2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Electrical system is the leading concern among 77 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 18th highest complaint count among 23 C-Class model years with reports.
Of the 2004 reports, 3 involved a crash and 8 involved a fire. 4 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
No safety recalls on file.
Representative owner complaints: power train
8 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Engine, Dec 10, 2015
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ C230. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 25-30 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. UPDATED 02/05/16*LJ UPDATED 02/11/16 *JB
Power train, Fuel/propulsion system, May 27, 2015
I WAS DRIVING TO WORK FROM PARKVILLE TO BALTIMORE CITY AND MY CAR BEGAN AGGRESSIVELY JERKING. I DROVE MY CAR ON FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH THE TUNNEL AND THE JERKING WAS NOT AS AGGRESSIVE. I DROVE HOME ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON FROM WORK AND I COULD TELL THAT SOMETHING WAS STILL JERKING BUT CONTINUOUSLY. SATURDAY MORNING MY CAR WAS JERKING SO AGGRESSIVELY, I CALLED OWINGS MILLS MERCEDES AND LEFT IT THERE. I WAS NOTIFIED TODAY, MAY 27, 2015, THAT MY CAR NEEDED BETWEEN $1900 AND $7500 WORTH OF WORK. MY COOLANT IS LEAKING ON THE TRANSMISSION. IF MY RADIATOR CAN NOT BE FIXED, I WILL NEED A NEW RADIATOR AS WELL AS TRANSMISSION. I HAVE DOING RESEARCH AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE C CLASS MERCEDES. I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE.
Power train, Electrical system, Jul 8, 2012, fire
I HAVE BLACK MERCEDES C230 KOMPRESSOR SPORTS SEDAN 2004 MODEL. CAR WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW AT MERCEDES AUTHORIZED DEALER. THERE IS NO MODIFICATION MADE TO THIS CAR AND ALL THE SERVICING DONE AT MERCEDES AUTHORIZED DEALER SINCE I BOUGHT THIS CAR. IT HAD ONLY 58000 MILES. LAST B SERVICING WHICH CHECKED ANY SAFETY RELATED ISSUES AND INCLUDES REGULAR MAINTENANCE, WAS DONE AT AUTHORIZED DEALER ON 02/18/2012. NO ISSUE WAS INFORMED ON 02/18/2012 TO US BY MERCEDES AUTHORIZED DEALER SERVICING DEPARTMENT. ON 06/21/2012, WHEN I WAS DRIVING THIS CAR FROM WORK TO HOME, I TURNED ON A/C, A/C SHUTDOWN AND I STARTED SMELLING SMOKE. ON LEFT SIDE OF MY CAR THERE IS A/C VENT AND I SAW FIRE INSIDE THE HOOD THROUGH THAT VENT.I PULLED OVER CAR RIGHT AWAY AND ELECTRICITY WENT OUT WITH IN 1 MIN OF MY PULLING OVER AND WITHIN 4 MIN, WHOLE CAR WAS BURNING. MY CAR IS NOW TOTALED. THIS POSES FOLLOWING SECURITY CONCERNS: 1. MERCEDES C230 2004 IS MADE OF HIGHLY INFLAMMABLE MATERIAL AND DRIVER AND USERS OF CAR HAS VERY LESS CHANCE TO SURVIVE IF THERE IS FIRE. 2. MERCEDES C230 2004 MODEL A/C UNIT IS NOT OF HIGHEST QUALITY AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS FAULTY. BOTH OF ABOVE ISSUES POSES VERY SERIOUS SECURITY RISKS TO PUBLIC AND IT NEEDS THROUGH INVESTIGATION. I CONTACTED MERCEDES HEAD QUARTER FOR INVESTIGATION AND MERCEDES DECLINED TO INVESTIGATE. GEICO STATED IN REPORT THAT HOOD IS STUCK AND CAUSE OF FIRE IS UNKNOWN. GEICO INSURANCE COMPANY AUTHORIZED MERCEDES ENGINEERS TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER UPON MY REQUEST AND MERCEDES USA DOES NOT WANT TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER. I HAVE PICTURES OF BURNT CAR AND CAN SHARE IF IT HELPS IN INVESTIGATION TO RULE OUT ABOVE 2 CONCERNS. WE DO NOT WANT OTHERS TO GO THROUGH SAME ORDEAL AS WE WENT THROUGH. *TR UPDATED 06/13/13*LJ UPDATED 06/17/2013 *JS
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Apr 6, 2012
