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2014 Mercedes-benz CLA

Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.

Recalls, complaint breakdown & inspection checklist, all in a shareable PDF

193 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 19, 2026 · source: NHTSA

Buywillitcar.com

Why buy?

Engine problems dominate (35% of complaints, typically reported near 30k miles).

Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.

Score breakdown, by factor

Full methodology →

#136 of 375Among the 2014 models with a matured record, the 2014 Mercedes-benz CLA ranks #136, scoring higher than 61% of them. See the 2014 ranking →

Complaint volume74
Severity71
Recall load100
Trend74

Complaints filed per year

Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.

20132026 YTD

How it crashes

NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.

NHTSA crash-tested this model year but didn’t publish an overall star rating for it.

2 open NHTSA defect investigations on file for this model year, separate from the recalls above.

Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.

The road ahead

What breaks on a 2014 Mercedes-benz CLA, plotted where owners report it happening.

030k mi60k mi90k mi120k miEngine~30k mi · 68 reportsTransmission & drivetrain~40k mi · 23 reports

Also reported (mileage varies): Electrical system (47) · Speed control (36) · Electronic Stability Control (esc) (20) · Airbags (14)

Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.

Engine

35%

68 complaints · typically near 30k mi · 7 in the last 2 years

P052e common crankcase ventilator issue mercedez extended warranty for later models for this same consistent issue in all the cars excluding 2014 starting at 2015 vehi…

Read the engine complaints →

Electrical system

24%

47 complaints · 5 in the last 2 years

The shifter randomly stops working so I could have the car in reverse and not be able to put it in drive and be stuck in traffic or vice versa. I can have the car and …

Read the electrical system complaints →

Speed control

19%

36 complaints

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR SLOWED DOWN AND THE STEERING BECAME STIFF. THE PRE SAFE LIGHT CAME ON THE SCREEN ALONG WITH "PARKING BRAKE" "TRACTION…

Read the speed control complaints →

Transmission & drivetrain

12%

23 complaints · typically near 40k mi

While driving the transmission slips into neutral. Must come to a complete stop and turn off the car then turn it on again to shift into gear.

Read the transmission & drivetrain complaints →

Check it against this car’s mileage

Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.

miles

We can place 2 of this model's commonly reported problem areas against a mileage. Nothing is stored.

Read all 193 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 10 crash/fire/injury reports →

Recalls (0)

No recall campaigns on file for this model year.

Questions to ask the seller

Questions worth asking the seller of this Mercedes-benz before you buy, drawn from its public record:

  1. Owners of this model report engine problems more than anything else (owners tend to report it near 30k miles). Has this car shown any engine symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
  2. Owners of this model report electrical system problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any electrical system symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
  3. Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
  4. How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
  5. Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?

Before you hand over money

Check the VIN for open recalls

NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.

Free NHTSA VIN check

Get a pre-purchase inspection

A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2014 Mercedes-benz CLA beats every score on the internet, including ours.

What to ask for

Not set on the 2014? See how every CLA model year scores →

Cross-shopping? Compare the 2014 Mercedes-benz CLA against another car →

What owners say

Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.

See what owners are saying about other cars →

The fine print: this verdict is computed from public NHTSA complaint and recall records for the 2014 Mercedes-benz CLA as a model, not for any individual car. A well-maintained example of an “Avoid” can outlast a neglected “Buy”. Informational only, so always get a professional pre-purchase inspection.