Table 1 shows two common structure related problems of the 2000 Mercedes Benz CLK430.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Structure problems | |
| Bumper problems |
Front bumper cover / air dam broke on ordinary wheel stop in public parking lot. Car has inadequate clearance and front bumper cover / air dam is constructed so that it hooks on wheel stops and breaks. It happens every time you park if you bring the front tires to within a foot of the wheel stops. According to mbusa, the front bumper cover is an air foil / safety device providing stability to the car. Once it is broken, the entire front bumper cover has to be replaced, but of course it will only happen again and again.
The front plastic bumper has been designed to be too low to the ground and parking lot wheel bumpers are higher. When parking the 2000 clk model 430, this mismatch causes the plastic bumper to drag along the concrete bumper stop, and because of very weak design of the bumper, it will crack the bumper at its weakest points, causing the bumper to hang loose and become a potential safety hazard. The bumper should be recalled to be replaced with one that is higher from the ground.