What Mercedes-Benz CLA owners have reported to NHTSA, the service bulletins the manufacturer sent dealers, and any federal defect investigations, by model year. See Mercedes-Benz CLA safety recalls or check your VIN.
Complaints owners filed with NHTSA, by the model year of the vehicle. A high count can also mean a popular year, so compare it with how many were sold.
| Year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injured | Deaths | TSBs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 2026 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 61 |
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 70 |
| 2024 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 162 |
| 2023 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 174 |
| 2022 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 181 |
| 2021 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 240 |
| 2020 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 282 |
| 2019 | 22 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 141 |
| 2018 | 40 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 104 |
The vehicle systems named most often in Mercedes-Benz CLA complaints (one complaint can name several).
In the owners’ own words, as filed with NHTSA. Unverified reports; NHTSA removes personal details before publishing.
The check engine light illuminated and the engine began running rough with misfires. Stored fault codes included P0301 and P0302 (cylinder 1 and cylinder 2 misfire detected) and P0315. An initial repair facility replaced spark plugs, ignition coils, the main battery and the auxiliary battery, which did not resolve the condition, and the vehicle was referred to an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer. The Mercedes-Benz dealer performed an engine inspection and found compression of approximately 80 PSI caused by severely leaking intake and exhaust valves. The dealer determined the complete cylinder head requires replacement and estimated the repair at $7,545.72. The vehicle is currently not drivab…
Vehicle would unexpectedly stall out while driving at slow speeds or stopped. Car was brought to an independent car shop and it was determined the Fuel pump had started to come apart sending debris into the fuel tank/system causing low fuel pressure. The fuel tank with fuel level sensor and suction jet pump was replaced along with, fuel injectors and other fuel system components. This looks very similar to other Mercedes Fuel system recalls that does not seem to cover the GLA250 but has the same manufacturer parts. NHTSA campaign numbers 23V880 and 23V881 represent a massive safety recall issued by Mercedes-Benz USA due to a defective fuel pump The problem: A component inside the fuel pu…
My 2021 CLA 250 that I reached purchased as a used vehicle in the last three months and now is saying SOS unresponsive so in my vehicle where to get a motor vehicle accident, it will not be alerting any emergency personnel authorities and I think itâs really sad the whole fact that Mercedes-Benz has just ran you know a bunch of these vehicles through a bin filter and just because mine isnât on the recall list even though itâs doing exactly what is one of the main major safety recalls. They are not taking responsibility for it and I feel like I should not have to come out of pocket to fix this because my car will not connect to the Mercedes-Benz online wonât connect to Mercedes-Benz s…
While driving at 50mph, the vehicle came to a full stop in 2 seconds by auto breaking (to avoid collision) when there was no object or vehicle in front of the car. I almost got rear-ended as stopping from 50mph to 0 mph on a highway was extremely dangerous but luckily the car behind me was able to use the lane to my right to avoid the collision. When the vehicle was taken to the service center, the computer systems showed no record of this incident. However, I do have a dashcam footage of it. In the video, you can clearly see a stopped car on the left turn lane (the break lights of the car is visible and the car is stationary when the video is analyzed frame by frame.) The driving lane is cu…
After a hard impact car continued to go then when came to a stop the air bags deployed which resulted in injuring my left arm
The instrument cluster gauges start giving in accurate information and the whole dash start turning on and off. I found hundreds of people posting complaints about this issue with the 2018 mercedes cla 250 but mercedes refuses to acknowledge this issue and put out a recall probably out of greed and to not loose money. This is a dangerous issue. Mercedes wants to charge people appropriately $3,000 for parts and labor to fix this issue which is ridiculous. Please look into this. There needs to be a recall. This is dangerous especially for the people that cant afford this repair.
This vehicle has suffered from persistent, substantial, and uncorrected defects, including but not limited to failures in the 48V mild-hybrid electrical system, lithium-ion battery system, DC/DC converter and coolant system. These defects have substantially impaired the vehicleâs use, value and safety as well as my safety, and remain unresolved despite multiple repair attempts at two separate authorized Mercedes-Benz dealerships in St. Louis, MO. SUMMARY OF DEFECTS â¢Multiple 48 V battery failures and replacements â¢Multiple replacements of DC/DC converters and failures â¢Multiple Coolant System failures â¢Sudden vehicle shutdowns while driving â¢Numerous non-start issues â¢Numerou…
The back-up camara is stuck open on the trunk for more than 30 days now. When I put it in reverse the camara will show for about 5 seconds and then go back to the home screen. I brought this to the attention of my advisor and he said that its a known issue. If Mercedes knows this is an issue with the CLA250, they should offer a replacement instead of charging to fix a faulty component.
Repair instructions and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about known issues. A TSB is not a recall, and the repair is usually free only while the car is under warranty; ask your dealer for the bulletin number.
Complaint Display message in the instrument cluster for "Active Brake Assist Inoperative" or "DISTRONIC inoperative". AND Fault code C1100FC or C1100FD is Active or Active and Stored in MRR_F_Gen6 (B29/20). Cause The holder for the MRR_F_Gen6 (B29/20) front radar sensor may no longer have the correct alignment (angular position). Remedy Confirm whether the instrument cluster message was already present upon receipt of the vehicle by the end customer. Check if DTC mileage was present prior to vehicle PDI/Sale of vehicle. In this case, submit under warranty with the specified SSL. If vehicle ex
Complaint 174 with MB.OS 2.1.1 â Driver Assistance System Limited in Instrument Cluster and Does Not SelfâExtinguish. When vehicle is shut off, instrument cluster message appears for "Driver Assistance Systems Available". Cause Under Determination. Remedy Perform initial startup of the head unit (A26/17) and the intelligent drive controller (N62/5).
