What 193 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Mercedes-benz CLA

Please let me preface this by saying that I am a certified aircraft mechanic and have a good working knowledge of cars. My vehicle had NO prior indications, symptoms or abnormalities! This was completely out of the blue. Absolutely no warning that this was going to happen. The transmission of my 2014 CLA 250 Base model, while operating at 65mph on the interstate, all on its own, went into neutral and now will not engage into Drive. Initially following this incident, as I dogged the other vehicles on the interstate and coasted to the emergency lane, there were the following warning lights: ABS, TRACTION CONTROL, PARKING BRAKE accompanied with the alerts….PRE-SAFE Functions Limited, ABS/TRACTION CONTROL Currently Unavailable See O.M., Parking Brake See O.M. I then took it to the MB dealership and after they attempted transmission adaptation (which was not successful) they showed me the following fault codes: 079200-RPM sensor 1 has a malfunction, 287C00-Adaptation was not completed successfully. The alerts now state….Service Required: Do Not Shift Gears, visit dealer. The dealer wanted to change the transmission. I refused. I have had zero noticeable issues with the transmission with 72,000 miles. I had the transmission fluid replaced at 65,000 miles. I baby the car. I shouldn’t need to explain the dangers of a vehicle, while driving, randomly shifting into neutral, and not being able to be shifted back into Drive. I attempted all possible means of shifting the automatic transmission into drive, including the use of manual gear selection, and none of them worked, even after shutting the vehicle off and restarting multiple times. This is an extremely DANGEROUS malfunction!!

NHTSA ODI 11549049

As I was driving, the car is on D but it slips into N and I cannot shift to any other gear accept P. This happens randomly and happened three times. I noticed the GLA250 also had this issue. I have to turn off my engine and restart my car to get it running again normally.

NHTSA ODI 11521574

When accelerating, the car loses power. My teenager was almost hit by another car as she was trying to enter the highway via an off-ramp. It happens very often. This started occurring at 60k! When stopped with your foot on the brake or even in park, the car goes slams backward and cuts the engine back to a rev. This has been occurring since 37k. Additionally, there is a loud clunking noise when you turn the wheel. This has been occurring since 50k. Power seat on driver’s side loses all power and locks. This has been replaced/repaired three times! Glove box locked and will not unlock even with key. All of these issues are frequently reported via complaint sites, yet no recalls on this very expensive car. It is truly a hazard!! https://www.mercedescla.org/threads/loss-of-power.40274/

NHTSA ODI 11507106

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.

NHTSA ODI 11484977

The sunroof no longer works. Found pieces of plastic in the guide rails as the shoe horn pieces seems to be broken apart and had to force my sunroof to close and now it whistles as I am on the highway. I have seen hundreds of complains about this on the Mercedes Benz message boards

NHTSA ODI 11477587

While driving on the freeway the glass piece between the windshield and sunroof flew off of the car, causing a major safety hazard.

NHTSA ODI 11476570

my son was driving it on highway and noticed smoke and fire from rear driver side. Thankfully he was able to get car on shoulder and the whole car lit up in flame. Firefighters and Police rescued them and there was no indication on what started this fire. Police has filed report as misc that it could be from car fuel line or such, there was no other problems with car and it has been services by Mercedes dealer all along.

NHTSA ODI 11475546

The contact owns a 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA45. The contact stated while entering the vehicle, he noticed that the sunroof slider was damaged. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000.

NHTSA ODI 11473842

I just got the vehicle it’s losing power already, I was driving up a hill as a school bus was behind me, and my car started losing power and rolling back. I have a transmission issue they sold it this way also electrical.

