The pulley fitted to the front of the crankshaft is also a vibration damper: a rubber insert connects the outer ring to the inner one.
Applies to the engine M112E32, M113E43, M113E55.
Repair: from 750 EUR
vinkodex.Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class C208 common faults.
1997–2003. The fault list covers this generation and the engines in it. If the listing gives the exact version, pick it below.
Rudolf Stricker / CC BY-SA 3.0
What to watch for
What can go wrong on this car?
The list covers the generation, the engines and the transmissions. Once you pick the version, only the faults that apply to it stay.
critical1
expensive4
The Mercedes 5 speed 722.6 automatic (5G-Tronic / NAG1) has three faults that also recur on the used market: (1) the control electronics sit inside the gearbox housing, and a leaking connector lets oil onto the electronics; (2) cooling faults around 2003 (and later) can let antifreeze into the ATF, which shortens its life; (3) wear of the torque converter lock-up clutch contaminates the valve body and causes jerky shifts.
Applies to the transmission MB7226.
The gasket of the cam cover and the cover seals towards the oil filter housing age, harden and start to seep.
Applies to the engine M112E32.
Repair: from 18 EUR
The rear crankshaft seal ages and oil seeps at the joint between the engine and the gearbox.
Applies to the engine M113E43, M113E55.
The rubber insert in the harmonic damper on the front of the crankshaft ages and hardens.
Applies to the engine M113E43, M113E55.
cheap repair1
M113 V8: engine mounts that wear early
cheap repairThe engine mounts wear early: failures below 100,000 km have been reported.
Applies to the engine M113E43, M113E55.
Official recall3 recallsShowThe manufacturer fixes these for free at a franchised dealer. Ask with the VIN whether it was done. The list covers the whole generation. We did not filter it by model year. Some apply only to a narrower production window.
A12/00280/20Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety GateThe adhesive bond between the glass panel and the sliding-roof frame may not meet the specifications. As a result, the glass panel could become completely detached from the vehicle, posing the risk to the following traffic.
Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: Unknown
A12/00391/23Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety GateDue to improper adhesive bonding of the glass panel to the sliding roof frame, the panel may detach from the moving vehicle, creating a risk of an accident, injuries. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.
Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: Unknown
A12/0457/17Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety GateFollowing the update of the control unit coding, the coding parameters of the control unit could be defective. This could give rise to various unplanned reactions in the vehicle: the wrong airbag could be triggered in the event of an accident, the airbag control unit may not recognise the belt buckle status, the engine control unit could be coded with a false maximum speed or various assistance systems may not function.
Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: Unknown
Engines and transmissions in this generation
A fault is often tied to the engine, not to the whole generation. You find the engine code in the registration document.
C208 · 1997–2003
Pick the version.
The fault list opens on the version page.
45 versions
