FaultScore

Mercedes Benz C300 airbag problems

738 of the 2,855 complaints filed about the Mercedes Benz C300 are about the airbag system — 26% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2011.

738

Complaints

26%

Share of all complaints

39

Crashes

0

Fires

Airbags complaints by model year

2010 C300 202 27.4%

Median failure at 75,000 miles

2011 C300 250 33.9%

Median failure at 60,000 miles

2012 C300 115 15.6%

Median failure at 51,440 miles

2013 C300 100 13.6%

Median failure at 79,015 miles

2014 C300 53 7.2%

Median failure at 27,000 miles

2015 C300 12 1.6%

Median failure at 21,000 miles

2016 C300 6 0.8%

Median failure at 40,000 miles

What owners said

2010 Mercedes Benz C300 Lynnfield, MA

AIR BAGS

After having the airbag recall for my Mercedes done, the Electronic Steering Lock failed and my car would not start and the steering wheel is locked. They said my car was ready to pick up and when I arrived the car was completely inoperable. The MB Dealership in Lynnfield, MA wants $2700 to fix it. If you google Mercedes W204 ESLfailure you will see thousand of owners on facebook, message boards and forums that have this part fail, leaving people stranded in sometime dangerous situations. There should be a recall to permanently fix this issue as owners are getting stranded. Its really an issue of "when" the ESL will fail on older models and not "if". The kicker is, the dealership said only they can fix the problem as it is an anti-theft issue. This seems very wrong, owners shouldn't be forced to pay Mercedes to fix their defective, cheap electric motors in the ESL that fail on almost every model that its in. These defective motors are what causes the steering lock failure in almost every instance. MB acts like its normal to be driving properly one day and then next your steering is completely locked and your car will not start because a $15 electronic motor in the ESL failed. Furthermore, these are All wheel drive or rear wheel drive, in addition to the locked steering wheel which makes towing very, very difficult and unsafe. Thank you

NHTSA complaint #11736912 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2010 Mercedes Benz C300 at 97,000 miles Rockville, MD

AIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2010 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that the battery and alternator were being drained. The check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the front air bag sensor message and a fog light message were displayed. The vehicle was towed to an unknown local dealer; however, the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The contact then reached out to Mercedes-Benz of Tysons Corner Service and Parts, located at 8545 Leesburg Pike, Vienna, VA 22182, and was informed about a diagnostic test to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA complaint #11717513 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2013 Mercedes Benz C300 East Providence, RI

AIR BAGS

I had just gotten off the highway it was a rainy day and pulled into my driveway when airbag deployed on its own. I am lucky to be alive. I purchased this vehicle about 2 yrs or so ago and ran carfax that showed recall was fixed by manufacturer. I contacted Mercedes corporate office and it’s been almost two weeks with me calling and emailing w no call backs or any resolution. I don’t have a car and could have been seriously injured. Please help.

NHTSA complaint #11696593 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2010 Mercedes Benz C300 Roslindale, MA

AIR BAGS

Got a car from the dealer soon weeks after the rear subframe was so corroded alignment was able to get done and was snapped on both sides airbag light came on doesn’t go away and the rear right brake like started using the fog light as a turn signal

NHTSA complaint #11686269 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2010 Mercedes Benz C300 Roslindale, MA

AIR BAGS

Due to the corrosion in the rear subframe both side of lower control arms snapped the tires to the car are wearing out due to the corrosion in rear subframe and it’s was also hitting my gas tank if I was to go over any holes which can cause a bigger issue

NHTSA complaint #11686271 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2010 Mercedes Benz C300 Baltimore, MD

AIR BAGS

While i have a few recalls i plan on needing service from Mercedes for, I just found out that Mercedes has a Class action lawsuit involving my C class mercedes C300 from 2010-2022 years. I was driving and ran into a pothole. My car rear started making noise and sounds. I went to the auto shop amd was told my rear subframe was damaged and would cost over 2,000. I and putting in a complaint to make sure Mercedes honor this recall/ extended warranty for my vehicle.

