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: steering
158 reports, newest first. Show all
Steering, Feb 12, 2016
POWER STEERING LEAKS AT 60,000 MILES. DEALER SAYS THEY HAVE TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PINION. IT WILL COST $2,500 TO REPAIR.
Steering, Feb 8, 2016
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ C300. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A FAULTY STEERING LOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,348.
Steering, Electrical system, Jan 12, 2016
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES BENZ C350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY FAILED TO START THE VEHICLE AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS AND THE STEERING COLUMN DID NOT LOCK. IN ADDITION, CERTAIN ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS, SUCH AS THE RADIO, DOOR LOCKS, INTERIOR LIGHTS, AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS DID NOT FUNCTION. THE TAKE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT ELECTRONIC STEERING CONTROL MODULE MALFUNCTIONED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 113,000. UPDATED 04/07/16*LJ *JS
Steering, Electrical system, Dec 30, 2015
THE VEHICLE DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE KEY & DIDN'T TURN ON AND WAS NOT SHOWING AS PARKED. CALLED AAA TO CHECK THE BATTERY BUT WAS NOT IT. CALLED TOWING SERVICE TO GET THIS MOVED TO MY MECHANIC & TURNS OUT THIS IS DUE TO BAD ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK MECHANISM & ONLY DEALER CAN GET THIS REPLACED AND PROGRAMED WHICH COSTED ME $1200. CHECKED & TURNS OUT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 2009 C300. WHY IS IT NOT BEING RECALLED??? THIS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS WHEN ON THE ROAD!!! HAPPENED RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS SO HAD TO WAIT 2 DAYS FOR MY MECHANIC TO CHECK & TOWED AGAIN TO DEALER AND NOW I'M STILL WAITING FOR THE CAR WITHOUT A CAR FOR A WEEK. THIS IS VERY DISAPPOINTING SINCE I THOUGHT MERCEDES WAS KNOWN FOR SAFETY. HOPE THEY WILL RECALL THIS ISSUE & RE-IMBURSE THE COST. *JS
Steering, Dec 29, 2015
VEHICLE NOT STARTING. NOT TURNING OVER. PARKED THE CAR FOR ABOUT 20 MIN IN MY MOMS DRIVEWAY. WHEN WE CAME OUT TO LEAVE. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START. THE RADIO WILL TURN ON. THE LIGHTS WILL TURN ON. WHEN I OPEN THE DOOR THE ODOMETER AREA TELLS ME TO REMOVE MY KEY. TRIED TO GET A JUMP FROM AAA. WHEN THEY ARRIVED THEY SAID IT WASN'T THE BATTERY. NOW I LOOK ON YOUTUBE AND OTHER MB BLOGS. AND THEY SAY THE FIX IS 1000$$$$$ TO 3000$$$$$$ AND THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. I WILL UPDATE THIS WHEN I KNOW MORE.
Steering, Dec 29, 2015
PARKED MY VEHICLE IN MY GARAGE FOR WEEK 80,000 MILES ON VEHICLE. TRIED TO START CAR ONLY REMOVE KEYS LIGHT ON DASH AND ALL ELECTRONICS WORK. MERCEDES TOW SAYS NOT BATTERY BUT STEERING OR IGNITION COMPONENT ARE OUT! THIS IS LOOKING LIKE A COMMON PROBLEM PLEASE HELP BECAUSE THE DEALERS ARE WANTING THOUSAND OR MORE TO REPLACE.
Steering, Electrical system, Dec 16, 2015
I HAVE HAD MY 2009 MERCEDES BENZ C300 FOR 5 MONTHS NOW IT WAS A BIRTHDAY PRESENT ON 7/11/15.I DROVE TO THE GAS STATION FILLED IT UP PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION IT WAS DEAD.THE LIGHTS AND INTERIOR LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE RADIO BUT THE WINDOWS WOULD NOT LET DOWN THE HORN WOULD NOT BLOW AND SUNROOF DOESN'T WORK TOWED IT TO MERCEDES BENZ ARLINGTON TEXAS IT WILL COST ME 1,386 FOR REPAIRS PLUS A 290.00 DIAGNOSTIC FEE I JUST PAID THE 575.00 CARNOT I HAVE NOT EVEN HAD A CHANCE TO HAVE FUN IN IT IS HAS 49,000 MILES ON IT AND MY WARRANTY DOESN'T COVER ANY OF THE REPAIRS I NEED MY MONEY BACK WHAT A RIP OFF I ONLY DRIVE IT ON SAT. AND SUN.MERCEDES PLEASE DO THE RECALL THIS IS BAD BUSINESS ETHICS FOR MERCEDES BENZ OWNERS ACROSS THE GLOBE HOW YOU GOING TO MAKE US FALL IN LOVE WITH OUR CARS THEN PUNISH US FOR IT IN THE END THAT'S OBSURD AND JUST DOWN RIGHT WRONG I AM OUTRAGED ABOUT THIS YEAR'S BIRTHDAY GIFT AND NOW MY CHRISTMAS IS GOING TO MERCEDES BENZ 1,386 MERRY CHRISTMAS MERCEDES BENZ I KNOW YOUR FAMILIES WILL HAVE A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS BY TAKING MY FAMILY'S CHRISTMAS MONEY AWAY FROM US NO CHRISTMAS SPECIALS ON SERVICE CHARGE FOR REPAIRS FOR NEW CUSTOMERS THIS YEAR OR NOTHING
Steering, Dec 11, 2015
I COULD NOT START THE CAR AFTER I CRANK MY KEY.DEALER DIAGNOSED "ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK ASSEMBLY" NEEDS TO BE REPLACE. COST $850.
