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
670 reports, newest first.
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
Exterior lighting, Apr 7, 2014
THE DRIVER SIDE TAIL LIGHT HOUSING HAS BURNT OUT AND KNOCKED OUT ALL LIGHTS IN THE CLUSTER. THIS SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE, BUT THERE HAS YET TO BE A RECALL FOR THIS. *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
Exterior lighting, Feb 26, 2014
WARNING MESSAGE THAT THE BACK TAIL LIGHTS & SIGNAL LIGHTS WERE OUT. AFTER CHECK IT APPEARED THAT THE WIRE HAD MELTED. *TR
Exterior lighting, Feb 24, 2014
REAR BRAKE LIGHTS ARE STAYING ON WHILE DRIVING THE CAR AND THE PARKING LAMPS BOTH WENT OUT. THE BRAKE LIGHTS OFF WHEN CAR IS OFF BUT WHILE I'M DRIVING THEY STAY ON THE WHOLE TIME. I TOOK IT TO RAY CATENA MERCEDES AUTO SERVICE AND THEY ADVISED ME THAT THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS NO CHARGE AS PART OF A RECALL ON ALL MERCEDES VEHICLES BUT GAVE ME A QUOTE OF 1175 FOR THE MODULE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE MODULE SHORTAGE AND LIGHTS GOING OUT IS MOST LIKELY DUE TO THE WIRING HARNESS FRYING OUT. I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY TO REPLACE A MODULE THAT WAS DUE TO A WIRING HARNESS FRYING OUT. THAT SHOULD BE A MANUFACTURER ISSUE. *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
Exterior lighting, Feb 13, 2014
ALL THE LIGHTS OUTSIDE OF THE CAR ARE GOING OUT. THE ENTIRE REAR LEFT LIGHT IS NOT WORKING, ALONG WITH FRONT HEAD LIGHTS. THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND I KEEP RECEIVING MESSAGES ON THE DASHBOARD. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THERE IS CORROSION ON THE WIRES. *TR
Steering, Feb 13, 2014
MY NAME IS [XXX] AND I HAVE RECENTLY PURCHASED A USED MERCEDES C300 4MATIC SPORT. MY WIFE AND I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO OWN A MERCEDES FOR ITS RELIABILITY, OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE AND SERVICE. ONE EVENING MY WIFE AND I WENT GROCERY SHOPPING AND AFTER COMING BACK IN TO THE CAR WE ENDED UP BEING STRANDED FOR SEVERAL HOURS WAITING FOR AN EMERGENCY ROADSIDE SERVICE TO FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. WE INITIALLY THOUGHT IT WOULD SIMPLY REQUIRE A JUMP START AND NEVER EXPECTED THE CAR TO HAVE A MAJOR PROBLEM BECAUSE WE ALWAYS MAINTAIN OUR CARS. WE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO TOW THE CAR TO THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP IN HUNTINGTON, NEW YORK. LET ME REMIND YOU THAT THE CAR IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD, AND HAS UNDER 45,000 MILES SO IT?S STILL YOUNG, AND NEVER HAS BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENTS. THE NEXT DAY A MECHANIC FROM THE DEALERSHIP CALLED ME AND INFORMED ME THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE STEERING LOCK MODULE WHICH NEEDS TO BE CHANGED AND THE TOTAL COST IS $1,200. I WAS ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED BECAUSE I NEVER EXPECTED A CAR THIS PRESTIGIOUS TO HAVE PROBLEMS LIKE THIS. I THINK IS UNFAIR, EXTORTIONATE AND UNETHICAL FOR MERCEDES TO CHARGE THEIR CUSTOMERS FOR A TECHNICAL FAULT THAT CLEARLY REQUIRES A RECALL. AFTER SOME EXTENSIVE RESEARCH I CAME TO FIND THAT THIS IS A COMMON TECHNICAL ERROR THAT TO MY SURPRISE STILL HAS NOT BEEN PUT AS A RECALL. A LOT OF MERCEDES OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WHICH IS SIMPLY UNETHICAL AND UNJUSTIFIED. A PRESTIGIOUS CAR LIKE MERCEDES SHOULDN'T LET A TECHNICAL FAULT LIKE THIS OCCUR BECAUSE OF THE PRECISE DETAILED ATTENTION THEY PUT ON EACH AND EVERY CAR THEY MANUFACTURE. EVEN IF THE PROBLEM DOES EXIST MERCEDES SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON THE ISSUE AND NOT LET ITS CUSTOMERS PAY FOR MERCEDES? FAULT. WHICH IS WHY I AM SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING TAKING THIS CASE FURTHER AND FILING LEGAL SUIT. I HAVE ARRANGED AN APPOINTMENT WITH MY LAWYER ON FRIDAY TO SPEAK FURTHER ABOUT THIS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Exterior lighting, Feb 10, 2014
