2013 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Air bags is the leading concern among 573 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 4th highest complaint count among 23 C-Class model years with reports.
Of the 2013 reports, 23 involved a crash and 7 involved a fire. 25 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
No safety recalls on file.
Representative owner complaints: other or unspecified
38 reports, newest first. Show all
Other or unspecified, Sep 21, 2018
DOOR PANEL: MY DRIVERS SIDE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE WILL NOT OPEN THE DOOR. THE MECHANISM BEHIND THE DOOR HAS BROKEN. MY MECHANIC STATED THE ENTIRE DOOR PANEL REQUIRES REPLACEMENT. I SPOKE WITH MERCEDES AND THEY WILL NOT COVER THE COST AND THIS IS A TREMENDOUS SAFETY CONCERN. I SEE THROUGH MY SEARCHES THIS IS KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY MERCEDES BENZ CORPORATION IS NOT STANDING BEHIND THIS DESIGN FLAW. I BET IF PEOPLE WERE DYING OR DIED FROM THIS SAFETY FLAW IT WOULD BE HANDLED IMMEDIATELY WITH SETTLEMENTS OUTSIDE THE COURTS AND AWAY FROM THE PUBLIC EYE. WHERE IS THE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THERE PRODUCT?
Other or unspecified, May 13, 2018
PROBLEM: I'M UNABLE TO OPEN MY DRIVER DOOR FROM THE INSIDE. I HAVE TO ROLL DOWN MY WINDOW TO OPEN MY DRIVER DOOR. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? I OPENED MY CAR DOOR. WHEN I GOT BACK ON THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLE WAS LOOSE. CONTACT WITH DEALER: I WENT TO THE DEALER TO RECTIFY PROBLEM. THEY TOLD ME I HAD TO REPLACE MY INTERIOR DOOR PANEL - WHICH I HAVE NO ISSUE WITH. HOWEVER, THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME THAT LOCATION DID NOT HAVE THE PANEL I NEEDED AND MERCEDES WAS NO LONGER MAKING THE PART FOR THIS 2013 VEHICLE. HE TOLD ME THEIR WERE ONLY 3 INTERIOR PANELS IN CALIFORNIA. 1 IN SAN DIEGO AND 2 IN SACRAMENTO. I CALLED BOTH LOCATIONS. ALL WERE ON HOLD FOR OTHER CUSTOMERS. I BOUGHT THIS CAR IN 2013. BRAND NEW. I NOW HAVE 138,000 MILES ON IT - THAT I ALONE PUT ON THE VEHICLE. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING A VEHICLE WHERE I CAN I OPEN THE DRIVER DOOR FROM THE INSIDE. IN ADDITION, TO BE INFORMED THAT MERCEDES IS NO LONGER MAKING A PART FOR A 2013 VEHICLE IS UNACCEPTABLE. WHEN PEOPLE GET IN ACCIDENTS, HOW IS THE PANEL REPLACED. I WENT ONLINE AND SAW SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM PAYING FOR AN INTERIOR DOOR PANEL. I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO FEEL SAFE AND HAVE THE ABILITY TO OPEN MY DRIVER DOOR FROM THE INSIDEZ
Other or unspecified, Apr 8, 2018
MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER2017100005 NHTSA RECALL NUMBER17V627 AND MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER2018030004 NHTSA RECALL NUMBER18V043 BOTH ARE LISTED AS "RECALL INCOMPLETE, REMEDY NOT YET AVAILABLE" AND BOTH AFFECT DRIVER AIRBAGS. I NEED REMEDY FOR THESE ISSUES TO BE SURE I WON'T BE INJURED BY MY AIRBAGS.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Nov 14, 2017, fire
