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
836 reports, newest first.
Visibility, Jul 24, 2009
MY SUNROOF ON MY MERCEDES 2008 C350 EXPLODED. I WAS MERGING ON I220 N, THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC. BEFORE I COULD ACCELERATED ONTO THE INTERSTATE, I HEARD AN EXPLOSION. I DID NOT KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPEN AND THEN GLASS STARTED FALLING ON ME. *TR
Air bags, May 6, 2009, crash
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE CONTACT STRUCK A PARKED VEHICLE. HER VEHICLE WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. SHE SUSTAINED MODERATE INJURIES AND PICTURES WERE TAKEN OF THE FAILURE. AN INSPECTOR FROM THE MANUFACTURER CONCLUDED THAT THE CRASH DID NOT WARRANT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT; HOWEVER, A TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 30,000.
Vehicle speed control, Apr 20, 2009, crash
SERIOUS DEFECT OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION IN MERCEDES MODEL C300 YEAR 2008. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED AS HE WAS ABOUT TO PARK THE VEHICLE, HE RELEASED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED, WENT OVER A CONCRETE BARRIER AND HIT THE WALL OF THE BUILDING FINALLY COMING TO REST. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS A RENTAL. *JB
Tires, Sep 29, 2008
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. WHEN THE CONTACT PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THE TIRE PRESSURE WARNING INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT IT WAS DUE TO THE CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 11,500 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
Tires, Sep 29, 2008
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. WHENEVER THE CONTACT DRIVES THE VEHICLE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE TIRE INFLATION WARNING INDICATOR APPEARS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, EVEN THOUGH THE TIRES HAVE THE CORRECT TIRE PRESSURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE ILLUMINATION WAS DUE TO THE CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE. THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTICE ANY DIFFERENCES BEFOREHAND. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,200 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,800.
Tires, Sep 28, 2008
APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS AGO I RECEIVED A MESSAGE ON MY DASH BOARD TO CORRECT THE TIRE PRESSURE IN MY NEW 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300 WITH LESS THAN 4000 MILES. I INSPECTED THE TIRES AND NOTICED A BULGE IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE REAR TIRE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. I CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WASN'T COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND I HAVE TO PURCHASE A NEW TIRE, WHICH I DID. NOW APPROX 2 WEEKS LATER, I HAVE A BULGE IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE FRONT TIRE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. THE TIRES CONTINENTAL CONTIPROCONTACT 225/45 R17 91H COST APPROX $280 EACH TO REPLACE AT THE DEALER. THIS HAS GOT TO BE A DEFECT FROM THE TIRE COMPANY. TIRE BRAND: CONTINENTAL TIRE LINE: CONTIPRO CONTACT TIRE SIZE: 225/45 R17 91H COMPONENT: SIDEWALL BULGE DOT CODE: LM7R PXH6 3707 TIRE WAS MOUNTED ON: 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300 4 DOOR. *TR
Tires, Jul 25, 2008
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE VEHICLE HAS MICHELIN PILOT SPORT TIRES, SIZE 232/35/19 (NA) IN THE FRONT AND SIZE 265/30/19 (NA) IN THE REAR. THE TIRES WERE UNDERINFLATED BY THE DEALER, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO DRIVE ROUGHLY. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.
Structure, Apr 16, 2008
MY 2008 C300 MOONROOF HAS A DEFECT. THE OPERATION CONTROL PANEL WILL NOT AUTO OPEN OR AUTO CLOSE. MY CAR HAS 338 MILES ON IT AND I HAVE HAD IT FOR 8 DAYS. 4 OF THESE 8 DAYS IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP. MERECEDES ENGINEERING IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND THEIR WILL BE A SOFTWARE UP DATE FOR THE CAR IN JUNE, BUT IT IS APRIL. THERE ARE FIVE REPORTED CASES AND ONE OF THEM IS MINE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED THE OCP WITH ONE FROM ANOTHER C300 FROM THEIR LOT NOT EVEN BRAND NEW PARTS!!!! BUYER BEWARE. THIS IS A TEMPORARY FIX THEY SAID AND ALL C300 WILL NEED THIS SOFTWARE UPDATE. I AM SURPRISED THERE ISN'T A SERVICE BULLETIN YET! *TR
Tires, Apr 14, 2008
THE TIRES OF THE CAR STARTED GROWING BUMPS ON THE FACE OF THE TIRE. INITIALLY ONE IN ONE TIRE, THEN THE SECOND ONE ON THE SAME TIRE, THEN ONE ON A SECOND TIRE AND FINALLY A THIRD ONE ON THE FIRST TIRE. I CALLED THE DISTRIBUTOR AND WAS TOLD TO BUY NEW TIRES OR GO TO THE TIRE MANUFACTURER FOR WARRANTY. THIS IN MY OPINION IS A SERIOUS SECURITY RISK THAT THE MANUFACTURERS ARE NOT TAKING SERIOUSLY. *TR
Air bags, Jan 29, 2008
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C350. THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING SYSTEM LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO TURN OFF THE LIGHT; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVEN DAYS LATER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 600 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,000.
Air bags, Oct 26, 2007, crash, fire
ACCIDENT. 2008 MERCEDES C-350 REAR ENDED A DELIVERY TRUCK. MERCEDES BEGAN SMOKING IMMEDIATELY AND CAUGHT FIRE WITHIN ONE MINUTE. WITHIN 3-5 MINUTES ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WERE FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAME. DRIVER ESCAPED BEFORE CAR BURNED. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN THIS FRONT END CRASH. DRIVER HAD CONCUSSION AND FACIAL INJURIES FROM HITTING, POSSIBLY STEERING WHEEL. DRIVER SUSTAINED OTHER INJURIES AS WELL. *TR