2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Electrical system is the leading concern among 670 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 2nd highest complaint count among 23 C-Class model years with reports.
Of the 2009 reports, 17 involved a crash and 19 involved a fire. 16 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
No safety recalls on file.
Representative owner complaints: electrical system
222 reports, newest first. Show all
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Jun 6, 2014
PRIOR TO PULLING INTO MY GARAGE, I SMELLED BURNING ELECTRICAL WIRING. ALL WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH PANEL FOR THE LEFT REAR LIGHTS CAME ON. I OPENED THE TRUNK TO SEE IF A LIGHT BULB BURNED OUT, AND SMELLED THE BURNING WIRES. OPENING THE PANEL COVERING THE LEFT REAR LIGHTS, I SAW A BURN THROUGH SCORCHED CIRCUIT BOARD. ON CLOSER EXAMINATION, I NOTICED THE GROUND WIRE WAS THIN AND THE CAUSE OF THE SEVERALLY OVERHEATED AND PARTIALLY MELTED AREA ON THE LEFT REAR LAMP ASSEMBLY. SINCE THEN, THE MERCEDES DEALER REPLACED THE CIRCUIT AT MY EXPENSE. ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, THE SAME THING HAPPENED ON THE RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY. IT WAS ALSO A THIN GROUND WIRE THAT HAD OVERHEATED AND PARTIALLY MELTED THE CIRCUIT BOARD. *TR
Steering, Electrical system, Jun 4, 2014
I DROVE MY CAR TO WORK AND PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT. I EXITED THE CAR AND LOCKED THE DOORS WHEN I REMEMBERED THAT ON THIS DAY, THE TREE CUTTING CREW WILL BE SERVICING THE PARKING LOT. I RETURNED TO THE CAR TO MOVE IT BUT WHEN I TURNED THE KEY MY IGNITION WOULD NOT ENGAGE AND THE CAR WOULDN'T START. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY EVEN THOUGH ALL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE REMOTE DOOR LOCKS AND RADIO WERE WORKING FINE. I JUMP STARTED THE VEHICLE WITH ANOTHER CAR NONETHELESS TO MAKE SURE IT WASN'T A DEAD BATTERY. THE CAR WOULDN'T START. I'VE OWNED THE CAR FOR MANY YEARS BUT NOTHING LIKE THIS HAS EVER HAPPENED. TO COME OUT TO A CAR WITH A WORKING BATTERY AND NOT STARTING. I HAD TO GET MY CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO CHECKED ALL FUSES AND WIRING ONLY TO DETERMINE THAT IT WAS THE EIS OR ESL UNIT. THIS IS THE ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK MECHANISM THAT MALFUNCTIONED. I ENDED UP SPENDING OVER $1000 TO GET THIS FIXED. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Jun 4, 2014
I RECEIVED A WARNING ON MY DASHBOARD THAT MY RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHT, RIGHT TURN SIGNAL AND BACK LIGHT NEEDED TO BE CHECKED AND MALFUNCTIONING. THE MESSAGE CAME AND WENT FOR SEVERAL DAYS. WHEN I OPENED THE COMPARTMENT WHERE THE TAIL BULB CARRIERS AND ASSEMBLY WERE, I SAW THAT SOME OF THE LIGHTS WERE VERY DIM. THE CARRIER ITSELF WAS PIPING HOT. SO MY FIRST REACTION WAS TO REPLACE THE BULBS. I DID. SAME PROBLEMS, NOTHING WAS FIXED. THE NEXT DAY, EVERYTHING CLEARED UP...SO I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE FINE. A WEEK LATER, IT CAME BACK. WHEN I OPENED UP THE COMPARTMENT AGAIN, IT WAS SUPER HOT, AND I NOTICED THAT THE WIRING WAS BROWNING AND IT BURNT MY FINGER. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED DRIVING THE CAR. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT WILL COST HUNDREDS TO REPLACE AND NOT COVERED. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, May 27, 2014
