Mercedes CLK W208 (1997-2003): known problems and buying guide

Built: 1997–2003
Median price: €4,500
Listings: 621
Running cost per month: €566–€568
Power: 218 PS (160 kW)
Reliability: 3/5
DIY: 2/5

A fair buy if the automatic shifts cleanly and the V6 pulley and steering are tight, with the closest look at the 1998 and 1999 automatics.

Updated 27 October 2026

All versions

Variant	Running cost per month	Median price	Listings	Fuel	Engine codes	Gearbox	Production years
CLK 320 Coupé, 218 PS, 5-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive Research	€568	€3,700	95	Petrol		Automatic (5)	1997–2002
CLK 320 Cabriolet, 218 PS, 5-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive, convertible Research	€566	€6,200	59	Petrol		Automatic (5)	1998–2003

At a glance

Years: 1997 to 2003, coupe and cabriolet, petrol engines only: the four-cylinder M111, the V6 M112 and the V8 M113, with the 722.6 automatic.
Reliability: 3/5. Few faults are confirmed in the sources, but the automatic and the V6 crank pulley need checks.
DIY: 2/5. Gearbox and engine work need a specialist. Most buyer checks need no tools.
Prefer: a car with a clean-shifting automatic, proof of fluid changes, tight steering and a V6 with no rattle at idle.
Avoid: an automatic that slips, jolts or stalls when cold, a V6 whose crank pulley rattles or wobbles, and rust on the door bottoms, sills or boot lid.

Engines and gearboxes

M111 four-cylinder (CLK 200, CLK 200 Kompressor, CLK 230 Kompressor): exhaust manifolds on the Kompressor cars can crack. See the section on manifold cracks.
M112 V6 (CLK 320): the crank pulley can loosen. See the section on the crank pulley.
M113 V8 (CLK 430, 4.3 litre): no fault confirmed in the sources read.
M113 V8 (CLK 55 AMG, code M113 E55): no fault confirmed in the sources read.
722.6 five-speed automatic (all years): see the gearbox section.
Five-speed manual (to 2000): no fault confirmed in the sources read.
Six-speed manual (2000 to 2003): no fault confirmed in the sources read.

Known issues

Issue	Affects	Typical km	Repair cost
Five-speed automatic gearbox faults	722.6 five-speed automatic, all years; most reports on 1998 and 1999 cars	Not stated	No confirmed price
Crank pulley loosens on the V6	M112 V6 (CLK 320), 1997 to 2003	Not stated	No confirmed price
Exhaust manifold cracks on the Kompressor four-cylinder	M111 Kompressor (CLK 200 Kompressor, CLK 230 Kompressor)	Not stated	No confirmed price
Steering play and tie-rod ends	All cars	Not stated	No confirmed price
Body rust	All cars, most on cars built before the 1999 facelift	Not stated	No confirmed price

Before you buy

Drive the automatic cold and warm, through every gear, and pull away from a stop in Drive and Reverse. Bad result: a delay or no movement when it engages, a jolt at higher revs, or a stall when cold.
On a lift, look at the torque converter seal and the wiring near the gearbox for fresh oil. Bad result: oil at the seal, which can creep into the wiring and reach the control unit.
Start the cold V6 and listen at idle, then watch the crank pulley. Bad result: a rattle, a knock, uneven running or a pulley that wobbles.
Look at the exhaust manifold of the Kompressor four-cylinder with a torch. A lift helps. Bad result: a visible crack in the manifold.
With the engine running, turn the steering wheel by hand and feel for play before the wheels move. On a lift, check the tie-rod ends for play. Bad result: play at the wheel, vague steering, or a loose tie-rod end.
Check the body for rust: door bottom edges, under the trim strips, boot lid, front wings where they meet the sills, sills and jacking points, and the floor. Lift the driver's footwell carpet and feel for damp. Bad result: bubbles, holes, fresh filler or a wet carpet.

Running costs

Operational	€296
Workshop	€113
Fixed costs (tax, insurance)	€113
Total per month	€522
New-car depreciation (not included)	€48

ADAC figures for 15,000 km a year over 60 months

Market

Listings on mobile.de priced up to 50,000 EUR, 29 October 2026.

