Mercedes Benz C280 problems and owner complaints

CAR STARTED STALLING AND TRANSMISSION REFUSED TO UPSHIFT. WHEN CAR SLOWED IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AGAIN. TURNS OUT THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS FAILED DUE TO A BIODEGRADABLE TYPE OF INSULATION USED AND IS SHORTING OUT IN MULTIPLE PLACES. CAR STARTED TO SMOKE AT ONE POINT. THIS CAUSED DANGEROUS ENGINE MALFUNCTION--AND A FIRE-COULD HAVE BEEN STARTED INSIDE MY ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 96,957 miles reported. Look up ODI 10487452 at NHTSA ↗

THE CAR BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CAR SHOOK AND DIED. I WAS ON I-75 IN ATLANTA, GA. THE SHOP SAID THAT IT WAS DUE TO A FAULTY ENGINE WIRING HARNESS, SOMETHING THAT MERCEDES IS AWARE OF. I WAS ALMOST KILLED. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 173,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10668920 at NHTSA ↗

ENGINE BEGAN TO MAKE A "BUZZSAW" GRINDING SOUND THAT WAS NOT INITIALLY NOTICED WHILE DRIVING ALONG ON AN 85 MILE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY TRIP. WHILE TRAVELING AT 60 MPH ON A 6 LANE HIGHWAY, ALL THE DASHBOARD LIGHTING BEGAN TO DIM AND MALFUNCTION, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM THEN COMPLETELY FAILED AND SHUT DOWN CAUSING THE ENGINE TO STALL OUT, STEERING AND BRAKE FUNCTION BECAME SIGNIFICANTLY DEGRADED DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE (INCLUDING COMPLETE STOPPAGE OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DURING A HEAVY RAIN DOWNPOUR) SAFELY EXITED ROADWAY BY MANEUVERING AROUND TRAFFIC…

Owner-reported narrative. 62,928 miles reported. Look up ODI 10701852 at NHTSA ↗

FUEL HOSE (PART NO.A2084761526) ABRUPTLY BURST WHEN CAR WAS STARTED, RESULTING IN HUGE FUEL LEAK (LIKE A SPIGOT), WITH FUEL IMMEDIATELY POOLING UNDER THE CAR AND STREAKING AWAY. IF THERE HAD BEEN A LIT CIGARETTE BUTT ON THE PARKING LOT PAVEMENT WE WOULD HAVE EXPLODED, KILLING ALL 4 OCCUPANTS AS WE WERE GETTING INTO THE CAR. IT WOULD HAVE WIPED OUT THREE GENERATIONS: TWO PARENTS, ONE CHILD AND ONE SURVIVING GRANDPARENT. THIS PART HAS TO BE FAILSAFE DUE TO THE POTENTIAL FOR CATASTROPHIC LOSS OF LIFE. I HAVE A 13-YR-OLD CAR THAT HAS NEVER HAD BREA…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 763346 at NHTSA ↗

THE VEHICLES FUEL TANK FILLER FAILED AND MADE IT DIFFICULT TO FILL THE TANK WITH GAS. THE GAS CAME BACK OUT THE FILLER CAP ALTHOUGH THE TANK DIDN'T HAVE A HALF A TANK OF GAS. *NLM SOMETIMES THE ENGINE DIDN'T TURN OVER, AND THE VEHICLE WAS POOR ON GAS. *SCC

Owner-reported narrative. 48,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016095 at NHTSA ↗

THE WIRING HARNESS SHORTED AND CAUGHT FIRE. THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND I HIT A POLE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AFTER LOSS OF STEERING. I HIT MY HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL. I HAVE A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT NOW, AND THEY WANT ME TO SPEND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON AN ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS FOR THE ENGINE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 150,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10497708 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING AN ELECTRICAL LIGHT WILL COME ON AT THE DASHBOARD, AND THE LIGHT HAS A DESIGN LIKE A BULB, STARTING TO CHECK ELECTRIC ON THE BRAKES. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 855911 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HWY AT 75MPH THE CAR LOST POWER AND THEN CAME RIGHT BACK WHILE THIS HAPPENED THE TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTED JERKED VERY BADLY AND CAR ALSO SLOWED DOWN RAPIDLY. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH 90'S+ MERCEDES BENZ'S WHY HAS NOTHING BEEN DONE ABOUT THIS? MULTIPLE CASUALTIES ON THE HWY SHOULD NOT BE A REASON TO INSPECT A VERY WELL KNOWN PROBLEM WITH MILLIONS OF CARS!! AS LONG AS THESE CARS ARE STILL ON THE ROAD SAFETY SHOULD BE AT THE TOP OF THE LIST! WITH THE COST OF REPAIRS FOR A PROBLEM THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAS KNOWN ABOUT FOR MA…

Owner-reported narrative. 184,550 miles reported. Look up ODI 10519506 at NHTSA ↗