NHTSA ODI 11469754

The vehicle had been previously serviced in 2019 by a Mercedes-Benz dealership. The panel between the windshield and the panoramic sunroof was replaced due to paint issues. While driving down the highway, I heard a constant noise but was unable to locate it when driving above 60 mph, after a few minutes the panel ripped off the car onto traffic behind. Thankfully the car behind me was able to brake and was not struck directly by the panel, but did run it over. This VIN is currently not in recall for this issue, but the car does meet the criteria for recall. Recall date 2021-03-18 Recall no. 21V197000 Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017-2020 C300 Coupe, C43 Coupe AMG, C43 AMG, 2015-2020 C300, GLA250, 2016-2018 C350e, CLA45 Coupe AMG, 2015 C400, S65 AMG, 2015-2019 C63 AMG, 2016 C450, 2015-2016 GLA45 AMG, S600, 2016-2020 GLC300, 2017-2019 GLC43 AMG, GLE43 Coupe AMG, 2014-2019 CLA250 Coupe, 2014-2015 CLA45 AMG, 2018 GLC63 AMG, 2014-2017 S550, 2018-2020 S450, 2016-2019 GLE63 Coupe AMG, 2016 GLE450 Coupe, 2014-2020 S63 AMG, 2018-2019 S560, and 2019 GLC350e vehicles equipped with a panoramic sunroof. The front roof panel located between the windshield and the panoramic sunroof may not have been bonded correctly to the vehicle during a prior repair. Recall consequence The adhesive bonding of the front panel might deteriorate, possibly causing the front panel to detach from the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash. Recall action Mercedes-Benz dealer will remove the bonded panel and will install a new front panel by following the detailed repair instructions and using the approved primer, cleaner and adhesive, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021 and October 26, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.

NHTSA ODI 11459708

The contact owns a 2014 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLA45. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the contact heard a grinding sound coming from underneath the rear of the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over safely but found no issues. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the rear differential to be replaced. The dealer changed the differential fluids but did not replace the rear differential. The contact drove the vehicle home and noticed that the vehicle was leaking fluid. The vehicle was not repaired but was pending repairs. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

NHTSA ODI 11451902

I was driving on the highway and the front panel in between the windshield and the sunroof detached from the car and went flying. Luckily there was no one driving behind me at the time. It was previously repaired in December of 2018. I did some research and saw that my make and model car had a recall issued for this type of incident if you had ever had this part repaired stating that it was done improperly. See: NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 21V197000 RECALL DATE: 2021-03-22 For some reason, my VIN is not included in the recall. I'm not sure why not since this exact incident happened to me. I contacted Mercedes-Benz USA and they are not helping and would not tell me why my car is not included in the recall.

NHTSA ODI 11441353

Front panel deteriorate, delamination of surface over the entirety of the piece.

NHTSA ODI 11438479

catalytic converter Got clogged up and car would loose power and not get enough air into engine and catalytic converter right next to the turbo under the heat shield would turn glowing red causing turbo to leak it’s fluids

NHTSA ODI 11431296

Without warning , the vehicle started to shake uncontrollably and was unable to reach a certain speed without the tremors. Very unsafe to drive

NHTSA ODI 11428288

Was driving on a road with 3 lanes .I was in the right lane was switching to middle when my stering and brakes just locked up I was not able to control the car I ended up all the way in the left lane crashed into a car and ended up on the divider

NHTSA ODI 11427684

The contact owns a 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA250. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 21V197000 (Structure) however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was not contacted. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed the adhesion had deteriorated and separated from the front panel. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, the contact was informed that remedy was not yet available. The failure mileage was approximate 94,800. Vin tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11425675

My sister was driving across town and came across some uneven payment near a construction zone. She hit a small-medium sized pothole and it somehow triggered both the front and rear passenger airbags to deploy. There was no damage significant impact when it happened and no damage to the exterior of the car (tire, wheel, fender). It happened today (Saturday) so it was taken to a local independent repair facility. Will know more Monday. Parts available for inspection upon request, of course.

NHTSA ODI 11420687

WHILE DRIVING THE OTHER DAY I OPENED THE SUNROOF WHEN IT SUDDENLY MADE A STRANGE SOUND AND STOPPED. WHEN I TRIED TO CLOSE IT I NOTICED THAT THE LEFT SIDE WAS RAISED BUT THE RIGHT SIDE WAS DOWN. IT MADE A WHIRRING SOUND AND MOVED A LITTLE BUT REFUSED TO CLOSE. WHEN I GOT HOME AND LOOKED AT IT IT LOOKS LIKE THE WINDSCREEN HAS COME LOOSE AND LOOKS LIKE IT WAS PUSHED FORWARD AND BROKEN BY THE LINKAGE THAT MAKES THE ROOF GO UP. IT LOOKS LIKE THE LINKAGE IS BENDING FORWARD WHEN I SUSPECT IT SHOULD BEND BACKWARDS. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2016. SOMETIMES IT OPENED AND WHILE DRIVING I'M AFRAID IT MIGHT BLOW OUT INTO THE HIGH WAY. CAUSING AN ACCIDENT