I RECEIVED A MESSAGE TO CHECK THE REAR RIGHT (PASSENGER) LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNAL. I JUST PURCHASED THE CAR USED ON MAY 20, 2014, AND BEGAN GETTING THE DASHBOARD WARNING A FEW DAYS LATER, BUT IT WAS INTERMITTENT. ON MAY 26, 2014, I INSPECTED OF THE BULB CARRIER AND PIN CONNECTOR AND NOTICED THAT THE CONNECTION INVOLVING THE BROWN WIRE ON THE PIN CONNECTOR WAS BURNED AND THE CORRESPONDING CONNECTION ON THE BULB CARRIER WAS ALSO BURNED/DISINTEGRATED AND THE AREA AROUND THE BROWN WIRE WAS VERY HOT. IT IS DIFFICULT TO KNOW WHEN THE FAILURE ACTUALLY HAPPENED. *TR
Steering, Electrical system, Engine, May 21, 2014
DEFECTIVE ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK (ESL): HI, MY STEERING LOCK JUST WENT ON ME AS WELL AND WAS LEFT STRANDED WITH NO CAR THIS PAST WEEKEND! MY 2009 C300 4MATIC SPORT HAS APPROX. 56,000 MILES ON IT AND I AM OUT OF WARRANTY. I CALLED MB USA AND BEGGED FOR WARRANTY ASSISTANCE BUT WAS BASICALLY TOLD NO BECAUSE AS A SECOND OWNER I DID NOT HAVE THE VEHICLE SERVICED ENOUGH TIMES AT THE LOCAL MB DEALERSHIP! I GUESS I HAVEN'T SPENT ENOUGH MONEY TO DATE ON UNWARRANTED REPAIRS AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP?? AFTER EXTENSIVE ONLINE RESEARCH I TOO FOUND THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2008 AND 2009 MB C300, AND MOST LIKELY LATER MODELS AS WELL!. I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THE ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK (ESL) FAILURE TYPICALLY HAPPENS RIGHT AFTER EXPIRATION OF THE BASIC WARRANTY. JUST LIKE THE THOUSANDS OF MB C300 OWNERS STUCK IN THIS SITUATION, I NEED MY VEHICLE AND HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO SHELL OUT THE MONEY FOR THIS REPAIR! (OVER $1,000). I AM SCARED TO DEATH TO DRIVE THIS CAR ANYWHERE FAR IN FEAR THAT ANOTHER TECHNICAL/MECHANICAL BREAKDOWN WILL OCCUR. IN ADDITION TO ESL FAILURE, ANOTHER CONCERN OF MINE IS FINDING OUT THAT ELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEM (EIS) FAILURE IS ANOTHER COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 08-09 MB C300'S. SHAME ON MERCEDES FOR NOT ISSUING A RECALL ON THE ESL & EIS ISSUES AND STICKING IT TO THE CONSUMERS. I TOO PLAN ON CONTACTING MY ATTORNEY REGARDING THIS ISSUE. *TR
Steering, Electrical system, Engine, May 18, 2014
MY VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A FAILURE OF ITS STARTING AND STEERING LOCK FUNCTIONS. THE UNDERLINE PROBLEM AND AREAS OF CONCERN IS THE FREQUENCY OF THIS FAILURE AND THE DANGERS ASSOCIATED WITH HAVING THE VEHICLE IMMOBILIZED WHEN THE ASSOCIATED PARTS FAIL. MERCEDES BENZ HAS NOT TAKEN ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS ISSUE YET IT CAN'T BE FIXED WITHOUT DEALERSHIP INTERVENTION. THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE BESIDES HAVING YOUR CAR TOWED IS IN THE EXCESS OF $1,000.00. IN MY CASE I HAVE BEEN QUOTED &1700.00! ALTHOUGH MY PARTICULAR INSTANCE HAPPENED WHEN THE CAR WAS PARKED, THERE IS NO EXCEPTION THAT IT CAN OCCUR WHEN THE VEHICLE IS MOTION CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF AND THE STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK IN ANY POSITION. UPDATED 11/24/2014 *JS