NHTSA complaint #11678959 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2012 Mercedes Benz C300 Bethesda, MD

AIR BAGS

I was driving normally last week when the driver's head restraint system (known by Mercedes as Neck Pro) unexpectedly and without warning blew at my head. The noise was very loud, and the headrest slammed against my head. Luckily, I was driving approximately 20-25 miles per hour, daytime, on a residential street without too many other vehicles. I was able to pull over to investigate what happened and ensure I wasn't injured and did not collide with any objects in the road. If this had happened on the highway at highway speeds with a less attentive driver, I could see this potentially resulting in a major collision. The road was fat, no bumps, weather was clear. There is no reason why this happened. From what I can tell, the system looks like it failed (plastic clips broke off) and the system did not intentionally deploy. It has not been repaired and is available for inspection. I have not taken it to the dealership for review. The vehicle is in perfect condition with no warnings. It very recently passed Maryland state inspection.

NHTSA complaint #11673323 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2010 Mercedes Benz C300 Seattle, WA

AIR BAGS

Passenger side front airbag reports as inoperable.

NHTSA complaint #11653692 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2013 Mercedes Benz C300 at 90,000 miles Riverside, RI

AIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that the fuel tank was leaking after refueling. The fuel had leaked out to half tank. The Fire Department was called, but no assistance was provided. The contact stated that there was a puddle of fuel in the driveway. Additionally, the passenger’s air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the sensor in the module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. Additionally, the dealer confirmed that the leak was coming from the filler tube entering the fuel tank. The dealer recommended replacing the fuel tank. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that there were no recalls on the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

NHTSA complaint #11643606 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 Mercedes Benz C300 Antioch, TN

AIR BAGS

1.What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The fuel system failure is a highly critical safety concern, and my life is at risk. It causes malfunctions with the vehicle, for example, the OBD-based emissions test has flagged a lot of (codes P219A, P0300, P0304, P0410, P0305, P0303, P0171, P0301) 5 of the cylinder misfire codes with the check engine light on, as well affecting other parts in the vehicle function properly, acceleration issues, car stalling as though it’s going to shut off. This is a serious matter and Mercedes-Benz is failing to prioritize customer safety, over cost especially when known faults in the vehicle can lead to potentially life-threatening incidents such as fuel leaks and fire hazards. Yes, the vehicle is available for further inspection upon request immediately each day my life is at risk. 2.How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? My safety and other's safety are put at risk every time I get out on the road to drive my car it's putting me and other' live in serious danger (especially with the extreme increase in car accidents in the local Nashville, TN area). Despite the vehicle now being 3,000 miles over the 150,000-mile extended warranty threshold. I recently purchased the car on [XXX] and was not made aware of Mercedes Benz having any extended warranty coverage for the faulty fuel system that Mercedes-Benz had placed on this model. I can only assume the previous owner the car was reposed from was also unaware of this as well. I believe Mercedes-Benz should still cover the cost of this repair. The fuel system failure is a critical safety concern, and Mercedes-Benz should prioritize customer safety, especially knowing there were faults of poor quality that they discovered with their vehicles and can lead to potentially life-threatening incidents such as fuel leaks and fire hazards. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11621516 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2014 Mercedes Benz C300 Medway, MA

AIR BAGS

I purchased my vehicle from the Mercedes Benz Dealership and received a recall letter in the mail stating that driver side deployment may occur. After receiving notice I brought the car to the dealership to get the recall repaired. I've been driving around with a false sense of security believing that this issue was repaired. However, recently, while I was driving the driver side airbag unexpectedly and abruptly deployed and injured me. This is a major safety concern and car owners should be notified and made aware that the issue can still occur after the recall was repaired. I contacted Mercedes Benz and they did not issue any additional notices to inform customers of possible recall issue reoccurring due to manufacturer defects even after the repair was made. Additionally, I believe the driver side Takata airbag/inflators may have also been defective because of the injuries I incurred from the forceful explosive eruption of the airbag. MBUSA Campaign Number 2017120024 NHTSA Recall Number 17V627 Recall Start Date January 18, 2018 Recall Reported Date October 16, 2017 Component(s) 1709P46C62 Daimler AG (DAG), the manufacturer of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, has determined that certain MY12-17 C-Class, E-Class, E-Class Coupe vehicles (204, 207, 212 platform) have insufficient electrical grounding in the steering column components. In rare instances, if the steering column module is exposed to an electrostatic discharge, and if the steering column module clock spring is broken (due to wear), this could lead to an inadvertent deployment of the driver airbag. An inadvertent driver airbag deployment may cause a risk of injury to the driver and might increase the risk of a potential crash. A broken clock spring will illuminate the SRS warning light as well as display a warning message in the instrument cluster. An authorized Mercedes-Benz Dealer will install a sufficient ground to the steering column, and a protective ring to the steering column module.

NHTSA complaint #11609790 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2014 Mercedes Benz C300 Medway, MA

AIR BAGS

While I was driving my car the driver side airbag abruptly deployed. The airbag inadvertently deployed; the car did not crash into anything to cause the airbag to deploy. When the airbag erupted it caused injury to my head, face, hand, arm and wrist. I believe the airbag is defective because I have lacerations on my face possibly due to sharp objects ejecting from the airbag and the impact as well as excessive smoke and fumes emitted after the fact. I believe there might be a manufacturing defect in the airbag because it seemed as if it exploded with excessive force causing harm to myself as well as inadvertent eruption. There have been some recalls issued on the motor vehicle and I did take the vehicle to the Mercedes car dealership to get all of the recalls repaired, however this incident occurred after the repairs were made at the dealership.

NHTSA complaint #11598400 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2015 Mercedes Benz C300 Appleton, WI

AIR BAGS

My car is a 2015 Mercedes Benz, I bought it at the agency in 2022. When I tested the vehicle at the agency, I noticed the steering was a little hard. I asked the sales person and he told me it was normal. Then, after 1 year and 5 months, it was on its way. I went to work and the steering wheel jammed and it wouldn't cross and the car turned off then it didn't want to start and it said the following on the dashboard power stering see operator manual

NHTSA complaint #11583449 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 Mercedes Benz C300 Charleston, SC Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS

I was in a collision and the airbags did not deploy. There was a recall on airbags for the Mercedes C300 within the year my vehicle was made, however, the recall did not include my VIN. Also, the sunroof drain is faulty, which was also recalled on other Mercedes C300s within the same production year, again not my VIN, but upon inspection by a certified dealership, it appears to be the same issue as other recalled vehicles.

NHTSA complaint #11582626 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2013 Mercedes Benz C300 at 23,032 miles Pooler, GA Crash

AIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while pulling into a parking space and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle accelerated unintendedly. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that she depressed the brake pedal but the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that while the vehicle was approaching a building ahead, she veered to the right and hit the front bumper of an occupied vehicle. The vehicle then drove over the sidewalk. The contact stated that while approaching the end of the sidewalk, she veered to the right and the vehicle stopped after approximately 200 feet. The air bags did not deploy. There was no injury sustained. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an auto collision repair shop. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 23,032.

NHTSA complaint #11578340 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 Mercedes Benz C300 Pittsburgh, PA

AIR BAGS

The sam box (electrical system fuze panel) located under the hood is in a spot where if the lid isn't on correctly water will drain from the windshield right into the sam box and cause the vehicles electrical system to deploy the steering wheel airbag. That's at least what happened to me. It was raining out that day and I guess I went over a bump that caused the lid of the sam to get out of place. I drove home and the car seat for a few hours. I went out upon unlocking the door as soon as I pulled the handle to open the driver side door the steering wheel airbag blew and the vehicle is now in srs mode. The dealership had told me that it's a design flaw but wants me to pay for the diagnostic. No lights were on and I did not file a police report.

NHTSA complaint #11573072 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 Mercedes Benz C300 Westerly, RI Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS

The airbags were supposed to have been fixed per recall by carriage house Mercedes in new London ct. my son was in a horrible front in collision and they did not deploy. None of them did. Accident happened 3 days ago insurance will pick up car today. I’d like this noted incase they need evidence

NHTSA complaint #11561237 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2013 Mercedes Benz C300 at 127,328 miles Coral Springs, FL

AIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light and the check engine warning light intermittently illuminated and then turned off independently. Additionally, the “Service Air Bags” message was displayed. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall and that the front passenger’s side air bag was previously replaced. The failure mileage was 127,328.

NHTSA complaint #11546944 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2015 Mercedes Benz C300 at 50,000 miles Middleburg, FL

AIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the front driver’s side air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the mechanic stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V081000 (Air Bags) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 50,000.

NHTSA complaint #11527272 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 Mercedes Benz C300 Egg Harbor Twp, NJ

AIR BAGS

Hi, I dropped off my car with Mercedes-Benz Dealership in Egg Harbor Twp, NJ back on Dec 21, 2022 and still waiting on recall to be fixed and while I'm without ever since that. Please look into this recall.

NHTSA complaint #11507821 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other Mercedes Benz C300 problems