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: exterior lighting
149 reports, newest first. Show all
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Aug 22, 2013
CARS AUTOMATED WARNING SYSTEM INDICATED PROBLEMS WITH RIGHT REAR LIGHTING SYSTEM ("CHECK RIGHT REAR TURN SIGNAL ETC"). TOOK CAR TO MECHANIC. THERE HAD BEEN A SHORT IN THE RIGHT REAR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM...PLASTIC CIRCUIT BOX EXHIBITED SIGNS OF A SHORT AND MELTED PLASTIC. MECHANIC REPLACED WIRING, CIRCUIT BOX AND LIGHTS. COULD VERY EASILY HAVE HAD A FIRE IN THE TRUNK OF THE CAR. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Aug 20, 2013
BURNING SMELL AND MELTED CONNECTORS ON REAR TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Aug 18, 2013
THE LEFT REAR LIGHT WAS NOTICED TO BE DIMMER THAN THE RIGHT ONE. ONCE THE LIGHT CLUSTER WAS OPEN UP, A BURN /MELTING OF THE ELECTRICAL SOCKET WAS NOTICED. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Aug 17, 2013
THE LEFT TAIL LIGHT CONNECTOR AND THE PLATE CONNECTION MELTED. REPORTED THE ISSUE TO MB DEALER AND MB CAC BUT THEY REFUSED TO ACCEPT IT AS A DESIGN FLAW. THE EXPLANATION GIVEN TO ME WAS IT MELTED BECAUSE OF HEAT OF LIGHT BULBS. THE SAME FLAW HAS BEEN REPORTED ON MANY FORUM AND I THINK IT IS A RECALL ITEM. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Aug 17, 2013
THE RIGHT REAR BULB ASSEMBLY AND HARNESS HAVE MELTED AND ARE ONLY INTERMITTENTLY FUNCTIONAL. *TR
Exterior lighting, Aug 14, 2013
LEFT TAIL LIGHT OUT. FOUND MELTED NEGATIVE CONNECTOR ON PLUG TO LEFT TAIL LIGHT. I REPAIRED THIS BY CONNECTING TO A DIFFERENT POINT ON THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY. FOUND TODAY, 14.AUG 2013 THAT REVERSE LIGHT WILL NOT WORK. INVESTIGATED AND FOUND NO POWER TO THE PLUG FOR THE REVERSE LIGHT BULB,WHICH HAS BEEN CHECKED BY VOLTMETER. *TR
Exterior lighting, Aug 13, 2013
RIGHT TAILLIGHT FAILURE. THE ENTIRE TAILLIGHT IS NOT WORKING SO I REMOVED THE COVER IN MY TRUNK TO LOOK IF ANY OF THE BULBS WERE BLOWN. WHEN I REMOVED THE COVER IT SMELT LIKE SOMETHING WAS BURNING. AFTER FURTHER EXAMINING THE TAILLIGHT ASSEMBLY YOU CAN SEE WHAT THAT THE WIRES WERE EITHER BURNT OR SHORTED OUT AND THE PLASTIC CONNECTORS HAVE A BROWN TO BLACK FILM ON THEM. NOT SURE IF THIS HAS BEEN A RECENT ISSUE BUT WANTED TO SEE IF THIS WAS SOMETHING WAS BEING INVESTIGATED AS A POTENTIAL RECALL. *TR
Exterior lighting, Aug 13, 2013
DRIVER INFORMATION SYSTEM SHOWED THAT THE REAR RIGHT BRAKE LAMP WAS OUT. WHILE CHECKING THE REAR TAIL LIGHT TO REPLACE THE BULBS WE CHECKED THE HARNESS AND IT WAS COMPLETELY MELTED! THEN I KNEW WHY I HAD SMELT A BURNING SMELL BEFORE. I CALLED MY NEAREST MERCEDES DEALER SHIP AND THEY SAID IT WOULD COST AROUND $475 TO $700 TO FIX. I DIDN'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS TALKING ABOUT BUT IM OUT OF WARRANTY. THIS SHOULD BE FIXED BY MERCEDES. ITS ABSURD AND NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT TO ATTENTION FOR OUR SAFETY. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Aug 9, 2013
BOTH TAIL LIGHTS LAMP CARRIERS AND CONTACT BUSHINGS HAD MELTED AROUND GROUND WIRES IN MY 2008 C300 MERCEDES. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Aug 6, 2013
