IllustrationTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCEDES BENZ CLK320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE SUN ROOF SUDDENLY SHATTERED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 199,000.
1999 Mercedes Benz CLK320
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all CLK320 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 8 of 18 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
18 reportsREAR ROLL BAR WILL NOT RAISE OR LOWER, COULD BE FATAL TO REAR PASSENGERS IN A ROLL OVER SITUATION. ROLL BAR/ HEAD RESTRAINTS STUCK IN LOWER POSITION. THIS WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM AT FIRST, NOW IT DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. SWITCH WILL NOT RAISE OR LOWER ROLL BAR ALL THE WAY; AS A RESULT, CANNOT RAISE THE CONVERTIBLE TOP. THE TOP …
Read full complaint
REAR ROLL BAR WILL NOT RAISE OR LOWER, COULD BE FATAL TO REAR PASSENGERS IN A ROLL OVER SITUATION. ROLL BAR/ HEAD RESTRAINTS STUCK IN LOWER POSITION. THIS WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM AT FIRST, NOW IT DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. SWITCH WILL NOT RAISE OR LOWER ROLL BAR ALL THE WAY; AS A RESULT, CANNOT RAISE THE CONVERTIBLE TOP. THE TOP WILL NOT RAISE OR LOWER UNLESS THE ROLL BAR IS ALL THE WAY DOWN. WILL NOT RELEASE SO THAT I CAN MANUALLY RAISE THE TOP EITHER. THIS IS A DEFECT THAT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. *TR
MERCEDES BENZ 1999 CLK320: THE OUTSIDE MIRROR ON THE DRIVER'S DOOR HAS TURNED SO DARK, IT IS VIRTUALLY BLACK AND THE DRIVER CANNOT SEE ANYTHING IN IT. THIS INABILITY TO SEE IN THIS EXTERIOR SIDE-VIEW MIRROR IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. IT PROBABLY IS CAUSED BY CHANGES IN THE COATING THAT IS SUPPOSED TO EITHER HEAT THE MIRROR OR DIM I…
Read full complaint
MERCEDES BENZ 1999 CLK320: THE OUTSIDE MIRROR ON THE DRIVER'S DOOR HAS TURNED SO DARK, IT IS VIRTUALLY BLACK AND THE DRIVER CANNOT SEE ANYTHING IN IT. THIS INABILITY TO SEE IN THIS EXTERIOR SIDE-VIEW MIRROR IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. IT PROBABLY IS CAUSED BY CHANGES IN THE COATING THAT IS SUPPOSED TO EITHER HEAT THE MIRROR OR DIM IT. *TR
MASSIVE LOSS OF TRANSMISSION FLUID FROM SEALED TRANSMISSION UNIT. 1999 MERCEDES BENZ CLK 320 CAUSING TRANS TO STOP FUNCTIONING WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. *TR
NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT A FAULTY CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR IN MERCEDES BENZ VEHICLES THAT PREVENTS CARS FROM STARTING AND ALSO SHUTS THEM OFF WHILST ON THE ROAD AND IN MOTION. CAR DIED ON ME 6 TIMES. LUCKILY, I WASN'T TRAVELING VERY FAST BUT THIS IS VERY UNSAFE BUT I DID CAUSE A TRAFFIC DELAY AND BLOCKED THE ROAD SEVERAL TIME…
Read full complaint
NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT A FAULTY CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR IN MERCEDES BENZ VEHICLES THAT PREVENTS CARS FROM STARTING AND ALSO SHUTS THEM OFF WHILST ON THE ROAD AND IN MOTION. CAR DIED ON ME 6 TIMES. LUCKILY, I WASN'T TRAVELING VERY FAST BUT THIS IS VERY UNSAFE BUT I DID CAUSE A TRAFFIC DELAY AND BLOCKED THE ROAD SEVERAL TIMES WHILE STALLED. *NM
DT: VEHICLE IS BURNING OIL. DEALER SAID THEY CAN'T FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS BURNING EXCESSIVE OIL, AND RECOMMENDED THAT THE DEALER OR MANUFACTURER LOOK INTO IT.*AK
(1) VIBRATIONS OF ENGINE AT IDLE WAS FELT 1 DAY PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. (2) HEARD LOUD/KNOCKING NOISE THE NEXT DAY WHILE DRIVING HOME. (3) HOME INSPECTIONS REVEALED DISENGAGEMENT OF THE OUTER BELT PULLEY FROM THE HARMONIC BALANCER.*AK (4) CALLED THE SAN DIEGO DEALER FOR A REPAIR/REPLACEMENT. (5) THE MODEL IS CLK 320, 1999, APP…
Read full complaint
(1) VIBRATIONS OF ENGINE AT IDLE WAS FELT 1 DAY PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. (2) HEARD LOUD/KNOCKING NOISE THE NEXT DAY WHILE DRIVING HOME. (3) HOME INSPECTIONS REVEALED DISENGAGEMENT OF THE OUTER BELT PULLEY FROM THE HARMONIC BALANCER.*AK (4) CALLED THE SAN DIEGO DEALER FOR A REPAIR/REPLACEMENT. (5) THE MODEL IS CLK 320, 1999, APPROXIMATELY 64,000 MILES WHEN THIS HAPPENED. (6) DIRECTED TO THIS SITE FROM AN INTERNET FORUM, WHOSE HUNDRED OF MEMBERS HAD STATED THE SAME PROBLEMS. (7) SURPRISED TO SEE THAT ODI DID NOT FIND THE DEFECT SERIOUS ENOUGH TO FORCE THE MANUFACTURER RECALL.
THE TIRES EXPERIENCED EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR, THE VEHICLE HAD A FRONT ALIGNMENT, AND THE TIRES WERE ROTATED, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RECURRED.*JB
MERCEDES-BENZ, DEVON, PA, SAYS FLOOR MAT JAMMED ACCELERATOR AS DRIVER BRAKED.*AK
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 10 MPH, POWER STEERING WENT OUT, DEALER REPLACED THE LOWER ENGINE PULLEY. *JB
Official recalls
199V030000 · Seat Belts:front:anchorage
Feb 11, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A DEFECTIVE WELD WAS DISCOVERED ON THE WELD NUT FOR THE BOLT USED TO SECURE THE FRONT SHOULDER SEAT BELT GUIDES.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: DUE TO THIS DEFECTIVE WELD, THE ANCHORAGES MAY NOT ADEQUATELY SECURE THE FRONT SEAT BELTS IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE SHOULDER BELT ANCHOR ASSEMBLY.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE03058 · Engine Crankshaft Pulley Failure
Opened Dec 17, 2003 · Closed Apr 22, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline:belts And Associated Pulleys
THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY HARMONIC BALANCER FAILURE THAT COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF POWER-STEERING ASSIST.ODI HAS RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 546 NON-DUPLICATIVE REPORTS THAT ALLEGE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY HARMONIC BALANCER FAILURE ON ALL MERCEDES-BENZ VEHICLES USING THE SUBJECT COMPONENT.THE SUBJECT COMPONENT FAILURES ARE PROGRESSIVE IN NATURE AND ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE COMPLAINTS AND WARRANT CLAIMS INVOLVED A FAILURE THAT HAD PROGRESSED FAR ENOUGH TO EFFECT POWER STEERING PERFORMANCE (6 OF 55 ODI COMPLAINTS REFERENCE INCREASED STEERING EFFORT).THERE HAVE BEEN NO CRASHES OR INJURIES RELATED TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.SEE SUMMARY REPORT ATTACHED FOR FURTHER DETAIL.