2007 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class Recalls, Problems & Maintenance

The 2007 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class has no open NHTSA recalls. Owners report 5 recurring issue clusters, led by “Fuel odor and leaking fuel sending unit.” Mercedes-Benz alternates two service events: Service A (oil, filter, inspection) at roughly 10,000 miles or 1 year, then Service B (Service A plus brake fluid, cabin filter, and deeper checks) at roughly 20,000 miles or 2 years — the ASSYST Plus counter in the cluster tells you which is due. Oil must carry the MB-Approval number your engine specifies (commonly 229.5, or 229.71 for newer 0W-20 engines); 'meets or exceeds' marketing language is not an approval. Electric EQB and EQS models keep the A/B rhythm for inspections, brake fluid, and cabin filters — just without oil.

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No open recalls on file. NHTSA lists no unrepaired safety recalls for this year, make and model. A recall can be issued at any time, and a specific car can still have one open — check yours by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Known issues & problems for this vehicle

What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2007 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class.

Reported to NHTSA

Fuel odor and leaking fuel sending unit

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

20 NHTSA complaints · 2012-10 → 2020-12

“FUEL IS LEAKING FROM BOTH SENDER UNITS WHEN TANK IS MORE THAN 3/4 FULL. EXTREME FUMES WHEN CAR IS PARKED IN CLOSED GARAGE WITH A FULL TANK. SMELLS LIKE A LARGE QUANTITY OF FUEL IS LEAKING. PAID FOR THE SAME REPAIR 20K MILES AGO, NOW SAME PROBLEM HAS RETURNED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10849681
“AFTER FILLING GAS TANK STRONG GAS SMELL AROUND CAR SPECIALLY IN THE GARAGE NO VISIBLE FUEL LEAK.NO FUEL SMELL IN THE CAR ONLY OUTSIDE BY REAR WHEELS.NOT IN MOTION ,”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11074398
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MERCEDES BENZ CLK550. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, A FUEL ODOR EMITTED FROM THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS FUEL LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10547225

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Sunroof glass panel separation or detachment

VISIBILITY

3 NHTSA complaints · 2014-09 → 2021-02

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MERCEDES BENZ CLK350. THE CONTACT STATED THE BONDING BETWEEN THE GLASS PANEL AND THE SLIDING ROOF FRAME DETERIORATED WHICH RESULTED IN THE TWO PARTS SEPARATING”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11396704
“TL* THE CONTACT'S PARTNER OWNS A 2007 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK350. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE HIS PARTNER WAS DRIVING 65 MPH, THE SUN ROOF SHADE DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE AND FELL ONTO THE ROADWAY”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11323907
“WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE MY SUN ROOF GLASS BLEW OFF OF THE VEHICLE. IT WAS NOT OPEN AT THE TIME. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER TO SEE IF ANYONE WAS HIT”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10631894

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Transmission failure to shift or loss of power

POWER TRAIN

7 NHTSA complaints · 2012-03 → 2020-01

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MERCEDES BENZ CLK350. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO LOSE ACCELERATION UNTIL IT STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TURNED OFF AND THEN RESTARTED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10724525
“I SLOWED DOWN TO MAKE A TURN AND THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. IT APPEARED TO BE STUCK IN HIGH GEAR AND DID NOT SHIFT BACK DOWN TO A LOW GEAR. THIS HAPPENED TWICE OVER A 3 WEEK PERIOD”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10763765
“THE TRANSMISSION LOCKS UP IN LOW GEAR WHILE DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE TRANSMISSION WON'T CHANGE GEARS”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10452449

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Engine stall and camshaft or control valve failure

ENGINE

6 NHTSA complaints · 2007-06 → 2020-06

“EVERY MERCEDES FROM THE YEAR 2005-2008 WITH THE M272 V6 ENGINE AND M278 V8 ENGINE GETS A CODE CALLED P0016-P0017 WITCH IS THE RIGHT HAND SIDE CAMSHAFT INTERNALLY TO GO BAD”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11040837
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK350. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL VALVE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10865442
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MERCEDES BENZ CLK550. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE ENGINE FAILED AND THE STEERING LOCKED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10193578

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

SRS warning light and airbag wiring harness fault

AIR BAGS

6 NHTSA complaints · 2013-06 → 2021-03

“WHEN THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM LIGHT (SRS) CAME ON I WAS TOLD THE HARNESS UNDER THE SEAT HAD TO BE REPLACED AT CONSIDERABLE COST. I HAD IT REPAIRED AN A SHORT TIME LATER IT CAME ON AGAIN”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10826116
“THE SRS (SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM) LIGHT CAME ON AND A MESSAGE SAYING THERE WAS A FAULT AND THE VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE TAKEN TO THE WORKSHOP. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE WIRING HARNESS IN THE DRIVER SEAT NEEDS REPLACED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10763762
“THE SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAILURE MESSAGE APPEARED IN THE DASHBOARD MESSAGE DISPLAY OF OUR 6-YEAR OLD MERCEDES BENZ CLK350. THE SANTA BARBARA AUTO GROUP MERCEDES BENZ SERVICE PERSON EXPLAINED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WAS DEFECTIVE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10515893

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 20, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 20, 2026.