Electrical system, May 11, 2014
A SMOKE CONDITION CAME FROM THE TRUNK, UPON INSPECTION TAILLIGHT BULB HOUSING WAS FOUND MELTED, ALL BULBS WERE NONE WORKING AS A RESULT. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Apr 23, 2014, fire
RIGHT REAR PASSENGER LIGHTING ASSEMBLY CAUGHT FIRE. WIRING HARNESS AND LIGHT BULB CARRIER WERE BURNED. RIGHT REAR TURN AND BRAKE LIGHTS ARE INOPERABLE. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Apr 15, 2014
RIGHT REAR TAILLIGHT PIG TAIL OVERHEATED AND SHORTED OUT LAMP HOLDER. YOU CAN SEE THE BURN MARKS WHERE IT WAS TOO HOT. HAS TO BE REPLACED. *TT
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Apr 11, 2014, fire
MARCH 1 2014 I NOTICE MY WIFE DASH WAS LIGHTING UP WITH REAR BRAKE LIGHTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I OPENED THE TRUNK AND HIT THE BRAKE COMPARTMENT AND IT CAME BACK ON. APRIL 11 2014 THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AND I TRIED DOING THE SAME THING BUT NOTHING. OPENED THE BRAKE COMPARTMENT AND DISCONNECTED EVERYTHING ON THAT SIDE AWAITING A RESPONSE FROM THE DEALERSHIP. DON'T WANT ANOTHER MELT DOWN BACK THERE IN THE TRUNK. IF THIS IS THE BEST COMPANY OUT THERE JUST ANNOUNCE A RECALL AND FIX YOUR CUSTOMERS FAULTY EQUIPMENT. *JS
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Apr 10, 2014, fire
THE DASH WARNED ME THAT MY REAR TAIL LIGHTS WERE MALFUNCTIONING. THE MESSAGE CAME AND WENT FOR SEVERAL DAYS UNTIL IT WAS ON CONTINUOUSLY. I ACCESSED THE ELECTRICAL COMPARTMENT AND THE GROUND SIDE OF PLUG, THE SOCKET AND THE WIRE WAS MELTED AND HAS BEEN ON FIRE. I HAVE PICTURES ON DROPBOX: LINK ATTACHED HTTPS://WWW.DROPBOX.COM/SC/W4TM7B28PHH9LAL/-DZ3HTMLS-. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Apr 9, 2014
COMPONENTS OF THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES HAVE OVERHEATED AND RENDERED THE UNITS INOPERATIVE. AS A RESULT, THE TAIL LIGHTS NO LONGER WORK. THIS SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE AND COMMON OCCURRENCE IN AGING ASSEMBLIES OF THIS TYPE. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Apr 8, 2014
REAR LIGHT ASSEMBLY FAILURE DUE TO A MELTED ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Other or unspecified, Apr 7, 2014
THERE SEEMS TO BE A LIGHT SHORTAGE ON THE RIGHT SIDE, THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY. THE LIGHTS WORK , THE ISSUE IS THE PANEL AND THE WIRE IS NOW MELTED AT THE TIP. THE WIRE MELTED INTO THE LIGHT PANEL. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Mar 28, 2014
WIRING HARNESS ON REAR TAIL LIGHT MELTED CAUSING THE TAIL LIGHT CIRCUIT BOARD TO STOP WORKING ,CAUSING THE BRAKE LIGHTS ,REVERSE LIGHTS AND BLINKER TO STOP WORKING.SPOKE WITH MERCEDES BENZ DEALER SHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THAT THEY WERE NOT GONNA FIX IT FOR FREE AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS.THIS IS A HAZARD CAUSE I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR,WHEN MY LIGHTS WENT OUT.AFTER LOOKING AT THE MELTED HARNESS WIRE THIS IS ALSO A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER BEFORE SOME ONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED. MERCEDES BENZ IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND REFUSES TO CORRECT IT.... *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Mar 24, 2014, fire
