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: steering
169 reports, newest first. Show all
Steering, Jun 6, 2018
VEHICLE PARKED AND LOCKED IN FRONT MY HOUSE. WHEN ATEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT UNLOCK. I TRIED TWO DIFFERENT KEY TO START THE VEHICLE, BUT STILL THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT UNLOCK. THERE IS NO WARNING LIGHT. MERCEDES BENZ ROADSIDE ASSISTANT WAS CALLED, AND THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE MERCEDES BENZ DEALER. THEN, DEALER CONFIRMED THAT STEERING LOCK MODULE IN THE COLUMN HAS FAILED AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACE, AND WILL COST $1100 PARTS, LABOR, AND TAX TO GET IT DONE EVEN WHEN I HAVE EXTENDED WARRANTY. IT WAS SAID THAT THE SERVICE CONTRACT IS A NAMED COMPONENT WARRANTY AND THIS COMPONENT IS NOT ON THE LIST, SO IT IS NOT COVERED. THE VEHICLE IS NOW IN AT THE MERCEDES BENZ DEALER AND IS BEING WORKED ON.
Steering, May 2, 2018
CAR WON'T START AND SHOWED NO SYMPTOM. AFTER READING THE BLOG IT APPEARS A LOT PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH THE SAME ISSUE AND DEALERSHIPS ARE THE ONLY AUTHORIZED TO WORK ON THEM AND TAKING PEOPLE HARD EARNED MONEY. IT STOPPED WORKING WORKING AT 18583 DALLAS PARKWAY SUITE 120 DALLAS, TX 75287 WHILE IT WAS PARKED. PARK PLACE MERCEDES IS WORKING ON THE VEHICLE AND CHARGING IS MORE THAN THOUSAND.
Steering, Feb 14, 2018
THE ELECTRON STEERING LOCK FAILED ON MY 2008 C300. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS THAT CAME ON PREVIOUSLY BUT THE CAR JUST DID NOT START ONE DAY. THIS PROBLEM IS PREVELANT AMONG MANY OWNERS SO MERCEDES SHOULD COVER THE COST OF REPAIR.
Steering, Feb 12, 2018
STEERING WHEEL LOCKS WITHOUT WARNING, SHUTTING OFF CONTROL TO THE VEHICLE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE GEAR SHIFT. PROBLEM OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING AND CAN CAUSE ACCIDENTS AS WELL AS LEAVE YOU STRANDED WITHOUT AWAY OF STARTING YOUR CAR OR DRIVING IT SAFELY.
Steering, Electronic stability control (ESC), Dec 16, 2017
THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY STOP WORKING WHILE I AM DRIVING.
Steering, Nov 9, 2017
VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT START.
Steering, Suspension, Seats, Oct 24, 2017
WHEN DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT A CERTAIN SPEED THE REAR END STARTS FISHTAILING MAKING IT HARD TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE
Steering, Oct 3, 2017
NEED TO HAVE A RECALL FOR CARS ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN SWITCH FAILURE. KEY SWITCH FAILURE CAUSED STEERING COLUMN TO LOCK WHILE VEHICLE IN MOTION. UNABLE TO TURN OR PULL OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD. CAR ENGINE STOPPED IN MIDDLE OF CITY STREET. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. DRIVER AND PASSENGERS UNABLE TO GET TO OR NO WHERE TO GO FOR SAFETY DUE TO HIGH VOLUME OF TRAFFIC. THERE ARE MANY NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AND ISSUES PERTAINING TO THE MALFUNCTIONING KEY SWITCH SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AND CAR RECALL INITIATED TO UPGRADE TO A SAFER MORE RELIABLE PART IMMEDIATELY.
Steering, Electrical system, Sep 18, 2017
VEHICLE FAILED TO START/CRANK AFTER ONLY 28,000 MILES. CAUSE WAS A FAILED ESL (ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK) PART OF THE ELECTRONIC THEFT SYSTEM THAT TIES WITH THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH. THE FAILURE OF THIS PART DISABLES THE CAR AND IS UNUSABLE. THIS ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL, W204 - C-CLASS 300/350, HAS AN ABNORMAL AMOUNT OF REPORTS VIA MERCEDES BENZ INTERNET FORUMS ABOUT THIS VERY FAILURE. 13 PAGES WORTH ON ONE. GIVEN THE LOW AMOUNT OF MILES ON MY VEHICLE, THE FAILURE RATE SEEMS UNREASONABLY HIGH. THE PART FAILURE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE USE/ABUSE OF THE VEHICLE.
