What are the most common problems with a Mercedes-Benz CL?

At MOT, shock absorbers and wheel bearings are flagged more often than on other cars the same age.

What should I ask the seller before buying a used Mercedes-Benz CL?

Any recent work on the shock absorbers? (Flagged at MOT 2.4× as often on the Mercedes-Benz CL as on other cars the same age.) Any recent work on the wheel bearings? (Flagged at MOT 2.6× as often on the Mercedes-Benz CL as on other cars the same age.) Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Used car guide · 1996–2014

Mercedes-Benz CL common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Mercedes-Benz CL, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 9,125 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

9,125MOTs done in 2023–2025, all years of this model

3,723on the UK register

2007best year at its MOT

Pick the year

Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).

2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996

What usually goes wrong with a Mercedes-Benz CL?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Mercedes-Benz CL in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.

Common Mercedes-Benz CL MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, in more than one year. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.

Shock absorbers
up to 2.4× usual

Stands out on cars registered in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005.

Rough price £200–£300 (pair, average rear to front) ClickMechanic

At the viewing: Push down hard on each corner. It should bounce once and settle. Look for oil on the shock absorber body.
Wheel bearings
up to 2.6× usual

Stands out on cars registered in 2007 and 2009.

Rough price £120–£300 (one bearing) ClickMechanic

At the viewing: Listen for a hum or growl that changes as you steer at speed.

Mercedes-Benz CL MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2007 Mercedes-Benz CL did best (81% passed first time, 24 points above all 2007 cars) and the 2009 did worst (77%, 18 points above all 2009 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

Year	Pass first time	All cars that year	MOT tests
2014	81%	70% +11	278 (small sample)
2013	78%	67% +11	314 (small sample)
2012	81%	64% +17	303 (small sample)
2011	79%	62% +17	331 (small sample)
2010	80%	60% +20	464 (small sample)
2009	77%	59% +18	579
2008	78%	57% +21	696
2007	81%	57% +24	1,296
2006	82%	56% +26	234 (small sample)
2005	79%	57% +22	557
2004	79%	57% +22	639
2003	77%	57% +20	868
2002	74%	58% +16	1,132
2001	76%	60% +16	626
2000	73%	61% +12	538
1998	77%	65% +12	140 (small sample)
1997	82%	65% +17	130 (small sample)

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Mercedes-Benz CL

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

Any recent work on the shock absorbers? (Flagged at MOT 2.4× as often on the Mercedes-Benz CL as on other cars the same age.)
Any recent work on the wheel bearings? (Flagged at MOT 2.6× as often on the Mercedes-Benz CL as on other cars the same age.)
Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Mercedes-Benz CL?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score