2010 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Air bags is the leading concern among 476 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 6th highest complaint count among 23 C-Class model years with reports.
Of the 2010 reports, 20 involved a crash and 5 involved a fire. 20 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
No safety recalls on file.
Representative owner complaints: steering
73 reports, newest first. Show all
Steering, Sep 8, 2016
MY CAR JUST LEFT ME STRANDED (AT HOME OF ALL PLACES). I HAD BEEN HAVING ISSUES THAT DAY WITH THE WHINING NOISE MANY HAVE DEALT WITH. I GOT HOME FROM WORK, AND WENT TO TAKE THE CAR OUT LATER WITH MY HUSBAND, AND SHE'S DEAD. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TOWED HER TO THE DEALERSHIP. SO FAR, $1450 JUST TO REPLACE THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK, THEN THEY CAN START TO INVESTIGATE THE WHINING SOUND. SERVICE ADVISOR SAYS THE 2 AREN'T CONNECTED AND ITS A COINCIDENCE BOTH THE WHINING AND STEERING LOCK FAILURE ARE HAPPENING SIMULTANEOUSLY???? PLEASE FORCE A RECALL, SO WE CAN RECOUP THIS MONEY. MB IS MAKING A TON OFF OF THE PROBLEM. WHAT IF I HAD BEEN STRANDED IN TRAFFIC, OR WITH MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR? THIS IS A TERRIBLE SAFETY ISSUE, AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY MBUSA.
Steering, Electrical system, Aug 10, 2016
VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY ON THE SIDE OF A HIGHWAY DUE TO A LOW TIRE PRESSURE WARNING. VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. MINUTES LATER, ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO TURN VEHICLE BACK ON. VEHICLE DID NOT TURN ON (ENGINE DID NOT TURN). VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HOME WHERE SAME PHENOMENON OCCURRED, VEHICLE DID NOT TURN ON ALTHOUGH KEY WAS INSERTED AND IGNITION SWITCH ROTATED, ENGINE WOULD NOT START. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED: FAULTY ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK (ESL) AND ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH (EIS), SUM WAS ABOUT $1,600. ALL WEB INFORMATION POINTS TO A COMMON PROBLEM AND MAY POSE SAFETY HAZARD, ESPECIALLY WHEN TRYING TO AVOID UNSAFE SITUATIONS, SUCH AS PARKED ALONGSIDE A HIGHWAY WHERE CARS SPEED BY AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH. ISSUE IS KNOWN AND MERCEDES BENZ FAILS TO ACKNOWLEDGE PREMATURE FAILURE OF IGNITION COMPONENTS.
Steering, Electrical system, Engine, Jul 20, 2016
CAR WONT START, REPLACED BATTERY, COMMON ISSUE WITH C300 TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP IT WOULD COST $1332 FOR STEERING LOCK TO START 5.0 INCLUDES IF NEEDED TO CUT OUT LOCK PIN
Steering, Jul 20, 2016
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MERCEDES-BENZ C300. WHILE STATIONARY, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE EPS MALFUNCTIONED, WHICH CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO SEIZE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.
Steering, Jun 27, 2016
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MERCEDES-BENZ C300. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 62,000.
Steering, Jun 27, 2016
ELECTRIC STEERING.
Steering, Mar 26, 2016
I WENT TO DRIVE MY CAR TO TEST MY NEW WHEELS I JUST PURCHASED THE DAY BEFORE. I PUT THE KEY IN, IT WOULD NOT START AND MY STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED. I THOUGHT IT MAY BE MY KEY BUT AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ONLINE, I FOUND OUT THAT IT'S NOT MY KEY AT ALL AND THAT IT'S THE ESL WHICH SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUES. THANK GOD MY CAR WAS IN THE GARAGE. I'M ASKING FOR MERCEDES-BENZ TO DO A RECALL SINCE THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE. I'VE ONLY HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR TWO MONTHS. THIS IS A DISAPPOINTMENT.