NHTSA ODI 11414751

WHEN I BOUGHT MY 2ND CLA, I HAVE NOTICED WHENEVER I AM DRIVING & TURN ON THE DRIVER'S HEATED SEAT, THAT IT ALWAYS BURN MY LEFT LEG, SO I WOULD ALWAYS TURN IT OFF. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR QUITE SOME TIME. FAST FORWARD TO LAST NIGHT (2/20/21), I TURNED ON MY HEATED SEATS & I SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING THEN IT FELT LIKE MY LEG WAS ON FIRE. THIS TIME THE PAIN FROM THE BURNING WAS WORSE THAN THE OTHER TIMES. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE HEATED SEAT OFF. I COULD NOT TELL IF THE SEAT WAS GIVING OFF SMOKE BECAUSE IT WAS DARK. I NOTICED THE NEXT DAY THAT THERE WERE A HOLE IN THAT AREA ON MY DRIVERS SEAT WHERE THE PROBLEM OCCURRED. AFTER SEEING THE HOLE IN MY SEAT, I THANK GOD I TURNED THE HEATED SEAT OFF BECAUSE HAD I MOVED MY LEG FROM THAT BURNING AREA ON MY SEAT, IGNORED IT & KEPT DRIVING, I BELIEVE THE SEAT WOULD HAVE CREATED A FIRE! THIS MOST DEFINITELY SCREAMS A FIRE HAZARD, UNSAFE & SHOULD BE DEEMED AS A RECALL ON ALL MERCEDES.

NHTSA ODI 11397184

I JUST REPLACED THE VALVE BODY IN MY VEHICLE AND THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE I WAS A MERCEDES-BENZ TECHNICIAN AND SOME FRIENDS ADVISE ME TO DO THIS BUT THEN I GOT THE CODE THAT SAID THAT THE Y3/14 WHICH IS LISTED IN THE 2016 MODELS. THIS WAS THE SAME PROBLEM I WAS HAVING AS DESCRIBED IN THE CAMPAIGN. I HAVE UPLOADED A PHOTO WHICH SHOWS THE SAME WHITE 3/14 FROM THE SCANNER. MILEAGE 49K EURO MOTORCAR WOULD NOT WARRANTY TRANS. PLEASE ADVISE [XXX] MERCEDES-BENZ USA, LLC 303 PERIMETER CENTER NORTH, SUITE 202 ATLANTA, GA, 30346 PHONE: (770) 705-0600 FAX: (770) 705-0117 MBUSA.COM TO: MERCEDES-BENZ DEALER PRINCIPALS, GENERAL MANAGERS, SALES MANAGERS, SERVICE MANAGERS, PARTS MANAGERS FROM: [XXX], DEPARTMENT MANAGER, VEHICLE COMPLIANCE AND ANALYSIS, ENGINEERING SERVICES RE: RECALL CAMPAIGN 2016060005 MODEL 117 (CLA), MODEL YEAR 2016 REPLACE DUAL CLUTCH DATE: JUNE 20, 2016 IMPORTANT RECALL LAUNCH INFORMATION THIS RECALL CAMPAIGN IS BEING LAUNCHED TODAY AND THE 1 AFFECTED VEHICLE IS FLAGGED IN VMI. GIVEN THIS NOTICE, IT IS A VIOLATION OF FEDERAL LAW FOR A DEALER TO SELL OR LEASE ANY OF THESE NEW MODEL YEAR 2016 GLE COUPE VEHICLES COVERED BY THIS NOTIFICATION IN DEALER INVENTORY UNTIL THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED. PARTS: PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. WHAT SHOULD CUSTOMERS DO: CUSTOMERS MAY CONTINUE TO DRIVE THEIR VEHICLES UNTIL THE RECALL IS COMPLETED. WHAT'S THE ISSUE: DAIMLER AG HAS DETERMINED THAT ON CERTAIN CLA-CLASS AMG VEHICLES (117 PLATFORM), A POTENTIALLY DEFECTIVE WELD BETWEEN THE CLUTCH DISK AND HUB MAY DEVELOP A CRACK. IF THE ENTIRE WELD CRACKS THROUGH NO TRACTION WOULD RESULT AT THIS CLUTCH. THE GEARBOX COULD THEN EITHER SHIFT INTO 'NEUTRAL' OR GO INTO A PARTIAL GEARBOX LIMP HOME MODE. IN THE EVENT OF A SHIFT INTO 'NEUTRAL' THERE WOULD BE NO TORQUE FROM THE POWERTRAIN AND THE VEHICLE WOULD COAST TO A STOP. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI 11397205

