2009 Mercedes Benz C300 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
576 owner complaints analyzed
8 distinct recall campaigns
70,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2009 model year. Data snapshot: . 353 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 195 of 576 complaints (33.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 154 | 26.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 97 | 16.8% |
| Braking behavior | 75 | 13.0% |
| Fuel system concerns | 8 | 1.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 7 | 1.2% |
| Engine operation | 3 | 0.5% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 195 |
| Air Bags | 182 |
| Steering | 135 |
| Exterior Lighting | 113 |
| Suspension | 35 |
| Unknown Or Other | 31 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 20 |
| Service Brakes | 19 |
Electrical System: 195; Air Bags: 182; Steering: 135; Exterior Lighting: 113; Suspension: 35; Unknown Or Other: 31; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 20; Service Brakes: 19
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 17 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 54 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 129 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 90 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 53 |
| 150,000 and above | 10 |
Under 25,000: 17; 25,000 to 49,999: 54; 50,000 to 74,999: 129; 75,000 to 99,999: 90; 100,000 to 149,999: 53; 150,000 and above: 10
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (129). 223 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 |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 7 |
| 2011 | 7 |
| 2012 | 6 |
| 2013 | 48 |
| 2014 | 69 |
| 2015 | 84 |
| 2016 | 81 |
| 2017 | 114 |
| 2018 | 52 |
| 2019 | 19 |
| 2020 | 16 |
| 2021 | 22 |
| 2022 | 25 |
| 2023 | 12 |
| 2024 | 8 |
| 2025 | 4 |
| 2026 | 2 |
2010: 7; 2011: 7; 2012: 6; 2013: 48; 2014: 69; 2015: 84; 2016: 81; 2017: 114; 2018: 52; 2019: 19; 2020: 16; 2021: 22; 2022: 25; 2023: 12; 2024: 8; 2025: 4; 2026: 2
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 154 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 97 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 75 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 10366634 · 2010-11-17 (November 17, 2010)
I OWN A 2009 MERCEDES BENZ, MODEL C-300. THE ISSUE IS THE LOCATION OF THE CRUISE CONTROL ARM ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE STEERING COLUMN. IN AMERICA CARS THE TURN SIGNAL ARM IS IN THAT SPOT ON THE TOP, IN THIS CAR IT IS ON THE TOP. SO IF YOU REACH FOR THE TURN SIGNAL ARM YOU TOUCH THE CRUISE CONTROL ARM FIRST BY MISTAKE. AS SOON AS YOU TOUCH THE CRUISE CONTROL IS ENGAGED AND STATS TAKING OVER. A VERY GRAVE SAFETY HAZARD. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 10 miles reported. Look up ODI 10366634 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10368386 · 2010-11-30 (November 30, 2010)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK. THE CONTACT HIT HIS CHEST ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND HIS HEAD ON THE WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO SENT SOMEONE TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE INVESTIGATOR STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS WERE NOT DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 24,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 24,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10368386 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10499828 · 2013-02-24 (February 24, 2013)
DRIVING AT NIGHT. INSTRUMENT WARNING OF NUMEROUS FAILED TAIL LIGHTS ON BOTH SIDES AT THE SAME TIME. PULLED OVER AND OPENED TRUNK. TRUNK WAS FILLED WITH SMOKE AND BURNING PLASTIC SMELL. OBSERVED ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS ON BOTH TAIL LIGHT BULB HOLDERS MELTING AND SMOLDERING. VISUAL FLAME (SMALL) ON GROUND WIRE ON RIGHT TAIL LIGHT CONNECTOR. OBSERVED BOTH BULB HOLDER ASSEMBLIES AND THEIR ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS HEAVILY DAMAGED BY FIRE/HEAT ONLY AROUND THE BROWN (GROUND) WIRES. REMOVED ASSEMBLIES AND WAS ABLE TO RESTORE SOME TAIL LIGHT FUNCTIONS BY CLE…
Owner-reported narrative. 49,987 miles reported. Look up ODI 10499828 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10502606 · 2013-03-13 (March 13, 2013)
THE LEFT REAR TAIL LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. I HAD TO REPLACE THE ELECTRICAL HARNESS ATTACHED TO THE BULB BRACKET. THIS WAS REPLACED ON 2/13/2013. EXACTLY ONE MONTH LATER, THE RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING ON 3/13/2013. I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE SAME ASSEMBLY OF PARTS. I HAVE NO DAMAGE TO THE REAR OF MY VEHICLE. MERCEDES BENZ HAD A RECALL ON THE (MERCEDES BENZ M-CLASS YEAR 2009) FOR THE REAR LIGHTS. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 73,937 miles reported. Look up ODI 10502606 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10330370 · 2010-05-13 (May 13, 2010)
