2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS

Typical pattern

2% of complaints about the 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2006 vehicle — around the middle of the 250 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 9.0 yr in service. The most-reported system is service brakes (25 complaints), typically at 12.2 yr or about 121,000 miles.

Covers 3 variants: CLS500 (75), CLS550 (12), CLS CLASS (11)

Complaints: 100
Median age at failure: 9.0 yr
Median mileage: 91,900 n=73
Crash / fire / tow: 7% of reports
Safety recalls: 0

In owners’ own words

Fuel / propulsion 108,000 mi 7.6 yr in service

WHEN I FILLED THE FUEL TANK, THE INSIDE OF THE CAR SMELLS VERY STRONGLY OF GAS FUMES. THE WHOLE GARAGE SMELLED STRONGLY OF GAS FUMES AND GAS WAS DRIPPING ON THE FLOOR OF THE GARAGE. IF THE HOT WATER HEATER DECIDED TO IGNITE, IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE OR EXPLOSION. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SIMILAR ISSUE TO NHTSA INVESTIGATION EA 13-003. THE CLS CLASS AND THE E CLASS SHARE THE SAME CHASSIS AND FUEL TANK. IF POSSIBLE, PLEASE EXPAND YOUR INVESTIGATION TO INCLUDE CLS CLASS VEHICLES. *TR

Fuel / propulsion 72,000 mi 8.3 yr in service

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ CLS500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FUEL WAS CONTINUOUSLY LEAKING FROM UNDER THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS, WHO STATED THAT THE FUEL SENDING UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Fuel / propulsion 109,000 mi 8.9 yr in service

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ CLS500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED A STRONG FUEL ODOR INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,000.

Service brakes 48,000 mi 6.8 yr in service

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ CLS 500. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE IN HIS HOME, HE COULD SMELL GASOLINE FUEL LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE PARKED IN THE RESIDENTIAL GARAGE. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE A FUEL LEAK AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.... UPDATED 08/15/12 *BF UPDATED 08/16/2012 *JS

Other CLS model years

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

In owners’ own words

Other CLS model years

How to read this