2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Air bags is the leading concern among 836 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the highest complaint count among 23 C-Class model years with reports.
Of the 2008 reports, 25 involved a crash and 21 involved a fire. 30 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
No safety recalls on file.
Representative owner complaints: engine
41 reports, newest first. Show all
Electrical system, Engine, May 1, 2015
GOT IN MY CAR LAST NIGHT TO GO HOME AND ATTEMPTED TO CRANK IT. IT WOULD NOT START. THE KEY TURNED IN THE IGNITION AND LIGHTS WORKED BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER. LAST YEAR IN FEBRUARY I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP BY ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND HAVE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED FOR A SIMILAR SITUATION AT MY COST. I AM AWAITING NEWS FROM THE DEALERSHIP AS TO THE PROBLEM THIS TIME BUT THIS IS RIDICULOUS FOR THIS VEHICLE TO HAVE THIS TYPE OF COMPLAINTS FROM SO MANY CONSUMERS AND MERCEDES NOT STAND BEHIND THIS PRODUCT BY RECALLING IT. I AM A WOMAN AND HAD NO ONE TO ASSIST ME OR PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION HOME. YOU BUY A PRODUCT THINKING THAT IT IS DEPENDABLE BUT THIS CAR ISN'T IT. *TR
Engine, Mar 26, 2015
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INTERLOCK SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.
Steering, Engine, Feb 3, 2015
I DROVE TO WORK ON THE 29TH, AND TO AND BACK AN APPOINTMENT, I WENT TO LEAVE WORK THAT EVENING AND MY CAR WOULD NOT START. THE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. AND WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ICE STORM, I CALLED MERCEDES ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE AND I GUESS MY ASSISTANCE EXPIRED SO THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD BE $175 TO TOW MY CAR, SO I USED MY VERIZON ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO PICK UP AND TAKE TO A FRIENDS SHOP TO FIX BUT BECAUSE OF THE STORM I WAS NOT ABLE TO GET MY CAR PICKED UP FOR 25 HOURS AND SINCE IT WAS FRIDAY NIGHT BY THAT TIME MY CAR DIDN'T GET LOOKED AT BY MY FRIENDS REPAIR SHOP UNTIL MONDAY 4 DAYS LATER I FIND OUT THAT THE VEHICLE CANT BE FIXED BY ANYONE ELSE BUT MERCEDES, BECAUSE EVERYTHING IN THE CAR IS SEIZED UP AND NO ONE KNEW HOW TO GET IT UNSEIZED. SO MONDAY AT NOON I CALLED MERCEDES ROADSIDEAGAIN TO GET THE CAR TOWED AGAIN. BECAUSE OF THE WONDERFUL CUSTOMER SERVICE FROM THE ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TEAM AT MERCEDES THEY ENDED UP SENDING 3 TOW TRUCKS OVER TO PICK MY CAR UP, THE FIRST ONE SHOWED UP AFTER MY FIRST SHOP CLOSED, THE SECOND TOW TRUCK WAS UNABLE TO PICK UP THE CAR BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW IT WOULDN'T GO INTO GEAR SO FINALLY ANOTHER 24 HOURS HAD PAST BEFORE THEY GOT MY CAR WHICH IS 1/4 OF A MILE AWAY FROM THE REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS. MY CAR HAS BEEN BROKE FOR ALMOST A WHOLE WEEK KNOW AND STILL KNOW ONE KNOWS WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CAR IN THE MEAN TIME THE DEALERSHIP HAS NO LOANER CAR FOR ME TO USE AND I SPENT 3 HOURS SITIING IN A DISABLED CAR IN AN ICE STORM WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO COME AND GET ME. IT REALLY SOUNDS LIKE THE SAME PROBLEM EVERYONE ELSE ON THIS SITE HAS EXPERIENCED WHO KNOWS HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE THEM TO KFIGURE IT OUT AT THIS PACE, I WILL UPDATE THIS IF I EVER FIND OUT. *TR
