The 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class is a compact car that came with a choice of 4.7L 8-cyl and 5.5L 8-cyl engines. At 14 years old, many are reaching the point where repairs cost more than the car is worth. Running or not, we'll make you an offer and tow it away for free.
| Body style | Compact Cars |
|---|---|
| Engines | 4.7L 8-cyl, 5.5L 8-cyl (turbocharged versions available) |
| Transmissions | Automatic 7-spd |
| Drive | Rear-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel | Premium Gasoline |
| Fuel economy | 16–17 city / 25 highway / 19–20 combined MPG |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $4,100–$4,350 a year (EPA estimate at current fuel prices, 15,000 miles) |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 444–468 grams per mile |
| Gross vehicle weight rating | 5,236–5,346 lb |
| Versions tested by EPA | 3 configurations: CLS550, CLS550 4matic, CLS63 AMG |
| Age | 14 years |
Specs, fuel cost and emissions from the EPA's fueleconomy.gov data. Your car's exact equipment may differ.
NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls covering the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class. Open recalls don't stop you from selling or junking the car, but check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which apply to yours.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 AMG GT-S, GLC300, CLA250 and GLE300d 4Matic vehicles, 2013 C250, E350 BlueTec and G63 AMG vehicles, 2008-2014 C300 vehicles, 2013-2014 C300 4Matic and ML350 4Matic vehicles, 2009 C350 vehicles, 2014 CLS550, E350 4Matic, E350 Coupe 4Matic, E350 Wagon 4Matic, GLK350 and SL550…
Risk: If the air bags do not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, there would be an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2015 CLS 400 and CLS 400 4matic, 2012-2015 CLS 550 and CLS 550 4matic, 2012-2013 CLS 63, 2014 CLS 63, and 2014-2015 CLS 63P. The affected vehicles have LED tail lights that may not light on the sides, reducing the rear side visibility of the vehicle. As such, these…
Risk: Reduced rear side marker illumination may prevent other drivers from seeing the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Mercedes-Benz is recalling certain model year 2012 CLS550 and CLS550 4Matic vehicles, manufactured December 01, 2011, through December 13, 2011. The bolts that hold the hood's secondary latch striker may have been insufficiently tightened.
Risk: The reduced torque of the striker bolts might lead to a loosening of the bolts. If two of the four bolts securing the striker became loose, the secondary hood latch function would become ineffective. If this problem combines with a failure
Owners have filed 24 complaints about the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class with NHTSA. 1 report involved a crash. Owners reported 2 injuries.
Complaints are reports from owners and aren't verified by NHTSA. One complaint can list several components. Mileage is the median odometer reading owners reported for that component.
Manufacturers have filed 114 technical service bulletins and communications with NHTSA covering the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class. These are repair instructions for known issues, not recalls.
2 of them are warranty extensions. Warranty extensions mean the manufacturer agreed to cover a specific repair beyond the normal warranty. They rarely still apply to a car this age, but they point to known weak spots.
Complaint Repeat workshop visit for vehicle vibration while braking from 60MPH. NOTE: Although the symptom is similar to a tire or wheel vibration, it is usually readily
Complaint Clanking noise from the area of the speakers in the doors. Cause Under analysis. Remedy To narrow down the cause, first of all remove the door trim. • If the no
Complaint Clanking noise from the area of the speakers in the doors. Cause Under analysis. Remedy To narrow down the cause, first of all remove the door trim. • If the no
Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end). The noise is heard once in each instance when changing directio
Complaint Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end). The clunk is heard once when changing from forward to
Complaint Headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged Cause Fogging of the headlamps is a natural phenomenon, which can occur under certain climatic conditions. It does not
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins).
NHTSA opened 1 defect investigation covering the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class.
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to
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It depends on its condition, whether major parts like the engine, transmission and catalytic converter are still there, and current scrap and parts prices where you live. Its parts make up much of its value. Enter your ZIP code above for a free offer on your specific car.
Yes. We buy 2012 CLS-Classs that don't start, were in an accident, failed inspection or have a blown engine or transmission. Towing is always free.
Yes. Open recalls don't prevent a junk sale. NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class; you can check whether any are still open on yours with the VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Usually the title and a photo ID. Rules differ by state, including what to do with your plates and whether to file a notice of sale. Check our state-by-state car title guides for the official forms.
Data retrieved October 2026.
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