When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Since Feb 2016:
116,000 mi
Polished HIDs and got a nice professional detail.
Replaced front wheel bearings. I don't think I needed them but I failed tech inspection at the track so whatever. Easy DIY. Cleaned the massive brakes while I had them off.
Replace the front-right sway bar link AGAIN! this has got to be like my 4th one. This car eats them. Went with a nice Lemfoerder this time.
I do my front sway bar bushings like every 2 years or when they start to groan over low speed elevation changes.
I'm now on my 3rd front-right sway bar link (maybe 4th?) I cheaped out before with some $20 ebay crap and they lasted maybe a year. The most recent Lemfoerder link feels much better quality. Its was like $42
OEM parts would have saved you the hassle after the initial change. The clink/clunk could be attributed to your lower control arm bushes. Best to have it checked on a lift. My right side lower I think is now shot and has eaten up my front tires on the inner walls.
Khan55 I think the noise is a bit different from that, it little sounds like teeth clacking as opposed to that louder heaver clunking sound when the ball joints are bad. My other (non benz) car had problems with the stabilizer link as well and it was a similar sound.
Updated:
Bought 2004 CLK55 with ~43k miles from CarMax in March 2015. Car came with no maintenance records, no history, no owner's manual. I also bought a CarMax MaxCare warranty.
After a P(ost)PI, immediately replaced power steering reservoir and O-ring to stop a leak, and replaced a bushing (both covered under CarMax warranty).
Crank position sensor ~48k miles (covered under CarMax warranty).
~53k miles: replaced flap motor and linkages ($1,369.50 at dealer ($1,105 for 7.5-hours' labor alone)) covered under CarMax warranty; replaced two motor mounts (covered under CarMax warranty); replaced torn rear seatbelt (covered under CarMax warranty); fixed thigh bolster bag in driver's seat.
And I have replaced a side marker light bulb and a brake light bulb, and put new engine filters in place of the flithy ones from the previous owner.
At time of purchase had inspected and had the following done:
- Replaced door handles for keyless entry to work
- Had suspension thrust bushings replaced
- fixed mirror light not working in driver's side visor
- Previous owner had clearly hit a big pothole that slightly bent wheel and possibly caused other issues that were fixed
Bought warranty for 3/36K miles and under warranty
- Fixed oil leaks from valve covers
- Crank position sensor failure
- throttle position sensor replacement
- Cleared SRS sensor multiple times, but warranty did not cover airbag/srs stuff
After warranty expired (car currently has 92K miles)
Dealer (big mistake, since then have a great independent doing the work)
- Over $1K in work on SRS stuff replacing controller but it came back on recently
- Routine maintenance items that seemed really expensive including replacing spark plugs and serpentine belt
- One of fog light assemblies randomly fell off and dragged along the ground, needing to be replaced
Problems I live with today
- Steering wheel vibrates/moves when I hit bumps or very uneven pavement
- Drivers side headrest moves sometimes but basically does not work (preset does not work and control on door does not work)
- SRS sensor on again
- Need to replace the rotors but holy crap they are expensive...replaced pads and waiting for funds to replace rotors
The car is a blast to drive and with the recent addition of the wind deflector (bought on Craigslist for $120 after dealer wanted over $1K) the spousal approval factor has increased significantly.
Nandorama. Hows some photos there? You sound almost like you driving my car. Except I don't have steering vibration and the likes but I have suspension bushing issue. SRS light issue that comes and goes and now it hasn't been going for some time. I think the weight sensor in mine is the problem as when an adult sits in the passenger seat, the SRS light goes out. I did rotors after a year of ownership but I used C55 ones instead. Works fine just wont have even disc wear and the steering has become heavier. Driver head rest same issue, the dealer was suppose to repair it. They always had stories and I never took the car back. So kind of my fault but anyway, if you ever open your seat for a passenger to get in and the head rest gets stuck on the roof lining, push down on the bottom seat but at the rear section and you will find that it will close without catching. My bro got it to go down somehow, he says when the door was open it moved down but it doesn't when I try.
My fog lamp fell out also but luckily I saw it on time. I took it out and put it away. Bought some allen key style bolts and nylon lock nuts and some flat washers, hasn't moved since.
Had a valve cover leak by the alternator, I tightened the bolts up and no more leaking.
Never had the other issues but I have a leak from the rear seal which I think is making my oil level sensor faulty.
AKSE seat sensor is well known problem because it is quite fragile part. It can be shut off with Star/Xentry. Otherwise you have to pull whole seat out and rip leathers around it to acces the sensor. Time consuming and kind of useless feature if you don't use MB OEM chilldseat.
Updated:
Bought a 2004 CLK55 with ~43k miles from CarMax in March 2015; also got their MaxCare warranty. Car came with no maintenance records, history or owner's manual. After a P(ost)PI, immediately replaced power steering reservoir and O-ring to stop a leak, and replaced a bushing (both covered by MaxCare warranty).
Crank position sensor ~48k miles (warranty).
