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2016 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLA45Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 1 owner complaint about the 2016 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLA45, most often about the steering. It is covered by 6 safety recalls, and for recall 23V-854 the manufacturer reports only 41% of affected cars repaired.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls6Lowest repair rate 41%Owner complaints10 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage10kSteering, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through December 15, 2023. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2016 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLA45 has problems

1 complaint grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Steering10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

6 recalls

2016 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLA45 recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

41%repaired · 2025 Q4

Body: roof and pillars

Recall 23V-854 · Dec 15, 2023 · 2,976 vehicles · 1,209 repaired

Risk. A detached roof panel can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

55%repaired · 2023 Q3

Body: roof and pillars

Recall 21V-197 · Mar 19, 2021 · 15,096 vehicles · 8,323 repaired

Risk. The adhesive bonding of the front panel might deteriorate, possibly causing the front panel to detach from the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

78%repaired · 2021 Q1

Communication

Recall 19V-787 · Nov 1, 2019 · 24,226 vehicles · 18,993 repaired

Risk. An inaccurate vehicle location may delay emergency responders, increasing the risk of injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

81%repaired · 2019 Q4

Air bags: frontal

Recall 17V-627 · Oct 6, 2017 · 495,290 vehicles · 402,593 repaired

Risk. If the driver air bag inadvertently deploys, it can increase the risk of injury and a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 2 more recalls
98%repaired · 2018 Q4

Electrical system: starter assembly

Recall 17V-114 · Feb 23, 2017 · 307,629 vehicles · 300,012 repaired

Risk. If the starting current limiter overheats, the surrounding components can melt, increasing the risk of a fire.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Mercedes-Benz.

Best & worst years

2016 vs. every other AMG CLA45 year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the AMG CLA45 median. How we score

'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2016 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLA45, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA21002 · still open
    Open
  2. Front Roof Panel DetachmentPE21001 · closed Oct 14, 2021
    Led to recall 21V-197
In owners' words

What AMG CLA45 owners report

Recent steering complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

MERCEDES SENT SEVERAL LETTERS STATING RECALL [PHONE] AFFECTS THIS VEHICLE AND DIRECTING ME TO THE LOCAL DEALER TO HAVE THE STEERING RACK REPLACED. LOCAL DEALER WILL NOT PERFORM REPAIR. RECALL DOES NOT SHOW UP ON MERCEDES RECALL DATABASE. CUSTOMER CARE HAS NOT RESOLVED ISSUE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS - YET…
Complaint 11297887 · Jan 8, 2020 · 10,000 miles

Own a 2016 AMG CLA45?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.