general problems of the 2009 Mercedes Benz C300 - part 1

The problem is that the steering wheel locking mechanism has failed. The vehicle could not be started or driven. It required a flatbed tow to an authorized mercedes repair facility. It was diagnosed as the steering mechanism, requiring replacement. The cost for this repair is $1400. 00. I researched this problem on the mb website and it stated that this issue was common. I feel that this is a safety issue and should be repaired free of charge or at a significant discount. The car is currently being repaired, and I can forward any relevant documentation to you once the repair is complete.

I drove my car to get lunch. Came back out to go back to work and the car would not start. Would not even turn over. My radio did not turn on and I couldn't even roll my windows back up. Luckily they were only cracked open a small amount. My steering wheel cannot be turned, it's locked in it's current position. I am told the esl (electronic steering lock) and possibly the eis is the cause of this problem. The display on the dash says "take your key from ignition" and that is all I get. Had to have my car towed and now I have a dead car with the windows partially open that I cannot close.

The entire rear subframe of any w205 body model including but not limited to the c class from 2009-2014, cl class, sl, class etc. Suffers admittedly from mb USA, premature rust, deterioration etc. There is an active recall for these same models in canada and all of europe but not the USA. My garage kept 2009 C300 has suffered extensive rear end damage from a factory defect that mercedes refuses to recognize in the continental u. S. But will admit the same issues occurred in the eu and canada. Keeler mercedes, USA, of colonie new york, stated they completed my subframe repair under the mb rear subframe extended warranty. The vehicle was driven home and inspected only to find out keeler mercedes of NY did not replace this crucial safety component under mb-USA extended warranty issued for this defect. This is pure negligence. When asked why the subframe wasn’t replaced as the work order stated it did, they stated “a mix up in paper work” I believe mercedes-benz USA and keeler mercedes of new york conspired together to push this massive safety defect aside and lie about completing the work in fear of the payment from warranty not being worth the labor hours required by the technicians. This oversight could have been a multi million dollar lawsuit if any injury was sustained after said repairs were done in belief the vehicle was safe to drive. Keeler mercedes’ has also had this vehicle in their possession from June 14th 2024, to todays date, July 5th 2024 with no word on when repairs to subframe will be completed. Subframe replacement stated on mb website states it is an 8 hour labor job. We’re on day 18 now. Major safety issue and shady dealing by dealership.

Steering wheel locked due to esl module's motor failure making the car won't turn on, not drivable. Stuck, stranded.

Suspension cross-member - mercedes-benz (204-350-01-41) driving regularly suddenly fill like the rear passenger side tire moved unevenly, then went to the tire shop, and when they take out the tire see how the rear frame was rusted and broken in a straight line exactly in the middle of the tire hole area. Then start to check used cars to donate that part and all of them have the same trouble in that piece, so I decided to review the frame and discover that the rust begins to damage the opposite side too, so I'm pretty sure is a component failure in metal and materials more than simple rust.

2009 C300 at 120k miles car won’t start. Dashboard indicates “remove key from ignition” key was not in ignition, had car towed to the dealership, they said car needs a new steering lock and ignition switch due to malfunction. Total cost $1923. Thankfully car was not in motion when this happened. Please do a recall on steering lock and ignition switch for the safety of everyone!!!!.

Steering lock malfunction and unable to start car. Vehicle has completely shut down.

Electrical ignition switch and electronic steering lock the component malfunctioned with no symptoms. I got stranded for 5 hours past midnight car has been inspected by a shop and mb dealer no warning lights and no symptoms.

Rear subframe assembly rusting, creating safety issue. Discovered 04-22=2021.

My vehicle continuously gives me warning/alert messages of headlight/signal/parking lamp issues. Upon inspection and taken to certified, reliable mercedes repair shops, lights are fully functioning, yet alerts continue on my display/dash. More importantly the electronic steering lock (esl) has failed on more than once costing very considrable amounts of repair bills, and it has happened without warning, I parked the car which has been perfectly maintained and with low mileage, and the steering wheel locks, making it almost impossible to even have it towed to be repaired.

The car was stationary. Ignition switch locks the car does not start and the lights on the dashboard does not come on, it has been doing this for several years until it has gotten worse, it wont start at all had to get it towed to mercedes.

I bought my car a little over a year ago, with 95k miles, after driving it for a few months I noticed that there was a noise at the rear part, and a loss of balance during the acceleration. After diagnosing it with a local mechanic, he told me that the subframe needs to be changed as it is completely rusted, and driving my car in this condition can put me in danger.

Car was parked by side walk next to my house. Inserted the key in the ignition and turned it. The car did not start, and the steering wheel was locked. No lights flashed on the dashboard. Car had to be towed on truck bed since it's rear-wheel drive. Dealer told me it's the ignition switch lock cylinder. Cost $1500 to fix. This is a manufacturer's defect. Not fair.

My car every so often won't start battery is good starter is good just does nothing happened over 10x had it towed to 5 mechanics shops and mercedes can't diagnose problem because after a a day maybe two sometimes 4 or 5 the car will just start up on its own and then a few weeks or months we go through it all over again researched and other mercedes C300 drivers have the same problem for months and its the steering lock module.