DRIVER INFORMATION SYSTEM SHOWED THAT THE REAR RIGHT BRAKE LAMP WAS OUT. WHILE CHECKING THE REAR TAIL LIGHT TO REPLACE THE BULBS WE CHECKED THE HARNESS AND IT WAS COMPLETELY MELTED! THEN I KNEW WHY I HAD SMELT A BURNING SMELL BEFORE. I CALLED MY NEAREST MERCEDES DEALER SHIP AND THEY SAID IT WOULD COST AROUND $500-$600 TO FIX. I DIDN'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS TALKING ABOUT BUT IM OUT OF WARRANTY. THIS SHOULD BE FIXED BY MERCEDES. ITS ABSURD AND NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT TO ATTENTION FOR OUR SAFETY. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Aug 3, 2013
WARNING LIGHT CAME ON TO CHECK RIGHT SIDE TAIL AND BRAKE LAMPS. WARNING SIGN TO ALSO CHECK RIGHT TURN SIGNAL. IT APPEARS THAT THESE COME ON AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 30S-1MIN. WHEN OPENED UP THE RIGHT BACK LIGHT KIT, THE PLASTIC HARNESS HOLDING THE BULBS AND WIRES IS BURNING SLIGHTLY AND SLIGHTLY CHARRED. LIGHT BULBS ARE WORKING AS THEY DO INITIALLY TURN ON, BUT THEN GO OFF AFTER 30S-1MIN. ALSO LIGHT COMES UP ON CHECK REAR LEFT TAIL AND BRAKE LAMPS. BUT THESE WORK FINE, AND THE LEFT BACK LIGHT KIT PLASTIC HARNESS APPEARS NORMAL AND FINE. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Jul 30, 2013
INSIDE DASH WARNING SAYING "CHECK REAR RIGHT SIGNAL LIGHTS" AND RIGHT SIGNAL FLASHES QUICKER THAN NORMAL. UPON INSPECTION, LIGHTS WERE WORKING BUT BULB HOLDER INSIDE LIGHTS AND CONNECTION HARNESS WAS MELTED WHERE THE BROWN WIRE WAS. UNABLE TO REMOVE HARNESS OUT BECAUSE THE CONNECTOR WAS MELTED ON. SMELLED LIKE FRESH BURNT PLASTIC. SEVERE FIRE HAZARD! *TR
Exterior lighting, Jul 29, 2013
STARTED OFF AS A RT. TAIL LIGHT MESSAGE, A STRANGE FLASHING RT. TURN SIGNAL ( RAPID FLASHING). AS I WENT TO INSPECT THE TAIL LIGHT BULBS, I FOUND THE LIGHT ASSEMBLY PLATE MELTED AT THE CONNECTOR TO THE LIGHT PLATE. THE BROWN WIRE WAS SO HOT FROM THE EVIDENCE THAT IT MELTED THE PLASTIC ALL AROUND. THE BROWN WIRE IS FRIED BLACK. COULD HAD STARTED A FIRE. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Jul 26, 2013, fire
GROUND WIRE TO REAR RIGHT TAIL LIGHT MELTED AT THE CONNECTION POINT TO THE TAIL LIGHT BOARD AND HARNESS. SMELLED SMOKE AND FOUND DAMAGE SHORTLY AFTER. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Jul 25, 2013, fire
AFTER RECEIVING SEVERAL DASHBOARD WARNING MESSAGES AND, I WENT INTO HIGGENBOTHOM MERCEDES IN JACKSON, MS ON 10/12/12 MY VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AS NEEDING A RIGHT REAR CONTACT PLATE AND HARNESS IS SHORTED OUT. ABOUT A WEEK IN A HALF AGO MY LIGHTS ON RIGHT SIDE (BOTH FRONT AND BACK TAIL LIGHTS) WILL FLASH ON AND OFF PERIODICALLY WHEN MY LIGHTS ARE IN THE AUTO POSITION AND THE ENGINE IS OFF. MY DAUGHTER EMAILED ME AN ARTICLE MENTIONING A POSIBLE DEFECT SO I CALLED MERCEDES AND WAS TOLD TO CONTACT MY DEALERSHIP TO GET AN ESTIMATE AND THEN CALL THEM BACK AND A CASE MANAGER WOULD CONTACT ME IN 24 HOURS. I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN 07/24/13 THEY DIAGNOSED THE CAR WITH NEEDING RIGHT TAILAMP BULB HOLDER PLATE. I CONTACTED MERCEDES AGAIN YESTERDAY AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE DIAGNOSIS AND SPOKE TO A CASE MANAGER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE ARE NO RECALLS AT THIS