THIS CAR IS A MONEY PIT! I BOUGHT 2004 C230 KOMPRESSOR USED IN 2007. TO DATE I HAVE SPENT WELL OVER $8500 IN REPAIRS AND THE CAR IS SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY WITH ITS LATEST AFFLICTION..A COMPLETELY BLOWN ENGINE. IT IS A USELESS PIECE OF JUNK AND I AM OUT THE $25,000 I ORIGINALLY PAID FOR IT, PLUS THE ADDITIONAL $8500 I HAVE PUT INTO IT. THIS IS HOW MERCEDES BENZ TAKES CARE OF BUSINESS? SOMETHING HAS DRASTICALLY CHANGED. MY DAD HAS HAD 2 MERCEDES OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS...THEY RAN PERFECTLY UNTIL HE SOLD THEM. HE JUST BOUGHT A BRAND NEW S-SERIES (2012) AND IT HAS ALREADY BEEN IN THE SHOP NUMEROUS TIMES. THE CARS ARE MADE CHEAP AND EVERYTHING IN THE INTERIOR IS PLASTIC, NOT WOOD AS IT SHOULD BE. MERCEDES, YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF HOW FAR YOU HAVE LET YOUR STANDARDS FALL, IT IS A DISGRACE. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Nov 21, 2011
2004 MERCEDES BENZ C- CLASS WAGON. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFECT THAT ALLOWS COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE TRANSMISSION, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION, TORQUE CONVERTER AND RADIATOR *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS FORCED TO SPEND OVER SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED, TO CORRECT A DEFECT MERCEDES BENZ WAS AWARE OF. *JB
Fuel system, Gasoline, Power train, Tires, Dec 20, 2007
HESITATION (JERKING) UPON ACCELERATION, USUALLY DURING TURNS OR WHILE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE (NEW). I HAVE TAKEN IT IN FOR REPAIR FOR THIS PROBLEM NO LESS THAN SEVEN (7) TIMES, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL REMAINS. THERE IS ALSO A POPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM THAT OCCURS WHEN THE BRAKE IS ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE IS IDLING. ATTEMPTS TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING: CHARCOAL CANISTER SHUT OFF VALVE REPLACEMENT, LEAK IN CODUCTOR SLEEVE REPAIRED, PERFORMED ADAPTATION OF THE TORQUE CONVERTER, FLUSHED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND TORQUE CONVERTER, REPLACED TORQUE CONVERTER, AND INSTALLED RESTRICTOR IN THE PURGE LINE. ADDITIONALLY, THE ORIGINAL TIRES ON THE VEHICLE HAVE BEEN VERY PROBLEMATIC. I HAD A BLOW OUT ON THE RIGHT REAR TIRE @ 14,190 MILES. I THEN REPLACED BOTH REAR TIRES. I HAD ANOTHER BLOW OUT ON THE RIGHT REAR TIRE AT 26,400 MILES WHILE ON THE EXPRESSWAY. I REPLACED THAT TIRE AGAIN ALONG WITH THE WHEEL/RIM. AT 35,522 MILES I HAD A BLOWOUT ON THE FRONT LEFT TIRE WHILE ON THE EXPRESSWAY AGAIN. I THEN REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES, BECAUSE THEY ALL NEEDED REPLACING AT THAT TIME. *TR
Suspension, Service brakes, Hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Visibility, Latches/locks/linkages, Seats, Other or unspecified, Sep 24, 2007
2004 MERCEDES C240 WITH SUNROOF AND OVERHEAD CONTROL PANEL. CUSTOMER STATES THAT AFTER THE CAR WAS SUPPOSED TO BE REPAIRED THE VEHICLE ACQUIRED OTHER PROBLEMS ALONG WITH A LOOSE SEAT THAT MOVES WHILE DRIVING. *KB THE SUNROOF WOULDN'T CLOSE ON AUTO MODE, THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER WAS INOPERABLE, THE ALARM DIDN'T SOUND, THE RIGHT FRONT DOOR LOCK WAS DEFECTIVE, THE BRAKES SQUEAKED, THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK COMING FROM THE OIL PAN, THE TRANSMISSION LEAKED, THE THRUST ARM BUSHINGS FAILED, THE RIGHT SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER WAS COMING APART, THE RIGHT FRONT WINDOW MADE A LOUD SQUEAK, THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE DRIVERS SEAT DIDN'T TILT UP OR DOWN. THE PANIC FEATURE ON THE VEHICLE DIDN'T WORK, BOTH REMOTE KEYS DIDN'T LOCK OR UNLOCK THE DOORS.
Power train, Dec 30, 2005
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS AN ODOR COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION AREA. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THE ODOR WAS COMING FROM EITHER AN OIL OR TRANSMISSION LEAK. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF THE ODOR. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THIS WAS A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. THE VEHICLE IS A 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ C230. *AK