Turned ignition key to start vehicle. Nothing happened. No cranking or clicking. Complete silence. Steering wheel and transmission shifter were both locked into position and could not be moved even though ignition was in the �on� position. Apparently this is a common problem associated with a defect in the �electrical ignition system/electronic steering lock (eis/esl)� and is the subject of a technical service bulletin from the manufacturer. This condition occurred on one previous occasion within the last 45 days. On both occasions vehicle was stationary however if it were occur while moving the steering wheel would lock and driver would be unable to avoid a collision. This is a well documented and widely known safety defect for which the manufacturer should bear the cost of correcting (at the current time vehicle owners are charged between $1200-$1700 to perform the defect correction outlined in the manufacturer's technical service bulletin).

Problem with the ignition switch. The whole car shut down after being inspected. It said to be a interlock switch problem I'll have to have the car towed because it will not turn on it is shut down .

Steering wheel stuck in locked position. Car will not start. Lots of research on the issue has shown many people have this problem. This issues happens when the car is stationary. Many times at night when I am getting off work.

Safety issue regarding failure of rear subframe. I am the original owner of a 2009 C300 4matic sport. This vehicle has been garage kept its entire life and is not in a high salt or snow environment. My wife was extremely lucky to have avoided an accident in this car due to the rear subframe rusting through and separating. We bought this car brand new and paid a premium for mercedes quality because we thought it was the safest vehicle made. I am extremely dismayed to learn that when my wife came home and said the car was driving weird, that in fact she was driving a car that was falling apart with my 7 yr old daughter in the back and could have resulted in a very serious accident. When she arrived at the alignment shop the manager there informed her the car was unsafe to drive and he had never seen anything like this type of failure of the frame before. My wife had the car towed to the mercedes dealership for repair because it was not safe to drive. This certainly should be a safety recall due to a manufacturing defect or use of poor materials and mercedes should cover the repairs.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? one day my car did not crank or start. Had it towed to dealer and they seemed to be familiar with everything they needed to order to fix it without blinking. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? as much as not being able to drive your car has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? yes, see attached invoice has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? no were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? no.

The car stopped on me while I was driving pn the highway, because of faulty esl unit. I did some research and it us very common issue with all mercerdes w204.

Pulled into parking space and locked car. 'the car was in a stationary position in a parking lot. ' did shopping 1/2 hour. When I came back the car did unlock, but when I attempted to start it, the key wouldn't turn to start the car. I was unable to move the gear shift, unable to turn the steering wheel, no radio, the car was totally locked and shut down. I contacted my mercedes certified mechanic and he had a tow company come to retrieve my car. When the tow got there, the wheels were turned to the left as I had pulled into the parking space and they were still turned from pulling into the space to the left. It took them over an hour to load the car on their truck because the wheels were locked in a turn position. They took the car to my mechanic and he realized the car was in a steering lock. He "removed and replaced -all. " the invoice states replaced "steering lock" 2049005912-80 I will have a copy of the invoice faxed to you by ups. I don't know how to fax. There was virtually no reason for the car to lock as it did. There was no indication of an issue while driving the car until I attempted to start it and it was completely locked. Had this happened while I was driving, I am certain it would have been a disaster.

Electronic steering lock(esl) unit fails to unlock steering wheel from a parked, off position, car will not try to start and steering wheel is locked. Car must be towed for repair. Had to replace the esl and have it recoded to work with the electronic ignition switch.

The contact owns a 2009 mercedes-benz C300. When starting the vehicle, the steering wheel locked in place on numerous occasions. There were no warning indicators illuminated prior to the failures. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 69,808.

Car was off and parked in the giant (limerick, PA) parking lot. I put the key in the ignition, turned it, and nothing happened. Dash read "remove key. " I had the vehicle towed to dealer. Steering lock mechanism went bad. Fuse 22 blew every time we put the key in the ignition. Had to replace part.

The electronic steering lock in my 2009 Mercedes Benz C300 is not unlocking when I put the key in the ignition. The car will not start. This has happened 3 times in the past 2 months. After the first two incidents, the wheel did eventually unlock. I took it to my repairman who advised I get a new key from mb as that might solve the problem. Got a new key last week for $330. Today - 10 days later - the steering wheel again will not unlock. Looking on the internet, this is a very common and well-documented problem with mb vehicles over many years. Mb should issue a recall on this and fix the problem, and at no charge to the customer! at present, they are gouging customers anywhere from $1200-2200 to fix a problem that every mechanic and collision person in my neighbothood knows to exist. The only people who don't seem to know about the problem are the people at the mb dealerships, who obviously want the repair business. I also understand that this wheel lock problem has occured while people are driving. My car was stationary every time this problem has happened, parked in a garage with no incline at all. I urge you to order Mercedes Benz to recall this part and to repair this problem ASAP.