MY CAR BURNT YESTERDAY MORNING ON MY WAY TO WORK, NO WARNING, NOTHING NOTED. JUST STARTED SMOKING AND THEN FLAMES CAME UP AND BURN THE WHOLE FRONT END
Air bags, Other or unspecified, Oct 27, 2017
TAKATA RECALL I CALLED MY LOCAL MERCEDES BENZ DEALER WHO STATED THAT IN THEIR SYSTEM I HAD NO AIR BAG RECALL ON MY VEHICLE. I ENTERED MY VIN # ON THE AIRBAGRECAL WEBSITE IT SHOWED I DID? MERCEDES BENZ DEALER IS CLEARLY NOT CLAIMING RESPONSIBILITY. REP TOLD ME THAT THE LETTER WAS SENT TO ALL OWNERS OF MERCEDES BENZ CARS AND THAT MY CAR DOES NOT HAVE AN RECALL? I DON'T AGREE WITH HER AND WOULD LIKE TO FILE A COMPLAINT DUE TO NON-ASSISTANCE AND NEGLIGENCE ON MERCEDES BENZ DEALER END FOR NOT LOOKING INTO MY VEHICLE MORE. THE RECALL FOR THE AIRBAG ISSUED A WARNING OF SAFETY SO I'M UNPLEASANTLY DISMAYED AT THE FACT THAT THE MERCEDES BENZ REP WOULD DISMISS MY CONCERN SO NONCHALANTLY TO DISCUSS A SOFTWARE UPDATE NOTICE SHE DID FIND IN HER SYSTEM WHICH I WAS DUE FOR? I CURRENTLY HAVE A AIRBAG LIGHT ON IN MY VEHICLE WHICH IS ALARMING AND WORRIES ME A BIT TO SAY THE LEAST. I WOULD LIKE SOME ACTION TO TAKE PLACE IN GETTING THIS ISSUE RESOLVED. THE DEALER SHOULD BE OFFERING TO TAKE A LOOK AT ALL MERCEDES BENZ CUSTOMER VEHICLES TO ENSURE AIRBAG IS NOT INSTALLED AND EVERYTHING IS OKAY?
Other or unspecified, Oct 15, 2017
CAR ACCELERATED AFTER TAKING A RIGHT TURN INTO PARKING SPACE AND THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND. CAR WENT OVER A BANK AND FINALLY STOPPED.
Other or unspecified, Aug 31, 2017
I HAD JUST ENTERED THE HIGHWAY AND LESS THAN A HALF A MILE FROM ENTERING THE HIGHWAY MY SUNROOF EXPLODED. THERE WERE NO CARS NEAR ME AND NO DEBRIS NEAR MY CAR. I CONTACTED MERCEDES BENZ AND THEY SEEM VERY UNCONCERNED. WHEN THIS OCCURRED GLASS WENT EVERYWHERE, ALL OVER ME AND BOTH THE FRONT AND BACK SETS. I WAS DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 60 MILES AND HOUR. AFTER GAINING CONTROL OF THE CAR I GOT OUT AND CALLED THE POLICE AND MY INSURANCE COMPANY. THIS WAS A TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE.
Other or unspecified, Aug 23, 2017
DRIVERS SIDE DOOR HANDLE BECAME DISENGAGED FROM CABLE. I COULD NOT OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE INSIDE OF THE CAR. THIS INCIDENT DID NOT IMMEDIATELY AFFECT MY SAFETY, BUT I AM REPORTING THIS ISSUE BECAUSE I FORESEE A PROBLEM WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS FLIMSY DOOR OPENING SYSTEM. MY CAR IS BARELY 4 YEARS OLD AND IF I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND COULD NOT OPEN MY DOOR IMMEDIATELY, IT COULD SPELL TROUBLE. ANY NUMBER OF SCENARIOS COULD AFFECT A DRIVER WHO CANNOT OPEN THE DOOR WITHOUT BREAKING A WINDOW OR ROLLING DOWN THE WINDOW TO OPEN THE DOOR WITH THE OUTSIDE HANDLE. I HAVE FOUND MANY BLOG POSTS OF PEOPLE WHO HAD THIS IDENTICAL PROBLEM WITH THEIR C250 SEDAN. .
