Mercedes Benz C problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
22 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
12,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1994 to 2010 model years. Data snapshot: . 18 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Exterior Lighting is the most frequently named component, appearing in 7 of 22 complaints (31.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 18.2% |
| Braking behavior | 4 | 18.2% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 13.6% |
| Steering behavior | 3 | 13.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 9.1% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting | 7 |
| Electrical System | 6 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 3 |
| Power Train | 2 |
| Steering | 2 |
| Air Bags:Side/Window | 1 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 1 |
| Engine | 1 |
Exterior Lighting: 7; Electrical System: 6; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 3; Power Train: 2; Steering: 2; Air Bags:Side/Window: 1; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 1; Engine: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 11 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 2 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 2 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 2 |
Under 25,000: 11; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 2
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (11). 4 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 |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 6 |
| 2010 | 3 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2013 | 7 |
| 2014 | 3 |
2008: 1; 2009: 6; 2010: 3; 2011: 2; 2013: 7; 2014: 3
Pattern summary
Exterior Lighting leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 4 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 3 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 10313318 · 2010-02-23 (February 23, 2010)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES BENZ C300. WHENEVER THE CONTACT PLACED THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE OR DRIVE I WOULD VIOLENTLY SWITCH INTO GEAR CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SLIGHTLY SURGE FORWARD. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP ON THIRTEEN DIFFERENT OCCASIONS WHERE SEVERAL DIFFERENT PARTS HAVE BEEN SERVICED ON THE TRANSMISSION;HOWEVER THE CONTACT IS STILL EXPERIENCING THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAS NOTICED THE FAILURE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 14000.
Owner-reported narrative. 14,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10313318 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10340967 · 2010-07-01 (July 1, 2010)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES C350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS ENGAGED, THE TRANSMISSION SURGED FORWARD AT A HIGH RATE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 32000.
Owner-reported narrative. 15 miles reported. Look up ODI 10340967 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10552989 · 2013-11-19 (November 19, 2013)
WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, A WARNING MSG CAME UP FOR ME TO CHECK THE LEFT TAIL AND BRAKE LIGHTS. I GOT HOME AND CHECKED THE LIGHTS ON THE LEFT SIDE AND NONE OF THEM WERE WORKING. I HAD THESE CHECKED AND WAS GOING TO REPLACE THE BULBS. WAS TOLD REPLACING THE BULBS WAS NOT GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE WIRE HARNESS HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE AND MELTED THE WIRING AND THE BOARD!!! THIS IS THE 3RD MERCEDES I HAVE HAD AND I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. MY PROBLEM IS I LIVE 1 1/2 HOURS AWAY FROM DEALERSHIP AND I DON'T HAVE THE EXTRA TIME TO…
Owner-reported narrative. 108,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10552989 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10257668 · 2009-02-06 (February 6, 2009)
I WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHERE I WAS RUN OFF THE ROAD AND INTO A CENTER MEDIAN STEEL BARRIER. MY MERCEDES C300 IS EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM (ESP) AND ACTIVE SEATBELT RESTRAINTS (BOTH OF WHICH FAILED IN THE CRASH). THE ROADS WERE SLICK, HOWEVER, WHEN A CAR SWERVED OVER ON ME AND I ATTEMPTED TO HIT THE BRAKES TO AVOID BEING HIT, MY CAR BEGAN TO FISH-TAIL AND I LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. AT THE TIME, A WARNING LIGHT CAME ON INDICATING (POST-CRASH) THAT MY ESP MALFUNCTIONED. IN ADDITION, UPON IMPACT, MY SEAT RESTRAINED ME, HOWEV…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10257668 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10425889 · 2011-09-17 (September 17, 2011)
THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS INSULATION HAS DETERIORATED TO BARE WIRES AND CRACKS ALL ALONG THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FURTHER DOWN YOU REMOVE THE TAPE HOLDING BUNDLES OF WIRE TOGETHER, THE MORE INSULATION CRUMBLES. ABOUT 1K AGO THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ERATICALLY AND BECAME DIFFICULT TO ACCELARATE, AND MAINTAIN SPEED. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE WITH ABOUT 172K ON IT. AFTER TRYING TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE WITH A TUNE-UP AND COILS. THAT SEEMED TO WORK FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES. AFTER FURTHER EXAMINATION AND PURE LUCK A, FRIEND WITH ME, FOUND SOME BARE W…
Owner-reported narrative. 204,206 miles reported. Look up ODI 10425889 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10258305 · 2009-02-11 (February 11, 2009)
I BOUGHT A NEW 2009 MB C300 FOR MY WIFE LAST NOVEMBER, LESS THAN THREE MONTH LATER, ITS POWER STEERING QUITTED TO WORK WITHOUT ANY MALFUNCTION SIGN. IT WILL TAKE A PROFESSIONAL WRESTLER TO GET IN AND OUT ITS PARKING PLACE. THIS IS NOT THE WORST PART YET. AFTER NUMEROUS FAILED ATTEMPTS TRYING TO CONTACT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF MY DEALER, I DROVE THE CAR TO THE DEALER THAT IS 40 MILES AWAY FROM MY HOUSE. ONLY THING THEY DID TO THE CAR WAS THAT A SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE OPENED THE HOOD AND ADDED SOME FLUID, WHICH LATE TURNED OUT TO BE USELESS.…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10258305 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10268930 · 2009-05-17 (May 17, 2009)
MY DAUGHTER WAS IN A CRASH TODAY ON MAY 16, 2009 SHE WAS DRIVING MERCEDES 2009 C300 AND SHE SAID THAT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK SUDDENLY BEFORE SHE CRASH, SHE WAS DRIVING ONLY AT 15MPH THAT WHY THE IMPACT WAS NOT SO SEVERE, WE ARE VERY LUCKY THAT SHE JUST HAS MINOR INJURIES. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10268930 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10503865 · 2013-03-20 (March 20, 2013)
EVERY TIME I FILL THE CAR UP WITH GAS I GET A VERY STRONG GAS SMELL COMING FROM THE CAR. I'VE ONLY OWNED THE CAR ONE MONTH, IS THERE A RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE? *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10503865 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10576327 · 2014-04-01 (April 1, 2014)
VERY STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT EVERY TIME GAS TANK IS REFILLED. SMELL GRADUALLY ABATES AS THE LEVEL OF GAS IN THE TANK DROPS. CONCERN REGARDING FIRE HAZARD DUE TO LEAKING GAS. APPEARS TO BE A LONG-STANDING PROBLEM. I HAVE CONTACTED MERCEDES-BENZ AND THERE HAS BEEN A TECHNICAL BULLETIN ISSUED ON THE PROBLEM, BUT NO FIX WAS SUGGESTED AND I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY RECALL BEING ISSUED. THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED BY NHTSA, AS IT MAY BE RELATED TO OTHER REPORTS OF SPONTANEOUS FIRES OCCURRING IN THESE VEHICLES AND THIS…
Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10576327 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 |
|---|---|
| 1994 | 0 |
| 1995 | 0 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 1 |
1994: 0; 1995: 0; 2007: 1; 2008: 1; 2009: 0; 2010: 1