Steering, Feb 16, 2016
I INSERTED THE KEY AND TRIED TO START THE ENGINE, BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. ALL LIGHTS OFF, NO WINDOW POWER. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THERE SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH. A CAR WITH ONLY 60,000 MILES WITH A BAD IGNITION SWITCH?!!! THESE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE VERY COMMON IN THE 2008-2012 MERCEDES BENZ.
Steering, Exterior lighting, Feb 15, 2016
THERE ARE TWO PROBLEMS THAT HAVE SHOWN UP ALL AT THE SAME TIME JUST RECENTLY. OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS IT SEEMS THAT EVERYDAY WHEN I GO LEAVE IN MY CAR I AM GETTING A NEW WARNING MESSAGE ABOUT ANOTHER LIGHT I NEED TO CHECK. AT FIRST IT WAS PROMPTING ME TO CHECK THE RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHT WHICH APPEARS TO BE WORKING FINE. BUT NOW THE LIST HAS GROWN TO INCLUDE THAT TAIL LIGHT, A TURN SIGNAL LIGHT, LICENSE PLATE LIGHT AND A COUPLE MORE EVEN THOUGH TO ME IT APPEARS THAT ALL ARE WORKING FINE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE LICENSE PLATE LIGHT WHICH IS TRULY OUT. HOWEVER THE WARNING ARE LISTED FOR ALL THESE MALFUNCTIONING LIGHTS. THE SECOND ISSUE IS WITH THE POWER STEERING. IT STARTED MAKING A DISTRESSING NOISE ONE EVENING ON MY DRIVE HOME, IN WHICH I WAS ABLE TO REACH MY HOME WITHOUT TROUBLE. HOWEVER WHEN I TRIED TO LEAVE THE NEXT MORNING THE POWER STEERING ON THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY NOT WORKING AND I WAS HAVING SUCH A HARD TIME TURNING THE WHEEL BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVE THAT I THOUGHT IT SMART NOT TO TAKE IT OUT ON THE ROAD AND PULLED IT BACK UP INTO MY DRIVEWAY WHERE IT HAS SAT FOR THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS. LUCKILY MY SON IS AWAY AT BOARDING SCHOOL BUT HE DOESN'T NEED HIS CAR THERE SO I HAVE HAD IT AVAILABLE TO GET ME TO WORK AND BACK UNTIL I HAD THE TIME TO LOOK INTO THE ISSUE WITH MY CAR WHICH I AM DOING NOW.
Steering, Electrical system, Jan 3, 2016
I DROVE MY 2010 C300 TO AN APPOINTMENT 2 MILES AWAY AND WENT TO START THE CAR AFTER AN APPOINTMENT AND IT WOULD NOT START...TRIED HAVING IT JUMPED BUT IT DIDN'T WORK...HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO TOLD ME IT WAS AN ELECTRINIC STEERING MALFUNCTION AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR $1460...THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE UNTIL IT JIST STOPPED WORKING...UNACCEPTABLE AND FROM WHAT I HABE LEARNED THIS IS A RAMPANT PROBLEM WITH MERCEDES AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A RECALL.
Steering, Electrical system, Jan 3, 2016
2010 MERCEDES C300 HAS 57000 MILES. DROVE IT 2 MILES IN THE MORNING TO GET GONTO AN APPT AND THE THE CAR WOULD NOT START...THOUGHT MAYBE THE BATTERY BUT WHEN THE JUMP DIDNT WORK I HAD TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO SAID IT WAS THE ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUM THAT FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR $1460...NO OTHER INDICATION THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG...JUST STOPPED WORKING. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A RECALL...NEVER GETRING ANOTHER MERCEDES.
Steering, Sep 29, 2015
THE STEERING COLUMN MODULE IS DEFECTIVE AND THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL. IT CAUSES THE CAR NOT TO START AS IF THE BATTERY IS DEAD BUT ITS ACTUALLY SOMETHING MUCH MORE SERIOUS AND EXPENSIVE.
