Complaints about the 2015 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 peaked in 2020, with 13 filed
Owner complaints about this model year, by the year they were filed with NHTSA.
Sedan, built in Germany. Owner complaints on file from Sep 29, 2015 to Oct 4, 2025.
Owner complaints about this model year, by the year they were filed with NHTSA.
Owner complaints by component. Hover or focus a bar for the crash, fire, injury or death count.
Check a specific vehicle by VIN on NHTSA's site: a campaign may cover only part of a model year's production.
| Campaign | Filed | Subject | Component | Vehicles | Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23V-854 | Dec 15, 2023 | Front roof panel located between the windshield and the panoramic sunroof may not have been bonded correctly to the vehicle during a prior repair,… | Structure | 2,976 | Part replacement |
| 21V-197 | Mar 19, 2021 | Front roof panel located between the windshield and the panoramic sunroof may not have been bonded correctly to the vehicle during a prior repair | Structure | 15,096 | Repair or modification |
| 19V-892 | Dec 16, 2019 | Occupant Classification System (OCS) may have been improperly calibrated, which may prevent the proper deployment of the front passenger air bag | Airbags | 129 | Part replacement |
| 19V-787 | Nov 1, 2019 | For a full list of the affected models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2019/RMISC-19V787-4620.pdf | Communication | 24,226 | Software update |
| 17V-627 | Oct 6, 2017 | Driver's air bag may unexpectedly deploy due to insufficient grounding of the steering components if an electrostatic discharge occurs and the air… | Airbags | 495,290 | Not stated |
| 17V-114 | Feb 23, 2017 | In the event that the engine or transmission cannot turn over, the starting current limiter may overheat from the repeated attempts of the starter… | Electrical system | 307,629 | Repair or modification |
| 15V-662 | Oct 16, 2015 | Affected vehicles have intake or exhaust camshafts whose welds may fail and possibly cause engine damage | Engine and cooling | 857 | Part replacement |
The full text of every complaint filed with NHTSA about this model year, newest first. Complaints are filed by owners and are not verified by NHTSA; NHTSA removes personal details before publishing.
61 complaints on file, page 1 of 4.
UNKNOWN- The check engine light came on and was taken for a diagnostic test and it returned a P052E code. This indicates a fault in the Positive Crankcase Ventilation Regulator Valve performance. This is a known issue with Mercedes Benz as there has been a recall for all the models except the CLA.
NHTSA complaint 11691411I was driving to work on Thursday, September 11th. Suddenly, I heard a loud noise like an explosion. Upon checking, I saw that my sunroof had exploded, shattering glass everywhere. The loud noise startled me, causing me to almost have an accident. I managed to pull over, check my vehicle, and drive it back home. I've contacted my insurance company and documented the damage with photos.
NHTSA complaint 11687298The contact owns a 2015 Mercedes-Benz CLA250. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously involved in a collision, in which another vehicle crashed into the passenger's side of the vehicle, causing damage to the frame and headlights; however, the air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained soreness in the neck and back and received medical assistance. A police report was filed, but the contact did not have the police report information available. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact pulled to the shoulder of the road. The vehicle was able to restart; however, the failure recurred several times while driving. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V662000(Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact stated that the vehicle had leaked excessive oil onto the ground. The contact stated that the vehicle had failed to start while pressing the Push to Start button. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that she would need to pay a fee for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
NHTSA complaint 11675817Check Engine Light - Code P052E71 - Positive Crankcase Ventilation Valve Performance. The component failure can lead to increased exhaust gas emission, oil leaks, and internal engine damage resulting in unsafe operation. Yes, the problem has been confirmed by an independent certified service center. This specific vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, but this specific problem has been identified in other similar Mercedes-Benz years, make, and models. MBUSA LLC is only willing to apply the EMISSION EXTENDED WARRANTY to certain models within a certain model year, even though the design and engine components are nearly identical if not the same. My vehicle is the same model year and class, but a different model type and not included in the EMISSION EXTENDED WARRANTY. Repair cost can be in excess of $2,000 if not covered under the added warranty.
NHTSA complaint 11675411Mercedes subframes that prematurely rust or deteriorate. Mercedes has extended warranty for the mentioned parts on some models. But clearly it is not enough because more models have the same issues. This is a serious safety issues and Mercedes should have taken more responsibility.
