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Mercedes-Benz CLK500 Repair and Maintenance

Image for Mercedes Benz 2003 2006 Mercedes Benz CLK500

Mercedes-Benz CLK500 Questions and Answers

davemerced, 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK500, San Diego, CA

How do you reset the service warning message on the dash? I think you push the mileage reset button a certain way

FACE, 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLK500, South Bay, FL

i got a messages engine oil level reduce

FACE, 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLK500, South Bay, FL

where is my oil stick

ariel, 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLK500, Maunabo, PR

my front lights don't move and stay looking down

hime, 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK500, San Clemente, CA

where is the engine oil drain plug located?

jess hair, 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK500, San Gabriel, CA

do you need to deactivate ABS before replace the front and rear brake-pad? and how do you replace them?

Barryc, 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK500, Northbrook, IL

I mistakenly put 89 octane gas in. Now the engine occasionally misses and sometimes stalls. I have refilled the tank with 93 octane gas. Will this correct the problem,or is there more I should do?

nettlesbyu, 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK500, Tacoma, WA

How do you replace the wiper motor on this car. I either have a fuse to replace or the motor. Can you give me instruction on how to do this. I am a novice and have only replaced light bulbs and ...

robsra, 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK500, Modesto, CA

My check engine light is on & a small bit of oil/fluid on a hose running on the drivers side that has a mesh cover on it. The fluid is where the hose connects to a small box close to the fan an...

Anonymous, 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK500, Long Valley, NJ

rear tire fitment 265 30 19 on a staggetred 19.95 whell (will it fit without rubbing

Mercedes-Benz CLK500 Car Reviews (3)

2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK500, bebegdb, Schley, VA, January 27, 2010 09:23

No major problems got this car as used and little bit here and there to fix. happy with the car. just want to share something that I have done. driver side head rest has been stop moving up and down. got it fix by MB dealership cost around 380-400. heated mirror on the passenger side has be not working also has been fix by the dealership. cost me around 300-400 dollar. climate control stepper motor need to be replace as they start to have noise. parts is around 200 but the labor is a lot so i decided to delay the repair till it stop working. I have had few German vehicles already. First I love them even though they bring me some issues here and there. but I enjoy every dollar i spend on them.

IMPORTANT ADVISE
Always keep the Floor carpet dry and clean GET THE right Fit all SEASONS mats. Often check the floor even though you have the right mats, sometime the water still leak from the side( all electronic wires runs below your foot.) cleaner the Floor you kept better the condition and longer the life of all your electronic censers and devices.

Always keep up the oil changes, because that will keep you away from engine and transmission failure. Only use manufacture recommended oils grade and brand. On the engine oil (me every 7-8k km), Gear box oil (me every 35K km) and rear diff oil( if you do have one, me50K km) there is no such a oil that last you lifetime.

before you shut off your engine always turn all your audio and climatic control off. Never crank your ac or heat to the max once you just start the engine. yes your climatic control is meant to be use but not abuse. longer the abuse you give shorter the life it is.

Keep the engine bay clean and Air filter clean. MAF will last you longer that way.

Avoid the bumpy road and pud hole so that your control arms and suspension linkage will last you longer. Keep in mind those suspension linkage no matter how well you drive eventually it will need to be replace, due to the long hours of wear and tear from the road condition.

I did purchased the CLK used, so therefore i will eventually run in to some small problems here and there. But as i know the owner and the full history of the car. i do have full confident in it. Suspension i used on it is PSS9 coilover, H&R sways front and back and i used KMS camber kits front and back to correct the alignment. full exhaust except header( do not custom install your exhaust, due to if O2 censer position is too close and too far the engine light will go on) My CLK500 also was chipped and have crank pulley upgraded. modifying your car is good only if you know what you are doing.

Every mods have its own consequence behind it.

Suspension will kills your linkage bushing faster( due to the original design of the bushing is not meant to have turn or twist at the level of your car sits. unless you want/prepare to changes all your linkage bushings and bearings. Sometime you can not even find the right stuff, due to the reason other company does not make them due to the marketing purpose.

