Reliability report
Mercedes-Benz CLK reliability and common faults
Based on 33,653 roadworthiness tests, led by the UK MOT. Each country is compared only with its own average for cars of the same age.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom · MOT
31.2%
fail rate · average 33.3%
better than average
24,847 MOT tests (DVSA)
🇳🇱 Netherlands · APK
63.0%
with defects · average 66.1%
better than average
3,198 APK inspections (RDW)
🇱🇹 Lithuania · inspection
44.9%
first-time pass · average 43.0%
better than average
5,608 inspections
Testing regimes differ from country to country – don’t compare the figures between countries; compare each one only with its own average. MOT data: contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Weak spots
What goes wrong on the Mercedes-Benz CLK
How often each area fails compared with the average car of the same age (vertical line = average, 100%). Red – more often than average.
Driving controls
Wheels
Seat belts and airbagsconfirmed in 2 countries
Steering
Tyres
Suspension
Plates and identification
Brakes
Visibility
Exhaust and emissions
Lights and electrics
Body and structure
Most common test failures
- 1Steering or steering knuckle ball joint with wear of 1.0 mm or less
- 2Excessive leakage of other fluids
- 3Tyre(s) with tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm
- 4Airbag / seatbelt system warning light indicates a fault
- 5Tyre pressure not at correct value
- 6Tyre insufficient tread
- 7Low beam incorrectly adjusted
- 8Steering knuckle (ball joint) too much play
- 9Spring broken or cracked
- 10Mechanical parts of the brake system show wear
- 11Low beam light-dark cutoff unclear
- 12Brake hose damaged, reinforcement material visible
Results by vehicle age
| Age | 🇬🇧 MOT fail rate | 🇳🇱 APK defects |
|---|---|---|
| 16–20 years | 33.3% avg 34.6% | 59.8% avg 64.7% |
| 21+ years | 28.0% avg 31.4% | 68.3% avg 68.4% |
🇱🇹 First-time pass rate in Lithuania – by year of manufacture
| Year | CLK | Average for year | Inspections |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 43.5% | 54.5% | 46 |
| 2008 | 47.0% | 52.4% | 66 |
| 2007 | 48.6% | 50.6% | 255 |
| 2006 | 41.4% | 48.7% | 413 |
| 2005 | 42.2% | 46.6% | 490 |
| 2004 | 50.2% | 44.5% | 811 |
| 2003 | 44.4% | 42.9% | 1,227 |
| 2002 | 45.3% | 42.0% | 442 |
| 2001 | 41.4% | 40.9% | 181 |
| 2000 | 47.3% | 39.6% | 482 |
| 1999 | 42.7% | 38.6% | 490 |
| 1998 | 40.5% | 37.8% | 479 |
| 1997 | 47.0% | 36.9% | 217 |
Mercedes-Benz CLK – FAQs
How reliable is the Mercedes-Benz CLK?+
In the UK the Mercedes-Benz CLK fails 31.2% of MOT tests, against an average of 33.3% for cars of the same age – better than average. In the Netherlands, inspectors found defects at 63.0% of APK inspections (average there 66.1%) – better than average. In Lithuania 44.9% pass their roadworthiness test first time (average for those years there 43.0%) – better than average.
What goes wrong most often on the Mercedes-Benz CLK?+
Compared with the average car of the same age, testers find faults more often in these areas: wheels, seat belts and airbags, steering, tyres.
What should I check when buying a used Mercedes-Benz CLK?+
The most common inspection failures: Steering or steering knuckle ball joint with wear of 1.0 mm or less; Excessive leakage of other fluids; Tyre(s) with tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm; Airbag / seatbelt system warning light indicates a fault; Tyre pressure not at correct value. Before you buy, also check the free MOT history on GOV.UK and the car’s history by reg or VIN (mileage, damage, theft).
More Mercedes-Benz models
Sources: anonymised MOT test results (DVSA) – contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0; APK inspection defects (RDW, open data); Lithuanian roadworthiness test results (data.gov.lt). Initial tests only; retests are not counted. Photo: Stephen Hynds, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons (licence).