2009 Mercedes Benz C: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
14 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
5,250 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2009 model year. Data snapshot: . 12 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Exterior Lighting is the most frequently named component, appearing in 4 of 14 complaints (28.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 3 | 21.4% |
| Steering behavior | 3 | 21.4% |
| Braking behavior | 2 | 14.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 7.1% |
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 | 4 |
| Electrical System | 3 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 3 |
| Steering | 2 |
| Air Bags:Side/Window | 1 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 1 |
| Equipment Adaptive/Mobility | 1 |
Exterior Lighting: 4; Electrical System: 3; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 3; Steering: 2; Air Bags:Side/Window: 1; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 1; Equipment Adaptive/Mobility: 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 | 9 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 2 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 9; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (9). 2 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 | 2 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 2 |
2008: 1; 2009: 6; 2010: 2; 2013: 3; 2014: 2
Pattern summary
Exterior Lighting leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 3 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 3 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 2 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10247470 · 2008-11-02 (November 2, 2008)
I PURCHASED A 2009 MERCEDES BENZ C300 LUXURY SEDAN IN OCTOBER 2008 IN ATLANTA, GA. I DROVE THE CAR OFF THE LOT WITH 37 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. I HOUSE THE CAR IN MY GARAGE. I'D HAD THE CAR IN MY POSSESSION FOR A LITTLE LESS THAN TWO WEEKS WHEN I WOKE ONE CHILLY MORNING TO DISCOVER A CRACK IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE MIRROR. I IMMEDIATELY PHONED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD TO BRING THE CAR IN FOR EVALUATION. SERVICE ASSESSED THE DAMAGE AND ADVISED ME THAT THEY'D RECENTLY (THE DAY BEFORE) BECOME AWARE THAT THE HEATING ELEMENTS WERE CRACKING THE MIRR…
Owner-reported narrative. 800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10247470 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 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 10272853 · 2009-06-04 (June 4, 2009)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING SEVERAL COMPUTER DEFECTS. WHILE PARKED ON A HILL AND ATTEMPTING TO PLACE THE GEAR SHIFTER INTO REVERSE, THE VEHICLE WOULD ROLL FORWARD INSTEAD OF BACKWARDS. THE VEHICLE WOULD ROLL FORWARD APPROXIMATELY ONE FOOT AS IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL. DURING THIS TIME, THE STEERING WOULD LOCK AND THE BRAKES WOULD LOSE POWER. IT WOULD TAKE TREMENDOUS FORCE TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL AND STOP THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER COULD NOT ASSIST WITH TH…
Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10272853 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10282986 · 2009-09-06 (September 6, 2009)
I PURCHASED A C300 IN APRIL 2009, WITHIN A FEW DAYS I NOTICED A CRACK IN THE DRIVER SIDEVIEW MIRROR. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE SALESMAN THAT SOLD ME THE CAR TOOK CARE OF ARRANGING THE REPAIR. THEY HAD TO ORDER THE MIRROR AND GAVE ME A LOANER. I WAS NEVER GIVEN AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHAT CAUSED THE CRACK. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 450 miles reported. Look up ODI 10282986 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10289654 · 2009-10-24 (October 24, 2009)
BOUGHT A NEW 2009 C300 MERCEDES AT A DEALER IN SAN DIEGO. CAR HAS ROUGH IDLE AND SHAKES FOR 30 SECONDS IN THE MORNING. DEALER CHECKED AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. THEY ARE BLAMING IT ON STRICT EMISSION ISSUES AS THE SOURCE OF THE ROUGH IDLE. HOOD DOES NOT LATCH UNLESS SLAMMED HARD. DEALER CLAIMED THEY HAD ADJUSTED LATCH BUT STILL THE SAME. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 1,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10289654 at NHTSA ↗
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 ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.