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.

Complaints by model year
  1. 670

Of the 2009 reports, 17 involved a crash and 19 involved a fire. 16 people were injured.

Primary concernElectrical system222 reports · 33% of complaints
Owner complaints670Filed with NHTSA
Recall relationshipNo recalls on fileNHTSA campaign records

What owners report most often

  1. Electrical system222
  2. Air bags213
  3. Steering158
  4. Exterior lighting138
  5. Suspension37
  6. Other or unspecified33
  7. Structure28
  8. Service brakes27

Recalls and investigations

No safety recalls on file.

Representative owner complaints: other or unspecified

33 reports, newest first. Show all

  1. Other or unspecified, Nov 9, 2015

    KNOCKING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL. WAS TOLD IT COULD BE A CRACKED DRIVERSHAFT. GOOGLED AND SEE THAT THERER ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINT ON THIS MODEL. MERCEDES SHOULD BE PUTTING OUT A RECALL.

  2. 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?

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Jun 24, 2015

    THEY NEED TO HAVE A RECALL ON ESI IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE .. AND ISSUE RELATED TO THIS ISSUE

  6. Steering, Other or unspecified, Engine, Jul 8, 2014

    WITHOUT ANY WARNING, MY CAR WILL NOT START. THOUGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY, BUT NO LUCK. THE KEY OPEN THE DOOR, THE LIGHTS INSIDE OF THE CARE COME ON, AND THE SCREEN STILL POPS UP ON THE DASHBOARD. THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED AND YOU CAN NOT CHANGE THE GEAR. I HAD TO GET MY CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. CAR HAS ALMOST 70 K MILES ON IT. VERY DISSAPOINTED TO READ THE OTHER COMPLAINTS AND THE PROJECTED COST TO FIX. ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO I ALSO PAID OUT OF POCKET FOR THE REAR LIGHT PANEL DUE TO IT NOT WORKING. I RECENTLY LEARNED THAT THE REAR LIGHTING ISSUE IS AN OFFICIAL RECALL. NOW THE HURDLE BEGIN FOR ME TO GET REFUNDED FOR NEARLY $500. :( *JS

  7. 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

  8. Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Other or unspecified, Aug 8, 2013

    THE INFORMATION SYSTEM IN MY CAR GAVE ME THE SYMBOLS FOR THE RIGHT BACK LIGHTS. I STOPPED TO CHECK AND REALIZED MY LIGHTS WERE OUT. I OPENED THE WIRING IN THE TRUNK AND REALIZED THAT THE BROWN WIRE ON THE OUTER SIDE BURNED THROUGH THE CONNECTOR AND THE LAMP CARRIER. *TR