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND SMELLED AN INTENSE BURNING. I HAD BEEN GETTING THE TAILLIGHT ERROR CODES AND THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS A FUSE. DECIDED TO FINALLY RESEARCH ONLINE AND DISCOVERED THAT IT IS A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE THAT MERCEDES TAILLIGHTS/WIRING SPONTANEOUSLY CATCH ON FIRE. I REMOVED THE HARNESSES FROM THE TAILLIGHTS AND NOTICED THE PLUG HAD ALMOST BEEN ENTIRELY DESTROYED/BURNED ON THE RIGHT REAR, AND WAS STARTING TO BURN ON THE LEFT REAR. I LOST ALL POWER TO MY TAILLIGHTS AT APPROXIMATELY 11:30 AT NIGHT, AND THE HEADLIGHTS STARTED SHUTTING OFF AND ON RANDOMLY. THE HEADLIGHTS ARE STILL TURNING OFF AND ON RANDOMLY, APPARENTLY THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT WITH THE AUTO DIM SETTING. I HAVE PICTURES OF EVERYTHING, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE NOW PAID TO FIX THE TAILLIGHT HARNESSES (A COST OF OVER $240 IN PARTS) BECAUSE MERCEDES HAS NOT WILLINGLY RECALLED THIS FIRE HAZARD AND KNOWN DEFECT. TO BE HONEST, I AM PISSED. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHERE I CAN SEND THE DEFECTIVE PARTS AND/OR PICTURES TO. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Mar 14, 2014
ALL REAR TAIL LIGHTS STOP WORKINGI REPLACED THE LIGHTS. MERCEDES DEALERSHIP SAID THE WIRES HAD FRIED AND THAT THEY HAD SEEN MANY CASES SIMILAR TO THE REAR LIGHTS. $600 TO CORRECT THE ISSUE. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Mar 12, 2014
THE TAIL LIGHT COMPLETELY MELTED THE CIRCUT BOARD AND STOPPED WORKING. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Mar 3, 2014
THE LAMP CONNECTOR ON THE REAR RIGHT SIDE OF THE LIGHT COMPONENT WENT OUT, WHEN I WENT TO LOOK AT IT, I NOTICED THE CONNECTER PLUG IN AS WELL AS THE LIGHT CIRCUIT BOARD WAS BURNT AND WOULD NOT BE PLUGGED BACK IN. *TR
Steering, Electrical system, Feb 26, 2014
FOR THE THIRD TIME IN 6 MONTHS MY CAR WOULDN'T START. GOT OF WORK GETTING READY TO GO HOME AND THE CAR WOULDN'T START. TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY CHECKED IT AND COULDN'T FIND A THING. THEY ASKED ME TO BRING THE SPARE KEY AND THE CAR STARTED. FAST FORWARD THREE WEEKS LATER...SAME ISSUE. THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR 5 DAYS AND COULDN'T FIND NOTING SO THEY REPLACED THE BATTERY IN NOVEMBER. FAST FORWARD TO YESTERDAY FEB. 25TH. 2014 SAME THING HAPPENED. TOWED IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY DETERMINED IT WAS THE STEERING LOCK: EZL STEERING LOCK AND PROGRAMMING KEY. I HOPE AND PRAY MY EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERS THIS. I HAVE A 2009 C300. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Feb 23, 2014