Steering, Sep 24, 2015
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE CONTACT DISPENSED POWER STEERING FLUID INTO THE RESERVOIR, HOWEVER, MOMENTS LATER, THE FLUID LEAKED ONTO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
Steering, Other or unspecified, Equipment adaptive/mobility, Sep 19, 2015
I DROVE MY CAR TO A STORE, TURNED IT OFF AND LEFT IT FOR 10 MINUTES. WHEN I RETURNED THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I HAD A FRIEND TRY TO JUMP MY 1 YEAR OLD BATTERY AMD STILL NO START. MY DISPLAY SAYS TO REMOVE KEY WHEN MY KEY IS IN. LIGHTS, RADIO, AND LOCKS WORK BUT NO WINDOWS. DEALER SAYS I NEED A NEW STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. THIS PROBLEM IS POSTED EVERYONE ONLINE. SEEMS LIKE A COMMON THING. DEALERSHIP SAYS IT'LL COST ME $1575 AND TAKE 5 DAYS TO FIX.
Steering, Other or unspecified, Engine, Aug 19, 2015
I HAVE 2010 MERCEDES BENZ C300, MY CAR WOULD NOT START WITH MY KEY EVEN THOUGH THE BATTERY CHECKED OKAY. THIS IS A VERY COMMON FAILURE AMONG C300 MODELS (2008 TO 2013). SO MEANING CARS ARE VULNERABLE TO THIS FAILURE AROUND 5 YEAR MARK. MANUFACTURER SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL ON THESE PARTS, AS THEY HAVE A VERY BAD RELIABILITY.
Steering, Jul 22, 2015
I HAVE 2010 MERCEDES BENZ C300, MY STEERING LOCK FAILED RECENTLY. THIS IS A VERY COMMON FAILURE AMONG C300 MODELS (2008 TO 2013). QUITE A FEW CARS ARE VULNERABLE TO THIS FAILURE AROUND 5 YEAR MARK. MANUFACTURER SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL ON THESE PARTS, AS THEY HAVE A VERY BAD RELIABILITY.
Steering, Electrical system, Mar 19, 2015
I DROVE 500 MILES FROM CHICAGO TO MISSISSAUGA, ONT. CANADA. TRIP WAS UNEVENTFUL. THE DAY AFTER I DROVE THE CAR TO A HONDA CAR DEALERSHIP , IRONICALLY, TO LOOK FOR A CAR FOR A RELATIVE AND PARKED. RETURNING ONE HOUR LATER I WAS ABLE TO OPEN THE DOORS WITH THE REMOTE BUT WHEN I TRIED TO START THE CAR EVERYTHING EXCEPT FOR THE RADIO WENT DEAD. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP 7 KILOMETERS AWAY. THE PROGRAMMED PART HAD TO BE ORDERED SO IT TOOK TWO BUSINESS DAYS TO GET MY CAR BACK AT A COST OF $1071US. IT WAS TROUBLING TO REFLECT ON THE POSSIBILITY THAT THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED ON ONE OF THE REST AREAS I STOPPED AT IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE ALONG THE ROUTE. I CAN'T DECIDE WHETHER I WOULD RATHER NOT HAVE THIS SYSTEM AND HAVE MY CAR STOLEN OR LEFT STRANDED WITH THE NEAREST TOWN MILES AWAY. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE SYSTEM JUST MALFUNCTIONED JUST LIKE A LIGHT WOULD BLOW OUT. NOT GOOD ENOUGH SYSTEM FOR AN EXPENSIVE CAR. THANKS FOR YOUR INVOLVEMENT. *TR
Steering, Mar 2, 2015
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE EMITTING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS BACKED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, A LEAK WAS PRESENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP FRACTURED, WHICH CAUSED A LEAK AND DAMAGED THE BELT. THE DEALER REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND THE BELT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V598000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.
