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, Electrical system, Dec 7, 2016
2008 MERCEDES C300 WITH BAD ESL. COST TO FIX IS $1200. SEEMS LIKE THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUES WITH MERCEDES AS AN INTERNET SEARCH LEADS TO MANY OTHER WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE. I PARKED THE CAR AT WORK, THEN WENT OUT SEVERAL HOURS LATER TO GO TO LUNCH AND IT WOULD NOT START. THERE WAS NO SOUND OF THE STARTER OR ANY OTHER NOISES WHEN TRYING TO START THE CAR. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY, BUT ALL THE LIGHTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE ELECTRICAL WORKED ON THE CAR. JUST TO BE SAFE, TRIED TO JUMP THE CAR, BUT IT STILL DID NOT START. CAR WAS STUCK AND COULD NOT SHIFT IT INTO NEUTRAL. HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK TO GET IT TOWED MY LOCAL MBZ DEALER. TURNS OUT IT HAS A BAD ESL.
Steering, Electrical system, Dec 5, 2016
AN HOUR AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE, I WAS UNABLE TO START IT BACK UP. HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER AND DIAGNOSED WITH EIS/ESL FAILURE, AT A COST OF $1700 TO REPLACE. MERCEDES DISAVOWED ALL KNOWLEDGE OF THIS BEING A COMMON ISSUE, DESPITE HUNDREDS OF ONLINE COMPLAINTS TO THE CONTRARY. ALL SIGNS POINT TO THIS BEING DUE TO A CHEAP/FAULTY PART AT MANUFACTURE, WHICH CAN FAIL AT ANY TIME, LEAVING DRIVERS STRANDED IN POTENTIALLY UNSAFE AREAS OR ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. CAR HAS 75000 MILES AND EXEMPLARY SERVICE RECORD. *TR
Steering, Electronic stability control (ESC), Nov 10, 2016
EIS ISSUE/STEERING WHEEL LOCK MODULE. VEHICLE WAS DISABLED AND WOULD NOT START DUE TO EIS/STEERING WHEEL LOCK MODULE COMPLICATION. VERY COMMON IN C300 MBZ
Steering, Nov 6, 2016
CAR SUDDENLY WOULD NOT START. STEERING LOCKED, IGNITION WOULD TURN, BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. HAD TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. IN A LOANER CAR NOW. SAID IT WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $1200.00 TO FIX THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK PROBLEM. TECHNICIAN SAID IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG C300. THIS IS AN OUTRAGE, AND MERCEDES BENZ SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE.
Steering, Electrical system, Air bags, Nov 3, 2016
C300 NOT STARTING DUE TO BAD ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK MECHANISM, SEEMS TO BE COMMON.
Steering, Oct 18, 2016
ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK FAIL CAR WON'T TURN ON
Steering, Electrical system, Oct 3, 2016
CAR WONT START ,LOCAL MECHANIC REFER TO COMMON PROBLEM (IGNITION MODUEL),I WAS COMING OUT OF THE CVS PHATMACY AND THE CAR JUST WONT START ,CALLED MB THE Y ASKED ME TO JUMP START BUT NOTHING ,DIFFERENT KEY NOTHING SO I TOWED TO THE DEALER .
Steering, Sep 21, 2016
DRIVING AT NIGHT AND CAR WAS PARKED. TRIED TO START THE CAR BUT IT WON'T START AT ALL. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS DIAGNOSED AS A STEERING LOCK MECHANISM MALFUNCTION. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN SUBMITTED BY OTHER C300 OWNERS AND HAS BEEN A COMMON COMPLAINT. THERE IS A SAFETY CONCERN BY ALL OF US REGARDING THE PROBLEM ESPECIALLY IT CAN HAPPEN ANYTIME. I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT THIS BE ESCALATED TO A RECALL FOR ALL AFFECTED MODELS FROM MERCEDES. IT IS UNFAIR TO US TO KEEP PAYING OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE REPAIR. MY CAR ONLY HAS 62200MILES IN IT.
Steering, Aug 30, 2016
ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK MOTOR FAILURE - CAR DID NOT START AND ENGINE NON-RESPONSIVE. ONLY THE DEALER AND MERCEDES BENZ AUTHORIZED REPAIR SHOPS CAN FIX THIS ISSUE. UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY.