Steering, Aug 30, 2017
STEERING LOCK MECHANISM FAULTY. STEERING LOCKED AND CAR INOPERABLE. CAR WAS PARKED. HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER.
Steering, Aug 16, 2017
EIS/ESL FAILED AT 100K DESPITE REGULAR MAINTENANCE
Steering, Electrical system, Aug 12, 2017
STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK DISABLING THE CAR FROM BEING STARTED .THE KEY WILL TURN BUT THE CAR WILL NOT START . GOOD THING IT WAS PARKED ON DRIVEWAY !WE ARE UNABLE TO MOVE THE CAR WHATSOEVER , SHIFT MECHANISM IS LOCKED AS WELL DISABLING THE MOVEMENT OF CAR
Steering, Electrical system, Electronic stability control (ESC), Jul 27, 2017
MY MERCEDES WAS RUNNING GOOD ALL DAY THEN WHEN I WENT TO THE MALL AND CAME BACK BACK TO START MY CAR IT HAD NO POWER. WE TRY JUMPING THE CAR NOTHING. USE A DIFFERENT KEY NOTHING.. IT WON'T START I HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK . I TOOK IT TO MERCEDES DEALER JUST TO LOOK AT IT $300 .. NOW THEY SAY IT'S THE KEY INGOTION THAT NEEDS TO REPLACE COST ME $1200+.. I JUST BOUGHT THE CAR 7 MONTHS AGO I HAVE NO WARRANT.. I GOOGLE THE PROBLEM AND IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM THAT PPL HAVE PLZ INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM CUZ IT COST A LOT OF MONEY TO FIX AND I'M OUT OF A CAR FOR A WEEK . THANK YOU
Steering, Jul 18, 2017
WHILE DRIVING ALL OF A SUDDEN THE STEERING STOPPED WORKING. IT TURNED FREELY BOTH SIDES BUT THE CAR WAS GOING STRAIGHT. IT HAPPENED ON A CITY ROAD. IF IT HAPPENED ON A HIGHWAY IT WOULD BE A DISASTER.
Steering, Electrical system, Jun 13, 2017
ESL FAILED IN UNLOCKED POSITION, CAR WONT START.
Steering, Electrical system, May 25, 2017
ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK (ESL) GOES OUT DAMAGED WITHOUT REASON, HAPPENED ALL OF A SUDDEN TO MY PARKED CAR. CAR SIMPLY WON'T ATTEMPT TO START AND STEERING HIS COMPLETELY LOCKED. ONLY OPTION IS TO TOW IT TO THE SHOP AND A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR FIX. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF CASES ALREADY REGISTERED ON THIS AND IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS PART USED IN MANY MERCEDES CARS.
Steering, Electrical system, May 9, 2017
VEHICLE PARKED AND LOCKED. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO UNLOCK VEHICLE WITH REMOTE CONTROL, VEHICLE WOULD NOT UNLOCK. DOOR HAD TO BE OPENED MANUALLY WITH "KEY". WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START VEHICLE, NO WARNING LIGHTS WENT ON IN POSITION 2 AND CAR WOUD NOT START IN POSITION 3. TOWING COMPANY WAS CALLED. WAS UNABLE TO START VEHICLE. VEHICLE TOWED TO MBZ DEALER. DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION STEERING LOCK MALFUNCTIONED AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. REPLACEMENT COMPLETED.
Steering, Electrical system, May 3, 2017
THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP AND WILL NOT MOVE. DEALERSHIP AND WEB STATE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL OF THE CAR AND THE EIS AND ESL SWITCHES NEED TO BE REMOVED AND REPLACED.
Steering, Apr 5, 2017
STEERING REFUSED TO UNLOCK AND THUS THE CAR WOULD NOT START. CAR WAS STATIONARY SITTING IN THE GARAGE.