Steering, Feb 27, 2015
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START UPON TURNING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. ALSO, THE GEARS WOULD NOT CHANGE FROM PARK INTO ANOTHER GEAR FROM THE GEAR BOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE WITH THE ELECTRIC FUNCTIONS OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN NEUTRAL AND TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000.
Steering, Electrical system, Feb 20, 2015
I RECENTLY HAD AN ISSUE WITH MY EIS ON MY 2010 C300, THE CAR HAD ROUGHLY 60000 MILES WHEN THE ISSUE OCCURRED. I PARKED MY CAR IN A PARKING GARAGE, AND WHEN I WENT TO LEAVE WORK, THE CAR WOULDN'T START. THE STEERING COLUMN WAS LOCKED, AND I WAS UNABLE TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL. THE ISSUE SEEMS TO BE ONE THAT OCCURS IN A LARGE NUMBER OF MERCEDES CARS WITH SIMILAR MAKE/MODEL/MILEAGE, WHICH IS GENERALLY RIGHT OUTSIDE OF THE MILEAGE FOR THE STANDARD WARRANTY. MERCEDES DOESN'T ALLOW THE ISSUE TO BE FIXED BY LICENSED DEALERS, AND CAN ONLY BE FIXED BY A DEALERSHIP. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND SOMEWHAT OF AN ETHICAL DILEMMA. I AM NOT SURE IF THE EIS WOULD EVER GO OUT WHILE DRIVING, BUT IF SO, THAT COULD RESULT IN SAFETY ISSUES FOR THE DRIVER. *TR
Steering, Jan 13, 2015
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MERCEDES BENZ C300. WHILE REVERSING AT A LOW SPEED, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V459000 (STEERING) BUT THE RECALL REMEDY FAILED TO PREVENT THE FAILURE FROM OCCURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21,500. UPDATED 3/12/15*CN UPDATED 9/15/2017*CN
Steering, Nov 28, 2014
DEAR SIR OR MADAM: ON NOVEMBER 26, 2014 I DROVE TO THE HOSPITAL FOR WHICH I WORK. WITHIN 1 MILE OF MY DESTINATION, WHILE TRAVELING AT THE SPEED OF 45 MILES PER HOUR I HEARD A LOUD HIGH PITCHED SOUND THAT CAME FROM MY STEERING WHEEL AND IT BECAME SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT TO STEER. NO VEHICLE STATUS MESSAGE EVER SHOWED ON THE MALFUNCTION DISPLAY. I PARKED THE CAR AND CALLED THE MERCEDES BENZ AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE SOONEST AVAILABLE APPT WHEN THEY COULD LOOK AT MY CAR WAS ON DECEMBER 1, WHICH WAS 5 DAYS AWAY. NO HELP WHATSOEVER!!!! I TOOK IT TO A TRUSTED FAMILY MECHANIC AND HE SAID THE POWER STEERING CHAMBER HAD BEEN LEAKING FOR SOME TIME, IT WAS NOW SMOKING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS A RECALL OF 85,000 MERCEDES BENZ C CLASS AND E-CLASS MODELS BETWEEN JUNE 1, 2009 AND FEBRUARY 28, 2010. MY POWER STEERING CHAMBER WAS MANUFACTURED 02/03/10 (128BAR). KUNDEN-NO: A005 486 95 01. ZFLS-NR: 7695 955 135. I BELIEVE THAT MY VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A PART OF THIS RECALL. FURTHERMORE, IF I HAD BEEN ON THE FREEWAY AT HIGHER SPEEDS THE POSSIBILITY OF SOMETHING MORE DANGEROUS COULD HAVE HAPPENED. I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR PROMPT ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER, SINCERELY [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Steering, Jul 8, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD PULL TOWARDS THE RIGHT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE IT WAS REALIGNED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT ALL GERMAN VEHICLES PULL TOWARDS THE RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BASED ON HIS OBSERVATIONS, THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING LOWER TO THE GROUND ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE TIRES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WERE WEARING FASTER THAN THE TIRES ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,600.