Find offers on mobile.de

Listings: 621
25th percentile: €2,900
Median price: €4,500
75th percentile: €6,900
Median mileage: 189,000 km
Median first registration: 2000
Dealer share: 34.6%
Price at 100,000 km: €6,907

To check a listing's price, open its variant in the table above. Each variant page has a price check.

In detail

Five-speed automatic gearbox faults

Symptoms: automatic gearboxes often failed on 1998 and 1999 cars (t-online). Cold-start shocks, and a stall when Drive is engaged until the box warms up (Kolesa.ru).

Cause: Kolesa.ru names faults in the hydraulic block, the lock-up solenoid and the torque converter seal. It calls a worn lock-up valve the probable cause of the cold-start shocks.

Which cars: the 722.6 five-speed automatic, all years.

Fix: Kolesa.ru calls the cold-start repair cheap. Oil that leaks past the torque converter seal can creep into the wiring and reach the control unit.

Sources: t-online, 2013, Kolesa.ru, 2017

Crank pulley loosens on the V6

Symptoms: a rattle, a knock or uneven running from the front of the engine. The timing tensioner often breaks as well.

Cause: the crank pulley can come loose on the crankshaft. Loose pulleys cause major engine damage.

Which cars: the M112 V6 in the CLK 320. CarWiki and Gebrauchtwagenberater describe the same V6 in the E-Class W211.

Sources: CarWiki, Gebrauchtwagenberater, 2024

Exhaust manifold cracks on the Kompressor four-cylinder

Symptoms: cracks in the exhaust manifold. AutoScout24 says they are not rare on the CLK 230 Kompressor.

Cause: Kolesa.ru says the manifolds crack with age.

Which cars: the supercharged M111 four-cylinders, CLK 200 Kompressor and CLK 230 Kompressor.

Sources: AutoScout24, 2009, Kolesa.ru, 2017

Steering play and tie-rod ends

Symptoms: vague steering with a lot of play (AutoScout24). Tie-rod ends give trouble (AutoScout24). Kolesa.ru says play in the steering linkage is common.

Which cars: all cars with the recirculating-ball steering box. Kolesa.ru says the box leaks less than a rack, but its linkage often has play.

Fix: Kolesa.ru calls a steering box rebuild expensive. Hose and fitting leaks are more common than seal leaks.

Sources: AutoScout24, 2009, Kolesa.ru, 2017

Body rust

Symptoms: rust on the door bottom edges, under the trim strips and on the boot lid (ADAC). Kolesa.ru adds the joint between front wing and sill, the sills from the jacking points, the floor above the fuel tank, the luggage floor, the boot lid, the bonnet and the driver's footwell.

Cause: Kolesa.ru names damp, road salt and dirt trapped behind the front wing. Wet carpets from a poor air-conditioning drain and weak seals on the frameless doors let the footwell rust from inside. Good factory paint can hide early rust.

Which cars: all years. ADAC says cars from the 1999 facelift on rust less. The cabriolet has thicker sill and floor metal, but Kolesa.ru says rear floor damage is still typical. AutoScout24 disagrees and calls the CLK range largely spared from rust.

Fix: cut out and weld the rusty metal, then protect the cavities. Kolesa.ru says the wing and trim must come off to see the sill area, and sealant can hide damage from an endoscope.

Sources: ADAC, Gebrauchtwageninfo CLK 1997-2003, Kolesa.ru, 2017

Recalls

Country	Code	Years	What is done
Germany, 88,000 cars (ADAC)	not given	Campaign August 1997; coupe built from December 1996	Brake assist: the sensor trigger criteria for full braking are changed.

Check every open campaign by VIN with a Mercedes dealer before you buy.

Maintenance

Change the five-speed automatic fluid and filter. Kolesa.ru advises a fluid service every 40,000 to 50,000 km. ADAC, for the same five-speed automatic on the E-Class, says the first change should come at 60,000 km and then at most every 100,000 km, with a flush.