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U.S. public vehicle records

2013 Mercedes-Benz C250 problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

277 owner complaints analyzed

7 distinct recall campaigns

60,850 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2013 model year. Data snapshot: . 109 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 162 of 277 complaints (58.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Steering behavior196.9%
Fuel system concerns124.3%
Engine operation103.6%
Braking behavior93.2%
Electrical and battery issues51.8%
Transmission and shifting31.1%

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.

Air Bags
162
Engine
46
Fuel/Propulsion System
24
Steering
19
Unknown Or Other
19
Power Train
14
Electrical System
13
Structure:Body
10
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Air Bags162
Engine46
Fuel/Propulsion System24
Steering19
Unknown Or Other19
Power Train14
Electrical System13
Structure:Body10

Air Bags: 162; Engine: 46; Fuel/Propulsion System: 24; Steering: 19; Unknown Or Other: 19; Power Train: 14; Electrical System: 13; Structure:Body: 10

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000
18
25,000 to 49,999
24
50,000 to 74,999
33
75,000 to 99,999
21
100,000 to 149,999
12
150,000 and above
1
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00018
25,000 to 49,99924
50,000 to 74,99933
75,000 to 99,99921
100,000 to 149,99912
150,000 and above1

Under 25,000: 18; 25,000 to 49,999: 24; 50,000 to 74,999: 33; 75,000 to 99,999: 21; 100,000 to 149,999: 12; 150,000 and above: 1

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (33). 168 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.

2012
1
2013
4
2014
10
2015
6
2016
3
2017
29
2018
79
2019
65
2020
35
2021
9
2022
12
2023
7
2024
6
2025
8
2026
3
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20121
20134
201410
20156
20163
201729
201879
201965
202035
20219
202212
20237
20246
20258
20263

2012: 1; 2013: 4; 2014: 10; 2015: 6; 2016: 3; 2017: 29; 2018: 79; 2019: 65; 2020: 35; 2021: 9; 2022: 12; 2023: 7; 2024: 6; 2025: 8; 2026: 3

Pattern summary

Air Bags leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 19 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 12 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 10 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 10981667 · 2017-05-01 (May 1, 2017)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ C250. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 58 MPH IN THE RAIN, THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANED, FLIPPED TWICE, AND CRASHED IN A DITCH. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT SECURE BOTH THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER TIGHT ENOUGH. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DRIVER STRUCK HER HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE FRONT PASSENGER STRUCK HER HEAD ON THE DASHBOARD. BOTH OCCUPANTS SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED.…

Owner-reported narrative. 90,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10981667 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11042647 · 2017-11-02 (November 2, 2017)

CLICKING IN STEERING COLUMN. MERCEDES BENZ STATED THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY . THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. I WAS PARKING. MY AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON AND I STILL HEAR CLICKING WHEN I TURN THE WHEEL

Owner-reported narrative. 38,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11042647 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10568044 · 2014-03-09 (March 9, 2014)

WAS ACCELERATING UP HILL AFTER MAKING RIGHT TURN; CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, VEHICLE SEEMED TO STALL AND WOULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE IN TRAFFIC SITUATION; MAXIMUM SPEED VEHICLE WOULD GET TO IS 17 MPH. IMMEDIATELY TOOK TO DEALER WHO RAN DIAGNOSTICS, BUT DID NOT IDENTIFY PROBLEM; PERFORMED COMPUTER "RESET" AND TOLD TO BRING BACK IF MORE PROBLEMS. SEVERAL HOURS LATER, SAME ISSUE RETURNED WITH MAXIMUM SPEED OF 7 MPH; CEL AND MULTIPLE DASH WARNING LIGHTS INCLUDING TRACTION CONTROL APPEARED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER AND DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF…

Owner-reported narrative. 24,426 miles reported. Look up ODI 10568044 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10783266 · 2015-10-19 (October 19, 2015)

WHEN ACCELERATING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (MOSTLY) CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND CAR SHAKES. IF YOU PULL OVER AND RESTART THE CAR MOST OF THE TIME THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES AWAY. THE ENGINE ERROR CODE (FROM MERCEDES) IS P03001 WHICH IS A CYLINDER MISFIRE. I PURCHASED THIS CAR BRAND NEW AND HAVE HAD IT AT THE DEALERSHIP 8 TIMES NOW FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY HAVE REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND INJECTORS AND PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. MERCEDES DEALER IS TELLING ME THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR AND THEY CAN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AFTER A WEEK WITH T…

Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10783266 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10515271 · 2013-06-12 (June 12, 2013)

2013 MERCEDES BENZ C-250 TURBBO CHARGED ENGINE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ACCELERATION AND VEHICLE STALLING ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A TURN AT AN INTERSECTION, AND THEN ATTEMPT TO STRAIGHTEN OUT AFTER THE TURN, IT FELT AS THOUGH THE ENGINE WAS ABOUT TO STALL, AND HE WAS UNABLE TO PROCEED FORWARD. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS, THE VEHICLE FELT AS THOUGH IT WAS RE-STARTING AND THEN WAS ABLE TO PROCEED FORWARD. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED IT WAS A NORMAL ACTION WITH THE TURBO CHARGED ENGINE. MERCEDES BENZ REFERRED TO…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10515271 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10627249 · 2014-08-21 (August 21, 2014)

2014-08-04: ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PAST 80 KM/H AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF - DRIVING IN TRAFFIC. 2014-08-05: BROUGHT VEHICLE TO 550 TERMINAL AVENUE. THEY SAID IT WAS JUST THE FAULT-PUMP AND THAT IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. THEY ADVISED ME THAT THEY HAD TO ORDER THE PART FROM GERMANY. VEHICLE WAS LATER RETURNED THE SAME DAY. (23505 KM) 2014-08-06: THE VEHICLE ENGINE SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING OUT THE DRIVE WAY, SO I HAD IT TOWED TO 550 TERMINAL AVENUE. (23514 KM). THEY REPLACED A THROTTLE ACTUATOR. 2014-08-12: VEHICLE WA…

Owner-reported narrative. 23,490 miles reported. Look up ODI 10627249 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10636985 · 2014-09-17 (September 17, 2014)

ON 8/26/14 I WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT. WHEN I WENT TO TAKE-OFF, THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. IT FINALLY DID BUT VERY SLOWLY. THIS OCCURRED TWO MORE TIME AT THE NEXT TWO STOP LIGHTS. I WAS THEN IN A CENTER TURN LANE TO TURN ACROSS THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC & WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE, THE CAR DIED AND THE ELECTRONIC DISPLAY GAVE A YELLOW ERROR MESSAGE THAT THE CAR WAS INOPERABLE DUE TO AN ISSUE WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM. I IMMEDIATELY PUT THE CAR IN PARK, TURNED IT OFF & THEN STARTED IT BACK UP. FORTUNATELY IT RE-STARTED, THE ERROR MESSAGE WAS GONE …

Owner-reported narrative. 10,119 miles reported. Look up ODI 10636985 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10971014 · 2017-04-06 (April 6, 2017)

WHILE MERGING ONTO THE HIGHWAY MY MB C250 WITH 58K MILES SHIFTER SUDDENLY INTO 2ND GEAR. I MOVED ONTO THE SHOULDER AND STOPPED THE CAR. THE ENGINE LIGHT IMMEDIATELY ILLUMINATED. I TURNED THE CAR OFF. WHEN I STARTED IT AGAIN THE LIGHT WAS STILL ON. WHEN I SHIFTED INTO DRIVE THERE WAS A LOUD SOUND AND THE CAR JULTED FORWARD. I SHIFT BACK IN PARK BUT IT REPEATED THE SOUND AND JERK. I I SHIFTED INTO DRIVE AGAIN (SAME SOUND/JERK) AND PROCEDED AT 30MPH ON THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY TO A GERMAN AUTO REPAIR SHOP CLOSE BY. THEY CHECKED THE ENGINE CODE…

Owner-reported narrative. 58,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10971014 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11281640 · 2019-11-21 (November 21, 2019)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ C250. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HESITATE AND LOSE SPEED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO PARK PLACE MOTORCARS MERCEDES-BENZ DALLAS (LOCATED AT 6113 LEMMON AVE, DALLAS, TX 75209, [phone removed]) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO PARK PLACE MOTORCARS MERCEDES-BENZ ARLINGTON (LOCATED AT 4201 BELTWAY PL, ARLINGTON, TX 76018, [phone removed]) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT AN UNKNOWN …

Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11281640 at NHTSA ↗