Mercedes Benz 240 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
81 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
37,011 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1979 to 2003 model years. Data snapshot: . 41 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 11 of 81 complaints (13.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 12 | 14.8% |
| Braking behavior | 10 | 12.3% |
| Engine operation | 9 | 11.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 9 | 11.1% |
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 4.9% |
| Steering behavior | 4 | 4.9% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 11 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 5 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 5 |
| Unknown Or Other | 5 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 4 |
| Structure | 4 |
| Air Bags | 3 |
Electrical System: 11; Vehicle Speed Control: 7; Fuel System, Gasoline: 5; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 5; Unknown Or Other: 5; Engine And Engine Cooling: 4; Structure: 4; Air Bags: 3
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 14 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 9 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 7 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 4 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 4 |
| 150,000 and above | 3 |
Under 25,000: 14; 25,000 to 49,999: 9; 50,000 to 74,999: 7; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 4; 150,000 and above: 3
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (14). 40 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 3 |
| 1996 | 1 |
| 2001 | 4 |
| 2002 | 16 |
| 2003 | 10 |
| 2004 | 12 |
| 2005 | 5 |
| 2006 | 6 |
| 2007 | 4 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 5 |
| 2010 | 7 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 4 |
| 2013 | 1 |
1995: 3; 1996: 1; 2001: 4; 2002: 16; 2003: 10; 2004: 12; 2005: 5; 2006: 6; 2007: 4; 2008: 2; 2009: 5; 2010: 7; 2011: 1; 2012: 4; 2013: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 12 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 10 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 9 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 8014329 · 2002-07-19 (July 19, 2002)
WHEN STARTING VEHICLE, BATTERY EXPLODED AND ACID LEAKED OUT ALL OVER THE INSIDE ENGINE. FUMES AND SMOKE ALSO CAME OUT.*AK *SCC
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 8014329 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10141839 · 2005-11-05 (November 5, 2005)
I HAVE A 2001 C-240 MERCEDES BENZ, THE LEFT TAIL LIGHT KEEP BLOWING AND I GET A MESSAGE THAT I'M USING THE SUBSTITUTE LIGHT, I TOOK IT THE REPAIR SHOP (MERCEDES BENZ) AND THEY CHANGED THE BULB, NOW THE PROBLEM IS HAPPENING AGAIN IN LESS THAN A YEAR. THERE IS A SHORTEST SOMEWHERE AND IT ALSO CAUSES THE CAR NOT TO START ONLY AFTER A DAY OF SITTING, I HAVE TO JUMP IT TO GET IT TO START. I CALLED ROADSIDE SERVICE THE CHECKED THE BATTERY AND SAID SOMETHING IS DRAINING THE BATTERY, BUT WHEN I TAKE IT IN THE REPAIR SHOP CAN'T FIND ANYTHING. A COUP…
Owner-reported narrative. 27,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10141839 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10237355 · 2008-08-07 (August 7, 2008)
WHILE DRIVING MY 2001 MERCEDES C240 AT FREEWAY SPEED. THE AUTOMATIC "EASY EXIT" FEATURE SHORTED OUT CAUSING MY SEAT TO AUTOMATICALLY MOVE ALL THE WAY BACKWARDS SO THAT I COULD NO LONGER REACH MY CLUTCH, BRAKE OR GAS PEDAL. IN ADDITION TO THIS MY STEERING WHEEL MOVED ITSELF UPWARDS AS FAR AS IT COULD GO. I NEARLY WRECKED MY CAR WHEN THIS HAPPENED, HOWEVER I WAS ABLE TO REACH MY BRAKE PEDAL BY SCOOTING WAY FORWARD IN THE SEAT, AND I ALSO WAS ABLE TO PUSH THE STICKSHIFT INTO NEUTRAL, AND PULL TO THE SHOULDER. I HAD BEEN HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE D…
Owner-reported narrative. 97,850 miles reported. Look up ODI 10237355 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10477345 · 2012-09-27 (September 27, 2012)
