Mercedes-Benz C-Class Complaints

3,817 consumer complaints on file.

#11681594August 19, 2025
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
The contact owns a 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle for the State Inspection, the contact was informed that the rear subframe was rusted, and there was a hole on each side of the rear subframe. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where an unknown diagnosis was made, and the dealer ordered an unknown part to repair the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but denied assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11681703August 19, 2025
STEERING
The contact owns a 2014 Mercedes-Benz C-250. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V252000 (STEERING). The contact stated that the recall repair was completed in 2018. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. After several attempts, the vehicle failed to start. The contact deactivated the push start button and attempted to start the vehicle with the key whoever, but the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the steering wheel had seized due to the steering coupling connecting bolt. The vehicle remained at the dealer pending the repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact stated that the manufacturer was contacted prior to the dealer repairing the vehicle in 2018. The contact was advised to take the vehicle back to the dealer, where the repair was completed in 2018, to have the vehicle inspected, and if the part that failed was the part replaced under the recall, the manufacturer would pay for the additional repair. The contact stated that the vehicle was not drivable and that the dealer was three hours away. The failure mileage was approximately 70,664.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11681296August 18, 2025
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2012 Mercedes-Benz C250. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the vehicle with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle to the shoulder of the road. The contact stated that the rattling sound continued, and the vehicle shuddered abnormally. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The independent mechanic provided mobile service and diagnosed the vehicle with cam shaft timing chain adjuster failure. The contact was informed that the cam shaft timing chain adjuster needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline and report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11681330August 18, 2025
STRUCTURE
The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the contact became aware that an unknown part had detached from the vehicle. The contact stated that after stopping to refuel the vehicle, it was discovered that the roof panel was missing. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V854000 (Structure); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 129,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11680900August 15, 2025
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. No warning light was illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that engine oil had traveled through the wiring harness causing the ECU to fail. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered to cover a portion of the repair cost. The approximate failure mileage was 160,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11680376August 13, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
The contact owns a 2023 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that on occasion while driving at various speeds, the vehicle unexpectedly stopped without the brake pedal being depressed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed twice by the local dealer, and the contact was advised that the Forward Collision Avoidance sensors needed to be recalibrated; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer where the vehicle was inspected, and the contact was advised that further diagnostic tests were required to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 28,000. The VIN was not available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11680437August 13, 2025
STRUCTURE:BODY, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The sunroof exploded spontaneously while driving to a destination. When the incident happened, I was stopped at a red light. I panicked as it sounded like gunshots hitting my car. I pulled over to the nearest safest destination to inspect the car. This put the safety of myself at risk and others at risk who were driving along the sides and/or behind me. This incident was confirmed by a dealer, as I went to Mercedes Benz Sugar Land on the following day of the incident and was quoted around $3,700 to have it repaired. The vehicle not been inspected by police and/or insurance. There were no warning signs that this could have happened besides the fact that Mercedes Benz USA is currently under an active lawsuit for this happening to several other drivers. I do believe that this is a manufacturing defect affecting safety, as similar incidents involving Mercedes-Benz panoramic sunroofs, which may indicate a wider defect trend.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11679248August 8, 2025
STRUCTURE
The contact owns a 2015 Mercedes Benz C400. The contact stated that while vehicle was inside a high-pressure car wash, water leaked from the roof panel at the front of the vehicle, nearby the front windshield. The cause of the failure was not yet determined, and the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V854000 (STRUCTURE). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 100,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11678947August 7, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My panoramic sunroof spontaneously exploded while driving down the highway, no external impact was made. The glass exploded from the inside out. It made a loud boom, it startled me on the highway resulted me to swerving on the road, which would have put me and other drivers at risk. There's plenty other MB drivers reported similar issues that stated. MB has also settled a class action lawsuit regarding such manner. UNKNOWN There were no warning signs prior to the event. The event spontaneous and sudden.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11678959August 7, 2025
AIR BAGS, STRUCTURE:BODY, STEERING
While i have a few recalls i plan on needing service from Mercedes for, I just found out that Mercedes has a Class action lawsuit involving my C class mercedes C300 from 2010-2022 years. I was driving and ran into a pothole. My car rear started making noise and sounds. I went to the auto shop amd was told my rear subframe was damaged and would cost over 2,000. I and putting in a complaint to make sure Mercedes honor this recall/ extended warranty for my vehicle.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11678756August 6, 2025
STEERING, ENGINE
The contact owns a 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly veered to the left. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel became inoperable, and the contact was unable to straighten the steering wheel. The brake pedal was also depressed. The contact attempted to depress the accelerator pedal however, the vehicle started to stall. The contact pulled over into a parking lot and was able to restart the vehicle. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 82,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11678865August 6, 2025
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
My C300 only had about 42,000 miles and was less than 5 years old. Just after the factory warranty expired, the engine was running rough and hot, and "check engine" light illuminated. My local garage quickly diagnosed the problem as a failed cylinder head, stated that it is common with Mercedes 4-cylinder engines from about 2017, and said Mercedes may cover it since it is a "known problem" and shouldn't happen with that mileage. I was charged $7,860 by my local Mercedes dealer, and despite multiple contacts with MercedezUSA, they refuse to acknowledge this is a problem or cover the cost, although in on-line the forums some people were arbitrarily reimbursed. There should be a recall to check for this obvious defect and should be covered. This defect can cause sudden engine failure and is a significant hazard to the driving public.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11678311August 4, 2025
