Driving my Mercedes cl55 amg, heard a pop sound got out looked around saw nothing arrived home parked auto overnight next morning a large leak which appeared to be some type of fluid under the engine of the vehicle. Contacted Mercedes benz was told recall was issued but not for my VIN# or vehicle year. Auto no longer under warranty and Mercedes will not consider repair the car under the recall…
2005 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class suspension problems
moderate Owners of the 2005 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class have filed 4 NHTSA complaints about the suspension at roughly $900 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See suspension across all vehicles →
Complaints
4
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$900
When does it fail?
Of the 4 suspension complaints filed for the 2005 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA suspension complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 16 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
What owners are reporting 4 most recent
Tl*the contact owns a 2005 Mercedes benz cl55. While driving he noticed that the active body control light illuminated on the dashboard. The contact also observed that when the vehicle was parked there would be a puddle of fluid behind it. The dealer stated that the hydraulic pumps needed to be replaced. Updated 10/23/09 *bf the consumer discovered there was a recall for the problem, but…
Abc - active body control - system is a continuous risk to all mbenz owners. All discussion boards, owner's forums, etc. Will list the various trials and tribulations with the suspension doing any number of actions from completely lowering the car to the bump-stops to eliminating all suspension dampening which is what happened to my car while driving. The suspension being controlled by this…
The active body control is off terribly. The front left and back right sides of my car sag so low but the opposite sides don't. This can cause an accident etc.. *tr
Had suspension trouble with your 2005 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the suspension problem on the 2005 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 4 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $900 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the suspension typically fail?
Based on the 4 complaints filed, suspension issues most often appear around 51,623 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $900 for suspension repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to suspension?
No active recalls currently cover suspension issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2005/Mercedes-Benz/CL-Class.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.