Steering, Dec 8, 2015
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000.
Steering, Dec 7, 2015
12/04/2015 PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. THE CAR DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THE KEY IS IN THE IGNITION. TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. AFTER RESEARCHING I SEE THIS IS A COMING PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL.
Steering, Dec 1, 2015
THIS IS THE 2ND TIME IN 8 MONTHS THAT THE CAR HAS A FAULTY IGNITION STEERING LOCK. STEERING WHEEL LOCKS, CAR WILL NOT START AND MESSAGE COMES UP TO REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION. CAR UNUSABLE, HAS TO BE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP.THE REPAIR COST $1500, NOT EXACTLY CHEAP. THERE ARE COUNTLESS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I AM REALLY REALLY SURPRISED THIS HAS NOT LED TO A RECALL TO DATE.
Steering, Electrical system, Nov 27, 2015
MY C300 WAS FUNCTIONING PERFECTLY WITH NO ISSUES. WHEN I CAME OUT TO START THE CAR, IT WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE THE KEY. I HAD IT TOWED TO A DEALER AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT'S THE ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK FAIL. I LOOKED THIS UP AND IT IS SOMETHING VERY COMMON WITH THE 2009 MODEL. THERE ARE SEVERAL POST ON THE INTERNET ASKING FOR THIS TO BE A RECALL ITEM.
Steering, Nov 19, 2015
PUT KEY INTO IGNITION, STEERING WHEEL DOESN'T UNLOCK. INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DISPLAYS "REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION". TURN KEY TO ACCESSORY, NO LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD, RADIO REMAINS OFF, WINDOWS DON'T WORK. TURN KEY ALL THE WAY TO START CAR, NOTHING HAPPENS.
Steering, Other or unspecified, Nov 2, 2015
VEHICLE WOULD NOT START ONE DAY. WOULD LOCK AND UNLOCK BUT WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE KEY WAS IN IGNITION. TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AND AM BEING TOLD IT IS EIS. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 80,000 ON IT. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG THIS YEAR AND MODEL. WHY HAS THIS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED BY MERCEDES?
Steering, Oct 23, 2015
CAR WAS WORKING FINE. CAME OUT OF A RESTAURANT, AND THE CAR WOULDN'T START. RECEIVED ERROR MESSAGE ON CONSOLE TO "REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION". CAR WAS TOWED TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP, WHERE THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A FAULTY IGNITION STEERING LOCK, IT WOULD COST $1300 TO REPAIR AND I WOULD BE OUT OF A CAR FOR AT LEAST 1 WEEK WHILE THEY ORDERED THE PART.
Steering, Oct 20, 2015
CAR WON'T START DEALER REPLACED BATTERY; NOW THE CAR IS ON A STEERING LOCK FAILURE..MUST BE TOWED IN THE DEALER...I WAS TOLD A LOT OF THE 2009 MB C300 HAS THIS PROBLEM.
Steering, Oct 20, 2015
MY CAR IS A 2009 WITH 33,200 MILES ON IT AND THE EIS/ESL (STEERING LOCK) FAILED. I HAD TO PAY $1800 FOR THE DEALER TO FIX IT. HOW DOES A CAR WITH SO LITTLE MILEAGE HAS A MAJOR PROBLEM LIKE THIS? THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. ALL THE COMPLAINTS ON THE SAME ISSUE SHOULD WARRANT AN INVESTIGATION
Steering, Oct 13, 2015
WHEN I PUT MY KEY IN THE IGNITION IT WOULD NOT START, MY RADIO WILL PLAY BUT MY CAR WOULD NOT. THERE WAS OTHER RECALL ISSUE FOUND IN MY VEHICLE AND MERCEDES DEALER TOLD ME THAT IT IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK AND I NEED TO GET IT REPLACE IN ORDER FOR MY CAR TO START AGAIN. IT IS UNFAIR THAT AS A CUSTOMER I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS WHEN IT CLEARLY SAYS ITS AN ELECTRONIC PROBLEM?? THIS EXPENSIVE REPAIR IS COSTING ME ALMOST $1,400.00 MONEY I CAN'T AFFORD.
