2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Air bags is the leading concern among 587 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 3rd highest complaint count among 23 C-Class model years with reports.
Of the 2012 reports, 8 involved a crash and 7 involved a fire. 10 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
No safety recalls on file.
Representative owner complaints
587 reports, newest first.
Engine, Jan 20, 2015
CAMSHAFT INTAKE ADJUSTER REPLACED THERMOSTAT SEALS REPLACED CHAIN TENSIONER REPLACED. *TR
Steering, Jan 12, 2015
THE STEERING WHEEL ,HAS ALUMINUM PLATING OR COVERING, THAT WAS PEELING OFF AND CUT MY FINGER AS I WAS DRIVING, THIS HAPPENED LAST YEAR AND WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, AND DEALER REPLACED, THIS IS HAPPENING AGAIN, AND THE DEALER HAS AGREED TO REPLACE EVEN THOUGH THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. I THOUGHT YOU GUYS SHOULD KNOW. *TR
Air bags, May 30, 2014, crash
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER VEERED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER. THE DRIVER THEN CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES AND THE PASSENGER WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT OF INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25000. UPDATED 09-04-14 *BF UPDATED 09/10/2014 *JS..UPDATED 10/28/14 *BF...UPDATED 04/08/15 *BF UPDATED 8/30/2017*CN
Tires, Wheels, Mar 20, 2014
I HAVE A MERCEDES BENZ C300 WITH 16,300 MILES ON IT. THE VEHICLE CAME WITH CONTINENTAL, CONTIPRO, 225/45 R17 91H TIRES ON IT TWO TIRES ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CAR HAVE DEVELOPED BUBBLES ON THEM AND WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE TIRES ON THE RIGHT SIDE WILL HAVE TO BE INSPECTED SINCE THEY MAY HAVE BUBBLES ON THE INSIDE. I HAVE JUST READ MANY COMPLAINS ABOUT THESE TIRES AND FEEL THEY ARE DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, Gasoline, Nov 11, 2013
ON MULTIPLE OCCURRENCES THE VEHICLE HAS STARTED TO MISFIRE AT RANDOM TIMES AND SPEEDS RANGING FROM 45-70 MPH RESULTING IN "LIMP MODE" OR A STALLING CONDITION. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, BUT WILL NOT BE ON WHEN THE VEHICLE IS RESTARTED. THE DEALERSHIP ON NO OCCASION HAS BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE MY CONCERN ALTHOUGH OTHERS HAVE BEEN IN THE CAR TO WITNESS. I FEEL VERY UNSAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AS WHEN IT STALLS ON THE HIGHWAY, I LOSE STEERING AND BRAKES AS WELL. *TR
Visibility/wiper, Sep 16, 2013
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR REPAIR AND THE BLADES WERE REPLACED HOWEVER THE CONTACT WIPERS WERE STILL FAILING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE INCIDENT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000.
Service brakes, Sep 9, 2013
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES BENZ C250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, HE ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES BUT IT FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE VACUUM WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 30,000.
Service brakes, Dec 4, 2012, crash
I MADE A SHARP TURN INTO A PARKING AREA THEN ANOTHER SHARP TURN INTO THE PARKING SPACE AND WHEN I STRAIGHTEN THE WHEEL OUT TO COMPLETE PARKING AN APPLIED MY FOOT ON BRAKE THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND CAR WOULD NOT STOP THE ONLY THING THAT STOPPED ME WAS THE CONCRETE CURBING WHICH I HIT HARD AND DAMAGED THE UNDER CARRIAGE OF MY CAR. THE TIRES HITTING THE CONCRETE IS MADE FORCED CAR TO STOP. I CONTACTED DEALERSHIP TO REPORT THE PROBLEM AND SEE IF THEY COULD TOW VEHICLE AND PROVIDE ME WITH A CAR SINCE I WAS STRANDED. THEY WERE CLOSING AND COULDN'T HELP ME. HAD THE VEHICLE CHECKED TO SEE IF A BRAKE LINE HAD BROKE OR IF BRAKE FLUID LEVEL WAS OK, EVERYTHING CHECKED OUT OK DROVE CAR HOME VERY SLOW NOTICED CAR HAVING A MESSAGE ON DASH HOLD WHEN I APPLY BRAKES AND A MESSAGE ( P SHIFT IN PARK) CAME ON DASH AS I WAS DRIVING. THIS HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED. CALLED DEALER THE FOLLOWING