2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA250

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 has 279 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 3.5x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (24% of all complaints), specifically: on sunday, october 27, and tuesday, october 29, 2013, my vehicle listed above had warning lights come on that stated, "pre safe, functions limited, inoperative." in addition to the words, the esp and abs lights illuminated. i took the vehicle to penske mbz in west covina, ca, on wednesday, october. ⚠️ 5 fire reports filed.

5 fire reports 6 crash reports 9 injuries

279

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

3.5x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

68 complaints

24%

• ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27, AND TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013, MY VEHICLE LISTED ABOVE HAD WARNING LIGHTS COME ON THAT STATED, "PRE SAFE, FUNCTIONS LIMITED, INOPERATIVE." IN ADDITION TO THE WORDS, THE ESP AND ABS LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO PENSKE MBZ IN WEST COVINA, CA, ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER
• 1ST- ON FEB 11TH & 12TH MY 2014 CLA WHICH WAS PURCHASED AT THE MB OF PEMBROKE PINES HAD BEEN TOWED TO THE MB OF POMPANO, FL DEALERSHIP BECAUSE OF THE EPS LIGHTS, "INOPERATIVE" WARNING MESSAGES THAT WERE COMING UP AS WELL AS THE STALLING AND DELAYED ACCELERATION, WHICH I TOOK PHOTOS OF. IT WAS TOWED
• I HAVE PARTIAL VIDEO IF THIS INCIDENT. INCIDENT OCCURRED AT 991 ODOMETER MILES. AFTER DRIVING APPROX. ~300 MOSTLY CONTIGUOUS, FLAT, RURAL HIGHWAY MILES IN-BETWEEN LINCOLN, NE AND ST. LOUIS, MO (HEADING TO ATLANTA, GA) IN APPROX. 30 WEATHER ON DRY PAVEMENT, THE ENGINE STOPPED PRODUCING ENOUGH ENGIN

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27, AND TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013, MY VEHICLE LISTED ABOVE HAD WARNING LIGHTS COME ON THAT STATED, "PRE SAFE, FUNCTIONS LIMITED, INOPERATIVE." IN ADDITION TO THE WORDS, THE ESP AND ABS LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO PENSKE MBZ IN WEST COVINA, CA, ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

44 complaints

16%

• TODAY I WAS DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT AND APPROACHED THE LIGHT TO EXIT AND MY DASHBOARD LIT UP WITH A PRESAFE SYSTEM FAILURE, SYSTEM IS INOPERATIVE AND MY CAR SLOWED DOWN CONSIDERABLY WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE. I PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN AND THE ERROR CLEARED. THIS IS
• WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY THE ACCELERATOR STARTED TO HAVE A DELAYED RESPONSE. PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING FOR BETWEEN 3 TO 5 SECOND AFTER THE CAR WAS STOPPED. AFTER THE DELAY, THE CAR WOULD RESPOND AND WAS DRIVABLE, BUT AFTER EVERY SUBSEQUENT STOP, THE 3 TO 5 SECOND DELAY
• WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS THE CAR STALLED WITH NO WARNING. A NUMBER OF DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON INCLUDING THE PARKING BRAKE, TRACTION CONTROL, ABS, ENGINE, TIRES, AIRBAG, ETC... THERE WAS A RED MESSAGE IN THE INFORMATION DISPLAY THAT READ "SERVICE REQUIRED. DO NOT SHIFT GEARS.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“TODAY I WAS DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT AND APPROACHED THE LIGHT TO EXIT AND MY DASHBOARD LIT UP WITH A PRESAFE SYSTEM FAILURE, SYSTEM IS INOPERATIVE AND MY CAR SLOWED DOWN CONSIDERABLY WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE. I PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN AND THE ERROR CLEARED. THIS IS ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SPEED CONTROL

36 complaints

13%

• ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27, AND TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013, MY VEHICLE LISTED ABOVE HAD WARNING LIGHTS COME ON THAT STATED, "PRE SAFE, FUNCTIONS LIMITED, INOPERATIVE." IN ADDITION TO THE WORDS, THE ESP AND ABS LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO PENSKE MBZ IN WEST COVINA, CA, ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER
• TODAY I WAS DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT AND APPROACHED THE LIGHT TO EXIT AND MY DASHBOARD LIT UP WITH A PRESAFE SYSTEM FAILURE, SYSTEM IS INOPERATIVE AND MY CAR SLOWED DOWN CONSIDERABLY WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE. I PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN AND THE ERROR CLEARED. THIS IS
• 1ST- ON FEB 11TH & 12TH MY 2014 CLA WHICH WAS PURCHASED AT THE MB OF PEMBROKE PINES HAD BEEN TOWED TO THE MB OF POMPANO, FL DEALERSHIP BECAUSE OF THE EPS LIGHTS, "INOPERATIVE" WARNING MESSAGES THAT WERE COMING UP AS WELL AS THE STALLING AND DELAYED ACCELERATION, WHICH I TOOK PHOTOS OF. IT WAS TOWED

