U.S. public vehicle records

2002 Mercedes Benz C CLASS problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

31 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

65,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 21 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 7 of 31 complaints (22.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Electrical and battery issues	6	19.4%
Braking behavior	4	12.9%
Steering behavior	4	12.9%
Engine operation	3	9.7%
Fuel system concerns	3	9.7%
Transmission and shifting	2	6.5%

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.

Electrical System

Engine And Engine Cooling

Seats

Fuel System, Gasoline

Suspension

Tires

Unknown Or Other

Power Train

Electrical System: 7; Engine And Engine Cooling: 5; Seats: 5; Fuel System, Gasoline: 4; Suspension: 4; Tires: 3; Unknown Or Other: 3; Power Train: 2

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 5; 25,000 to 49,999: 3; 50,000 to 74,999: 4; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 5; 150,000 and above: 0

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (5). 10 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.

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2011

2013

2014

2002: 5; 2003: 4; 2004: 3; 2005: 1; 2006: 2; 2007: 3; 2008: 4; 2009: 3; 2011: 3; 2013: 2; 2014: 1

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 6 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 4 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 10252301 · 2008-12-19 (December 19, 2008)

SEAT CONTROLLER MODULES, THEY CONSTANTLY DRAIN THE BATTERY WHEN THE CAR IS OFF. THIS IS A VERY VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH MERCEDES C CLASS. THE CONTROLLER DRAINS THE CAR BATTERY TO THE POINT WERE THE CAR CANNOT START, AND CONTINUES TO DO THIS IF THE CAR IS NOT DRIVEN EVERYDAY. OBVIOUSLY HAVING A CAR BATTERY GET SUCKED BELOW 3V IS NOT HEALTHY FOR THE BATTERY, AND IN THE END EVERYONE WITH THIS PROBLEM HAS TO REPLACE THEIR BATTERY MANY MANY TIMES. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10252301 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10254049 · 2009-01-06 (January 6, 2009)

SEAT CONTROL MODULE ON PASSENGER SIDE DRAINS THE BATTERY. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 75,522 miles reported. Look up ODI 10254049 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10070703 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)

THE 1ST INCIDENT; MY MERCEDES C240 WAS ONLY 2 MONTHS NEW. 2ND INCIDENT AT 10.5 MOS, 3RD: EXACLTY 1 YEAR, 4TH: 1 YR/3 WKS, 5TH: 13 MOS. ALL 5 TIMES THE CAR EXPERIENCED THE SAME EXACT DYING OUT OF THE ENGINE WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING, & BRAKES. 3 OF THE 5 INCIDENTS THE CAR WOULD NOT START & REQUIRED A TOW TO THE DEALER, HAVING THE DEALERS WORK ON THE CAR ONLY TO HAVE THE CAR DIE OUT AGAIN. BIGGEST COMPLAINT BESIDES MINE, MY CHILDREN, & OTHER FELLOW FREEWAY TRAVELERS LIVES BEING IN DANGER IS THE LACK AND DIS…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10070703 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10207484 · 2007-10-30 (October 30, 2007)

MY WIFE DROVE THE CAR IN THE MORNING, NO PROBLEM. EARLY AFTERNOON, SHE LEFT TO PICK UP OUR CHILD, WHILE LEAVING THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THE VEHICLE STARTING SENDING WARNING SIGNS CAME ON THE DASH THAT HAD NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE. THEN THICK SMOKE CAME OUT FROM UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL. MY WIFE HAD TO OPEN HER WINDOW. SHE THEN TURNED AROUND TO GO BACK HOME PRIOR TO LEAVING THE COMMUNITY. ON THE WAY BACK THE CAR SLAMMED ON BRAKES BY ITSELF AND CUT ITSELF OFF AND SAID THE VEHICLE HAD 7 FAULTS. RAN UP TO A NEIGHBORS HOME, UPON RETURNING THE VEHICLE…

Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10207484 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10004900 · 2003-01-29 (January 29, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING MY C-240 BETWEEN 30 & 60 MPH I CAN FEEL A VIBRATION ON THE SHIFT LEVER & THE STEERING WHEEL & IF PUT MY HAND ON TOP OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. YOU CAN SENSE THE VIBRATION AROUND YOU. IT SEEMS TO COME FROM THE POWER TRAIN, VIA DRIVE SHAFT, TRANS. OR DIFFERENTIAL, THE DEALER REPLACED & BALANCED ALL FOUR TIRES, AND IT I THUOGHT IT WAS CORRECTED BUT THE PROBLEM STILL PERSITS SOMETIMES IT IS MORE NOTICIBLE THAN OTHERS, I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT BUT ON A TEST DRIVE THE SERVICE MAN SAID HE CAN'T FEEL ANYTHI…

Owner-reported narrative. 674 miles reported. Look up ODI 10004900 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10065172 · 2004-03-30 (March 30, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE ON ONE OCCASION, BUT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED THE SECOND TIME. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 39,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10065172 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10375150 · 2011-01-07 (January 7, 2011)

I PURCHASED A 2002 C240 MERCEDES IN 2006. THE CAR HAS NEVER GIVEN ME ANY MAJOR PROBLEMS UNTIL HERE RECENTLY. THE CAR BEGAN TO NOT START AND COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED THREE TIMES TO THE MECHANICS (DON ALLEN SERVICE CENTER ON ALLENTOWN ROAD, FORT WASHINGTON, MD). WAS TOLD I NEEDED A FUEL PUMP. I PAID $1,500 TO HAVE A NEW FUEL PUMP INSTALLED. PROBLEM NOT SOLVED. WHEN I TRIED TO START THE CAR. IT HESITATES FOR ABOUT 10-15 SECONDS BEFORE IT TURNS OVER. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE MECHANICS AND WAS TOLD IT NEEDED TO FUEL FILTER CHAN…

Owner-reported narrative. 104,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10375150 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10524137 · 2013-07-10 (July 10, 2013)

I CALLED MBUSA 2 WEEKS AGO REGARDING MY 2002 C320 WAGON WHICH WAS SMELLING OF PURE GASOLINE WHICH THE ODOR WAS SO STRONG IT WAS COMING INTO THE HOUSE FROM THE GARAGE GIVING US HEADACHES. I CHECKED ONLINE WITH MBUSA CLUB MEMBERS AND FOUND OUT THIS COULD BE A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND TO CALL IT IN. I CALLED MBUSA AND WAS TOLD THERE WERE NO RECALLS OR BULLETINS PERTAINING TO THIS ISSUE AND WE WERE OUT OF WARRANTY TO CONTACT THE DEALER. I CALLED THE DEALER WHO SEEMED VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS ISSUE AND JUST FOR PARTS IT WAS OVER $800 AND THEY WERE NOT…

Owner-reported narrative. 136,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10524137 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10014381 · 2003-04-14 (April 14, 2003)

3/03 WITHIN 3 MONTHS OF PURCHASING MY 2002 C-240, THE AIR CONDITIONING STOPPED WORKING, FUEL GAUGE FAILED, HEADLIGHT WASHER BROKE, AND ONE OF THE VENTS ON THE DASH FELL APART. TOOK IN FOR SERVICE AND WAS GIVEN ANOTHER 2002 C-240, AND WHILE DRIVING THE LOANER CAR IN THE MOUNTAINS, IT BEGAN DOWN SHIFTING ITSELF AND THERE WAS NO POWER. CAR WOULD COME TO COMPLETE STOP AND THEN WOULD START MOVING AGAIN. HAPPENED 6 TIMES. MERCEDES DEALER THOUGHT WAS ISOLATED INCIDENT. I FELT IT WAS VERY SERIOUS AS I WAS ON INTERSTATE WHEN IT WOULD SUDDENLY STOP …

Owner-reported narrative. 8,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10014381 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10404244 · 2011-06-02 (June 2, 2011)

MERCEDES BENZ C240 ECU FAILURE. ALSO THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS ARE SOMETIMES RANDOM AT BEST AND SOMETIMES SHUTS OFF. THE CARS INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ALSO SOMETIMES DOESN'T WORK, THE POWER STEERING LEAKS INTERMITTENTLY THE REAR COIL SPRING BROKE ON LEFT SIDE OF VEHICLE . THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED SO WAS THE COIL PACK AND OTHER ITEMS BY MERCEDES BUT THEY ALWAYS TRIED TO JUSTIFY THAT PROBLEM WAS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR WHICH IS NOT TRUE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 90,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10404244 at NHTSA ↗