Mercedes-Benz C350 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
120 owner complaints analyzed
11 distinct recall campaigns
64,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2010 to 2017 model years. Data snapshot: . 35 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 79 of 120 complaints (65.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 8 | 6.7% |
| Braking behavior | 7 | 5.8% |
| Fuel system concerns | 5 | 4.2% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 4 | 3.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 0.8% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 0.8% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 79 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 8 |
| Unknown Or Other | 8 |
| Electrical System | 6 |
| Engine | 6 |
| Power Train | 6 |
| Service Brakes | 4 |
| Steering | 4 |
Air Bags: 79; Fuel/Propulsion System: 8; Unknown Or Other: 8; Electrical System: 6; Engine: 6; Power Train: 6; Service Brakes: 4; Steering: 4
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 4 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 7 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 13 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 6 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 3 |
| 150,000 and above | 2 |
Under 25,000: 4; 25,000 to 49,999: 7; 50,000 to 74,999: 13; 75,000 to 99,999: 6; 100,000 to 149,999: 3; 150,000 and above: 2
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (13). 85 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 |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2017 | 39 |
| 2018 | 23 |
| 2019 | 28 |
| 2020 | 9 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 5 |
| 2023 | 6 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 | 2 |
2015: 1; 2017: 39; 2018: 23; 2019: 28; 2020: 9; 2021: 2; 2022: 5; 2023: 6; 2024: 3; 2025: 2; 2026: 2
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 8 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 7 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 5 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 10948777 · 2017-02-01 (February 1, 2017)
THE ESL (ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK) & THE EIS (ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH) WENT OUT AT EXACTLY 7 YEARS. THE COMMAND CONTROL KNOB ALSO WENT OUT AROUND THE SAME TIME. ALL THESE PROBLEMS ARE VERY COMMON IN THESE MODELS. MERCEDES BENZ USA IS FULLY AWARE OF THESE ISSUES AND DOES NOTHING ABOUT IT! IT COST U.S. CONSUMERS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO PAY FOR THESE REPAIRS. ALL THESE PROBLEMS COME UP WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY (SHOCKER).YOU'LL HAVE TO PAY EVERYTHING OUT OF POCKET.
Owner-reported narrative. 99,060 miles reported. Look up ODI 10948777 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11010328 · 2017-07-24 (July 24, 2017)
VEHICLE POWER STEERING WILL STOP WORKING, MAKING THE VEHICLE HARD TO TURN. VERY DANGEROUS IF YOU ARE OVER 60 MILES AN HOUR.
Owner-reported narrative. 90,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11010328 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11063724 · 2018-01-19 (January 19, 2018)
ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, I PARKED MY VEHICLE ON LEVEL GROUND AT A SHOPPING CENTER AND IT ROLLED BACKWARDS OUT OF THE PARKING SPACE AND NEARLY HIT A PEDESTRIAN. I HAD TO PRESS THE BRAKES TO STOP THE VEHICLE. I THEN PULLED BACK INTO THE SPACE AND PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK AGAIN AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARD OUT OF THE PARKING SPACE. I REPEATED THE SEQUENCE A THIRD TIME AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED A LITTLE AND STOPPED ON ITS OWN. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED MERCEDES OF ANNAPOLIS AND THE SERVICE PERSON EXPLAINED THAT THE GEARS WORK ON AN ELECTRONIC SYSTEM AN…
Owner-reported narrative. 107,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11063724 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11240567 · 2019-07-30 (July 30, 2019)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2010 MERCEDES BENZ C350. WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS RAPIDLY DEPRESSED. THE BRAKES FAILED TO ENGAGE AND AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE SLID SEVERAL FEET. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP AND THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE IN THE VEHICLE WITH THE CONTACT. THE PERSON THAT THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO WAS NOT INJURED. NO MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NEEDED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED TOTALED BY THE CONTACT'S I…
Owner-reported narrative. 160,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11240567 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11010408 · 2017-07-24 (July 24, 2017)
FUEL ODOR WHEN TANK IS FILLED. PROBLEM WAS APPARENTLY MANUFACTURING DEFECT. FUEL LEAKED FROM FUEL FILTER MOUNTING STUDS THAT CRACKED AND PULLED THROUGH MOUNTING PLATE. GAS TANK AND ALL ATTACHMENTS HAD TO BE REPLACED.SEE ATTACHED MERCEDES WORK ORDER.