I want to stop here for now but i have a lot of good and bad experience from modifying the cars. So i pretty much know most of mods purpose. ask me question, if i know i would like to help you!!

BY THE WAY I AM FROM TORONTO, CANADA

2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK500, nettlesbyu, Tacoma, WA, November 23, 2009 07:38

When I purchased my car it was 2 year old and had 24,000 miles. I did not know anything about cars and this is my first benz. I runs great but has had many other problems with the electrical, suspension and heating. But even though I have 93,000 miles on it now; Mercedes stepped up and repaired the suspension as a warranty issue. I had not gotten a carfax when I purchased the car. My suggestion is to get a carfax and puchase a dealer certified vehical. It will save a lot of time, money and problems. To a degree I am happy with my car, I love the way it drives and Mercedes Benz Company has been very good to me. The customer service at my dealership has been great. I have found that good communication with you service person is very, very important. Get to know the service manager and your service representative. After the repair of my suspension problems the heater started working better and the engine runs quite. Although my windsheild wipers have stopped working; I believe this is a wiper motor problem or a fuse. Amazing the joys of car ownership. I do hope that my next Benz has made improvements. Thanks to Mercedes Benz for helping me understand and care for the car I love.

2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK500, 90049er, Los Angeles, CA, April 28, 2009 21:32

This car is an electical piece of cr*p. Its had all kinds of electrical issues - sensors going bad, SRS light always coming on when its not supposed to, warning that lights are out when they are not, etc. Ah, and the CD changer broke at 45,000 miles. I can't believe how much time and energy I've had to waste on this thing. Its my first and last Mercedes.

That said, no engine problems or AC or exhaust problems of any kind. The AC controls are ridiculous though, a total pain to operate.

That said, the interior is great (except for some premature yellowing of hard plastic around the door latches on the inside and some peeling of the brightwork around the vents)

It drives well and has great engine sound, good pickup for a super heavy car (the convertible I think is like 5000 lbs).

I bought it 3 years old and the steering wheel leather was all worn and nasty, got that replaced for $800, Mercedes would not cover it under warranty.

I've heard Mercedes quality has improved, I hope so. I've had more problems in 2 years with this car than I had in 10 years with a Geo, Ford and Saab.

Mercedes-Benz CLK500 Problems

Brakes
  • Soft braking compounds that contribute to good braking performance are known to wear after approximately 20,000 miles; owners should be vigilant about getting their brakes checked.
  • Brake fluid should be flushed every two years to prevent premature anti-lock brake system (ABS) failure.
Engine
  • Oil leaks from the PCV vent housings on the valve covers and inspection plates on the front of the engine are common.
  • The rubber bond in the harmonic balancer can decay, which causes the balancer to move and work its way into the timing chain cover. If the balancer comes into contact with the timing cover while the engine is running, it will fracture and damage the timing case and potentially other surrounding parts. The harmonic balancer should be inspected at every service.
  • Oil leaks from the oil level sensor are common.
  • The crankshaft position sensors tend to fail. Symptoms of this are: The engine will crank—but not start—especially when the engine is warm. The car may start again if it is left to cool off, but it may run roughly or have poor performance. Communicating these specific symptoms to your technician can save diagnostic time.
Exhaust & Emissions
Suspension & Steering
  • Torque thrust bushings (front suspension bushings) crack and leak oil, which causes excessive tire wear and steering alignment problems. Another symptom of a worn bushing is a clunk or thud, possibly when turning, hard accelerating, or hard braking.
  • Sway bar end link joints cause a knocking noise when going over bumps.
  • Ball joints can wear out prematurely, causing wear in the tires.
  • The hold down nut for the upper front strut area can become loose, causing a knocking noise. This can be repaired without removing the strut assembly.
Drive Train
  • A vibration felt through the center floor of the vehicle can be caused by driveshaft flex discs, which crack and shred, causing excessive driveshaft movement. Not repairing these can cause damage to the driveshaft center support bearing, or, in the worst case scenario, damage to the transmission or differential.
  • High mileage or older vehicles develop leaks at the differential seals and cover; the whole unit needs to be resealed to repair the leaks.
  • The wire connector on the transmission leaks fluid into the wiring harness. If not repaired, the oil will migrate through the wiring harness and damage the transmission control module. A new harness and control module are required to fix the problem.
Electrical & Lights Computer control modules for the seats and doors, the CD changer, and the brake lamp switch tend to fail.
Heating & Air Conditioning
  • A repetitive clicking noise from behind the center area of the dash panel is usually caused by a broken stepper motor actuating arm. The actuating arm controls the direction of air flow in the climate control system. Disassembly of the center console will be required to access and change the broken arm with the updated, reinforced part.
  • The heater case for the center vents can crack near the stop sensors. If the stops break, the control motor will not know when to stop and will run continuously.
  • The heater box is susceptible to mildew buildup.