Steering, Electrical system, Electronic stability control (ESC), Oct 7, 2015
ON THE HIGHWAY DRIVING 40 MPH WARNING ON THE DISPLAY CAME ON STATING THE" EBR, ABS, ESP ARE INOPERATIVE" AND A WARNING DISPLAY STATING "POWER STEERING MALFUNCTION". POWER STEERING WAS FINE, BUT IT WAS A VERY NERVE WRECKING DRIVE. DEALERSHIP IS STATING IT IS THE ESP MODULE AND PUMP THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, WHICH CAN ONLY BE DONE AT THE DEALERSHIP.
Steering, Electrical system, Oct 7, 2015
CAR WOULDN'T START. LUCKILY THAT CAR WAS AT OUR HOUSE. AFTER RESEARCH FOUND THAT THE 2009 C300 HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE EIS (ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH). AFTER A 5-6 HOURS THE CARS IGNITION STARTED WORKING, BUT FROM READING OTHERS EXPERIENCE THE IGNITION COULD DISABLE FOREVER AT ANY TIME. COST TO REPAIR IS $1500 AND ONLY BE DONE AT A DEALERSHIP.
Steering, Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Oct 5, 2015
ON 10/3/2015 THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT A GAS STATION FOR 5 MINUTES. UPON RETURNING TO THE CAR AND ATTEMPED TO SWITCH THE IGNITION ON, THE CAR WONT START. CONTACTED MERCEDES BENZ IN ENGLEWOOD AND THEY OFFERED A ROAD ASSISTANCE ( $80 SERVICE CHARGE ). AFTER WAITING FOR OVER AN HOUR AND HALF THE ROADSIDE TECHNICIAN ARRIVED AND ATTEMPED TO JUMSTART THE VEHICLE WITH NO SUCCESS. HE SAID THAT WITH 25 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WORKING FOR MERCEDES THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WHERE THE VEHICLE WONT RECOGNIZE THE KEY, LOCKING THE STEERING AND CUTTING OFF THE ENGINE POWER TO START UP. HE CONTACTED MERCEDES FOR A TOWING TRUCK TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC. THIS HAPPENED ON A SATURDAY AND HAVE TO WAIT TIL MONDAY FOR RESULTS. VEHICLE HAS 79,000 MILES ODOMETER READING. THERES MORE THEN 10,000 FEEDBACKS OVER THE INTERNET WITH THE SAME ISSUE. FIX RANGES FROM $500 TO $1500. MERCEDES HAS NOT RECALLED THIS ONGOING COMMON ISSUE.
Steering, Electrical system, Sep 22, 2015
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES BENZ C350. WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC STEERING BOX AND THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH (EIS) NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000.
Steering, Electronic stability control (ESC), Sep 4, 2015
MONDAY DROVE CAR TO WORK WITH OUT ANY PROBLEMS. CAME OUT TO GO HOME THAT EVENING AND CAR WOULD NOT START. COULD TURN THE IGNITION COMPLETELY TO THE START POSITION BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT TURN OVER. MY RADIO WORKED, MY POWER SEATS WORKED, TRUNK AND DOORS OPENED WITH THE KEY VIBE. BUT NOTHING HAPPENED FROM THE ENGINE. COME TO FIND OUT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP FOR NO REASON. THEY HAD TO SKATE MY CAR IN ORDER TO GET IT ON THE TRUCK TRUCK. THIS IS A DEFECT AND I'M A WOMAN AND THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED AT NIGHT WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD.
Steering, Electrical system, Sep 3, 2015
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES BENZ C300. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOCKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
Steering, Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Aug 22, 2015
TODAY I HAD TO GO TO WORK ANDTRIED TO PUT MY CAR ON, TO MY DISMAY IT WOULD NOT TURN ON. ALL OF THE OTHER ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS WORKED, LIKE MY CAR LOCKING AND UNLOCKING , AND THE RADIO WORKING BUT IT KEPT TELLING ME TO REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION AND IT WOULDNT START. I HAVE DONE ALOT OF REASEARCH AND THERE SEEM TO BE ALOT OF PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM. AND I HOPE WE COULD FIX IT AND HAVE IT RECALLED BECAUSE IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX.