2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 183 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 13th highest complaint count among 23 C-Class model years with reports.
Of the 2006 reports, 10 involved a crash. 14 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
No safety recalls on file.
Representative owner complaints: power train
36 reports, newest first. Show all
Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Electronic stability control (ESC), Feb 6, 2012
HAVING PROBLEM WITH THE GEAR SHIFTING, BELIEVE THIS IS CAUSED BY THE SHAFT BALANCER, ETC. THE CAR GRABS AND JERKS FROM TIME TO TIME MAKING ME UNSURE OF THE SAFETY OF MY CAR. MY CAR ONLY HAS 84,000 MILES ON IT. THE CAR IS LIKE NEW, BUT AS I READ THE CLASS ACT AGAINST MERCEDES I NOTICED THAT MY CAR HAS SEVERAL OF THE SAME ISSUES AS OTHERS LISTED IN THE COMPLAINT. THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR OF MY CAR IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, AND I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THE MERCEDES COMPANY WOULD ALLOW AN ERROR LIKE THIS TO CONTINUE. I WOULD LIKE FOR THIS TO BE CORRECTED BY MERCEDES OR TO BE PLACED ON THE CLASS ACT SUIT AS WELL. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Vehicle speed control, Jan 20, 2012
PERIODICALLY THE CAR WOULD LOSE ACCELERATION AND RPMS WOULD BE HIGH AND THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK WHEN I TRIED CHANGING GEARS. AS I CHANGE GEARS FROM PARK, REVERSE OR DRIVE, THE GEAR SHIFT JERKS AND I AM UNABLE TO ACCELERATE PAST 20 MPH NO MATTER HOW MUCH PRESSURE I PLACE ON THE GAS. : EXTREME LOSS OF ACCELERATION UP HILL AND THE STEPTRONIC (+/- SHIFTING) DID NOT WORK... (I COULD ONLY GO 35MPH WHEN EVERY ONE ELSE WAS GOING 70MPH UP HILL) WHEN I TRAVELED ON A FLAT SURFACE WITH NO INCLINATION MY CAR WORKED FINE, I THEN DECIDED TO PUT IT ON NEUTRAL WHILE TRAVELING AT 65MPH...WHEN I PUT IT BACK IN DRIVE IT DID NOT PICK UP THE GEARS IT JUST CONTINUED AS IF IT WAS IN NEAUTRAL. I HAD TO PULL OVER AND SHIFT IT INTO PARK...AS I SHIFTED FORM "D" TO NEUTRAL IT SHIFTED FINE, BUT THEN FROM NEUTRAL TO "R" THE CAR JERKED...FROM REVERSE TO "P" IT JERKED AGAIN AND SHIFTED HARD. I THEN SHIFTED AGAIN TO REVERSE, NEUTRAL, AND DRIVE THUS THE CAR JERKED AND DID A HARD SHIFT WITH KNOCKING NOISE AND WOULD NOT DRIVE. I SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL AGAIN AND SHUT THE CAR OFF. WHEN I TURNED IT BACK ON IT SHIFTED SMOOTH AND I DROVE OFF WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM. TOOK IT TO A REPAIR SHOP AND RECEIVED P0717/P0718 FAULT CODES AND SOMETHING ABOUT THE VALVE BODY. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT IT WAS AN TRANSMISSION INTERNAL SPEED SENSOR ISSUE. THERE IS SOMETHING FAULTY WITH THE DESIGN AND OPERATION OF THIS MODEL YEAR TRANSMISSION AND LOSING POWER AND BEING ABLE TO ONLY GO 35 MPH NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU PRESS THE GAS ON THE INTERSTATE OR HEAVY FAST MOVING TRAFFIC IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. MERCEDES BENZ IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AS MANY OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED BUT THEY WILL NOT INSTITUTE A RECALL. *TT
Power train, Dec 8, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ C230. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE ENGINE STARTED SPUTTERING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE THE MECHANIC CONFIRMED THAT THE BALANCE SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,300.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Oct 13, 2011
THE TRANSMISSION INTERNAL SPEED SENSOR FAILED INDICATING THAT THE VALVE BODY NEEDS REPLACING. THE GEARS ARE NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY AND GET STUCK. I HAVE TO PULL OVER AND TURN THE CAR OFF FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES TO LET EVERYTHING RESET AND THEN OK TO DRIVE. IF I DO NOT STOP AND TURN CAR OFF AND PUT IT INTO PARK WITH ENGINE STILL ON AND TRY TO SHIFT BACK INTO DRIVE IT IS A HARD SHIFT AND THEN THE CAR WILL JERK. I SAW ON LINE ALL THE COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS FOR THE C230 SPORT. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, Gasoline, Power train, Sep 26, 2011