EngineVersionPowerFuel · transmissionBody
2.0 l · 1998 cm³
M111E20 · MB7226
CLK 200 Avantgarde
1999–2002 · CLK 200 Avantgarde
136 HPpetrol · automaticcoupé2.0 l · 1998 cm³
M111E20 · MB6MT
CLK 200 Avantgarde
1999–2002 · CLK 200 Avantgarde
136 HPpetrol · manualcoupé2.0 l · 1998 cm³
M111E20 · MB7226
CLK 200 Cabriolet Avantgarde
1999–2003 · CLK 200 Cabriolet Avantgarde
136 HPpetrol · automaticconvertible2.0 l · 1998 cm³
M111E20 · MB6MT
CLK 200 Cabriolet Avantgarde
1999–2003 · CLK 200 Cabriolet Avantgarde
136 HPpetrol · manualconvertible2.0 l · 1998 cm³
M111E20 · MB7226
CLK 200 Cabriolet Elegance
1998–1999 · CLK 200 Cabriolet Elegance
136 HPpetrol · automaticconvertible2.0 l · 1998 cm³
M111E20 · MB7226
CLK 200 Cabriolet Sport
1998–1999 · CLK 200 Cabriolet Sport
136 HPpetrol · automaticconvertible2.0 l · 1998 cm³
M111E20
CLK 200 Cabriolet Sport
1998–1999 · CLK 200 Cabriolet Sport
136 HPpetrol · manualconvertible2.0 l · 1998 cm³
M111E20 · MB7226
CLK 200 Elegance
1997–1999 · CLK 200 Elegance
136 HPpetrol · automaticcoupé2.0 l · 1998 cm³
M111E20 · MB7226
CLK 200 Sport
1997–1999 · CLK 200 Sport
136 HPpetrol · automaticcoupé2.0 l · 1998 cm³
M111E20
CLK 200 Sport
1997–1999 · CLK 200 Sport
136 HPpetrol · manualcoupé2.0 l · 1998 cm³
M111E20MLEVO · MB7226
CLK 200 Kompressor Avantgarde
1999–2002 · CLK 200 Kompressor Avantgarde
163 HPpetrol · automaticcoupé2.0 l · 1998 cm³
M111E20MLEVO · MB6MT
CLK 200 Kompressor Avantgarde
1999–2002 · CLK 200 Kompressor Avantgarde
163 HPpetrol · manualcoupé2.0 l · 1998 cm³
M111E20MLEVO · MB6MT
CLK 200 Kompressor Cabr. Avantgarde
1999–2003 · CLK 200 Kompressor Cabr. Avantgarde
163 HPpetrol · manualconvertible2.0 l · 1998 cm³
M111E20MLEVO · MB7226
CLK 200 Kompressor Cabr. Avantgarde
1999–2003 · CLK 200 Kompressor Cabr. Avantgarde
163 HPpetrol · automaticconvertible2.0 l · 1998 cm³
M111E20MLEVO · MB7226
CLK 200 Kompressor Cabr. Elegance
1999–2003 · CLK 200 Kompressor Cabr. Elegance
163 HPpetrol · automaticconvertible2.0 l · 1998 cm³
M111E20MLEVO · MB7226
CLK 200 Kompressor Elegance
1999–2002 · CLK 200 Kompressor Elegance
163 HPpetrol · automaticcoupé2.3 l · 2295 cm³
M111E23ML · MB7226
CLK 230 Kompressor Avantgarde
1999–2002 · CLK 230 Kompressor Avantgarde
193 HPpetrol · automaticcoupé2.3 l · 2295 cm³
M111E23ML · MB6MT
CLK 230 Kompressor Avantgarde
1999–2002 · CLK 230 Kompressor Avantgarde
193 HPpetrol · manualcoupé2.3 l · 2295 cm³
M111E23ML · MB6MT
CLK 230 Kompressor Cabr. Avantgarde
1999–2003 · CLK 230 Kompressor Cabr. Avantgarde
193 HPpetrol · manualconvertible2.3 l · 2295 cm³
M111E23ML · MB7226
CLK 230 Kompressor Cabr. Avantgarde
1999–2003 · CLK 230 Kompressor Cabr. Avantgarde
193 HPpetrol · automaticconvertible2.3 l · 2295 cm³
M111E23ML · MB7226
CLK 230 Kompressor Cabr. Elegance
1999–2003 · CLK 230 Kompressor Cabr. Elegance
193 HPpetrol · automaticconvertible2.3 l · 2295 cm³
M111E23ML · MB7226
CLK 230 Kompressor Cabriolet Elegance
1998–1999 · CLK 230 Kompressor Cabriolet Elegance
193 HPpetrol · automaticconvertible2.3 l · 2295 cm³
M111E23ML · MB7226
CLK 230 Kompressor Cabriolet Sport
1998–1999 · CLK 230 Kompressor Cabriolet Sport
193 HPpetrol · automaticconvertible2.3 l · 2295 cm³
M111E23ML
CLK 230 Kompressor Cabriolet Sport
1998–1999 · CLK 230 Kompressor Cabriolet Sport
193 HPpetrol · manualconvertible2.3 l · 2295 cm³
M111E23ML · MB7226
CLK 230 Kompressor Elegance
1997–1999 · CLK 230 Kompressor Elegance
193 HPpetrol · automaticcoupé2.3 l · 2295 cm³
M111E23ML
CLK 230 Kompressor Sport
1997–1999 · CLK 230 Kompressor Sport