Steering, Electrical system, Engine, Nov 20, 2014
CAR YEAR: 2008 MODEL: C300 4MATIC SPORT MILEAGE AT TIME OF FAILURE: 30,893 WARRANTY: EXPIRE ON DUE TO AGE OF CAR, NOT MILEAGE ESTIMATE CAUSE: MANUFACTURING DEFECT PART EFFECTED: EIS (ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH), ESL (ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK), ECU ESTIMATED EFFECTED VINS BASED ON EXTENSIVE ONLINE RESEARCH AND CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS: THOUSANDS ESTIMATE COST OF INDIVIDUAL REPAIRS PER INCIDENT DUE TO DEFECT: $1,200. TO $1,990. ESTIMATE PROFIT FOR DEALERSHIPS: $100MM+ RESEARCH KEYWORDS: MERCEDES BENZ, EIS, ESL, C300 SOURCE OF 99% OF COMPLAINTS: WWW.MBWORLD.COM & INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED MB DEALERSHIP. "SERVICE CAMPAIGN BULLETIN" CAMPAIGN NO. 2008020003, MARCH 2008 RECALL: NOT ISSUED THIS IS REGARDS TO A CONSISTENT AND REPEATED KNOW MANUFACTURER DEFECT IN SEVERAL YEARS MERCEDES BENZ MODELS, THAT THE COMPANY, MERCEDES BENZ (MB) IS AWARE OF AND HAS ISSUED A "SERVICE CAMPAIGN BULLETIN" CAMPAIGN NO. 2008020003, MARCH 2008. UNFORTUNATELY MB CLAIMS THAT THIS ISSUE ONLY AFFECTS "APPROXIMATELY 10 VEHICLES". A 08 MERCEDES C300 THAT I BOUGHT ON 6/12/2013 WITH 9,025 MILES WHEN I BOUGHT IT AND NOW HAS ABOUT 30,896 MILES TODAY 11/20/2014. ON 11/19/2014 MY CAR STOPPED WORKING. \ AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE I NOTICED HUNDREDS UPON THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE 08 C300 KNOWING AS THE EIS,ESL, OR THE IGNITION FAILURE AND REPAIRS UP TO $2000 IN SOME CASES. I WILL NEED TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED TO A MB DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THIS FIX. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE, YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. *TR
Engine, Oct 20, 2014
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C350. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 80 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND AN UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000.
Steering, Electrical system, Engine, Oct 6, 2014
I HAVE A 2008 C350 WITH 81,300 MILES. I DROVE THE CAR HOME FROM SCHOOL THURSDAY PARKED IT IN MY PARKING GARAGE WENT OUT THIS MORNING AND IT WOULDN'T START. THE KEY LOCKS AND UNLOCKS THE DOORS THE LIGHTS COME ON AND THE DASH LIGHTS UP. YOU CAN INSERT AND TURN THE KEY BUT THE CAR WILL NOT START. THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED AND THE DRIVE IS LOCKED IN PARK. I TRIED JUMPING AND IT DID NOTHING I DIDN'T THINK THE BATTERY WAS BAD BUT WENT AND HAD IT CHECKED ANYWAYS. THE BATTERY BEING CHANGED. I CHECK THE FUSES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE STARTER AND THEY SEEM TO BE OK. I'M NOT SURE WHAT TO DO NEXT AND NOT EXCITED ABOUT HAVING IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. ANY INFORMATION WOULD BE HELPFUL. *TR
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Aug 27, 2014
THE ENGINE DIES. THIS IS KNOWN BY MERCEDES BENZ AND IS BEING REPORTED ALL OVER. THE IGNITION SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND REPLACED. WHY IS NHTSA DRAGGING ITS FEET ON THIS ISSUE. SOMEONE WILL BE INJURED OR KILLED BY THIS, IF IT HAS NOT ALREADY HAPPENED. *TR
Electrical system, Engine, Aug 20, 2014