Complaint Intermittent shift feel or thud/clunk noise perceived, such as a brief jerk or transmission reaction during certain driving situations. May be most noticeable when transitioning from a coasting condition to accelerator pedal application. May occur in all drive modes. Cause Dualâclutch transmissions (DCT) inherently exhibit more dynamic shifting behavior compared to other types of transmissions. This is due to the use of physical clutches for starting and gear changes. In certain situations, dynamic driving behavior can lead to a slight jerk sensation which is a normal technical cha
Complaint Temporary no start condition with check engine light and multiple warning messages. When performing a quick test, the following fault code is stored in Y3/14 â Transmission control for 8âspeed dualâclutch transmission (DKG): P24F100 The wakeâup line of the control unit has a short circuit to positive. Cause Possible signal timing between EZS control unit and Transmission Control Unit (DKG) Remedy As of 7/15/2026, new SCN coding is available for the EZS control unit. IPR will advise to open a TIPS case for EZS (N73), this is due to GLA models requiring support for SCN coding p
Complaint Customers may report one or more of the following: ⢠Transmission malfunction message ⢠Check engine light illuminated ⢠Shifts into N ⢠Concern disappears after ignition cycle When performing a quick test, the following fault code is stored in Y3/14 â Transmission control for 8âspeed dualâclutch transmission (DKG): P056300 The onâboard power supply voltage is too high. Cause An overvoltage condition is detected exclusively within the transmission control unit, storing fault P056300 once the measured voltage exceeds 16V. Remedy This LI applies if the freeze frame data
Complaint Clacking and creaking noises from the engine compartment during load changes, especially when driving off after a cold start and at outside temperatures below 41°F. Cause Engine mount A178 240 15 00. Remedy Remove lower engine mount A178 240 15 00 and replace it with lower engine mount A178 240 15 00 28. NOTE: The noise will resolve with the original engine mount A178 240 15 00 when the vehicle warms up. Please keep this in mind during complaint verification as it may not be reproducible if vehicle/mount is warm.
Complaint Tailgate opens unintentionally. Cause Accidental or unnoticed activation of the button to open the tailgate on the vehicle key. EXAMPLE: when stored in trouser pocket, handbag etc. Remedy As of the 6th generation, the vehicle key can be recoded so that the tailgate no longer opens as a result of a long press on the button, but by doubleâclicking on the button instead. This reduces the likelihood of the button being activated accidentally or unintentionally. The recoding can be carried out as follows: 1. Add SA Code O19 into VeDoc (O for Oscar, not "zero") ⢠an XSS ticket may be n
Dear Mercedes-Benz Owner: In our continuing efforts to ensure the proper performance of Mercedes-Benz products and to enhance the satisfaction of our customers, Mercedes-Benz USA is extending the warranty coverage for the Diagnostic Module for Tank Leakage Detection ("DMTL") on your vehicle from the original New Vehicle Limited Warranty of 4 years / 50,000 miles to 15 years/150,000 miles (whichever occurs first). This applies to the vehicle regardless of ownership. Why the Warranty extension? On certain Model Year 2018 - 2024 A / C / CLA / CLS / E / G / GLA / GLB / GLC / GLE / GLS / GT / S / S
Complaint ⢠Driving assistance system fault messages are displayed in the driver display. ⢠The switch lighting flashes at night/in the dark. ⢠The following fault codes are stored in the N135 â steering wheel electronics control unit (LRE, SWSP174): B104404, B12A04A, and B1E9F96. Cause Hardware does not match standard specifications. Remedy Replace the N135 steering wheel electronics control unit (LRE, SWSP174).
Complaint Clacking and creaking noises from the engine compartment during load changes, especially when driving off after a cold start and at outside temperatures below 41°F. Cause Lower engine stabilizer mount A178 240 15 00 causes noise. Remedy The problem is temperature-dependent and is no longer present after the vehicle has warmed up. In escalation cases, remove the lower engine stabilizer mount A178 240 15 00 and replace it with the lower engine stabilizer mount A178 240 15 00 28.
Complaint 1. General Diagnostic Tips 2. One or More PARK Sensor Activations 3. Red Ring Around Vehicle 4. "Active Parking and Parking Assist Inoperative" on Instrument Cluster 5. Cameras 6. Other Park Topics. Cause Various root causes Remedy See attached diagnostic guide.
1. Connect XENTRY Diagnosis. 2. Perform overall vehicle update. To do so, select menu item "General overviewâ â Overall vehicle update. Then follow the user guidance in XENTRY Diagnosis. Depending on which control units need to be updated along with it, the update can take up to several hours to complete. The update will be completed automatically. 3. Disconnect XENTRY Diagnosis.
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opens these when complaints point to a possible safety defect. Many end in a recall.
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 20
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation public data (complaints, manufacturer communications, investigations), model years 2010 and later. Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA.
In complaints filed with NHTSA for model years 2018–2027, owners most often name: unknown or other, electrical system, engine. 102 complaints are on record.
No. A complaint is an unverified report from an owner. A technical service bulletin (TSB) is the manufacturer telling dealers how to fix a known issue; it is not a safety recall and is usually covered only under warranty. A recall is a formal safety action, and its repair is free.
File a vehicle safety complaint at NHTSA.gov. NHTSA reads every report, and patterns of complaints are what open defect investigations and, eventually, recalls.