BOUGHT THIS CAR WITH 38000 ON IT. THE GET UP AND GO SEEMED SLUGGISH BUT MECHANIC SAID IT CHECKED OUT. HAD SOME MAJOR ISSUES. CAR WOULD BARELY GO, WENT DIRECTLY TO MERCEDES DEALERSHIP. DEALER SAID FUEL PUMP WAS OUT $793. ALSO SAID I NEEDED TO SERVICE THE TRANSMISSION, $350. THEY ALSO SAID I HAD A MUCH GREATER PROBLEM. A BALANCE SHAFT INSIDE THE MOTOR AND QUOTED ME $4600. THE CAR NOW HAS 55,000 MILES ON IT. THE WARRANTY WAS FOR 4 YEARS OR 50,000. THE CAR IS ONE YEAR OR 5,000 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY. IT IS HARD UNDERSTAND WHY THIS TYPE OF CATASTROPHIC FAILURE IS OCCURRING SO SOON AFTER THE WARRANTY IS UP. I CHECKED THIS OUT ONLINE AND IT SEEMS LIKE I'M FAR FROM THE FIRST OWNER TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. I SAW A LAWSUIT, TOO BAD I DON'T KNOW HOW TO PARTICIPATE. I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED THAT MERCEDES ISN'T DOING THE RIGHT THING ON ITS OWN. PLEASE HELP! *TR
Power train, Apr 25, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES C230. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 65 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE LANES. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED A SLIGHT JERKING MOTION BEFORE STALLING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO RESTART, BUT THE VEHICLE MOVED VERY SLUGGISH. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED. THE CONTACT THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED THE VALVE BODY, K1 CLUTCH AND THE TRANSMISSION. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED BECAUSE THE HYDRAULIC SEAL FOR THE COMPONENTS FAILED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40,000. UPDATED 06/01/11*LJ UPDATED 1/18/2012 *LN *TR
Power train, Mar 11, 2011
I OWN A 2006 MERCEDES C230 WITH A BALANCE SHAFT GEAR PROBLEM. THE GEARS ARE RETARDING AND THE PROBLEM WILL CAUSE ENGINE FAILURE. A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT HAS BEEN FILED AGAINST MERCEDES BENZ FOR THE BALANCE SHAFT GEAR FAILURE. A RECALL NEEDS TO BE ISSUED FOR ALL 2006 BALANCE SHAFT GEARS ON ALL MERCEDES BENZ MODELS. *TR
Power train, Jan 15, 2011
WE OWN A MERCEDES BENZ C230. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A BALANCE SHAFT ERROR. IT TURNS OUT THE BALANCE SHAFT IS BROKEN. THE PART COST ONLY ABOUT $400. BUT SINCE REPLACING IT REQUIRES PULLING OUT AND TAKING A PART THE ENGINE, THE REPAIR IS OVER $3000. WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. IT HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *TR
Suspension, Power train, Aug 3, 2010
THE FAILURE IN THIS CASE IS THE REPLACEMENT OF THE COUNTER BALANCE SHAFT ON A 2006 C230 MERCEDES BENZ WITH LESS THAN 100,000 MILES. I'VE READ THAT MANY OF THESE FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED AND THE REASON FOR FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE SHAFT NOT HAVING PROPER HARDENING. I'VE ALSO READ THE MERCEDES BENZ IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. THE COST OF THE REPAIR IS ABOUT $4500 ON A VEHICLE THAT THE WARRANTY GOES OUT IN 4 YEARS OR 50,000 MILES. ALL SERVICES TO THIS VEHICLE HAVE BEEN DONE AS REQUIRED, BUT NOT THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP. INFORMATION I'VE READ ABOUT THIS PROBLEM STATES THAT THERE'S NOTHING I COULD HAVE DONE TO KEEP THIS FROM HAPPENING AND THAT IT'S HAPPENING TO MANY, MANY VEHICLES. I BELIEVE IF THIS IS HAPPENING FREQUENTLY THAT THE MANUFACTURE SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS TYPE OF REPAIR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Jun 22, 2010
2006 C230 MERCEDES BENZ. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING BETWEEN LOWER GEARS AND IT WOULD ALSO SHIFT HARD. ALSO, THE OIL PAN WAS LEAKING OIL. *JB
Power train, Equipment, Jan 10, 2006
THE TRANSMISSION OF MY NEW CAR, 2006 MBZ C280, HAS FAILED THREE TIMES. THE CAR GOES INTO A FALSE NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING AND THEN EVENTUALLY FALLS INTO GEAR. AFTER THIS EPISODE, THE CAR CONTINUES TO DRIVE IN A LOW GEAR. THE DEALERSHIP HAS TRIED: 1. REPLACING THE VALVE BODY ON THE CAR'S TRANSMISSION AND UPLOADING THE NEW SOFTWARE 2. REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION WITH A COMPLETELY NEW TRANSMISSION FROM THE DEALERSHIP 3. REPLACING THE VALVE BODY OF THE NEW TRANSMISSION. *JB