Takata recall, brake power steering malfunction abs,esp,ets,srs. Esb,ebr flashes on and off on message center. Then vehicle started to drive very rough and bumpy, then I had no control of the steering wheel and it totally locked thank god iwas able to try and roll it to the side of the road and the car just totally went black and died, no headlights and I have to have it towed, waiting to get the diagnosis from the dealer. But I have done some research on line and have seen hundreds of the same complaints from all over the USA and even oversees that it has to do with the eis. This saddens me to see all the same complaints and I thought that we were protected as consumers by the government, and the NHTSA against major auto manufacturer such as mbusa to call out these deadly defects before it consumed innocence peoples lives. But it is obvious that our lives means nothing to these people, because with all these identical complaints this is a defect that should be address and mbusa should have the decency to take responsibility and admit that this is a manufacturer defect and do a recall. This is just too much complaints on this problem and no one seem to be taking this matter serious, and we as the consumers are being stuck with these major repair bills running in the thousand. What is the purpose in making these reports when no one seems to care. How many complaints do you have to receive on the same issue for the NHTSA and the fair trade act to stand up for us, in October of 2016 this same vehicle self accelerate and crash in to two other vehicles causing a major accident and when reported to mbusa they claim they did there investigation and nothing was wrong with my vehicle, they place the blame on me . Daimler ag would not believe what there prestigious company as become.

Car was driving very well suddenly flashes on message center power steering malfunction srs,abs,ets,esb,ebr esp in operative and it keeps flashing when car is in motion, then disappear when ignition is off, I have notice several complaints on your website with this same issues with this same year, model and other mercedes,a week a go I also receive a message to check brake pad wear before this message came up. I replace brake pads and rotos, and I am also being told it could also be my brake light switch or speed sensors, all was replace still as message. There is so many complaints with these messages that this should be considered a recall and the customers are being stuck with the repairs. It is obvious that it is a defect with these vehicles it is just too many. And no onw seems to be standing behind the consumers. Mbusa is a major company and they are getting away with murder. Do you have to have major fatality before they do something about this problem. Does saving money means more than peoples lives it is just too many complaints on the same problems that common sense cant tell them it is a defect and the nhts should step up for us and demand a recall. How many complaints do you have to have in order for mbusa make this a recall.

Dear Mercedes Benz USA, first and foremost I would like to say I am a proud driver of a 2009 Mercedes Benz C300, I am emailing you regarding some concerns with Mercedes Benz vehicles and recalls. I have a recall on airbags for my mercedes I've been patiently waiting (im sure like many others) to receive a letter to get my airbags installed into my vehicle. . A vehicle that currently do not have any airbags in it I am concerned with my safety at this point and would like to know if you can offer me an updated on the duration. Also, there is a common issue occurring with all class mercedes that I feel should also have a recall I have read numerous of online posts regarding this same exact issue and that issue is the faulty steering lock/els/eis fault that does not allow Mercedes Benz holders to sometimes not be able to lock and unlocked their vehicles using mercedes Smart key fob and also not being able to start up vehicles it's literally a no response lose/lose situation causing the vehicle owner to get their vehicles towed to dealerships that charges $1000-$3000 to repair which is a bit pricey for a common issue with mercedes vehicles I think I speak for majority of mercedes owners on this matter. I ask for a recall or price reduction on this common issue. Sincerely, brittany p williams.

Parked car, went into store, came back out, started car, ebr, abs and esp inoperative message came on along with power steering malfunction.

This vehicle had a failure upon start that eliminated a number of safety features. When I started the car, I received three errors that the following were disabled: electrical brake (abs, emergency brake, traction control), cruise control, and power steering. Loss of these made the car unsafe to drive.

The contact owns a 2009 Mercedes Benz C300. The contact stated that while attempting to start the engine, the key failed to turn from the off to on position and the steering wheel seized. When the failure occurred, all the warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 133,000.

Driver and passenger airbags have been recalled and can cause injury or death in a frontal collision. There has not been any communication as to when a fix will occur and have been told by service advisor that there should not be a problem with the airbags if in collision in California until a fix. Also many other complaints of being stranded due to ignition switch fail that locks steering wheel and is a $1,300 fix.

I have had the exact same issues like other Mercedes Benz owners. My car suddenly not starting and the steering wheel did not unlock. I called aaa, they sent out a battery truck. The guy tried to jump it and it did nothing. Then they towed it to the mb dealer. They called me this morning after they tested it and said the electric steering lock needs to be replaced. The dealer charged me $1212. I am really frustrated.

This car is purchased used in March of 2016 has not given me any problems starting until November 26. The car would not start or even "click" at all this day. Has to be towed to mechanic. The mechanic was unable to fix the issue and it had to be towed to the mercedes dealership. They found that the electronic steering lock needs to be fixed and possibly the electronic ignition system. These are very expensive to fix. These are also known issues with this specific model. Many other mercedes-benz's owners have had to fix the same issue and mercedes has yet to do a recall or anything to resolve the known problem. I now have a car that cannot be used. It is undriveable. It will not start.

The car will not start, from stationary. It was parked there 10 minutes ago. Towed to the dealership and was told it has a bad esl (electronic steering lock). The repair bill over $1300. 00. The issue has been widely reported and seems to be a manufacturing defect. Mercedes benz should cover this cost.