~53k miles: replaced flap motor and linkages for $1,369.50 at dealer ($1,105 for 7.5-hours' labor), covered under warranty; replaced two motor mounts (warranty); replaced torn (at time of purchase) rear seatbelt (warranty); fixed thigh bolster in driver's seat.
58k miles: replaced driver's side door lock due to electrical fault (warranty); dealer identified and fixed valve gaskets leak (warranty). The latter may be due to spirited driving in The Dustball Rally from Las Vegas to Vancouver BC. Or not.
Paid warranty claims now total approx $4,900 with labor. And I continue to love the car!
Wheel bearing
new front rotors
dash pixels out - EZ fix dyi
passenger seat movement (fuse)
telescopic steering not working
want to dye drivers seat bolster but otherwise leather excellent
That's it. Minor stuff. Still runs strong and looks close to mint.
Question: what is the symptom of fail crank position sensor?
100,000 miles
...
That's it. Minor stuff. Still runs strong and looks close to mint.
Question: what is the symptom of fail crank position sensor?
My crank position sensor failure manifested after I shut off my engine to run into my house. The engine would not turn over and restart just a few minutes later; it wouldn't restart until about fifteen minutes passed.
I drove it to my independent German-car mechanic and he diagnosed and fixed the CPS. The cause was a cracked housing which allowed the magnet to slip -- the crank and the sensor had stopped interfacing.
oh my, I don't have the motivation to list them all. Mechanically, it is definitely an achievement regarding the power train, braking and suspension design.
If this car was built 10 years before it was then it would be a classic. The looks, the feel and it all is very well tuned however it is all overshadowed by the engineering failure of all the secondary systems.
electrically, it will make you truly understand why the word "gremlin" is of german origin.
It is like they totally toasted the budget on the primary systems and everything else was an afterthought. Dare I say it but the electrical system in this car is as bad as an american car from the 80's or most british cars.
Said systems do not tolerate deviation well at all. At any point your operating voltages are not nominal you are rolling the dice with random electrical failures.
The best 2 pieces of advice I can give are the following:
upon purchasing the car....
1. get rid of the stereo system completely and replace with an aftermarket system. Best case you will be chasing gremlins in the fiber optics; worst case the stock amp will fail thus completely draining your battery resulting in the before mentioned operating voltage deviation.
2. set your seats where you like them and unplug the seat modules or at the very least unplug the part for the memory at some point they also will fail resulting in a power drain albeit a slower one than the amp.
Crank Position Sensor tried to leave me stranded at a gas station today.
I let the car sit for about 10 minutes then got it started and drove right to MB Parts department.
10 minutes and $165 later I had part 003-153-28-28 in my hands. Expensive, but I'm not playing around with it.
2005 CLK55 AMG Coupe. 26,000 Miles. Bought it over the summer. Passed the PPI with flying colors. 2 days later my sunroof was stuck open and had trouble closing. I cleaned up the tracks really well with white lithium grease and has been fine ever since.
CLKs are like the best Mercedes around in terms of quality. Just love them so damn much. I own two right now a CLK 63 and a CLK 500. Both over 100k miles.
I also have a 2014 E350 and the driver seat already has a tear in the middle all open up after owning it for a couple of months. Just goes to show how quality is getting worse and worse over the years. 2014 and a torn seat already, just embarrassing.
CLK 63, only the major problem is the soft top is worn out and needs to be replaced, but unfortunately, it is just too expensive to do so.
CLKs are like the best Mercedes around in terms of quality. Just love them so damn much. I own two right now a CLK 63 and a CLK 500. Both over 100k miles.
I also have a 2014 E350 and the driver seat already has a tear in the middle all open up after owning it for a couple of months. Just goes to show how quality is getting worse and worse over the years. 2014 and a torn seat already, just embarrassing.
CLK 63, only the major problem is the soft top is worn out and needs to be replaced, but unfortunately, it is just too expensive to do so.
Did you by chance just buy your 63 in South FL? Perhaps it could have been the my old one. I miss mine so much already......
147k. Second owner. Already did paint correction and headlight restoration. What a difference. Interior surfaces are perfect. Sturdiest leather I've ever seen in a car.
1) LCD cluster bits are fading, same issue that was in my 2007 335. Need to get the ribbons and solder.
2) AC has the "I am going to do what I want to do, not what you tell me" problem, so I picked up the regulator.
3) Pedal position sensor, so ordering that. Not having any throttle response after flooring it is no fun.
4) Passenger seat release inoperable. No idea where to go with this one, one of the bladders is leaking as well, so maybe a new seat...anyone have a line on lightweight seats and brackets for our cars?
5) Seat bladder control on driver side inoperable...and IT SQUEAKS LIKE MAD.
6) Sunroof sticks open. Pinched my finger trying to close it...ouch!
7) Rear LCA bushings shot, replacing today as the springs and shocks go in.
Otherwise, car is great. It might seem like a lot, but it's all small stuff.
Last edited by HPDECLK55; Dec 14, 2016 at 03:49 PM.