Structure, Other or unspecified, Feb 15, 2017, fire
ON 1/29/17 WE AWOKE TO THE SMELL OF SMOKE COMING FROM OUR GARAGE. UPON OPENING THE INSIDE DOOR TO OUR GARAGE, WE DISCOVERED THE ENTIRE GARAGE WAS ON FIRE. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATIONS RESULTED IN AN UNKNOWN CAUSE. HOWEVER THE FIRE WAS CENTERED AROUND THE LEFT REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND THE LEFT REAR DOOR WAS FOUND OPEN/AJAR? THE CAR HAD BEEN PARKED IN THE GARAGE FOR OVER 24 HOURS PRIOR AND AS RECENTLY AS 9PM THE NIGHT BEFORE ALL WAS WELL WHEN I VISITED THE GARAGE?
Other or unspecified, Jan 3, 2017
WHEN THE CAR REACHES A CERTAIN SPEED THE DOORS LOCK AUTOMATICALLY BY DESIGN. WITH THE CHILD LOCKS FOR THE REAR DOORS TURNED OFF REAR PASSENGERS CANNOT OPEN THE REAR DOORS WITH THE DOOR HANDLE. THEY MUST FIRST BE UNLOCKED ELECTRONICALLY BY THE DRIVER OR BY PULLING THE LOCKING BUTTON UP AT THE DOOR. THE LATER REQUIRES AN EXTRA PROCEDURE TO GET OUT OF THE REAR SEAT IN AN EMERGENCY AND IS TOO DIFFICULT TO OPERATE BY A YOUNG OR OLDER PERSON. THIS ADVERSELY AFFECTS THE SAFETY OF REAR PASSENGERS. (THE 2017 MODEL C ALLOW THE REAR DOOR TO UNLOCK AFTER A SECOND PULLING OF THE DOOR HANDLE, A MORE OBVIOUS OR INTUITIVE AND LESS DIFFICULT WAY OF EGRESS. THIS IS NOT NOTICED PARTLY BECAUSE THE BACK SEATS ARE LESS FREQUENTLY OCCUPIED MY THE SINGLE OCCUPANT DRIVER. NOTICED FROM JAN 2013 TO PRESENT.
Steering, Other or unspecified, Oct 31, 2016
THE WELDS OF THE EXHAUST PIPES TO THE MUFFLER BROKE CAUSING THE MUFFLER TO SLIP OF THE PIPES. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF ALL SCHEDULE MAINTENANCE PERFORM AND DRIVEN ONLY UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS.
Other or unspecified, May 27, 2015
I WAS DRIVING TO COLORADO FROM TEXAS GOING NORTH ON HIGHWAY 285 ABOUT 15 MILES OUT OF CLINES CORNERS WHEN MY MOON ROOF JUST EXPLODED. GLASS WENT EVERYWHERE AND I QUICKLY SWERVED OFF THE ROAD. THERE WERE NO CARS AROUND THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF THROWING UP DEBRIS OF ANY KIND. I HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY DONE RESEARCH TO FIND THAT IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR ROCKS OR DEBRIS TO BREAK A MOON ROOF. THIS SEEMS TO BE A SEMI-COMMON PROBLEM HOWEVER I AM STRUGGLING AT THE MOMENT TO GET MERCEDES TO COVER THE REPAIRS.
Other or unspecified, Jan 6, 2015
AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, I HEARD AND EXPLOSION FOLLOWED BY A RAIN SOUND, MY SUNROOF HAD EXPLODED AND THE GLASS CAN BACK DOWN. NOTHING HIT THE SUN ROOF, THE GLASS WAS POINTING OUT, IT ACTUALLY EXPLODED. AFTER RESEARCH I FOUND THIS IS COMMON IN MERCEDES AND I HAD NO IDEA THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS WAS EVEN POSSIBLE. I HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR ONLY 3 MONTHS.