Mercedes-Benz CLK500 Recalls and TSBs

Mercedes-Benz CLK500 Recalls (Recent)

Body, Interior & Misc.: SEAT BELTS
Campaign Number: 03V534000
Dates Manufactured: 08/2003 to 10/2003
Number of Vehicles Affected: 4,348
Model Years Affected: 2004
Date Owner Notified: 12/2003

Defect Summary: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, SOME SEAT BELT BUCKLES MAY HAVE A BURR ON A METAL COMPONENT OF THE LOCKING MECHANISM. THE PRESENCE OF THE BURR COULD PREVENT THE SEAT BELT FROM LOCKING UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.

Consequence Summary: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY.

Corrective Summary: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SEAT BELTS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON DECEMBER 22, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

Recall Notes: MERCEDES-BENZ RECALL NO. 2003 120006.CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION¿S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Electrical & Lights: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Campaign Number: 08V303000
Dates Manufactured: 11/2002 to 05/2008
Number of Vehicles Affected: 404
Model Years Affected: 2003, 2004, 2006

Defect Summary: MERCEDES-BENZ IS RECALLING MY 2006-2008 M-CLASS, R-CLASS, MY 2005-2009 SLK-CLASS, MY 2005-2008 C-CLASS, MY 2003-2004 AND 2006-2008 CLK-CLASS, MY 2003-2008 E-CLASS, MY 2004 AND 2008 CL-CLASS, MY 2008 CLS-CLASS, MY 2004 AND 2007-2008 S-CLASS, MY 2003 G-CLASS, AND MY 2003-2004, 2006 AND 2009 SL-CLASS VEHICLES. A SOFTWARE CALIBRATION NUMBER (SCN) CODING RECEIVED ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES DURING A RECENT WORKSHOP VISIT WAS INCORRECT. DEPENDING ON THE MODEL YEAR AND MODEL AFFECTED, THE RESULTS OF AN INCORRECT SCN CODING CAN AFFECT A NUMBER OF VEHICLE SAFETY AND EMISSION FUNCTIONS INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING TYPES OF FUNCTIONS: (1) THE FUEL GAUGE READINGS MAY BE INCORRECT; (2) A STUCK FUEL-LEVEL SENSOR MAY NOT BE DISPLAYED IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER; (3) THE OBD SYSTEM MAY CAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE INCORRECTLY; AND, (4) THE SPEEDOMETER MAY BE OUT OF TOLERANCE.

Consequence Summary: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE ELECTRICAL FUEL PUMP MAY NOT RECEIVE A CRASH SIGNAL THAT IS REQUIRED FOR THE FUEL PUMP TO DISCONNECT AND PREVENT FUTURE FUEL DELIVERY AS DESIGNED.

Corrective Summary: DEALERS WILL RECODE THE SCN FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING AUGUST 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

Recall Notes: MERCEDES-BENZ RECALL NO. 2008 070001.CUSTOMERS MAY CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

Mercedes-Benz CLK500 Technical Service Bulletins (Recent)

None reported.

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Recent Mercedes-Benz Repair Estimates

$475 - $1353
$475 - $1353
Maintenance Service B
2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK500 in Palmdale, CA
$317 - $614

Most Common Mercedes-Benz Repair Estimates

Maintenance Service B
$325 - $625
Maintenance Service A
$195 - $280