I WAS DRIVING ON THE PARKWAY AT ~40 MPH AND ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN BY STEPPING ON THE BRAKE. THE CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN BUT ACCELERATED. AND STRUCK THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. EVERY TIME I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE, THE CAR ACCELERATED SO THAT THE CAR STRUCK THE CAR IN FRONT TWICE. I TRIED TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION AND WAS UNABLE TO. FINALLY, I PUSHED HARD ON THE BRAKE ENOUGH TO SLOW IT DOWN AND I WAS TEN ABLE TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL. THE ENGINE RACED BUT I WAS THEN ABLE TO TURN IT OFF. DESPITE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT …
Owner-reported narrative. 22,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10330370 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10331807 · 2010-05-23 (May 23, 2010)
AT 5:00PM, I WAS DRIVING THE MERCEDES BENZ C300, YEAR 2009, 9010 MILES IN THE PARKING LOT OF YMCA IN LA CANADA, CA AT 3 MILES/HR. I PREPARED TO STOP THE CAR AND STEPPED ON THE BRAKE, SUDDENLY, THE ENGINE REV UP AND ACCELERATED. THE CAR JUMPED OVER THE STOP BUMPER BUT I PRESSED VERY HARD ON THE BRAKE AND FINALLY THE CAR STOPPED AND THE ENGINE WAS OFF. THE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS ABOUT 2 FEET FROM THE WALL AT THE PARKING LOT. I WAS SO SCARED BECAUSE IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I EXPERIENCED THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. I WENT TO THE GYM AND AT 6:30PM I …
Owner-reported narrative. 9,010 miles reported. Look up ODI 10331807 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10479913 · 2012-10-12 (October 12, 2012)
AT SOME POINT IN TIME THE LEFT REAR TAILLIGHT STARTED TO DIM DRAMATICALLY. I OPENED THE ENCLOSURE TO CHANGE THE BULBS THINKING THEY WERE BURNT OUT AND FOUND THE WIRE HARNESS AS WELL AS THE BULB DOCK HAD MELTED BECAUSE OF OVERHEATING. A FUSE DID NOT BLOW AND THE CARS COMPUTER NEVER GAVE ANY INDICATION OF THIS ISSUE. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE SYSTEM COULD ACTUALLY CATCH ON FIRE AND IT IS IN THE TRUNK AND NOT FAR FROM THE GAS TANK. AFTER RESEARCHING ON MB WORLD THIS APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN PROBLEM AND FLAW. I THINK IT SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO AND DETERMI…
Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10479913 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10608820 · 2014-07-08 (July 8, 2014)
IN 2010 I PURCHASE 2009 MERCEDES BENZ C300 FROM A DEALER. CAR WAS NICE AND PERFECT UNTIL A YEAR LATER I HAVE TO CHANGE THE LOW BEAM AND EYES LIDS LIGHT BULB. EVERYTHING WAS CHANGE MY CAR ELECTRICAL WAS BAD MY HEADLIGHTS KEEP GETTING DAMAGE. I CHANGED LIGHT BULBS ABOUT 4 TIMES A YEAR. AND TODAY ON MY WAY HOME FREON WORK MY CAR TAIL LIGHTS MSG STARTING TO SHOW. I TAKE A LOOK THE BULB WAS FINE UNTIL I SMELL THE BURNING CAME OUT OF MY TAIL LIGHTS HARNESS I SAW A BURN WIRE START SPARKING SO I STOP THE CAR AND PULL IT OUT BECAUSE I'M AFRAID IT WIL…
Owner-reported narrative. 85,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10608820 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10619415 · 2014-08-06 (August 6, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND THE CONTACT WAS NOT ABLE TO CHANGE THE GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO WAS NOT ABLE TO REPLICATE NOR DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE MORE THAN ONCE. THE VEHICLE STALLED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS AND WAS ONLY ABLE TO DRIVEN AT A SPEED OF LESS THAN 20 MPH EACH TIME THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER A THIRD TIME FOR FURTHER INSPECTION, DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED.…
Owner-reported narrative. 41,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10619415 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10626517 · 2014-08-20 (August 20, 2014)
THIS MORNING, CAR WOULD NOT START, MESSAGE ON DASHBOARD TO GO TO THE DEALER, TOOK THE KEY IN & OUT AND, AFTER MULTIPLE TRIES, THE CAR STARTED BUT TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT WORK (STAYED ON PARK), TOOK THE KEY IN & OUT AND FINALLY WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO THE DEALER, STEERING LOCK PROBLEM, THE PART ONLY IS 1 400 $ !!! PROBLEM KNOWN BY MERCEDES BUT THEY NEVER DID ANYTHING ABOUT IT ! DEALER NOT HELPFUL AT ALL. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10626517 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11473420 · 2022-07-11 (July 11, 2022)
The contact owns a 2009 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that she had experienced several electrical failures with the vehicle including the power seat and power windows, the parking brake, the exterior lighting, and the air bag warning lights. The contact also stated that the vehicle would lose motive power and stall while driving at various speeds with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. Upon investigation, the contact linked that failure to NHTSA Campaign Number:…
Owner-reported narrative. 120,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11473420 at NHTSA ↗