What 44 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Mercedes-benz CLA

The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz CLA250. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. Additionally, the steering wheel made a clicking sound while turning, and the mileage button on the steering wheel was inoperable. An independent mechanic was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the failure could be related to a faulty clockspring; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but stated that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

NHTSA ODI 11542118

The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz CLA250. The contact stated that coolant was leaking from the engine with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the mechanic replaced the coolant reservoir cap. Several months later, the warning light re-appeared, and the contact topped off the coolant level and the warning light disappeared. Recently, the check engine warning light illuminated and took the vehicle back to the independent mechanic. The vehicle was diagnosed with a defective fuel injector and the contact was referred to the manufacturer for assistance. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not under recall and was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.

NHTSA ODI 11531259

2018 CLA250 30k miles, leaving the airport the car suddenly felt as if it lost power and slowed un-commanded. It then began to operate normally for the 50+ mph drive home. Upon reaching my neighborhood, the car began to make a clunking, popping sound when under load less than 30 mph. The days after the vehicle continued to experience the same issues every time it was driven. I took the car to a local trusted mechanic and he said it’s the rear differential and most likely failed pre-maturely and it’s not work he can do. He said a rear differential failing with 30k miles would be extremely rare and recommend I reach out to the manufacturer to have it replaced and to keep him updated as to how Mercedes handles this. After taking it to Mercedes of Bellevue the service adviser said this is common on CLAs and GLAs since 2014. Even to the point saying he has a GLA and hasn’t had the issue yet luckily. After speaking to the service manager at Mercedes of Bellevue and asking him directly if he has ever heard of a rear differential failing with less than 30,000 miles on the car he said “no”. After bringing my car in the service advisor said “yes, he has have seen a lot fail to the point i worry about it” as he has the same rear differential in his car. My car is 10 months out of time warranty but 20,000 miles under the mileage warranty. Looking online on the CLA250 owners forum this does seem to be a common issue on CLAs, GLAs and other models that use this rear differential.

NHTSA ODI 11525538

My car randomly caught on fire, it was parked in my apartment garage for a week while I was out of town. I came back to use my car and my car remote wasn’t unlocking the car so i unlocked it manually. When I opened the car it wreaked of smoke, the windows were covered in soot, the visors were bubbled up, the passenger seat had a chunk missing. It was investigated by a car shop for My insurance and the car shop Said they felt like the fire started from the wires under the passenger seat. Of course it was deemed a total loss and now I’m out of car. I hadn’t even had the car a year.

NHTSA ODI 11521136

SOS e call not activated and I’ve called Mercedes numerous times. They can’t get the car to respond they say it’s a communication error on their end however the dealership wants to charge me $300+ to update the software when it’s their issue. Also 2 months before I purchased this car I noticed not only was this one of the recall issues that the dealership supposedly fixed. But from the beginning this vehicle has had nothing but issues. I shouldn’t have to pay out of my pocket for the manufacturer. I had received a complementary 3 months of the mbrace that I didn’t even get to fully use before the sos stopped working

NHTSA ODI 11504315

Back up camera stop working. Putting gear on reverse does not prompt the camera screen. Called Dealer if there is a recall. No recall for this issue and not covered. Read online article that 2018 CLA 250 are effected by this software error(issue). Want to get it fixed because this is a safety issue.

NHTSA ODI 11475317

Regarding 2018 CLA 45 AMG: On 9-21-21, while I was driving approximately 45 MPH on a 4 lane road, suddenly the car completely shut down. A message simultaneously popped up that the car was disabled and instructed me to look up in manual. Immediately I turned right into the first driveway where the car came to a stop. I was able to restart car and drive home. At that point, the car's total mileage was 17,189. 10-7-21: Deeming the car unsafe to drive, I had the car towed to Mercedes-Benz of Raleigh for a pre-arranged appointment on 10-8-21with service advisor Christopher Moore. After the tech ran numerous tests, he found the ME control unit was faulty and replaced it at no charge. Since I drove it back home, I haven't driven it since.

NHTSA ODI 11436430

The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLA45. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V058000 (Communication, Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The dealer was notified of the issue however, the contact was informed that the part was not yet available. The manufacturer was notified of the recall. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI 11433044

The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz CLA250. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, there was a ticking sound coming from the steering wheel. Additionally, there was a knocking sound coming from the front end of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the control arms were faulty and needed to be replaced. The control arms were replaced but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 27,000.

NHTSA ODI 11431596

Manufacturer has not fixed the outstanding software safety recall in a timely fashion. I have contacted them over 10 times and no one has any idea when the software update will be sent and there is no one they can escalate the issue to. I use the car for work, but I am not allowed to use a car with an outstanding safety recall.

NHTSA ODI 11427487

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 MERCEDES-BENZ CLA250. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 21V058000 (COMMUNICATION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT CALLED MERCEDES-BENZ OF ATLANTA NORTHEAST (1705 BOGGS RD NW, DULUTH, GA 30096, (770) 279-3600) WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ODI 11415295

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 MERCEDES-BENZ CLA250. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE TIRES SLOWLY STARTED TO LOSE AIR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RIMS WERE CRACKED. THE CONTACT STATED THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF GREENWICH (261 WEST PUTNAM AVENUE, GREENWICH, CT 06830) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH THE RIMS AND TIRES NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE RIMS AND TIRES HOWEVER, THE FAILURE STILL RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE LOCAL DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 10,000.