ENTIRE TAIL LIGHT ON DRIVE SIDE WENT OUT. I LOOKED AT THE LIGHTING HOUSING AND NOTED BURNT WIRES EMITTING FROM THE HOUSING. *TR
Power train, Feb 10, 2014
AT 43,500 AND 54 MONTHS THE TRANSMISSION IN THE CAR HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN PROPERLY SERVICED AT THE MERCEDES DEALER. I BELIEVE THIS MODEL/MAKE HAS DEFECTS AS I HAVE BROUGHT IT BACK FOR SERVICE MANY TIMES. *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
Exterior lighting, Feb 4, 2014
THE WIRES WITHIN BOTH OF MY HEADLIGHTS OF MY 2009 MERCEDES C300 HAVE THEIR INSULATION SO DETERIORATED THAT THE WIRES ARE FULLY EXPOSED. THIS ISSUE CAUSES THE LIGHTS TO CUT IN AND OUT WITHOUT WARNING WHICH HAVE OCCURRED DURING HIGHWAYS SPEEDS AND OR RURAL AREAS IN PUERTO RICO. THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION IS NOT BEING TAKEN CARE OF BY THE MANUFACTURER WITH VARIOUS ATTEMPTS TRIED. *TR
Tires, Feb 3, 2014
01/11/2014....4:00 PM .I WAS DRIVING INTO THE ROCKAWAY MALL IN DOVER AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH WHEN THE TIRE HIT A BUMP ( THE LEFT FRONT DRIVERS SIDE) AND WENT INSTANTLY FLAT. I HAD TO CONTACT AAA TO CHANGE THE TIRE TO THE SPARE. I WAS UNABLE TO HAVE THE TIRE REPAIRED UNTIL JANUARY 13, 2014. I WAS TOLD THE SIDEWALL BLEW OUT AND THE TIRE WAS UNABLE TO BE REPAIRED. I HAD TO PURCHASE A NEW TIRE IN THE AMOUNT OF $268.06. 02/01/2014....6:00 PM .I WAS UP ROUTE 3 WEST IN CLIFTON DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES PER HOUR WHEN THE RED LIGHT CAME ON INDICATING THERE WAS A TIRE ISSUE. I PULLED INTO THE CLOSEST GAS STATION AND MY TIRE (THE LEFT FRONT DRIVERS SIDE) WAS COMPLETELY FLAT. I AGAIN CONTACTED AAA TO CHANGE THE TIRE. MONDAY MORNING I BROUGHT THE CAR TO LOOK AT THE TIRE, AGAIN I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE SIDEWALL BLOWING OUT, IT COULD NOT BE REPAIRED AND I WAS CHARGED ANOTHER $52.99. THIS ALSO HAPPENED IN MY PREVIOUS MERCEDES C280 WITH A BUBBLE I THE SIDEWALL TWICE WITH THE SAME TIRE. I HAVE TO CONTACT THE REPAIR PERSON AS TO THE PRICE OF THE TIRE REPLACEMENT. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION WHICH WILL CAUSE SOMEONE THEIR LIFE. THESE CONTINENTAL PRO CONTI TIRES 225/ R45/17 H91 NEED TO BE RECALLED A.S.A.P. *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
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Jan 20, 2014
REAR PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LIGHTS NO LONGER FUNCTIONAL. STARTED GETTING A CONSTANT DISPLAY MESSAGE TO CHECK REAR BREAK, FOG, AND TURN SIGNAL. FIRST CHECKED FOR BAD FUSE. FINALLY WENT TO CHECK THE BULB HOUSING AND NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE WIRES WAS FRAYED. THE WIRE WAS EXPOSED AND THE WIRE HARNESS SEEM TO BE DAMAGED AS WELL FROM THE HEAT. THE WIRES ARE BAD AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. *TR
Exterior lighting, Jan 17, 2014
RIGHT TAIL LIGHT CLUSTER HAD A ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE LAMP CONNECTOR, WHICH ULTIMATELY HAD TO PAY $250 TO REPLACE IN MID DECEMBER 2013. NOW IT SEEMS THAT I AM HAVING THE SAME ISSUE ON THE LEFT SIDE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Jan 17, 2014
RIGHT REAR TAILLIGHT ASSEMBLY COMPLETELY WENT OUT AS A RESULT OF A BAD GROUND WIRE. ON THAT SIDE THERE WAS NO BRAKE LIGHT, NO TURN SIGNAL, NO RUNNING LIGHTS, ETC. AFTER INSPECTION THE GROUND (BROWN OUTER MOST WIRE) WHERE IT CONNECTS TO THE PLUG/REAR TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY HAS BURN MARKS AND CORROSION. I USED ELECTRICAL TAPE TO TAPE UP THE EXPOSED WIRE (DUE TO HEAT/SPARKS THE INSULATION ON THE WIRE WAS GONE). CURRENTLY, ALL FUNCTIONS OF THE TAIL LIGHT ARE DIM ( 75% DIMMER THAN THE OTHER SIDE) AND AT TIMES IT JUST COMPLETELY DOESN'T WORK. I HAVE STOPPED DRIVING THE CAR AS A RESULT OF THIS AS I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING AS I FEAR IT MIGHT LEAD TO A SMALL FIRE. *TR