COMPLAINT: C-CLASS REAR LIGHT MELTING ISSUE. REAR BULB LIGHT FAIL ERROR. REPORTING A BURNING SMELL OF MELTING PLASTIC AND FAILURE OF REAR TURN SIGNALS AND BRAKE LIGHTS. I WENT OUT ON THE INTERNET AND SAW I WASN'T THE ONLY ONE THIS HAPPENED TO AND THAT THE U.S. SAFETY REGULATORS HAVE OPENED A PROBE OF AN ESTIMATED 218,000 MERCEDES C-CLASS SEDANS HAVE BEEN REPORTED. I CALLED THE MERCEDES-BENZ OF SEATTLE AND EVERYONE THAT I TRIED TO TALK TO ABOUT THIS PROBLEM DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE IT AT ALL. OF COURSE I HAD THE IT REPAIRED AND IT COST $541.41 AGAIN TRYING TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND WHAT I HAD SEEN ON THE INTERNET NO ONE WAS SAYING ANYTHING WHICH SHOWED ME THEY HAVE BEEN TOLD NOT TO TALK ABOUT IT. I CALLED MERCEDES CORPORATE OFFICE TO SEE IF THEY COULD TO A GOOD WILL GESTURE BUT I WAS TOLD "NO". ADD ME TO THE LIST OF COMPLAINTS. I WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THIS AMOUNT SO I HOPE I SEE A RECALL COME THROUGH. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Feb 22, 2014, fire
ALL REAR TAIL LIGHTS STOP WORKING, SOME IN THE FRONT NOT WORKING, ELECTRICAL WIRES WERE BURNT I REPLACED THE LIGHTS, THE DASHBOARD ALERT WENT AWAY THEN CAME BACK ON 10 MINUTES LATER. ALSO TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR INOPERATIVE ON DASHBOARD ALERT AS WELL. MY FRIEND WITH A 2008 C300 HAS THE SAME ISSUES WITH HERS TOO. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Feb 19, 2014, fire
LIGHT WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON DASHBOARD FOR REAR LIGHT AND TURN SIGNAL. AFTER LOOKING @ THE CONNECTER FOUND IT SMOKING AND MELTED ... IMMEDIATELY UNPLUGGED IT. MB DOES NOT HAVE A RECALL EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE INVESTIGATING . *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Feb 9, 2014
WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, I WAS RECEIVING ERROR MESSAGES ON MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ASKING ME TO CHECK THE REAR PASSENGER BRAKE LIGHTS AND TURNING SIGNAL BULBS. ONCE I WAS HOME, I OPENED MY TRUNK AND SMELT BURNING PLASTIC. I OPENED THE ACCESS PANEL TO THE FUSE BOX LOCATED NEAR THE PASSENGER TAILLIGHT AND INSPECTED THE AREA FOR DAMAGE. I NOTICED SOME RESIDUAL SMOKE COMING FROM THE CONNECTOR ATTACHED TO THE TAILLIGHT BULB ASSEMBLY. I REMOVED THE BULB ASSEMBLY AND THE BROWN GROUND WIRE HAD BURNED THROUGH THE PLASTIC ASSEMBLY. I REMOVED THE WIRE HARNESS FROM THE ASSEMBLY AND THE CONNECTOR CRUMBLED DUE TO THE DAMAGE. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Jan 21, 2014
I RECEIVED A WARNING THAT MY LEFT TAIL LIGHT WAS OUT. THE LIGHT WAS NOT OUT AND WHEN THE CAR WAS RESTARTED THE MESSAGE NO LONGER APPEARED. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND ASKED SERVICE TO CHECK THE TAILLIGHT. THE SERVICE MANAGER SHOWED ME THE LIGHT PANEL WHICH HAD MELTED PLASTIC AND BURN MARKS ON IT NEAR THE GROUNDING WIRE. HE TOLD ME I NEEDED TO HAVE IT REPLACED AS WELL AS THE CIRCUIT BOARD. I TOLD HIM I THOUGHT IT WAS RIDICULOUS TO HAVE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH A CAR WITH 85K MILES. I JUST REPLACED AN ELECTRICAL PANEL IN THE FRONT 2 MONTHS AGO FOR $700. I ASKED IF THEY HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE C AND HE SAID NO BUT HE HAD SEEN A FEW ISSUES WITH THE GROUNDING WIRE. I JUST LOOKED INTO IT TO DISCOVER IT IS UNDER NHTSA INVESTIGATION. PLEASE ADVISE. *TR