2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS500 problems & reliability
62 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS500, alongside 3 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
2 complaints report injuries (4 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes → | 21 | 34% |
| Fuel/propulsion System → | 12 | 19% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline → | 11 | 18% |
| Air Bags | 5 | 8% |
| Power Train | 4 | 6% |
| Wheels | 4 | 6% |
| Electrical System | 3 | 5% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 3 | 5% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 5% |
| Engine | 2 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 15 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 49 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 97,759 miles (middle 50% between 64,000 and 130,900 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS500. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH, the messages "Reduced Braking Pressure, and “Service Required" was displayed and the vehicle experienced a loss in braking power. The contact was able to pull the vehicle over and proceed to inspect the vehicle. The…”
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · filed Oct 28, 2024
“The contact owns a 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the ABS and ESC warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the electronic stability control module. The contact was informed that the part had been discontinued…”
Electronic Stability Control (esc) · filed Sep 18, 2024
“The contact owns a 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS500. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the brake pedal failed to depress properly. There was a message to “STOP” displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who replaced the TLS, but the failure recurred. The…”
Service Brakes · filed Feb 29, 2024
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
70 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS500. The 10 most recent:
Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end). The noise is heard once in each instance when changing direction of travel. Note: Sound file in attachment Cause…
LI35.30-P-058566 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 14, 2026
Complaint There are several types of complaint about noises or poor windshield wiper wiping performance: A: Wiper blades squeaking, chattering, shuddering B: The windshield is not wiped completely (streaking) C: During…
LI82.30-P-059239 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 19, 2026
Complaint Headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged. Cause Fogging of the headlamps is a natural phenomenon, which can occur under certain climatic conditions. It does not lead to any technical impairment of the…
LI82.10-P-078301 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 16, 2026
Complaint Headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged Cause Fogging of the headlamps is a natural phenomenon, which can occur under certain climatic conditions. It does not lead to any technical impairment of the headlamp…
LI82.10-P-078301 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 9, 2026
Complaint Headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged Cause Fogging of the headlamps is a natural phenomenon, which can occur under certain climatic conditions. It does not lead to any technical impairment of the headlamp…
LI82.10-P-078301 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 24, 2026
Complaint Headlamps leaking or fogged Cause The fogging of the headlamp is a natural phenomenon which can occur under certain climatic conditions. In contrast to a leaky headlamp, physical fogging does not result in a…
LI82.10-P-078896 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 24, 2026
Complaint Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end). The clunk is heard once when changing from forward to reverse (and vice versa). Note: Sound file in…
LI33.30-P-056665 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 15, 2025
Complaint Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end). The clunk is heard once when changing from forward to reverse (and vice versa). Note: Sound file in…
LI33.30-P-056665 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 21, 2025
Complaint Headlamps leaking or fogged Cause The fogging of the headlamp is a natural phenomenon which can occur under certain climatic conditions. In contrast to a leaky headlamp, physical fogging does not result in a…
LI82.10-P-078896 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 28, 2025
Complaint Headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged Cause Fogging of the headlamps is a natural phenomenon, which can occur under certain climatic conditions. It does not lead to any technical impairment of the headlamp…
LI82.10-P-078301 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 28, 2025
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS500 has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS500?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Among complaints with usable mileage, the median reported incident mileage was 97,759 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.