STRUCTURE, VISIBILITY
The contact owns a 2020 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that a section of the roof near the top of the windshield, between the sunroof, had detached and flown off the vehicle while driving 30 MPH in bumper-to-bumper traffic. The driver was able to grab the portion of the rubber gasket and pulled it into the vehicle through the driver’s side front window. The roof was in three pieces. The contact turned on the hazard lights and was able to pull over safely to the side of the roadway. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was concerned about the failure potentially causing a road hazard under different circumstances. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic the next day who declined to service the vehicle and informed the contact it was an issue for the manufacturer. The contact went to a body shop and was informed that the failure was caused by a design flaw. The contact called the local dealer, who initially did not respond. The contact called the dealer again, who requested photos. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who declined the repair the vehicle and escalated the issue. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted regarding the failure and opened a case, but no decision had been made regarding the repair coverage. The failure mileage was approximately 28,722.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677176July 30, 2025
SEATS
The driver’s seat in my car moves backward on its own while I’m driving. I’ve taken the car to the dealership several times, but the issue still hasn’t been resolved. This is extremely dangerous and frightening. It has happened twice on the highway, Several times in the dealership’s garage, And most recently, while I was pulling out of a parking spot: Half of my car was still in the parking area and the other half was already in the street. The road had a curve, so other drivers couldn’t see me until they got very close, which could have caused a serious accident. This is a serious safety concern that needs immediate attention.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677330July 30, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
The vehicle appears to have experienced a braking system malfunction, possibly involving the brake-by-wire system, electronic stability control (ESC), or unintended acceleration event. When the brake pedal was fully depressed, the car suddenly and uncontrollably accelerated forward into a cinder block wall. After the incident, it was observed that only the left-side tires left skid marks, indicating an apparent brake imbalance or failure on the right side. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. My safety and the safety of others were severely compromised. My daughter and I were in the car during this and are extremely traumatized. Despite pressing the brake pedal, the vehicle accelerated forward and crashed into a cinder block wall, which could have resulted in serious injury or death had a person, pedestrian, or oncoming vehicle been in front. This type of malfunction poses a critical risk of high-speed unintended collisions in public or residential areas. As of now, the problem has not yet been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or service center, but further inspection is pending. I am requesting a full diagnostic evaluation, including electronic and mechanical systems related to throttle and braking. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by Mercedes-Benz, police, or insurance representatives, but the car is in the possession of a Mercedes’ collision center. NO, there were no warning lamps, messages, or unusual symptoms on the dashboard prior to the event. The vehicle gave no indication of mechanical or electronic failure before the sudden acceleration occurred.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11676702July 28, 2025
SUSPENSION, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, AIR BAGS
In October 2024, the rear subframe was replaced due to rust perforation in the area of the suspension arm mounting bracket. I had no warning. The car was in for routine service at Mercedes Benz of New London. It had rusted from the inside out and was considered unsafe to drive by the Mercedes service advisor. I could have had a serious accident! I had no choice but to replace the subframe as it is my only vehicle. Shockingly I learned many others have had this issue with various Mercedes models/years and that Mercedes Benz knows of this serious safety problem and there is a class action lawsuit pending but subframe replacement is not covered under warranty by Mercedes Benz, so the cost was mine to bear.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11676589July 28, 2025
POWER TRAIN
Engine stuttered violently while driving 40mph. Check engine light was coming on and off. I immediately pulled to the roadside for my safety. I put the vehicle in park and cycled the ignition and the problem disappeared. the vehicle stuttered twice a few miles as I was taking the vehicle to the garage. I haven't had it serviced yet. The vehicle was serviced in the past for a Recall that had similar issues.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11676056July 24, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The electronic steering lock failed resulting in my car being completely disabled. My safety was not at risk in this particular instance. I was left stranded in a parking lot at night. The component was not inspected by the manufacturer or dealer. The manufacturer/dealer did not inform anyone that this problem will happen to every car with this compensation. This component failed without warning/symptoms/messages. It will fail on all Mercedes Benz cars from 2008-2016. The problem has not been confirmed or communicated by the dealer. Other Mercedes benz owners have encountered this problem resulting in their cars being disabled and leaving them stranded.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11675352July 22, 2025
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2016 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while at a stoplight, the energy saver START/STOP feature engaged, but the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who determined that the START/STOP function failed to operate as designed. The mechanic informed the contact about NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V114000 (Electrical System, Engine and Engine Cooling). The local dealer was not contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11675408July 22, 2025
SUSPENSION
On January 21,2025, I had an appointment for an inspection at Mercedes Benz of Smithtown, the dealership I use. I was informed that my car required replacement of a rotted rear subframe. A hole had rotted through, causing the car to "Fail inspection and was NOT SAFE" to drive. I was provided a video showing the damage. There was a recall in effect however, my Vin # was not included and it’s status has not changed. The 2015 C-Class Sedan/Coupe Vin # [XXX] , which was neglected to be included in the recall covers 2008-2015 C-Class Sedan/Coupes, regarding rotted rear subframe. MBUSA extended the vehicle Warranty 4 yrs/ 50,000 miles to 20 yrs/unlimited miles. However, I do not qualify for reimbursement of $4,014.92, because my Vin # was left off the list. Mercedes customer assistant center states they can't help, has to be included by NHTSA, when I said they cannot add a Vin #. I was then told, it has to come from the head office in Germany. Nothing like getting a run around not what I expected from Mercedes Benz USA, INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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