Steering, Electrical system, Aug 19, 2016
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C350. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, BUT THE IGNITION FAILED TO TURN OVER AND START. A WARNING INDICATOR TO REMOVE THE KEY APPEARED. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED AND WOULD NOT TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRICAL STEERING LOCK MECHANISM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT DECLINED TO FILE A COMPLAINT UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 77,000. UPDATED 10/04/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE OLD PARTS AND REPAIR RECEIPT ARE AVAILABLE. UPDATED 10/13/16.*JB
Steering, Aug 19, 2016
THIS OCCURRED IN STATIONARY POSITION IN MY GARAGE. STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP WHEN PARKED WITH WHEELS FORWARD / TURNING KEY TO START ENGINE DOES NOT WORK. PER THE DEALER, THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION LOCK ANTI-THEFT CONTROL UNIT IS FAULTY. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF A PROBLEM PRIOR. THIS COULD LEAVE PEOPLE STRANDED IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS.
Steering, Aug 14, 2016
I STOPPED AT A KWIK TRIP (2006 N SPRING ST, BEAVER DAM, WI 53916) TO PUT GAS IN MY 2008 MERCEDES C300. CAR WOULD NOT START AFTER FILLING UP. MY STEERING WAS LOCKED AND SO WAS MY SHIFTING AS I WAS STUCK IN PARK. AFTER TROUBLESHOOTING THINGS SUCH AS THE BATTERY, FUSES, ETC I LOOKED ONLINE AND FOUND OUT MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN IN THE SAME SITUATION. THERE ARE VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE AND FORUMS WITH TENS OF THOUSANDS OF VIEWS AND NUMEROUS POSTS DESCRIBING WHAT SEEMS TO BE A ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK (ESL) OR ELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEM (EIS). I KNOW MERCEDES HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM AND THEY HAVE ARGUED IT IS NOT A SAFETY HAZARD BUT THERE ARE MANY INSTANCES WHERE IT CAN BE A BIG SAFETY HAZARD. LUCKILY IT WAS SUMMER HERE IN WISCONSIN WHERE I WAS STUCK AT THAT GAS STATION FROM 7:30PM - 1:00AM. SO ESSENTIALLY THE PROBLEM HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH FILLING UP WITH GASOLINE. IT IS JUST WITH THE CAR SUDDENLY NOT STARTING. IT IS A ESL FAILURE AND IT ISN'T ONLY A SAFETY HAZARD, MERCEDES IS CHARGING 1300-1900 FOR WHAT THEY ACKNOWLEDGE HAS BEEN A KNOWN ISSUE WITH CERTAIN MODELS! I FILED THIS THANKS TO A FORUM, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER THERE IS A LOT OF EVIDENCE OF THIS ON THE WEB.
Steering, Electrical system, Aug 9, 2016
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C350. WHEN THE IGNITION KEY WAS INSERTED INTO THE IGNITION SWITCH, A CLICKING SOUND WAS HEARD AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRIC STEERING WHEEL LOCK FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
Steering, Electrical system, Aug 9, 2016
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING LOCK AND IGNITION MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000.
Steering, Jul 30, 2016
TRIED TO START THE CAR TOTALLY DEAD, STEERING COLUMN LOCKED, TOWED IT TO THE MECHANIC THE MECHANIC STATES THAT HE IS TRYING TO PURCHASE THE PART FROM MERCEDES. MERCEDES STATES THAT THE CAR MIGHT HAVE TO TOWED THERE BECAUSE IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THEY HAVE TO HANDLE THE REPAIR. WAITING TO HEAR IF MERCEDES WILL SELL THE PART 8/1/16. OBVIOUSLY A RECALL ISSUE HOW CAN THE GOVERNMENT HELP US WITH THIS OBVIOUS SAFETY ISSUE.