193 HPpetrol · manualcoupé2.3 l · 2295 cm³
M111E23ML · MB7226
CLK 230 Kompressor Sport
1997–1999 · CLK 230 Kompressor Sport
193 HPpetrol · automaticcoupé2.3 l · 2295 cm³
M111E23MLEVO · MB7226
CLK 230 Kompressor Avantgarde
1999–2002 · CLK 230 Kompressor Avantgarde
197 HPpetrol · automaticcoupé2.3 l · 2295 cm³
M111E23MLEVO · MB6MT
CLK 230 Kompressor Avantgarde
1999–2002 · CLK 230 Kompressor Avantgarde
197 HPpetrol · manualcoupé2.3 l · 2295 cm³
M111E23MLEVO · MB6MT
CLK 230 Kompressor Cabr. Avantgarde
1999–2003 · CLK 230 Kompressor Cabr. Avantgarde
197 HPpetrol · manualconvertible2.3 l · 2295 cm³
M111E23MLEVO · MB7226
CLK 230 Kompressor Cabr. Avantgarde
1999–2003 · CLK 230 Kompressor Cabr. Avantgarde
197 HPpetrol · automaticconvertible2.3 l · 2295 cm³
M111E23MLEVO · MB7226
CLK 230 Kompressor Cabr. Elegance
1999–2003 · CLK 230 Kompressor Cabr. Elegance
197 HPpetrol · automaticconvertible2.3 l · 2295 cm³
M111E23MLEVO · MB7226
CLK 230 Kompressor Elegance
1999–2002 · CLK 230 Kompressor Elegance
197 HPpetrol · automaticcoupé3.2 l · 3199 cm³
no engine code
CLK 320 Avantgarde
1999–2002 · CLK 320 Avantgarde
224 HPpetrol · automaticcoupé3.2 l · 3199 cm³
no engine code
CLK 320 Cabriolet Avantgarde
1999–2003 · CLK 320 Cabriolet Avantgarde
224 HPpetrol · automaticconvertible3.2 l · 3199 cm³
no engine code
CLK 320 Cabriolet Elegance
1998–1999 · CLK 320 Cabriolet Elegance
224 HPpetrol · automaticconvertible3.2 l · 3199 cm³
no engine code
CLK 320 Cabriolet Sport
1998–1999 · CLK 320 Cabriolet Sport
224 HPpetrol · automaticconvertible3.2 l · 3199 cm³
no engine code
CLK 320 Elegance
1997–1999 · CLK 320 Elegance
224 HPpetrol · automaticcoupé3.2 l · 3199 cm³
no engine code
CLK 320 Sport
1997–1999 · CLK 320 Sport
224 HPpetrol · automaticcoupé4.3 l · 4266 cm³
M113E43 · MB7226
CLK 430 Avantgarde
1999–2002 · CLK 430 Avantgarde
279 HPpetrol · automaticcoupé4.3 l · 4266 cm³
M113E43 · MB7226
CLK 430 Cabriolet Avantgarde
1999–2003 · CLK 430 Cabriolet Avantgarde
279 HPpetrol · automaticconvertible4.3 l · 4266 cm³
M113E43 · MB7226
CLK 430 Cabriolet Elegance
1999–2003 · CLK 430 Cabriolet Elegance
279 HPpetrol · automaticconvertible4.3 l · 4266 cm³
M113E43 · MB7226
CLK 430 Elegance
1997–1999 · CLK 430 Elegance
279 HPpetrol · automaticcoupé4.3 l · 4266 cm³
M113E43 · MB7226
CLK 430 Sport
1997–1999 · CLK 430 Sport
279 HPpetrol · automaticcoupé5.4 l · 5439 cm³
M113E55 · MB7226
CLK 55 AMG
1999–2002 · CLK 55 AMG
347 HPpetrol · automaticcoupé
Neighbouring generations
C208 · 1997–2003
C208 (1997-2003). If the listing is from the changeover year, look at the neighbour too.
Previous generation
This is the earliest.
This generation
C208 · 1997–2003
Next generation
C209 · 2002–2010Common questions
About this generation
Which years does this page cover?
1997–2003. The changeover year can fall in two generations. If the listing is from that year, look at the neighbour too.
Does the fault apply to every car like this?
No. It depends on the engine and the transmission too.
Is it free?
The fault list is.
Information, not an expert opinion
We write the descriptions, and we put the source next to them. A person reviews them before they go out. They are still information, not a technical expert opinion.
- A fault on the list does not mean the car you are looking at has it.
- A fault missing from the list does not mean the model is fault-free. Write-ups are made model by model. Not all of them are done.
- You decide whether to buy. This is no substitute for an inspection. That needs a workshop and a history check.