We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.

Raw data + downloads for this vehicle →

Essential maintenance

Critical for safety and preventing major damage

Service A — Oil & Filter + Inspection

Every 10,000 mi

Every 10,000 miles or 12 months: oil and filter with MB-Approved oil, fluid top-offs, tire check, and inspection. AMG models driven hard: many owners service at 5,000-7,500 miles.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$120–$160

Shop

~$85–$115

DIY

~$25–$55

Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.

Service B — Major Inspection

Every 20,000 mi

Every 20,000 miles or 2 years, alternating with Service A: everything in A plus brake-fluid replacement, cabin filter, and a deeper multi-point inspection of brakes, suspension, and driveline.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Most shops do this free with any paid service. A flashlight and 10 minutes covers the basics yourself.

Tire Rotation

Every 10,000 mi

Rotate at every Service A where the tire sizes allow. Many AMG and 4MATIC+ models run staggered widths that can't rotate front-to-rear — check your spec before paying for a rotation.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.

Brake Inspection

Every 10,000 mi

Checked at every A/B service via electronic pad-wear sensors. Replace sensors with pads. Heavy EQS models wear pads slowly (regen braking) but rotors can corrode from disuse — an inspection catches that.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.

Brake Fluid

Every 20,000 mi

Replaced every 2 years as part of Service B — Mercedes schedules it on time, not miles, because DOT 4 fluid absorbs moisture regardless of driving.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$180–$200

Shop

~$125–$140

DIY

~$10–$25

DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.

Important maintenance

Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently

Automatic Transmission Fluid (7G / 9G-Tronic)

Every 70,000 mi

Mercedes specifies fluid and filter service around 70,000 miles on most 7G- and 9G-Tronic gearboxes — check your year's sheet. Use only the MB-spec fluid for your transmission code; independent specialists often service at 60,000 on hard-driven cars.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$330–$500

Shop

~$235–$355

DIY

~$60–$180

Some sealed transmissions have no dipstick — fill is precise and best left to a shop. Many drivers can still DIY drain-and-fill.

Spark Plugs

Every 60,000 mi

Most modern MB gas engines: plugs around 60,000 miles — AMG engines often sooner. Check your engine's sheet; twin-turbo V8 plug jobs are labor-heavy, so pair with other scheduled work.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$390

Shop

~$200–$275

DIY

~$25–$100

Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.

Engine Air Filter

Every 40,000 mi

Replace around every 40,000 miles (twin-filter setups on V6/V8 engines double the parts bill). Inspected at every Service B.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.

Recommended maintenance

Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort

Combination / Dust Filter

Every 20,000 mi

Replaced with every Service B. Models with the ENERGIZING air package use a higher-grade filter — priced accordingly.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.

Engine Coolant

On condition / lifetime

MB-spec coolant is long-life (typically ~10 years / 150,000 miles on the sheet). Refresh only with MB 325/326-spec coolant — the wrong chemistry attacks aluminum and head gaskets.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$330

Shop

~$200–$235

DIY

~$25–$60

Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.

12V & Auxiliary Battery

Every 25,000 mi

Test annually after year 3. Most modern Mercedes carry a second auxiliary battery; a weak one triggers cascading warning messages long before a no-start. EQ models also depend on the 12V system to boot.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$225–$390

Shop

~$160–$280

DIY

~$130–$250

Most auto-parts stores test and install batteries free with purchase. Skip the dealer markup.

Fatal crash history & reported problems

Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)

8 crashes 1990–2024

How the 8 occupant deaths break down

6

driver deaths

2

passenger deaths

8

occupant deaths

Crash years covered: 1990–2024 This model year first appears in 2008 crashes. Older models have had more years on the road to appear in these crashes, so a higher count here does not by itself mean a vehicle is less safe.

FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number

FARS 2024 data is an annual report file. NHTSA revises these records when the final file is published, so this count can change.

Why we show driver deaths too

Every vehicle has exactly one driver seat, so driver deaths line up fairly when you compare one model to another. Occupant deaths include passengers, so a three row SUV can show a higher number than a two seat car simply because it carries more people.

Both figures are plain counts, not rates. A rate would need to know how many of each vehicle are on the road, and that registration data is not public, so we do not publish rates or scores of any kind.

IIHS publishes driver death rates using this same driver only idea, paired with a registered vehicle years denominator we do not have. Their rates and these counts answer different questions, so do not read either number here as a safety rating.

Owner-reported problem signals

Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.

0

complaints mentioning a crash

0

complaints mentioning a fire

Reviewed known issues for this vehicle

Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.

How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.

This maintenance schedule for the 2007 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class reflects Mercedes-Benz's published service intervals and the ASSYST Plus (Service A / Service B) system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.