NHTSA complaint 11645299In November 2024, while at a stop, the car shut off. A few weeks later, while driving the car over speed tables/humps, the car shifted from drive into neutral. No warning or error lights appeared on the dashboard. It just showed that the car was now in neutral. I was able to shift back into drive and continue. Fortunately, I was in a residential neighborhood, going about 10 miles per hour and had only one car behind me. This happened again in December, with the same scenario and on the same road, so I took the car to the dealer. They did a diagnostic and was not able to duplicate the problem, but said there were some error codes and it could possibly be the starter, auxiliary battery or transmisson service, since I had not done one. They also stated there was a Coolant Thermostat electrical fault code. They scheduled me to come back in January 2025 since I needed a loaner car. They kept my car for a couple of days to do a more detailed diagnostic. In the end they replaced the auxiliary battery and did a transmission service because they could not replicate the problem. Said that there was nothing in the transmission fluid of concern and, the starter code had not returned. Stated that it could have been an electrical fluke. No other codes were showing. They did say that some time in the future I would need a coolant thermostat. Car ran well for a few weeks and then in February 2025, going over the same road with speed humps, the car went into neutral. The car has been in the shop for the last 7 days and they are trying to figure out what is happening. I am submitting this because I found many other people posting on forums about having the same issue. My concern is what will happen if my car moves into neutral while I am going at a high speed. It puts me, my family and others lives in danger if my car stops suddenly.
NHTSA complaint 11643769The contact owns a 2015 Mercedes-Benz CLA250. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a local dealer and the vehicle starting very rather slowly. The vehicle was diagnosed however, no cause for the failure was found. The contact stated that the vehicle operated normally; however, the following day while driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle started to lose automotive power. The contact pulled over to the side of the highway until the vehicle came to a complete stop. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was inspected by two independent mechanics however, the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 124,000.
NHTSA complaint 11627476The contact owns a 2015 Mercedes-Benz CLA250. The contact stated that after the vehicle was washed at the Car Wash, the contact opened the sunroof; however, moments later while attempting to close the sunroof, the sunroof failed to close properly. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 69,080.
NHTSA complaint 11622372There was a recent extended warranty issued by Mercedes-Benz to repair certain vehicle models free of charge that have a check engine light code P052E. Unfortunately my vehicle (2015 CLA 250) was not included in that recall, but the CLA250 models have the same issue and run the same risk of safety being compromised. Now myself, and many others, have to pay a hefty out of pocket price for a malfunction that is strictly the fault of the manufacturer. Please look into this and strongly consider having Mercedes-Benz include the CLA 250 models in this warranty.
NHTSA complaint 11617709The component that malfunctioned is the Crankcase valve. This valve malfunction has caused issues will the car is idle. The issue has been confirmed by the dealership. The issue has been inspected by the manufacturer as the manufacturer has released extended warranties on other models. The malfunction causes the check engine light to come on, however in the past it has gone off before a diagnostic test could be run; the check engine light would come on and go off then go on and go off, the exact amount of time is unknown.
NHTSA complaint 11610561The panoramic sunroof on my 2015 Mercedes Benz CLA 250 4Matic spontaneously exploded while I was driving. It was a clear sunny day with no weather and there were no vehicles in front of me that could have kicked up a rock. It sounded like a gunshot, and I scared enough that I veered into another lane. Thankfully I did not hit another vehicle. I had very small superficial cuts on my arm and back. The dealership does not acknowledge any manufacturing defect on the sunroof. After some research I have found there is an open class action lawsuit against Mercedes Benz for this exact issue. The was no warning prior to the issue. There was nothing to inspect as it was just a pile of broken class laying in my car.
NHTSA complaint 11603203Engine light come on at about 43000 miles. Code scanner is p052e. Upon research is a common problem with Mercedes and approximately $2000 dealer repair.
NHTSA complaint 11593273Error code P052E, relates to Crankcase Ventilation System, that requires replacement. My vehicle is under 55,000 miles and the part should last the full life of the engine. This is faulty part that the dealership requires over $4,000 to fix.