Steering, Electrical system, Engine, Jul 27, 2016
ON JULY 21,2016 AT 9AM AND I PARKED MY CAR AND WENT TO WORK, 2 HOURS LATER CAME BACK AND TRY TO START THE CAR, DID NOT START. CAR DOOR LOCKS AND TRUNK LOCKS OPEN AND CLOSE BUT WHEN I TURN THE IGNITION ON , NO RESPONSE, NO DISPLAY ON INSTRUMENT PANEL AROUND SPEEDOMETER GAUGES. NO HISSING OR CRANKING OR BEEPING NOISE ALSO. STEERING COLUMN WAS ALSO LOCKED UP AND INOPERABLE.ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO COMMAND SCREEN WITH LCD DISPLAY THAT CONTROLS ALL FUNCTIONS SMOKED A LITTLE AND WAS SHUT DOWN DISPLAY. GOING TO THE LAST WEEKS PROBLEM STEERING COLUMN HAS LOCKED ME OUT AND ALSO EIS THAT IS THE COMMUNICATOR FROM IGNITION SWITCH AND ALTERNATOR OR STARTED DO NOT FUNCTION ALSO. I HAPPENED TO SEE MORE THAN HUNDREDS OF CAR WITH THE SAME YEAR GROUP AND MODEL HAS SMILIAR PROBLEMS .MY CAR MILEAGE WAS 93121. I WOULD LIKE MAKE THIS AS A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM OF UNRELIABILITY OF THE PARTS AND THE MANUFACTURER LET IT ROLL OFF ASSEMBLY LINE WITH OUT DOING DILIGENT TESTING OF THE PARTS INVOLVED FROM THE SUPPLIERS FOR RELIABLITY AND DURABILITY AND IN TURN COST THE CONSUMERS $2000-3000 OF UNNECESSARY EXPENSE/TROUBLESHOOT AND FIX/ THAN YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP.
Steering, Jul 21, 2016
I WENT TO THE CINEMA AS REGULAR DAY, NO RAIN NOR HOT. WHEN I'M BACK AFTER 2 HOURS, THE CAR SUDDENLY COULD NOT START WITHOUT WARNINGS OR ANYTHING ELSE. THE LIGHT STILL GOOD, BATTERY IS GOOD, RADIO STILL ON. SO I WENT ON RESEARCH AND THERE ARE TONS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS C300 MODEL ON THE STEERING LOCK PROBLEM. I DON'T KNOW WHY MERCEDES BENZ LET IT HAPPEN, THERE ARE NO FAULT FROM CUSTOMERS; THEY SHOULD RECALL TO CHANGE THE STEER WHEEL, WHICH EASY COST YOU $1,600. I WOULD NOT HAPPY AT ALL FOR MERCEDES BENZ QUALITY CONTROL SINCE IT LET THE C300 HAS THAT DEFAULT WITHOUT ANY NOTICES OR ATTEMPT TO ALERT CONSUMERS.
Steering, Jul 11, 2016
MALFUNCTIONING ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK CONTROL UNIT WHICH SEEMS TO BE A COMMON DEFECT FOR MB W204
Steering, Jul 7, 2016
08 MERCEDES C300W -- WENT INTO H.E.B FOR 5 MINS, CAR WAS STATIONED ON FLAT SURFACE. RETURNING TO VEHICLE I INSERTED THE KEY, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR WOULD NOT START, NO CRANK WHAT SO EVER. LIGHTS AND RADIO WORKED, BUT THE WINDOWS, STEERING AND SHIFTER WOULD NOT MOVE AT ALL. DEALER SAYS ITS THE STEERING LOCK AND LOTS OF CUSTOMERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM; UNFORTUNATELY, MERCEDES HAS NOT PUT A RECALL ON IT AS OF YET. TOTAL COST $1,500.00 AS OF 07/05/2016. PART 575.00 DIAGNOSE 175.00 AND LABOR 750.00 WOW. I WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER MERCEDES. I NOW KNOW HOW TO RESPOND TO THOSE WHO ASK HOW I FEEL ABOUT MERCEDES. VERY DISAPPOINTING.
