Mercedes-Benz CLA250 Problems by Year
NHTSA has 450 owner complaints and 27 safety recalls on file for the Mercedes-Benz CLA250, across 14 model years (2012–2025). The 2014 model year has the most complaints (179). The most reported problem area overall is engine.
Mercedes-Benz CLA250 years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical CLA250 year: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2014 CLA250: 179 complaints, 6 recalls
- 2016 CLA250: 66 complaints, 8 recalls
- 2015 CLA250: 61 complaints, 7 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2022 CLA250: 1 complaint, 0 recalls
- 2025 CLA250: 1 complaint, 0 recalls
- 2024 CLA250: 2 complaints, 0 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Mercedes-Benz CLA250 problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine problems | 120 | 12 | 1 |
| Electrical System | 88 | 12 | 3 |
| Air Bags | 57 | 10 | 13 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 44 | 6 | 3 |
| Power Train | 38 | 6 | 1 |
| Structure | 38 | 8 | 4 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 30 | 9 | 1 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 24 | 4 | 1 |
| Steering | 23 | 8 | 2 |
| Wheels | 20 | 7 | 4 |
| Visibility | 19 | 7 | 0 |
| Service Brakes | 15 | 5 | 3 |
| Back Over Prevention | 7 | 4 | 1 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 6 | 5 | 1 |
| Seats | 6 | 3 | 0 |
| Suspension | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Visibility/wiper | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Tires | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| Communication | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Lane Departure | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Mercedes-Benz CLA250 problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
All Mercedes-Benz CLA250 model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 CLA250 | 1 | 0 | — | Back Over Prevention | |
| 2024 CLA250 | 2 | 0 | — | Unknown or Other | |
| 2023 CLA250 | 6 | 0 | — | Unknown or Other | |
| 2022 CLA250 | 1 | 0 | — | Structure | |
| 2021 CLA250 | 7 | 5 | — | Fuel/propulsion System | |
| 2020 CLA250 | 20 | 11 | — | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2019 CLA250 | 23 | 6 | — | Engine | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2018 CLA250 | 41 | 9 | — | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2017 CLA250 | 27 | 10 | — | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2016 CLA250 | 66 | 8 | — | Unknown or Other | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2015 CLA250 | 61 | 7 | — | Unknown or Other | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2014 CLA250 | 179 | 6 | — | Engine | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2013 CLA250 | 9 | 0 | — | Air Bags | |
| 2012 CLA250 | 7 | 0 | — | Air Bags |
More from Mercedes-Benz: all Mercedes-Benz models · Mercedes-Benz VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Mercedes-Benz CLA250 years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 2014 (179), 2015 (61), 2016 (66), 2017 (27), 2018 (41), 2019 (23), 2020 (20) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical CLA250 year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Mercedes-Benz CLA250?
Engine, with 120 complaints across 12 model years.
How many recalls does the Mercedes-Benz CLA250 have?
27 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.