Half of all complaints arrive by 1 year of age, so 0% land after the 4-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Electrical System, with 2 complaints, typically at 1 year.
Mercedes-Benz CLE years to avoid — and the best ones
| Model year | Per run | Complaints | Runs | Enough history? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 5 | 5 | too new |
When it starts to break
| Age at failure | Complaints | Running total | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 years | 20% | covered | |
| 1 year | 80% | covered | |
| 2 years | 100% | covered |
Basic warranty on this car is 4 years / 50,000 miles. Only 100% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 0% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (4 years / 50,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 20% of the complaints here.
What actually fails — and at what age
On the Mercedes-Benz CLE, the early trouble is Electrical System and Unknown Or Other — reported at around 1 year, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it.
| System | Complaints | Typical age | Crash | Fire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 1 yrs | — | — | |
| Unknown Or Other | 1 yrs | — | — | |
| Fuel System | 1 yrs | — | — | |
| Gasoline | 1 yrs | — | — | |
| Engine | 1 yrs | — | — | |
| Parking Brake | 1 yrs | 1 | — | |
| Equipment | 1 yrs | 1 | — | |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 yrs | 1 | — |
What else in this class
6 models share the CLE's vehicle class.
| Same class as the CLE | Complaints on record | Recall campaigns | Years built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honda Civic | 413 | 1981–2026 | |
| Ford Mustang | 315 | 1981–2026 | |
| Nissan GT-R | 9 | 2009–2026 | |
| Chevrolet Camaro | 204 | 1981–2026 | |
| Toyota Supra | 35 | 1981–2026 | |
| Nissan Sentra | 158 | 1982–2026 |
The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.
Good year or bad year — the VIN settles it.
- Check any VIN against complaints for its exact build year and plant
- Exact value for that car, adjusted for its mileage
- Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
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Frequently asked questions
Is the Mercedes-Benz CLE reliable?
By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 1 against 3.73 for the average car.
When do CLE problems usually start?
Half of all complaints arrive by 1 year of age. The most reported system is Electrical System, typically at 1 year, followed by Unknown Or Other.
Will the warranty cover CLE problems?
Mostly yes: basic cover is 4 years / 50,000 miles, and 100% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 20% of the complaints here.
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