TIME AND THEY ARE STILL IN NEGOTIATION WITH NHTSA AND I CAN HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED BUT MY VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, BUT AFTER FINDING MY PREVIOUS INVOICE I'M CONFUSSED AS TO WHAT REALLY NEED TO BE REPAIRED BECAUSE THAT IS CLEARLY 2 DIFFERENT DIAGNOSIS, BUT AT BOTH TIMES I WAS TOLD THE PARTS HAD BURNED OUT. I THINK MERCEDES SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL AND SOON BEFORE THERE ARE INJURIES OR FATALITIES SINCE THEY SAY NON HAS BEEN REPORTED AS OF NOW. *TR
Exterior lighting, Jul 25, 2013
DRIVER SIDE BULB BURNED OUT. REPLACED BULB. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION NOTICED THE PASSENGER SIDE LIGHTS DIMMER THAN RIGHT SIDE. REPLACED THE PASSENGER SIDE BULB WITH NEW ONE BUT REMAINED DIM. NOTICED THAT BULB ASSEMBLY GETS VERY HOT AND ALSO NOTICED A DARK SPOT THAT APPEARS TO BE INDICATION OF BURNING LIKE A SHORT CIRCUIT. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Jul 24, 2013
NOTICED FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT THE LEFT REAR BRAKE AND TAIL LIGHT WAS MUCH MORE DIM THAN THE CORRESPONDING LIGHTS ON THE RIGHT SIDE. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THESE SAME LAMPS ALSO FLICKERED FROM DIM TO SLIGHTLY BRIGHTER AND REPORTED ON THE NEXT SERVICE APPOINTMENT. WHEN IT CAME BACK FROM THE DEALER THE PROBLEM WAS MARGINALLY BETTER; HOWEVER, IT STILL EXISTS TO THIS DAY. I SEE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON MERCEDES OWNERS HOTLINES WITH VARIOUS DEGREES OF SUCCESS AT THAT DEALERS. I HAVE ALSO SEEN COMMENTS ABOUT A SO-CALLED FIX THAT HAS BEEN MENTIONED. MY COMPLAINT WAS NEVER PRINTED OUT ON MY COPY OF THE WORK ORDER FOR THAT SERVICE DATE EITHER. I'VE GIVEN UP.ON COMPLAINING TO MERCEDES AS I HAD ANOTHER COMPLAINT TO THE FACTORY WHICH ENDED UP JUST BEING BRUSHED OFF AS NORMAL. ONCE AGAIN NO DOCUMENTATION OF THAT VISIT WAS GIVEN EVEN THOUGHT A FACTORY REP WAS PRESENT. MY BELIEF IS THAT THE TAIL LAMPS SHOULD BE FAIRLY EQUALLY BRIGHT IN ORDER TO PROVIDE VEHICLES BEHIND YOU AN ACCURATE LOCATION OF THE REAR OF MY VEHICLE. A PROPER FIX THAT COMPLETELY CORRECTS THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO BE PERFORMED ON THESE VEHICLES AT NO CHARGE TO THE OWNERS. I AM THE ORIGINAL PURCHASER OF THIS VEHICLE. *TR
Exterior lighting, Jul 24, 2013
WIRES ON BOTH HEADLIGHTS MELTED AND BURNT. CONCERNED ABOUT A POSSIBLE FIRE AND MY HEADLIGHTS NOT WORKING. MERCEDES WILL NOT COVER UNDER WARRANTY. CAN PROVIDE PHOTOS. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Jul 24, 2013
STARTED THE VEHICLE AND THERE WAS A FAILURE FOR HEAD LIGHTS, TAIL LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO REPAIR THE BULBS AND THEY TOLD ME THE CONTROL BOARD FAILED, MELTED AND THEY REPLACED IT. I WAS LATER TOLD THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE 2008 C300. *TR
Exterior lighting, Jul 19, 2013
INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATES ISSUES WITH VARIES LIGHTS. REPLACE BULBS WITHOUT RESOLUTION. TOOK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO INDICATED "FOUND RIGHT REAR TAIL LAMP BULB CARRIER CONNECTOR PIN BURNT AND LEFT REAR CARRIER BULB CONTACTS DISTORTED. REPLACED RIGHT REAR BULB CARRIER, CONNECTOR AND PINS AND REPLACED LEFT REAR BULB CARRIER ONLY. ALL LIGHT WORK AS DESIGNED AT THIS TIME. ON 07/18/2013, FRIENDS REPORTED TO ME THAT MY FRONT LOWER ROUND PARK LIGHTS WERE OUT. THE LEFT ONE WAS ON AT FIRST THEN IT WITHOUT LIKE THE RIGHT ONE. NO REPORT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Jul 18, 2013