NHTSA complaint 11589537I HAVE 2 MECEDES WITH THE SAME ISSUE PER MERCEDES BENZ OF USA INSPECTION CAUSING ENGINE LIGHT TO BE TRIGGERED PER DIAGNOSIS TESTING RAN ON BOTH CARS. 2015 VIN [XXX] GLA 250 4 MATIC 2016 VIN [XXX] CLA 250 MATIC I WAS TOLD BY A MERCEDES SERVICES ADVISOR THAT BOTH CARS HAVE THE SAME ENGINE FOR A 2015GLA AND A 2016 CLA - BOTH Due to both cars stalling in traffic on multiple time when driving I took both to the shop to run further testing to discover both had the same engine light trigger which is the CRANKSHAFT (AKA) OIL SEPERATOR (AKA)INTAKE TUBE DUE TO THIS BOTH CARS HAVE SUFFERED AN ISSUE WHEN TAKING EMMISSION TEST - MERCEDES DIGNOSIS TESTING CODES -P052E71- CRANKSHAFT VENTILATION MALFUNCTION - CAR WILL NOT PASS EMISSION TEST AND THIS PART DEFECTS ALSO CAUSES CAR TO STALL THAT CAN POSSIBLE CAUSE ACCIDENT THIS PART COMPLETE REPAIR COULD COST UP TO $2500-$3000 FOR PARTS AND LABOR PART NUMBER -270-090-07-00 (CRANKSHAFT) THE ENGINE LIGHT ISSUE TRIGGERED BY CRANKSHAFT AND WILL NOT PASS EMMISSION TESTING DUE TO THIS Description of this part below: Crankcase Ventilation is the process of venting or removing blow-by from an engine's crankcase to prevent excessive pressure build-up within the engine. Blow-by gases are mixed with oil mist and other contaminants that can harm an engine's internal components and contaminate the environment. How does the crankshaft ventilation work- When the vehicle is moving, airflow across the open end of the tube creates suction (a "draught" or draft) that pulls gases out of the crankcase. To prevent too much vacuum being created, the blow-by gases are replaced by fresh air using a device called a breather. The breather is often located in the oil cap. the engine misfires, you may have trouble getting your vehicle up to speed. Misfires often happen when your vehicle is under load while accelerating. This can result in slow or sluggish acceleration or a jerking motion while pressing down on the accel INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA),
NHTSA complaint 11589101The contact owns a 2015 Mercedes-Benz CLA250. The contact stated that the sunroof panel was not working properly and failed to close. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 32,610.
NHTSA complaint 11587544The head unit for the sound system begins a reset loop when navigating radio station and/or connecting bluetooth device. Seems to be a glitch in the head unit software. This is preventing use of navigation/GPS screen, backup camera, and Bluetooth connection.
NHTSA complaint 11585060The contact owns a 2015 Mercedes-Benz CLA250. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact arrived at his destination and became aware that the roof panel had detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was confirmed that the adhesive used to hold the glass panel was insufficient. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and provided a loaner vehicle and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.
NHTSA complaint 11539094I was driving down the highway yesterday when my Front Stationary Sunroof Panel flew off the top of the vehicle onto ongoing traffic. I have attached a picture of the exposed panel area now that the panel is gone. Thankfully it looks like it hit the ground before it could hit another vehicle. I came on here to see if there was a recall on that piece since it just flew off and it seems there was but my VIN number must not be included. This makes no sense since my vehicle is in the same year and model as the other recalls. This issue could have hit another car and seriously hurt someone this needs to be addressed on all those vehicles. The recall I found is Campaign number 2021070010, NHTSA ID: 21V197.
NHTSA complaint 11535213The contact owns a 2015 Mercedes-Benz CLA250. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would independently shift into neutral(N). The contact also stated that the check engine warning light flashed on the instrument panel after the second failure. The contact called the dealer and scheduled an appointment with the dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 61,000.
NHTSA complaint 11524845Normal driving, daily driver. The rubber around the inner and outer sidewalls seems soft and tears easily. I have a matching set of these tires on my car, same brand and type, 4 altogether. I have multiple large torn chucks & tears in the rubber around the sidewall of these tires. The middle section (non-sidewall) seems fine with normal wear. I have lifetime alignment and rotate and balance on these tires when purchased, and maintain this service. I have not seen this issue on other continentals in the past, and the wear is excessive on this brand.
NHTSA complaint 11523578Technical service bulletins and other notices the manufacturer sent to dealers. A bulletin is not a recall; the 60 most recent are listed.