More details about the pitfalls when buying Mercedes Benz CLA of the first generation (2013-2019 years of release).

 

So, Mercedes Benz has not changed itself: the body of the CLA is resistant to corrosion. It will be possible to detect rust spots only on those copies that have undergone artisanal body repair. Unfortunately, the chrome-plated elements on the body cannot boast of the same immunity to aggressive external environment. After 2-3 years of operation, chrome moldings noticeably grow cloudy, and then completely begin to peel off. The front optics also fade noticeably over time. After 3-4 years, only memories remain of the pretty sections of daytime running lights: they burn out. In this case, the "Mercedes" prescribe to completely change the non-separable front optics, but such a replacement cannot be called cheap. Fortunately, with a strong desire, you can find craftsmen who will open the headlight cap and rewire overheated LEDs. Garage craftsmen will have to turn to even when there is an acute problem with the ventilation of the fuel tank. The fact is that the unsuccessful design of the adsorber in the fuel tank forces the owners to pour fuel in a thin stream, which is frankly inconvenient. Only in 2015, the German company began to use a new type of adsorber, after which the problem disappeared. But neither the owners nor the Mercedes Benz company themselves tried to get rid of the spectacular glass without frames. Of course, many are afraid that in winter the glass will freeze, but in reality everything turned out to be not so scary. It is enough to treat the door seals with silicone grease before the onset of cold weather and you can forget about possible problems. Officially, the four-seater Mercedes Benz CLA is hardly a recommendation for family people. The second row of seats is frankly cramped. Only children will not experience any discomfort. The CLA's interior is very stylish, but there are questions about the quality of the materials used. They frankly do not reach the premium level. The leather on the steering wheel begins to shine after a run of 80-100 thousand kilometers. By the same mileage, the eco-leather on the front seats also loses its attractive appearance. She really does not like frosts, after which it can crack. The seat heating system was also not very reliable. After 3-4 years of operation, it becomes finally clear that Mercedes Benz engineers did not calibrate the parking sensors in the best way. Every now and then they annoy with false alarms, or even refuse altogether. A little later, the problem with buggy parking sensors is aggravated by the wiring that is starting to rot. For the Mercedes Benz CLA, petrol 4-cylinder engines with a volume of 1.6 and 2.0 liters were offered. The last power unit is much less common than a 1.6-liter one. Few in the secondary market and "charged" versions of the CLA 45 AMG with a 360-horsepower engine. By the way, after the restyling, the AMG version has become even more powerful. Its power unit began to develop 381 "horses". As for the most popular version of the CLA with a 150-horsepower 1.6-liter turbocharged engine, literally a year after the debut of the CLA, a flurry of criticism fell upon it. Many cases have been recorded when a 1.6-liter engine required overhaul with a mileage of only 50 thousand kilometers. Official dealers opened problematic units and fixed numerous cylinder scuffs, damage to the crankshaft and liners. It turned out that the whole thing in the incorrect operation of the control valve of the lubrication system, because of which the engine had to work practically without lubrication. The control valve problem was solved, but the opinion of the 1.6-liter engine hardly improved from this. The power unit turned out to be structurally very complex, capricious and unreliable. In a direct fuel injection system, both piezo injectors and an expensive high-pressure fuel pump fail quite quickly. You will have to deal with expensive repairs even earlier if you use fuel of dubious quality. The inlet valves will quickly build up with carbon deposits and require regular cleaning. Massive owners of Mercedes Benz CLA also complain about the strange crackling sound coming from under the hood after starting the car. It turned out that extraneous sounds are emitted by hydraulic chain tensioners that lack oil pressure. Timing problems don't end there. The chain resource is estimated at only 100-120 thousand kilometers. Both the coolant pump and the turbocharger were distinguished by low reliability on the CLA in the early years of production. In 2013, when the 1.6-liter turbo engine debuted on the Mercedes Benz CLA, the owners of the German sedan suffered from another childhood illness. Literally after 10-15 thousand kilometers, the work of the motor became frankly jerky. When Mercedes Benz realized that the problem was really serious and began to look for the cause of the incorrect operation, it turned out that the matter was in the pressed-on variable valve timing couplings. They turned around, after which numerous problems began. During the warranty period, problems that arose were eliminated free of charge, but owners of a used CLA can no longer count on this. There is only one way out - to thoroughly diagnose the power unit of the instance you like before buying. Many are sure that the infamous Mercedes automatic 7G-Tronic was installed on the CLA. In fact, this is not the case. The engineers decided to use a 7-speed "robot" with a similar name, which led to a common misconception. The design with two "wet" clutches is in many ways similar to that of the "Volkswagen" robotic transmission DSG. But if the Volkswagen company brought to the market a frankly crude product, then Mercedes Benz worked more seriously on the reliability of the 7G-DCT “robot”. Engineers assure that during the test tests, the robotic transmission could withstand up to 270 thousand kilometers without serious remarks. Judging by the experience of real operation, these words are close to the truth. There are still no massive complaints about 7G-DCT. Only a few CLA owners complain about the low-frequency hum that has appeared, but official dealers assure that this phenomenon is absolutely normal. To ensure that sufficient pressure was always maintained in the control system, the creators of the "robot" had to integrate two pumps into the design at once. One of them is electric, which allows you to change gears even when the engine is off. Many Mercedes Benz CLA owners do not like that the transition from second to first gear is too harsh. Most often, either a firmware update or an unscheduled oil change helps to solve the situation. The latter, in any case, will have to be changed at least once every 60 thousand kilometers. If you often have to move through traffic jams, the oil change interval should be reduced to 40-50 thousand kilometers. As for the first major repair of the "robot", it should be expected to run 150-170 thousand kilometers. By this time, the clutch block develops its resource. The engineers of the German company did not modify the Mercedes Benz CLA suspension especially for our roads . As a result, the ground clearance with the base suspension is only 120 millimeters. The sports version with stiffer springs is even smaller - only 105 millimeters. Not surprisingly, virtually all used CLA vehicles have damaged underbody guards. It came as an unpleasant surprise to many owners that the CLA's suspension handles road bumps quite tough. Unfortunately, we are not talking about the traditional "Mercedes" comfort. But you can't find fault with the reliability of the suspension. Silent blocks and levers can withstand 120-140 thousand kilometers. Shock absorbers last up to 150 thousand kilometers. However, these figures are valid only for operation on smooth asphalt. Frequent driving on abounding uneven roads reduces the resource of consumables by about half. The spectacular appearance of the Mercedes Benz CLA has done its job: buyers even now do not leave this model unattended. But, unfortunately, a compact German sedan is capable of delivering a lot of serious problems to its owner. At the same time, the modest size of the car itself does not imply modest repair and maintenance costs. The spare parts on the CLA cost just as much as on the older Mercedes Benz models. How long the considered disposable 1.6-liter gasoline engine will last is anyone's guess. In a word, the Mercedes Benz CLA will definitely not become a reliable companion for many years.
If you are the owner, then be sure to leave a comment about this car, your review will definitely help others with the choice of a car.