety recalls (3)
Visibility:sun/Moon Roof Assembly 2024-11-19 · campaign 24V874000 · 33,456 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2001-2011 C-Class, CLK, E-Class, and CLS vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models and model years. The glass sunroof panel may not be properly secured and can detach.
Risk: A detached sunroof panel can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sunroof panel as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 10, 2025. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. This recall is an expansion of previous NHTSA recall number 22V-954. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2024120001/2/3.
Visibility:sun/Moon Roof Assembly 2022-12-23 · campaign 22V954000 · 131,653 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2001-2011 C-Class, CLK, E-Class, and CLS vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. The glass sunroof panel may not be properly secured and may detach.
Risk: A detached sunroof panel may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sunroof panel as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 3, 2023. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. This recall expands NHTSA recall number 19V-918. MBUSA's numbers for this recall are 2023010004, 2023010005, and 2023010006.
Visibility:sun/Moon Roof Assembly 2019-12-20 · campaign 19V918000 · 747,928 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2001-2011 vehicles. The bonding between the glass panel and the sliding roof frame may deteriorate, possibly resulting in the glass panel detaching from the vehicle. For a full list of the affected models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2019/RMISC-19V918-4126.pdf
Risk: A detached glass panel can separate from the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the glass panel bonding and replace the sliding roof, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 10, 2020. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2020040011.
Service bulletins (45)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Service Brakes 2026-09-22 · LI42.10-P-078779 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
complaint repeat workshop visit for vehicle vibration while braking from 60mph. note: although the symptom is similar to a tire or wheel vibration, it is usually readily noticeable that it is distinctly different if it happens at all times or only while braking. cause although the cause of the vibra
Structure:body 2026-09-14 · LI82.62-P-078631 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
complaint clanking noise from the area of the speakers in the doors. cause under analysis. remedy to narrow down the cause, first of all remove the door trim. • if the noise continues to occur even with the door trim removed, then continue the diagnosis working towards the speaker and if necessary,
Structure:body 2026-08-06 · LI82.62-P-078631 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
complaint clanking noise from the area of the speakers in the doors. cause under analysis. remedy to narrow down the cause, first of all remove the door trim. • if the noise continues to occur even with the door trim removed, then continue the diagnosis working towards the speaker and if necessary,
Power Train 2026-07-14 · LI35.30-P-058566 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end). the noise is heard once in each instance when changing direction of travel. note: sound file in attachment cause if the complaint is eliminated by experimentally loosening the outboard collar n
Visibility/Wiper 2026-05-19 · LI82.30-P-059239 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
complaint there are several types of complaint about noises or poor windshield wiper wiping performance: a: wiper blades squeaking, chattering, shuddering b: the windshield is not wiped completely (streaking) c: during the downward movement water is pulled back onto the windshield from the a-pillar
Exterior Lighting 2026-04-16 · LI82.10-P-078301 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
complaint headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged. cause fogging of the headlamps is a natural phenomenon, which can occur under certain climatic conditions. it does not lead to any technical impairment of the headlamp. if a pressure compensation diaphragm is fitted in the housing cover, then the l
Showing the 6 most recent of 45 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2021-07-15 · Visibility:glass, Side/Rear:critical Fasteners“2003 mercedes benz clk. consumer writes in regards to sunroof glass bonding safety recall. *ld the consumer stated the sunroof was rusted. the consumer was advised that the rust was leading to structural instability of the entire vehicle. the consumer stated the vehicle's was serial number was not included in recall 19v918.…”
2020-04-29 · Visibility/Wiper“tl* the contact owns a 2003 mercedes benz clk320. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 19v918000 (visibility) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. neither the manufacturer nor the dealer were made aware…”
2017-06-26 · Structure:body · 143,000 mi · 🔥 fire“my 2003 mercedes benz clk 320 that i have owned for less than 1 year caught on fire on june 9, 2017. the engine is melted and destroyed luckily no one was injured despite it happened around a busy area. i am completely in shock still, not knowing what actually happened until i came across a website stating that other mercedes benz models have ha…”
2017-03-18 · Seat Belts · 113,331 mi“on mar. 18, 2017 i was in a parking lot preparing to leave. when i started the car the mechanism that brings the seat belt forward so i can grab it began to move back and forward erratically. when it stopped the seatbelt failed to come all the way out. i turned the car off and started it again and the mechanism came out like it should but the seatb…”
2016-01-20 · Air Bags · 133,000 mi · 💥 crash“tl* the contact owns a 2003 mercedes-benz clk320. while driving 30 mph, the contact rear ended another vehicle. the air bags did not deploy. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. there were no injuries and a police report was not filed. the manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 133,000. …”
2014-07-22 · Electrical System · 116,000 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2003 mercedes benz clk320. the contact stated that while driving at 60 mph, the vehicle decelerated while the accelerator pedal was applied. the contact applied force to the accelerator pedal and the vehicle resumed to normal. additionally, there were fumes that omitted into the vehicle from the rear end of the vehicle. t…”
2010-09-14 · Structure · 45,000 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2003 mercedes-benz clk320 convertible. the contact stated that he drove over three road bumps and the rollover bar in the rear head restraint deployed independently each time. he was able to move the rollover bar back into place the first two times. the third time, he had an issue putting the rollover bar back down. the vehic…”
2010-06-28 · Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel · 77,000 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2003 mercedes benz clk 320. while driving at unknown speeds, the instrument panel lights failed. the dealer advised the entire instrument panel would need to be replaced at the contact's expense. there were no recalls for the failure. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 77,000 and the current mileage w…”
2010-04-29 · Air Bags:side/Window · 43,132 mi · 💥 crash“2003 mercedes (convertible) 350 clk traveling approx 35 mph on 2-lane road veered right and struck a parked car, causing approximately $20,000 damage to the right front of the mercedes (total loss). none of the airbags deployed, although the rear seat roll bars did deploy. driver hit her head on the steering wheel, suffering concussion. appa…”
2009-01-13 · Air Bags:frontal · 38,500 mi · 💥 crash“oncoming car slid sideways into the front of my car on a county highway. the airbag did not deploy even though damage was extensive (car was total loss), and injuries to the driver were sustained. seatbelt was on but injuries resulted from crash. a complaint was filed with mercedes benz, even sent a picture of the damage, but i have not heard ba…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.