Steering, Power train, Electrical system, Jul 2, 2016
PARKED VECHILE TO MAKE A QUICK STOP WHEN I RETURNED VECHILE WILL NOT START. GOT A JUMP AND IT WAS CONFIRMED IT WAS NOT THE BATTERY CAR WAS ONLY AT 75000 MILES
Steering, Other or unspecified, Jun 17, 2016
MY 2008 MERCEDES AMG C63 HAD BEEN OPERATING WITHOUT FLAWS UNTIL RECENTLY, I PARKED, WENT IN THE GYM TO WORK OUT FOR 45 MINS. WHEN I CAME OUT AND TRIED TO START THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, WOULDN'T COME OUT OF PARK. LEFT ME STRANDED. I HAVE READ DOZENS OF COMPLAINTS ON THE MERCEDES-BENZ FORUMS ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE HAPPENING TO OTHER OWNERS OF 2008-2009 MERCEDES C63 SEDANS. MERCEDES HAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN LISTING THIS AS A COMMON OCCURRENCE, AND THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN LOCK HAS TO BE REPLACED(USUALLY BETWEEN $1200-1500). THIS IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURER DEFECT, AND SHOULD BE REPLACED UNDER RECALL, AS IT DRASTICALLY EFFECTS THE RELIABILITY AS WELL AS SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE, EVEN WHEN NOT MOVING. AT NO FAULT OF THE OWNER, OWNER WILL BE LEFT STRANDED ANYWHERE WITHOUT WARNING, AS NO MALFUNCTION INDICATOR DISPLAYS, VEHICLE JUST DIES SUDDENLY.
Steering, Electrical system, Jun 5, 2016
MY CAR WON'T START, READ ONLINE HUNDREDS OF OTHERS CARS THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM FOR 2008 4MATIC C300. WHY IS THIS NOT A RECALL.
Steering, Electrical system, Engine, May 17, 2016
STATIONARY VEHICLE NO START, NO CRANK WITHOUT WARNING WHILE PARKED ON A CITY STREET. FAILURE WITHIN THE ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK. VEHICLE WILL NOT RECOGNIZE THE DRIVERS KEY. DRIVER AND PASSENGERS LEFT DANGEROUSLY STRANDED WHERE EVER THE VEHICLE IS PARKED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURS. THIS FAILURE MAKES IT UNABLE TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL POSITION FOR TOWING.
Steering, Apr 15, 2016
ON 3/6/16 THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT GAS STATION FOR A FEW MINUTES. UPON MY RETURN TO THE CAR, THE CAR WOULDN'T START. CONTACTED ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE AND THEY TRIED IN VAIN TO START CAR. HAD TO TOW VEHICLE TO REPAIR SHOP. NEXT DAY, MECHANIC TESTED AND RAN DIAGNOSTICS - FOUND BAD EZL STEERING LOCK ASSEMBLY. MILEAGE WAS 92950 AT TIME OF FAILURE. COST $1200. HAD TO WAIT A WEEK TO GET PARTS AND FOR REPAIR. RENTAL EXPENSE WAS AN ADDITIONAL $200. GRAND TOTAL - $1400.
Steering, Electronic stability control (ESC), Mar 22, 2016
COULD NOT START MY CAR WHILE STATIONARY. PUT KEY IN THE IGNITION AND GOT A MESSAGE ON THE DASH TO REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION. NO DASH LIGHTS CAME ON. THERE WAS NO CLICKING OR NOISE...IT WAS JUST DEAD. THE ALARM SYSTEM AND HEADLIGHT AND INTERIOR LIGHTS WERE ALL WORKING SO IT WAS NOT THE BATTERY. I CALLED ROADSIDE AND THE GAVE ME A JUMP, BUT CONFIRMED THAT MY BATTERY WAS NOT THE PROBLEM. MY CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP ON SATURDAY NIGHT AFTER WAITING FOR 5 HOURS. THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT EVEN CONDUCT THE DIAGNOSTICS ON THE CAR UNTIL TUESDAY AFTERNOON. THEY DETERMINED THAT THE STEERING LOCK WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF $1000. THEY DID NOT EVEN OFFER TO LOAN ME A CAR, OR ASK IF I NEEDED TRANSPORTATION. SO ESSENTIALLY THEY LEFT THEIR CUSTOMER STRANDED! THIS IS NOT THE SERVICE THAT IS EXPECTED FROM MERCEDES! I HAVE HAD CARS (ACURA AND BMW) LONGER THAN MY 2008 C300 WITH MORE MILES WHICH DID NOT REQUIRE A REPLACEMENT OF THE STEERING LOCK. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG ALL MERCEDES AND SHOULD BE RECALLED BY THE MANUFACTURER.