FaultScore

Cadillac DTS vs Mercedes Benz C300

Both cars' complete complaint records, side by side.

Read the totals carefully. NHTSA publishes no sales figures, so the car that sold more collects more complaints regardless of quality. The rows worth weighing are the proportions — the share of complaints that involved harm, and which part dominates.

Measure Cadillac DTS Mercedes Benz C300
Complaints on file 729 1,788
Model years covered 2004–2011 2008–2009
Worst model year 2006
Best model year 2009
Crashes reported 56 47
Fires reported 30 53
Injuries reported 51 41
Deaths reported 0 0
Most complained-about part Electrical System Airbags
Share of complaints involving harm 18.8% 7.9%

Cadillac DTS by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Electrical System 180 24.7%
Lights 110 15.1%
Engine & Cooling 97 13.3%
Steering 59 8.1%
Brakes 34 4.7%
Airbags 33 4.5%
Seats 28 3.8%

Mercedes Benz C300 by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Airbags 459 25.7%
Electrical System 428 23.9%
Steering 273 15.3%
Lights 228 12.8%
Suspension 49 2.7%
Brakes 38 2.1%