ENTER THE CAR AND PUT THE KEY IN. ALL I CAN HEAR WAS LITTLE TICKING SOUND CAME FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AFTER PUTTING THE FOB KEY IN. THE BATTER HAS BEEN CHECKED AND IS OK. SHIFTER WON'T MOVE, THE STEERING WHEEL DOESN'T COME OUT OF ITS LOCK AND THE CAR WON'T START. CONSOLE AND RADIO TURNS ON AND CAR LOCKS/UNLOCKS.THERE ARE MANY OTHERS WITH THESE COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME YEAR CAR IN THE SAME CLASS BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. MERCEDES BENZ NEEDS TO COVER THESE PARTS AND REPAIR BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE USE OR ABUSE OF THE VEHICLE. *TR
Steering, Electrical system, Engine, Aug 14, 2014
MANY PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE IN MANY FORUMS. I WONDER IF SOMEONE HAS TO BE INJURED OR KILLED (IF NOT ALREADY) BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE. THE CAR ARBITRARILY AND WITHOUT NOTICE DIES AND WILL NOT RESTART. IT LEAVES THE DRIVER COMPLETELY VULNERABLE, WHEREVER IT OCCURS. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED IN MY SITUATION. NOTHING WORKED, I HAD TO CALL, TO BE TOLD THAT THIS IS A BATTERY ISSUE. IT WAS NOT, AS DETERMINED BY THE TOW TRUCK COMPANY AND THE DEALERSHIP, AFTER THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THEM. IS THIS EVER GOING TO BE INVESTIGATED AND RECALLED BEFORE FURTHER DAMAGE AND/OR INJURY OCCURS ? *TR
Steering, Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Aug 9, 2014
CAR WOULD NOT START OR SHIFT GEARS. BATTERY WAS FOUND TO BE FULLY CHARGED. GEARS AND STEERING COMPLETELY LOCKED OUT. NO DASH BOARD LIGHTING. MERCEDES BENZ DISPATCHED BUT COULD NOT JUMP START. TOWING ONLY AFTER FORCING COVER OFF GEAR SHIFTER AND OVERRIDING GEARS TO PUT VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL. 69K MILES. *TR
Electrical system, Air bags, Engine, Jul 23, 2014
CAR COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN. NOTHING WORKED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THIS HAS OCCURRED TO MANY OTHER CARS AND THE MANUFACTURER IS WELL AWARE OF THIS CONDITION. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO BE INJURED OR KILLED (IF THIS HAS NOT ALREADY HAPPENED) BEFORE THIS DEFECT IS ADDRESSED ? *TR
Electrical system, Equipment adaptive/mobility, Engine, Jul 13, 2014
IT APPEARS THAT THE EIS MODULE HAS FAILED, I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND HAVE FOUND SEVERAL OTHER CONSUMERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUES WITH THIS PARTICULAR YEAR AND MODEL VEHICLE. THIS CONCERNS ME. WHY HASN'T ANY RECALLS BEEN DONE TO FIX THIS ISSUE. IT SEEM LIKE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. WHAT IF I WERE DRIVING MY CAR AND THE EIS HAD MALFUNCTIONED. I WOULD HAVE LOST POWER TO MY VEHICLE AS WELL AS ALL STEERING ABILITIES. COULD YOU PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE? *TR
Engine, Jun 13, 2014
AM CONCERNED WITH THIS 2008 MERCEDES I OWN WITH SIMILAR ISSUES AS GMC CARS WITH THE IGNITION/KEY/ENGINE JUST STOPPING...CAR LOST ALL POWER AND WHEELS LOCKED. THE CAR WAS DRIVING WELL ONE MOMENT THEN STOPPED. WAS NOT INJURED BUT WAS LEFT STRANDED AT NIGHT GETTING OFF WORK WITH NO CAR....HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED OUT OF PARKING LOT WHICH WAS QUITE DIFFICULTY WITH WHEELS LOCKED....AND TAKEN TO MERCEDES DEALERSHIP. IT WAS REPAIRED FOR 800.00$...AND I ASKED IF THIS WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN AND WAS TOLD "PROBABLY"....HAVE NOTICED ONLINE THIS HAS BEEN A KNOW ISSUE IN THE 2008 MODEL.....MY QUESTION IS WHY IS MERCEDES NOT HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR FAULTY PART LIKE GMC IS.....AND I HAVE HEAR THIS HAS HAPPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN MOVING TOO....THAT SCARES MY GREATLY.....THE DEALERSHIP OF NASHVILLE WOULD NOT EVEN ADDRESS ANY CONCERN WITH ME ABOUT THIS.... *JS