WHEN ACCELERATING HARD TO OVERTAKE, THE ENGINE LURCHES, AND THE CAR FAILS TO ACCELERATE FURTHER AND SLOWS DOWN. THE ENGINE FAULT LIGHT THEN ILLUMINATES WHICH SWITCHED OFF BY ITSELF AFTER SWITCHING THE ENGINE OFF TWICE. IT SEEMS I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE COMMENTS TO THIS VIDEO DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM AND CLAIMING THE PROBLEM IS A FAULTY HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP: HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/-SBR28ZBOFS THIS SEEMINGLY COMMON ISSUE IS CLEARLY DANGEROUS AS DRIVERS LOSE THE POWER WHEN THEY ARE MOST DEPENDING ON IT AND IT SEEMS TO BE OCCURRING IN CARS THAT ARE NOT PARTICULARLY OLD.

NHTSA ODI 11395667

RIGHT AIR BAG MALFUNCTION ERROR AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FOR CRANK CASE. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM THAT MERCEDES EXPLAINED TO ME AND ALSO TOLD ME TO CHECK BACK FOR RECALLS BECAUSE THEIR VNI SYSTEM WILL PROBABLY SHOW ONE

NHTSA ODI 11384911

WHILE DRIVING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY, A CAR PULLED NEAR MY CAR. AT THAT TIME, THE CAR WAS STATIONARY. MY WIFE HEARD THE PRE-COLLISION WARNING. THE THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUTOFF OR STALLED. TURNED OFF THE CAR COMPLETELY BY TURNING THE KEY. THEN TURNED THE CAR BACK ON. LUCKY THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI 11384767

MY SON HAD TO BE CUT OUT OF THE SEAT BACK BECAUSE IT WAS TOO TIGHT AND WRAPPED AROUND HIM. THE SEATBELT STRAP WAS LOCKED AND WOULD NOT EXTEND OUT AT ALL TO LOOSEN FOR EXTRA LENGTH ON THE STRAP. THE SEATBELT STRAP WAS SO TIGHT MY SONS STOMACH WAS WAS CINCHED TO THE POINT WHERE HE COULDN'T BREATH. I'M NOT SURE WHY THE SUSPENSION ON THE STRAP WAS LOCKED EVERY OTHER SEATBELT HAD EXTENDED STRAP. THIS WAS A SCARY EXPERIENCE AND COULD HAVE SEVERELY HURT MY SON. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR THE PRICE I PAID FOR THIS VEHICLE AND NOT TO MENTION MY CHILD'S SAFETY. I DIDN'T TAKE ANY PICTURES OF THE STRAP AROUND MY SONS STOMACH BECAUSE HE WAS IN PAIN AND WAS FRANTICALLY TRYING TO GET IT LOOSE AND CUT. I HAVE PICTURES OF WHERE I HAD TO CUT THE SEATBELT. I ALSO HAVE A DEFECT WITH MY ELECTRICAL WHICH I CAUSING MY BATTERY TO DIE. THE CAR WILL STAY ON COMPLETELY WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION OR STARTED. I HAVE VIDEO OF THAT AS WELL. THIS IS COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS FOR A LUXURY VEHICLE. MY MAIN CONCERN IS THE SAFETY OF MY PASSENGERS ANDY SON SIMPLY UNBUCKLING A SEATBELT AND GETTING STRAPPED IN BECAUSE THE SUSPENSION OF THE STRAP WOULD NOT LOOSEN AND WAS LOCKED IS UNACCEPTABLE. I TRIED EVERYTHING TO PUTTING THE CAR IN DRIVE PRESSING THE BRAKE TO SEE IT THE STRAP WOULD UNLOCK AND NOTHING WORKED. MY SON WAS IN PAIN BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECT O HAD TO CUT THE SEAT BELT STRAP OFF FRANTICALLY. THIS IS NOT OKAY!

NHTSA ODI 11377974