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

24 complaints

• DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH WHEN I NEARLY CAUSED A COLLISION BECAUSE I ENCROACHED ON ANOTHER CAR'S SPACE IN THE NEXT LANE TO MY LEFT. I BELIEVE THIS WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE CLA250 DRIVER SIDE MIRROR DOES NOT ADEQUATELY COVER THE BLIND SPOT AND DOES NOT PROVIDE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE VIEW OF THE LE
• PURCHASE MY 2014 CLA 250 IN JANUARY 2014 FOR MY DAUGHTER. IN MAY MY DAUGHTER CALL AND SAID THE CAR JUST STOPPED RUNNING WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING IT. DIDN'T REALLY THINK ANYTHING OF IT BECAUSE SHE WAS A NEW DRIVER. ABOUT 3 WEEKS LATER SHE SAID IT DID THE SAME THING. AGAIN IN OCTOBER 2014 I WAS DRIVI
• CAR HAS BEEN LUNGING FORWARD WHEN IN PARKED FOR MORE THAN 5 TO 10 MIN SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE CAR. THIS CAR WAS BOUGHT ON FEBRUARY 20, 2015. SINCE THEN, I HAVE BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THE THIRD TIME THAT I BROUGHT IT TO THEM, THEY FOLLOWED UP WITH SAYING THAT I

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH WHEN I NEARLY CAUSED A COLLISION BECAUSE I ENCROACHED ON ANOTHER CAR'S SPACE IN THE NEXT LANE TO MY LEFT. I BELIEVE THIS WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE CLA250 DRIVER SIDE MIRROR DOES NOT ADEQUATELY COVER THE BLIND SPOT AND DOES NOT PROVIDE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE VIEW OF THE LE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS

20 complaints

• ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27, AND TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013, MY VEHICLE LISTED ABOVE HAD WARNING LIGHTS COME ON THAT STATED, "PRE SAFE, FUNCTIONS LIMITED, INOPERATIVE." IN ADDITION TO THE WORDS, THE ESP AND ABS LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO PENSKE MBZ IN WEST COVINA, CA, ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER
• 1ST- ON FEB 11TH & 12TH MY 2014 CLA WHICH WAS PURCHASED AT THE MB OF PEMBROKE PINES HAD BEEN TOWED TO THE MB OF POMPANO, FL DEALERSHIP BECAUSE OF THE EPS LIGHTS, "INOPERATIVE" WARNING MESSAGES THAT WERE COMING UP AS WELL AS THE STALLING AND DELAYED ACCELERATION, WHICH I TOOK PHOTOS OF. IT WAS TOWED
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 MERCEDES-BENZ CLA250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PRE-SAFE FUNCTIONS LIMITED INOPERATIVE, THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM, AND THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM W

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 279 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27, AND TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013, MY VEHICLE LISTED ABOVE HAD WARNING LIGHTS COME ON THAT STATED, "PRE SAFE, FUNCTIONS LIMITED, INOPERATIVE." IN ADDITION TO THE WORDS, THE ESP AND ABS LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO PENSKE MBZ IN WEST COVINA, CA, ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: TODAY I WAS DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT AND APPROACHED THE LIGHT TO EXIT AND MY DASHBOARD LIT UP WITH A PRESAFE SYSTEM FAILURE, SYSTEM IS INOPERATIVE AND MY CAR SLOWED DOWN CONSIDERABLY WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE. I PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN AND THE ERROR CLEARED. THIS IS
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SPEED CONTROL: ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27, AND TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013, MY VEHICLE LISTED ABOVE HAD WARNING LIGHTS COME ON THAT STATED, "PRE SAFE, FUNCTIONS LIMITED, INOPERATIVE." IN ADDITION TO THE WORDS, THE ESP AND ABS LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO PENSKE MBZ IN WEST COVINA, CA, ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH WHEN I NEARLY CAUSED A COLLISION BECAUSE I ENCROACHED ON ANOTHER CAR'S SPACE IN THE NEXT LANE TO MY LEFT. I BELIEVE THIS WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE CLA250 DRIVER SIDE MIRROR DOES NOT ADEQUATELY COVER THE BLIND SPOT AND DOES NOT PROVIDE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE VIEW OF THE LE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)