REAR DRIVERS SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LIGHTS (BRAKE LIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, AND RUNNING LIGHTS) ARE NO LONGER FUNCTIONING. UPON INSPECTION, LIGHTS ARE BARELY FUNCTIONING OR NOT FUNCTIONING AT ALL WITH NO INDICATION OF FAULTY BULBS OR FUSES, AND WIRING HARNESS CONNECTING THE TAIL LIGHTS TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS EXTREMELY HOT. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Jul 18, 2013
I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS MESSAGES ON MY 2008 C300 MERCEDES REGARDING TAIL LIGHT/ BRAKE LIGHT OUT. I HAVE NOTICED THAT MY PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LIGHTS/ RUNNING LIGHTS ARE MUCH DIMMER THAN THE DRIVER SIDE LIGHTS. I HAVE INSPECTED THE WIRING HARNESS ASSEMBLY ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND NOTICED SIGNIFICANT DISCOLORATION WITH THE "BROWN WIRE" AND ASSOCIATED CONNECTOR; THE CONNECTOR HAS ALSO BEEN "HOT" TO THE TOUCH. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH MY LOCAL MERCEDES DEALER NEXT WEEK TO HAVE IT INSPECTED/ EVALUATED. I REALLY BECAME MORE CAUTIOUS FOLLOWING THE RECENT NEWS ARTICLE REGARDING 2008-2009 MERCEDES TAIL LIGHT ISSUES. SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT AND IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED/ CORRECTED. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Jul 17, 2013
THE RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. AFTER EXAMINING THE WIRING AND HARNESS WERE MELTED. HAD TO BRING IN TO FIX. THE BACK BOARD WERE THE LIGHTS ARE ON WAS ALSO BURNT. NOW HAVING PROBLEMS ON THE LEFT SIDE. I JUST SAW ON THE NATIONAL NEWS WERE OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR CAR. IT SEEMS THE WIRING IS NOT PROPER SIZE TO HANDLE THE ELECTRIC LOAD. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS DRIVING THIS VEHICLE WITH THE REAR LIGHTS GOING OUT. THE LIGHTS ARE RUNNING WAY TO HOT. SEEMS TO BE A DEFECT ON THIS YEAR 2008 VEHICLE. I HEARD THAT THIS IS BEING INVESTIGATED BY YOU. MY WIFE IS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE OF GETTING HIT FROM BEHIND BECAUSE THE PROBLEM WITH LIGHTS BURNING OUT OR MAYBE A FIRE FROM THE WIRING MELTING. MERCEDES SAYS THEY WILL NOT FIX AND THAT THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM. *TR
Exterior lighting, Jul 17, 2013
EXPERIENCE REAR LIGHTING FAILURE (REAR PASSENGER TAIL/BRAKE LIGHT OUT). HOWEVER, BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER REAR TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY/CONNECTORS/ WIRING WERE IN A BURNT/ MELTED CONDITION. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR REPAIR. *TR
Exterior lighting, Jul 17, 2013
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE WARNING PANEL ILLUMINATED REFERENCING THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE LIGHT. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000. *TR