MORNING AND HAD CAR TOWED TO THEM. 5 DAYS LATER THEY TELL ME THAT THEY CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH MY BRAKES AND MY CAR IS SAFE. I AM NOT DRIVING THE CAR I WILL BE HAVING IT TOWED. THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES AND I DO NOT FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO PUT MYSELF OR ANYONE ELSE ON THE ROAD AT RISK FOR LOSING THERE LIFE. JUST BECAUSE THEY CANT FIND ANYTHING IT DOESN'T MEAN THERE ISN'T ANYTHING WRONG. I HAVE RESEARCHED ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THE CAR I OWN AND I HAVE SEEN MANY PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AS MINE. I HAVE NOT HAD THE CAR BUT FOR 2 MONTHS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUES AND IT SEEMS AS THE MANUFACTURES OF THE VEHICLES BEING MADE DON'T HAVE TO BACK THERE PRODUCTS UNLESS SOMEONE IS KILLED. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Oct 19, 2012
THIS WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT, IT IS, IN MY OPINION, A POSSIBLE SAFETY PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE - TURBO LAG; THROTTLE LAG; TRANSMISSION LAG. I ALMOST HAD TWO ACCIDENTS DUE TO THE LAG PROBLEMS, AND HAVE ATTACHED A MORE DETAILED ANALYSIS FOR YOUR REVIEW. TURBO LAG: THIS IS THE TIME IT TAKES FOR THE CAR TO GO FROM ITS NATURALLY ASPIRATED POWER TO THE FULL POWER OF THE CAR AT FULL BOOST/ PEAK BOOST IS REACHED RELATIVELY LOW IN THE REVERSE RANGE, BUT IT IS NOT INSTANTANEOUS POWER LIKE A NATURALLY ASPIRATED ENGINE. THROTTLE LAG: THE DRIVE BY WIRE SYSTEM HAS A BIT OF LAG. UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, I MEASURED IT AT .2 OF A SECOND OR SO. WHATEVER THE VALUE, THERE IS ALWAYS LAG THERE, AND WE ARE VERY SENSITIVE TO IT. HOWEVER, DRIVING INS MODE VS E MODE DOES MAKE SOMEWHAT OF A DIFFERENCE. NONETHELESS, THE CAR ALWAYS STARTS OUT IN E MODE WHEN I GET IN AND START THE CAR. WE DIDN'T PURCHASE THE CAR TO ALWAYS DRIVE IN S MODE. TRANSMISSION LAG: THIS I NOTICE SIGNIFICANTLY AND IT IS, IN MY OPINION, PROBABLY THE MOST ANNOYING TO ME. YOU'LL NOTICE THIS WHEN STOMPING THE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND THEN DOING THE WAIT... WAIT... WAIT.. DOWNSHIFT. EVEN IF THIS ENGINE WAS RUNNING ONLY ON ITS NATURALLY ASPIRATED FOUR CYLINDERS, THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD RESPOND IMMEDIATELY TO A SURE FOOTED STOMP TO THE FLOOR WITH THE QUICKNESS, AS DOES MY FOUR CYLINDER RAV-4. HOWEVER, THE MB C-250 DOES NOT! IN MY OPINION, YOU CAN RESET THE TCU ALL YOU WANT, THE DELAY WILL REMAIN.
Structure, Aug 1, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW EXHIBITED A LOUD, ABNORMAL NOISE WHEN OPENED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED A TEMPORARY LOSS OF HEARING FROM THE HIGH PITCH OF THE NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE LOUD NOISE WAS COMMON FOR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 384. UPDATED 8/21/12 *CN
Exterior lighting, Electrical system, May 4, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES BENZ C250. WHILE DRIVING, THE TURN SIGNAL WAS ACTIVATED WHEN A WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT SLIGHTLY ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION, WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE DIMNESS OF THE TURN SIGNAL WAS COMMON FOR THE MODEL YEAR VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 320. UPDATED 07/25/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE TURN SIGNAL CONTROL LIGHT. IT WAS HARDLY VISIBLE IN THE DAY LIGHT AND IN THE SUN. THE SERVICE DEPT STATED THE NEW MODEL HAS A NEW ELECTRONIC DASH WHICH COMES IN ONE NEW CIRCUIT PANEL . UPDATED 07/25/12
Structure, May 1, 2012
2012 MERCEDES C250 SPORT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ISSUES WITH LEVERS ON THE STEERING COLUMN *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE LEVER, WHICH WAS HIDDEN BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAD TO LEAN FORWARD TO LOOK OVER TOP OF THE STEERING WHEEL TO REACH THE LEVER. HE ALSO STATED THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS IN A HIDDEN AREA AS WELL. *JB