Mercedes-Benz C-Class Complaints
3,817 consumer complaints on file.
- #11524397May 30, 2023ENGINE
Egine light on need to replace clogged Pcv value at 48,000 miles. Seems like this part needs a recall
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11524139May 27, 2023UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I was driving on the local freeway and the strip of glass between the windshield and the sunroof flew off and landed on the pavement behind me. Thankfully the car behind me was far enough away that it didn't hit it--but it could have if it had been. If that had happened I shudder to think what the result would have been. The risk is to those behind me--not to me. The only indication that there was a problem before the event was only a few seconds before the piece flew off when it started to become unattached and the noise from the wind catching it raised my concern. I took the car to Mercedes and had to pay $2300 to have the piece replaced.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11524033May 26, 2023ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
Mercedes Benz via American Service Center in Arlington, VA regarding the service they performed on my 2015 C300 W4 4Door Sedan AWD the following issues have presented: ISSUE: 03MBZZWARN1 ENGINE LIGHT TECH: 901844 PROBLEM: ENGINE HARNESS, ENGINE CONTROL MODULE, CRANKCASE VENT VALVE, AND O2 SENSOR BANK 1 CAUSE: FOUND OIL IN THE ENGINE HARNESS AND ENGINE HARNESS. OIL IS ENTERING THREW [SIC] THE CRANK CASE VENT VALVE. RECOMMEND REPLACING. Approximate miles at the time of this issue: 63,141. Cost of Repair: $8309.58 Yes, the vehicle is available for inspection. Safety concerns: The vehicle is not able to pass an emissions test with the engine light engaged. Per America Service Center in Arlington, VA, which is the only service center that has serviced the vehicle during my ownership, they commented and documented that oil is entering through a vent valve. My additional concerns are: If an odorless fume is passing into the passenger cabin and the vehicle can not pass state emissions these are immediate concerns. The service center advices that I may continue to drive the vehicle. However, I am concerned should the oil fully empty without warning the vehicle may fail while in use on a dangerous roadway due to cause and effect of additional unknown maintenance related operational co-dependent mechanical components.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11524034May 26, 2023ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
- December 5, 2022, while driving on I-20 East in Atlanta, Georgia in the evening, at a speed of 15-20 mph my vehicle abruptly came to a stop in the middle of traffic with no warning and no action prompted by me while driving. There were vehicles positioned in front and behind my vehicle. Thankfully, the vehicle behind me was able to slam on its breaks to prevent colliding into my vehicle. - April 7, 2023, while driving in southwest Atlanta in a residential area at a speed of 15-20 mph, while on the phone with one of my work colleagues, my vehicle abruptly stopped while driving past houses with no warning and no action prompted by me while driving. There was a vehicle positioned behind me that was able to slam on its breaks to prevent colliding into my vehicle. - May 5, 2023, while driving in a residential neighborhood on W Wesley Rd in Atlanta at a speed of 10-15 mph in a construction zone, my vehicle again abruptly stopped with no warning. This time, the stop was much more forceful than previous incidents. - May 5, 2023 my car received the following prompt on my screen "Your vehicle has detected a breakdown. Do you want to receive support from Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance" - Mercedes assessed my car and reported the following: C111A00 Radar sensor 1 is disrupted by interference from an external transmitter." Then, "NOTE PER OWNERS MANUAL, THE SYSTEM ON THE CAR CANNOT ALWAYS TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ROAD, WEATHER OR TRAFFIC CONDITIONS///BE AWARE OF THE LIMITATIONS REGARDING THE SAFE USE OF THE THESE SYSTEMS///" - The vehicle does not send an alert, forewarn, nor does it allow you to override an automatic emergency break - Mercedes Benz was flippant, dismissive and asked me to resume driving in an unsafe vehicle. I am filing this because they appear to have no regard for human life. I fear for my life and do not want to pass this burden on to someone else -In every instance described above, I contacted Mercedes Benz to make them aware. The contact is requesting to rescind the complaint and does not wish to move f
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11523852May 25, 2023FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Fuel smell in cab of car. Strong smell. Took it to dealer and they said they were damp with fuel
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11523881May 25, 2023FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
This particular model of vehicle has a well-known and documented failure of the PCV valve (Crankcase). This has not been identified by NHTSA to date. This should be considered for a recall due to the high incident rate of the P052E error code (valve failure) as this causes reduced emission control and possible explosions within the engine due to pressure-related issues. My vehicle did not have any warnings prior to the engine light illuminating. After diagnostics, P052E was identified. Dealership told me that it needed to be replaced as it would fail and result in damage.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11523571May 23, 2023ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Upon starting my vehicle today the center screen did not power on. The vehicle displayed several messages indicating various safety features were unavailable, including blind spot assist, lane keeping assist, parking assist, etc. Additionally, the exterior cameras (e.g., reverse camera) were inoperable as well. Since the center screen controls the sound system and climate control system, those systems were also unavailable. I restarted the car several times but the screen remained off. I purchased this car in August 2022 and have driven it approx. 3,600 miles - this is the second time this issue has occurred. The first time happened in Sept 2022 and it resolved by itself the following day. However, I believe this problem presents a safety concern since most, if not all, of the vehicle's various safety systems are disabled when it occurs.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11523001May 20, 2023SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
First week, the car would take off fast as soon as the brakes were released. Then first time I used the heat there was a crackling sound coming form the side of the center display and it got extremely hot, I was on the FWY driving in the rain. Brakes: Intermittently, when braking, the car speeds up as if shifting to N, problematic in the FWY traffic behind another car, sometimes the brake pedal can be heard rattling really lose underfoot, brakes also used to groan when backing up. Electrical: intermittently, the door/trunk lock, side mirror, garage door opener do not work, and the dash displays change by themselves, the worst is the unreasonably hot center display that burns fingers, and becomes untouchable on hot days. Transmission: seems not to work in unison with the accelerator as sometimes the RPM needle hits 3-4 but the car will not speed up or is sluggish. Other: the car intermittently kicks, like being rear ended, it happens at different speeds and stopped or driving, continuing a few times intermittently for a day or two. Twice have taken the car to MBZ dealership, one for 2 days, another for 10 days, they said they reset everything and all was fine. The issues are intermittent and hard to duplicate for some one who does not drive the car regularly. The dealership has been great but I do not feel they are able to reveal the problems with the vehicle. The car is like a computer with a virus and sometime gives erratic response.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11523049May 20, 2023UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The interior door handles are not engineered correctly and break easily. I have had to replace mine 3 time at $1000 every time it breaks. This is a big Safety Hazard should I have to exit the vehicle for any type of emergency. It can also put people in harms way as most people due not have $1000 on hand to dump out every time one of these handles break and would have to wait conciderable time before repairs can be made. The car may be the only means they have to get to work. Very unsafe situation.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11522485May 17, 2023STRUCTURE:BODY
The car was all over the road when braking and making banging sound. Had towed to 3 repair shops and all said Subframe was rotted out beyond repair. Mercedes Benz in golden bridge will replace subframe, but my cost is towing, labor and renting a car until it’s fixed which can take up to 1 month.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11522559May 17, 2023EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Rear passenger side brake lights and turn signal stopped working due to ground wire burning out post. Ground wire seems to be to weak and gets overheated. I'm not the only one found this issue on YouTube with many other Mercedes C class vehicles
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11522182May 16, 2023SUSPENSION, SERVICE BRAKES
I found out about the Mercedes Subframe failure issue after having problems on the road, that could have killed me, and being warned not to drive anymore by an authorized repair shop because my vehicle was not safe for me to drive. This has caused many other issues with my cars mechanics due to this defect from the Mercedes factory.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11522258May 16, 2023WHEELS:RIM
The contact owns a 2020 Mercedes-Benz AMG C43. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the tire pressure warning light illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to a tire center and was informed that the front passenger’s side rim cracked, causing the tire to deflate. The tire center repaired the original rim. The failure recurred with the rear driver’s and rear passenger’s side rims. The contact stated that the wheels were the original wheels on the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed after the most recent failure. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11522279May 16, 2023UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I bought my 2016 merecedes Benz c 300 4 matic with an engine light on . I took it the dealership and is the positive crankshaft failed . The crankshaft could reduce power on car . At 73000 mile the crankshaft should have not failed .
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11522090May 15, 2023ENGINE
The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes C300. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH the check engine began flashing and the vehicle stalled. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle and smoke was observed emanating from the front driver's tire. The contact stated that the fire exploded from the engine compartment. Additionally, the contact stated that she was locked in the vehicle by the driver's seatbelt, but was able to get out of the vehicle. The fire department extinguished the fire and a report was taken. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was towed to a salvage lot. The contact was not sure if the vehicle restarted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- Yes
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11521633May 12, 2023UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The drivers door handle broke. In researching online, this has been an issue with Mercedes Benz since they are made of weak plastic. Apparently, they have a more stronger version now. It’s a safety concern as you cannot open the door from the inside.You have to roll down the window, and open the door using the outside handle. What if the power window didn’t work?This is a severe safety concern. If you have to exit the vehicle in a hurry, due to a fire, or accidentally started submerging in water. This should be a recall, we should not have to pay for a replacement to the newer door handle
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11521353May 10, 2023UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Car had 69,300 miles (5 3/4 years old) at time of service on 4/18/2023. The check engine light came on the day before. Dealer performed diagnostic- stated it was the Crank Case Ventilation that needed to be replaced. I was charged $2107.00 $1710.00 for labor, $397.00 for parts. I have owned 2 other mercedes well into the 100,000 mile ranges- no problems similar to this. It seems to just be a C300 issue- my car is a C350e. It has been serviced at the dealer every year and is garaged and well taken care of. I read online that c300 have this issue- and would like to report mine as well.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11521093May 9, 2023ENGINE
I recently had to repair a part of my engine with the code P052E. It specifically was "The Valve for Crankcase Ventilation. It stated it was malfunctioned and that the actuator is blocked. It could have caused my engine to fail and my car to stop at any moment putting myself and others at risk. There is a large amounts of consumers with the same vehicle that complained about the same issue. It was inspected by the Mercedes Benz dealership. The only warning was that my check engine light was on.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11521132May 9, 2023SEAT BELTS
Both front seat belts on the driver and passenger side fail to retract. Looking up my car model I found the following: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017-2021 C300, 2017-2020 AMG C43, and AMG C63 vehicles. The front seat belts might not fully retract to their stowed position. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection." However my vin number was not marked for the repair and the dealer refused to cover it. I ended up paying for the repair out of pocket for safety.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11520942May 8, 2023SERVICE BRAKES
The contact owns a 2023 Mercedes C300. The contact stated that while traveling over a pedestrian crosswalk, the emergency braking mode was engaged. The accelerator pedal was applied but the vehicle failed to accelerate. The vehicle went into restricted mode. A Hyundai Elantra crashed into the rear of the vehicle. The driver in the Hyundai stated that the brake lights were not illuminated. There was no air bag deployment or fire. A police report was filed. The contact who was occupying the front passenger seat sustained an injury to her neck and medical attention was provided. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that there were no restricted mode codes located. They were unable to duplicate or verify the incident. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 2000.
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 1
- Deaths:
- 0