WHILE DRIVING ON 101 FREEWAY AT FULL SPEED, THE MERCEDES SUDDENLY SELF-INITIATED CONTINUOUS BRAKE ACTION. THIS WAS UNCOMMANDED -- WITHOUT ME PRESSING THE BRAKES OR TAKING ANY OTHER ACTION. THE CONSOLE DISPLAYED AN "ESP" ERROR MESSAGE. THIS NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THIS SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD COULD HAVE VERY EASILY CAUSED DAMAGE, INJURY OR DEATH. CAR WAS TAKEN TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF CALABASAS. IT WAS EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THIS ESP UNCONTROLLED AUTO-BRAKING ON FREEWAY ISSUE IS FROM THE YAW SENSOR. CALABASAS REPLACED IT TODAY -- TOTAL COST OVER…
Owner-reported narrative. 48,541 miles reported. Look up ODI 10477345 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10164152 · 2006-08-02 (August 2, 2006)
AT SEVERAL POINTS DURING A ROAD TRIP THIS PAST WEEKEND, MY 2001 MERCEDES C240 SUDDENLY DIED WHILE CRUISING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR IN THE MONTHS LEADING UP TO THIS INCIDENCE. HOWEVER, SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING IT, THE SAME THING HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. THE DEALER CHECKED THE CAR AT THAT TIME BUT NEVER TOOK ANY CORRECTIVE ACTION. IN THE LATEST INCIDENCES THIS PAST WEEK THE STALLING PUT ME IN IMMEDIATE DANGER OF BEING HIT BECAUSE THEY HAPPENED ON A MOUNTAIN ROA…
Owner-reported narrative. 54,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10164152 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 744786 · 2001-05-01 (May 1, 2001)
THREE EPISODES ON UNINTENDED ACCELERATION FROM A STOP. VEHICLE BEGINS TO STALL AND THEN SUDDENLY ACCELERATES. DEALER STATES PROBLEM ON EARLIER VEHICLES, BUT SOLVED WITH REPLACEMENT FUEL PUMP. I HAVE REPLACEMENT PUMP BUT PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE IN FRONT OF ME ON THESE OCCASIONS.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 744786 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10023709 · 2003-06-24 (June 24, 2003)
I HAVE HAD MY C230 COUPE IN THE SHOP AT ED POTTER MERCEDES COLUMBUS, OH SEVERAL TIMES. FOUR WEEKS AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR THE WHEELS WERE SO OUT OF ALIGNMENT THAT THE CARS JUMPED LANES, REPEATEDLY I WAS ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE THE TERRIBLE 'PULL' EVEN WITH MR. POTTER IN THE CAR - NEVER COULD THEY FIX IT. THE FUEL TANK WAS REPLACED TWICE, THE STRUT WAS REPLACED, I HAD TO BUY NEW TIRES ($1,277) AFTER 20K MILES, RIGHT NOW IT'S IN THE SHOP, THE SEAL AROUND THE ROOF HAS TO BE REPLACED, THE FRONT SWAY BARS WERE REPLACED, THE RUBBER BUSHINGS ARE BEING RE…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,145 miles reported. Look up ODI 10023709 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10175658 · 2006-12-09 (December 9, 2006)
1. FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. 2. TRANSMISSIONS WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR. MY FAMILY (4 MONTH BABY AND WIFE) WERE LEFT STRANDED ON THE ROADWAY. 3. MERCEDES-BENZ CANNOT CORRECTLY FIX THE PROBLEM. UNKNOWN CAUSE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN SHOP FOR 2 WEEKS WITHOUT A SOLUTION IN SIGHT. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 60,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10175658 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 8003785 · 2002-02-08 (February 8, 2002)
WHEN DRIVING OVER 40 MPH TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENTLY SHIFTED DOWN. THIS HAS HAPPENED 9 TIMES. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO DEALER.PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED, AND FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE STATED CONSUMER MUST HAVE PUSHED BY ON GEARSHIFT BY HERSELF. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 8003785 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10000990 · 2003-01-13 (January 13, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING WITH MY WIFE AS PASSENGER THE STEERING FROZE. UNABLE TO TURN WHEEL. VEHICLE PUSHED TO SAFETY OFF ROAD WITH A LOT OF EFFORT TO STEER. VEHICLE REMAINS AT DEALER # 2 IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK. MILEAGE WAS OVER 30, 000 AT TIME OF FAILURE ON 11/11/02.
Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000990 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 0 |
| 2001 | 0 |
| 2002 | 0 |
| 2003 | 0 |
1995: 0; 2001: 0; 2002: 0; 2003: 0