Owner-reported narrative. 69,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11010408 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11150330 · 2018-11-09 (November 9, 2018)
WHEN FUEL TANK IS ABOUT 75%-100% FULL, THE CAR WILL SMELL HEAVILY OF GASOLINE INSIDE AND AROUND THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION, FUEL PUMP COVER/CAP SEEMS TO BE CRACKED AND LEAKING FUEL. ENGINE CODE P0456.
Owner-reported narrative. 68,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11150330 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11054431 · 2017-12-13 (December 13, 2017)
WE HAVE THE RECALL AND I AM SORRY I DO NOT HAVE THE NUMBER WHERE THE WIRING HARNESS TO THE TAIL LAMPS COULD MELT CATCHING FIRE CAUSING THE REAR LAMP TO GO OUT. MINE HAS DONE SO. MY WIFE DRIVES 35 MILES 1 WAY TO WORK EACH DAY AND BECAUSE IT WAS AT NIGHT WHEN THIS HAPPENED I HAD TO GO OUT ON I-64 WHICH IS A 70MPH INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AND DO A TEMP FIX SO SEE COULD GET HOME. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER WHICH AT TIME PARTS WERE NOT AVAILED AND THE DEALER WAS TO CONTACT ME WHEN THEY RE AVAILED, WHICH THE YOUNG LADY EVEN WHEN THEY SENT OUT THE CONTACT …
Owner-reported narrative. 82,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11054431 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11162877 · 2018-12-21 (December 21, 2018)
FUEL LEEK UNDER SEAT PASSENGER SIDE AS WELL STRONG SMELL COMING FROM EVERYWHERE WHEN THE GAS THANK IS FILLED AT THE GAS STATION.I CALLED THE MBUSA FOR HELP WITH THIS PROBLEM AND THEY REFOCUSED TO HELP .THIS IS BEEN UNGOING PROBLEM WITH THE MERCEDES AS I HAD SAME PROBLEM WITH MY 2007 S550 AS WELL MY 2007 E350 .THIS TIME I'M EXTREMELY SCARED ,IF THIS PROBLEM THAT I HAVE WITH MY CAR IT'S GOING TO CAUSE THE HEALTH DAMAGE TO ME AND MY FAMILY , AND EVERY TIME I OPEN MY GARAGE DOOR IN THE MORNING I'M AFRAID THE ELECTRICAL LIGHT OR MOTOR WOULD SPARK AN…
Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 11162877 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11546837 · 2023-09-27 (September 27, 2023)
I was driving my vehicle when the transmission started shifting erratically. The shifts were not smooth but hard and the car was shuddering. Yes the vehicle is available for inspection. My safety and the safety of others were at risk due to the erratic behavior of the vehicle and how it affected my ability to focus on driving safely. Yes my vehicle has been inspected by the manufacturer and the problem has been reproduced by my local Mercedes Benz dealer. There were no warning lamps or messages prior to the failure. After a few weeks of dri…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11546837 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11509683 · 2023-03-01 (March 1, 2023)
The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C350. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact stated that after several attempts, the vehicle restarted with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the valve cover gasket and various other unknown components needed to be replaced; however, no repair was completed. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic however, the failure could not be duplicated. T…
Owner-reported narrative. 67,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11509683 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 |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 4 |
| 2011 | 4 |
| 2012 | 5 |
| 2013 | 6 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2017 | 0 |
2010: 4; 2011: 4; 2012: 5; 2013: 6; 2014: 4; 2015: 4; 2017: 0