Steering, Engine, Jun 11, 2014
SHAME ON YOU MERCEDES BENZ! IT APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE THAT THE STEERING LOCK GOES OUT LEAVING YOUR LOYAL CUSTOMERS STRANDED WITH NO ABILITY TO START THE CAR. OK! NOW, I AM TOLD THE COST TO REPAIR IS $1450 FOR THE PART AND THE LABOR. LOOKS LIKE MY NEXT CAR WILL BE A BMW! (STEERING LOCK WENT OUT AT 80K- LEAVING THE CAR UNABLE TO START). *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Structure, Jul 12, 2010
MY CAR SMELLS LIKE MILDEW AND MOLDY. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER ABOUT 3 TIMES ABOUT THIS SITUATION. I HAVE RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS AND ALLERGIES AND I CAN HARDLY USED THIS CAR, IT STINKS AND BOTHERS MY BREATHING. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Vehicle speed control, May 31, 2010, crash
TWO SEPARATE INSTANCES OF COMMANDED ACCELERATION WITH 2008 MERCEDES C300. PURCHASED THE CAR FROM A PRIVATE USED CAR DEALER IN SEPTEMBER 2009 WITH 10,500 MILES. ON NOVEMBER 1, 2009 I EXPERIENCED FIRST INSTANCE OF UNCOMMANDED ACCELERATION WHILE SLOWING TO A STOP IN A DRIVEWAY. ENGINE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO A HIGH RATE AND STRUCK A PARKED TRUCK IMMEDIATELY IN FRONT OF CAR. SHIFTED INTO REVERSE AND CAR SPED AT MAXIMUM RPM ACROSS LAWNS AND STREET UNTIL FINALLY RETURNING TO NORMAL. AT NO TIME WERE THE BRAKES ABLE TO HAVE ANY EFFECT ON SLOWING MY SPEED. THIS INCIDENT WAS NOT REPORTED TO POLICE SINCE NO SERIOUS PROPERTY DAMAGE OCCURRED. HOWEVER, I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED DEALER FROM WHOM WE PURCHASED THE CAR. THEY CLAIMED WE NEEDED TO CONTACT MERCEDES SINCE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. WHEN I VISITED THE LOCAL MERCEDES DEALER THE FOLLOWING DAY, THEY INITIALLY EXPRESSED INTEREST IN INSPECTING THE CAR RIGHT AWAY HOWEVER NEARLY 2 WEEKS PASSED BEFORE THEY TOLD US TO BRING THE CAR IN FOR INSPECTION. THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR 3 DAYS AND TOLD US THEY FOUND NO MECHANICAL OR ELECTRICAL FAULTS. WE WERE GREATLY DISAPPOINTED WITH THEIR FINDINGS AND SENT A CERTIFIED LETTER TO MERCEDES USA WITH FULL DETAILS OF THE INCIDENT. THEIR REACTION WAS THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. WE CONTINUED TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE AND ON MAY 21, 2010 A SECOND INSTANCE OF SUDDEN UNCOMMANDED RAPID ACCELERATION OCCURRED. I WAS PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AT A SLOW RATE WHILE SLOWING TO A STOP AS ANOTHER VEHICLE PASSED BY. SUDDENLY, THE MERCEDES ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY AND STRUCK THE PASSING VEHICLE CAUSING IT TO OVERTURN. THE CIRCUMSTANCES WERE NEARLY IDENTICAL AND I AM POSITIVE THE GAS PEDAL WAS NOT BEING DEPRESSED. CAR HAS BLUETOOTH CAPABILITY AND I HAVE A BLUETOOTH COMPATIBLE CELL PHONE. PERHAPS THIS CAUSED INTERFERENCE WITH SOMETHING IN THE ENGINE COMPUTER SYSTEM. MY CAR IS PRESENTLY IN AN UNDRIVEABLE CONDITION AND MERCEDES HAS NOT YET COME TO INSPECT IT. UPDATED 07/08/11 *BF UPDATED IVOQ 07/20/11 UPDATED 07/29/11