NHTSA ODI 11403589

WE WERE ADVISED MERCEDES-BENZ IS ISSUING A RECALL DUE TO MOLD EXISTING IN THE FACTORY HVAC SYSTEM FROM A LAW FIRM MAILER. WHEN CONTACTING MERCEDES-BENZ, THEY STATED THEY ARE OF THE PROBLEM AND TOLD US A RECALL WOULD BE TAKING PLACE AROUND JANUARY 2021. WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE NEW IN OCTOBER 2018 AND INGEST POSSIBLE MOLD SPORES DAILY WHILE ENDURING A HORRIBLE MUSTY SMELL. WE ATTEMPTED TO TRADE IN OUR VEHICLE FOR A NEWER MODEL AND WERE INSULTED WITH THE SALES MANAGER'S RESULTS AT ZT MOTORS, FORT WALTON BEACH, FL. SO, NOW WE ARE STUCK WITH A $70,000 VEHICLE, PAYING MONTHLY PAYMENTS, AND NOT BEING INFORMED DIRECTLY BY MERCEDES WHEN THIS CORRECTION WILL TAKE PLACE. I HAVE AN AUTOIMMUNE DISORDER AND BEING AROUND MOLD IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FOR ME. VERY DISGUSTED BY MERCEDES-BENZ AND WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER AS THEY DO NOT TAKE CARE OF THEIR LOYAL CUSTOMERS.

NHTSA ODI 11377556

NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V130 REPEATED WARNING MESSAGES THAT PASSENGERS SIDE SEAT IS NOT LOCKED IN PLACE IN ADDITION TO BACK REAR SEATS MOST RECENTLY AUGUST 17, 2020. SEATS FAILS TO LOCK AFTER BEGIN USED (MOVED FORWARD TO ACCESS BACK SEAT) AND MUST BE REPEATEDLY SLAMMED INTO PLACE BEFORE THE WARNING MESSAGE DISAPPEARS. HAS CONTINUALLY HAPPENED SINCE WE LEASED THE CAR IN AUGUST OF 2018 AND HAS BEEN "CHECKED" BY MERCEDES ON 4 OCCASIONS WHERE THEY FAIL TO RECREATE THE ISSUE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN IN ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS (1/28/19, 1/22/19, 4/29/19, 11/7/19) STATING THE ISSUE AND MERCEDES SERVICE DENIES THERE IS AN ISSUE. THEN IN APRIL OF 2018 SEVERAL 2018 E 400 VEHICLES WERE RECALLED FOR THE SAME SEAT LOCKING WARNING. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO MERCEDES AND THEY SAID THEY WERE UNAWARE OF ANY RECALL. WE HAVE TAKEN PHOTOS OF THE WARNING LIGHTS ON MANY OCCASIONS YET MERCEDES FAILS TO ADDRESS THE SAFETY ISSUE. CONSUMER REPORTS MARCH 2019 MERCEDES-BENZ RECALLS CARS BECAUSE SEATS DON'T LOCK INTO PLACE THE AUTOMAKER SAYS THE SEATS COULD FOLD OVER IN A CRASH, RAISING THE RISK OF INJURIES

NHTSA ODI 11349953

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2018 MERCEDES-BENZ CLA250C. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY A SPEEDING VEHICLE. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE THEN CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUFFERED HEADACHES, HIP PAIN, WHIPLASH, AND VISION ISSUES. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS RECEIVED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND DEEMED TOTALED BY THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,460.

NHTSA ODI 11179894

ACCELERATING OUT OF A LEFT TURN, THE CAR HESITATED MOMENTARILY THEN THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN IN TRAFFIC. THE DASH INDICATED THAT THE CAR HAD BECOME INOPERATIVE, POSSIBLY DUE TO THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM (ESP) ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11149454

I WAS DRIVING ON THE ACCESS ROAD GETTING READY TO MERGE ONTO THE HIGHWAY. I PROCEEDED ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND MADE IT INTO THE MIDDLE LANE GOING AROUND 60 MPH BUT SHORTLY AFTER MY CAR THREW ITSELF INTO NEUTRAL AND THE DASH LIT UP WITH THREE LINES OF WORDS: THE FIRST LINE SAID 'SERVICE REQUIRED', THE SECOND LINE SAID 'DO NOT SHIFT GEARS' AND THE LAST LINE SAID 'CONTACT DEALER'. I WAS ABLE TO PULL MY CAR OVER TO THE FAR LEFT HAND SIDE OF TRAFFIC. I TURNED OFF MY CAR AND TURNED IT BACK ON AND IT STARTED WITH NO ISSUES. SINCE THIS INCIDENT THOUGH, I HAVE HAD OTHER ELECTRICAL ISSUES THAT HAVE FOLLOWED.

NHTSA ODI 11143405

2018 MERCEDES BENZ CLA 250. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ISSUES WITH VEHICLE STARTING AND SHUTTING DOWN WHILE DRIVING. *LD *JS

NHTSA ODI 11099669

AS I ACCELERATED OUT OF A LEFT TURN, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL, AND THE DASH INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS 'INOPERABLE'. I PULLED OVER AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO RESTART, THE VEHICLE STARTED WITH NO ISSUES.

NHTSA ODI 11029885