What breaks most · 2012 to 2017 model years
Mercedes-Benz CLA250 problems by year
Owners have filed 347 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Mercedes-Benz CLA250 across model years 2012 to 2017. One year stands out: 2014 for engine complaints. The quietest years are 2012, 2013 and 2015.
- Years to check closely: 2014
- Fewest complaints: 2012, 2013, 2015
- Complaints on file
- 3472012 to 2017, all trims
- Worst year
- 2014177 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 174 fires · 17 injuries · 1 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 24kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 31Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 1 | 0 | Air bags (3) | |
| 9 | 0 | 0 | Air bags (5) | |
| 177 | 4 | 6 | Engine (66) | |
| 61 | 5 | 7 | Unknown or other (17) | |
| 66 | 5 | 8 | Unknown or other (20) | |
| 27 | 2 | 10 | Electrical system (7) |
What fails on the 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA250
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 37% |
66 | 1 | Shop engine parts for the 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 25% |
44 | 1 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 20% |
36 | 1 | Shop speed control and throttle parts for the 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 |
| Unknown or other | 12% |
21 | 0 | — |
| Stability controlABS and wheel speed sensors | 11% |
20 | 1 | Shop stability control parts for the 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 11% |
20 | 1 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Air bags | 6% |
11 | 0 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 6% |
11 | 0 | Shop body and structure parts for the 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
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Check engine code p052e - PCV valve replacement (Crankcase Ventilation valve) - common issue on car and known recall for other models
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Mercedes-Benz CLA250 years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2014 carries the most filings on the Mercedes-Benz CLA250. The 2014 alone has 177 complaints, led by engine.
What is the most common Mercedes-Benz CLA250 problem?
On the 2014 model year, the most-reported component is engine with 66 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Mercedes-Benz CLA250 problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Mercedes-Benz CLA250 complaints that include mileage is about 24,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.