Steering, Electrical system, Electronic stability control (ESC), Mar 14, 2017
LAST WEEK I DROVE MY DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL. THEN I WENT TO THE GAS STATION AND TURNED THE CAR OFF. WHEN I TRIED TO START THE CAR TO LEAVE, IT WOULD NOT START. IT DID NOT DO ANYTHING. I COULD NOT EVEN ROLL THE WINDOWS UP. THE CAR DID NOTHING OTHER THAN SAY "REMOVE IGNITION KEY." THE BATTERY WAS TESTED AND FINE. IT HAD JUST BEEN REPLACED 1 MONTH AGO. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER BROUGHT IT TO MY MECHANIC WHO THEN SAID IT HAD TO BE BROUGHT TO THE DEALER. THE MERCEDES DEALER SAID IT WAS THE EIS/STEERING SWITCH. THE COST WILL BE $1900. I'VE CALLED OTHER MECHANICS. NO-ONE CAN FIX IT BECAUSE MERCEDES HAS THE PARTS AND CODING EXCLUSIVELY. THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY AND WITH THE AMOUNT OF COMPLAINTS IT SHOULD BE A RECALL. LAST YEAR MY CAR ALSO EXPERIENCED THE SRS LIGHT MALFUNCTION. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER AND THIS WAS ALSO ANOTHER HUGE EXPENSE. THE DEALER DID NOT TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF A RECALL. THEY ACTED LIKE IT WAS A BIG SURPRISE.
Steering, Feb 17, 2017
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT OPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.
Steering, Electrical system, Feb 12, 2017
STEERING LOCK ISSUE. ENGINE DOES NOT CRANK AND CAR DOES NOT START. UPON INSERTING KEY, AN MESSAGE POPS UP ASKING TO REMOVE THE KEY. STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED AND CAR STUCK IN PARK. DUE TO THE CONFIGURATION OF MY PARKING GARAGE AND THE FACT THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED, IT TOOK ME SEVERAL DAYS AND 4 DIFFERENT TOW TRUCKS TO SUCCESSFULLY TOW THE CAR 1.5 MILES TO MY LOCAL MB DEALERSHIP. THE DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR OF THE FAULTY STEERING LOCK, WHICH THE SERVICE ADVISOR SAYS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME WITH MY MODEL, TOOK AN ENTIRE WEEK. I WAS TOLD MB DOES NOT OFFER A LOANER CAR IN THIS SITUATION. ALL IN ALL, IT TOOK MY 2 WEEKS TO FINALLY GET MY CAR WORKING AGAIN. THE REPAIR WAS $1,200. ADD IN THE 4 TOW TRUCKS, AND 2 WEEKS OF RENTAL CAR AND THIS WAS EASILY A $2,000 ISSUE. MB SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL GIVEN THAT THIS ISSUE IS SO PREVALENT AND CLEARLY A FAULT WITH THE STEERING LOCK PART.
Steering, Jan 15, 2017
ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK (ESL)GOES OUT DAMAGE WITHOUT REASON,HAPPEN ROUTINELY TO MOST OF THIS MODELS MECHANIC SHOPS AND DEALER STATED IT,VEHICLE PARKED WON'T UNLOCK STEERING OR SIMPLE RESTART
Steering, Dec 23, 2016
THE STEERING WHEEL ELECTRONIC LOCK, SHUT DOWN MY CAR. I DROVE TO THE DOCTORS OFFICE AND IT STOP WORKING. IT WOULD NOT START. I FOUND OUT THAT THERE ARE 1000 OF COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAD THE SAME PROBLEM.. BUT SINCE THERE ISN'T A RECALL WE WOULD BE SUBJECTED TO PAYING OUT OF OUR POCKET. ABOUT $950.
Steering, Electrical system, Dec 20, 2016
ORDINARY DAY AT MY JOB, GOT OFF AND WENT TO MY CAR AND PUT THE KEY IN LIGHTS IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER CAME ON AND MESSAGE WAS " REMOVE THE KEY" TURN THE KEY TO ACCESSORY NOTHING HAPPENS, TURN IT ALL THE WAY TO START THE IGNITION NOTHING HAPPENS, THE VEHICLE IS STUCK IN PARK AND THERE IS NO WAY TO MOVE THE SHIFTER. AFTER A RESEARCH ONLINE AND FEW PHONE CALLS I FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AMONG MERCEDES VEHICLES. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THEY DID DIAGNOSE IT FOR STEERING WHEEL LOCK AND QUOTED ME $1,300 FOR REPAIRS. I DO BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL OR AT LEASE MERCEDES-BENZ OF USA TAKE IT'S PART AND REIMBURSE THE PARTS SINCE IT'S A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. I'M NOT HAPPY AT ALL OF THE WAY THEY DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM.