Steering Problems of Mercedes Benz C300 - part 2

Electric power steering lost power and failed while driving on drive way. The steering became very difficult to turn and the car became very hard to control if not impossible. If it had failed while on the road with other cars, especially while turning, the car could be in a crash with serious accident that could have injured me and others. The problem was reproduced by the dealer. The dealer examined the car and steering components and has confirmed that the electric power steering rack failed. There was a recall done (17v243000) some time ago, however, my VIN is not included in the recall. The problem that my car is having is exactly the same as is described in this recall, 17v243000. It seems that more cars are having this same issue.

See all problems of the 2016 Mercedes Benz C300 🔎.

While driving on the freeway car pool lane with my wife, a sudden vibration in the front tires was observed, the car felt like it was pushed to the right then to the left even though it was in the center of the lane. Told my wife, "something is wrong with the car!" thinking that I may have had a flat tire, I slowed down, the car went into a violent flat spin until the right rear end of the car hit the center lane divider. Airbags deployed. 911 was called, we were assisted by highway patrol to the other side of the freeway. As the car was put on a flatbed tow truck, the tow truck driver commented that one of the front wheel was not turning. We found out that the right rack and pinion broke. The car was declared a total loss.

See all problems of the 2017 Mercedes Benz C300 🔎.

On Tuesday, the steering wheel failed to operate while making a left turn. While making a left turn the steering wheel locked and the brakes did not function to stop the vehicle. The vehicle continued to steer to the left and I almost hit another vehicle head on. What stopped my vehicle was the emergency brake system activated by almost hitting the other vehicle head on. They luckily saw me head on and tried to quickly move out the way. This happened two times the second time Thursday, there was a school bus to the left of me my car. I was not making a left turn but on a road that the curve went left and the steering wheel locked in that position. My wheel was locked and failed to stop for about 45 seconds with no car in front to trigger the emergency brakes. Immediately to my left was a school bus. The school bus was not expecting my vehicle to cut them off in this manor, the bus had to make a hard stop to not crash into me. I feel my life and the life of the individuals in the other vehicle and school bus were all put at risk. I towed my car to the dealer and was advised that they did not see any recalls for my vehicle. They also advised me that based on the inspection and the incident details that they would need to replace the steering rack and pinion. My vehicle was operating as it normally did and did not have any system warning prior.

See all problems of the 2019 Mercedes Benz C300 🔎.

Car worked fine, all the sudden it wouldn't turn over, I would put the key in and turn it and nothing would happen, I was stuck and had to catch a ride, lucky that I was able, a car company that is supposedly reliable shouldn't allow there cars to completely give out on people during the middle of winter storms and not take ownership, when the customer has taken good care of the car. Talked to several mechanics and turned out it was the electronic steering lock (esl) module that had malfunctioned probably due to the software and electrical. Due to this only the benz dealerships can repair, I had to tow it to a dealership and was charged around $2000 after haggling over the price. Terrible experience and should be recalled by mb, I have seen many complaints about this online and was very disappointed there wasn't a cheaper solution. Was both a safety issue, inconvenient and very costly.

See all problems of the 2008 Mercedes Benz C300 🔎.

The contact owns a 2015 mercedes-benz C300. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal grinding sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the steering wheel had seized. The contact had the vehicle towed to a certified mechanic and was informed of NHTSA campaign number: 18v850000 (steering) and the contact was referred to the dealer. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000.

See all problems of the 2015 Mercedes Benz C300 🔎.

- what component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? NHTSA recall 23v445, fuel pump delivery module how was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? vehicle at risk to lose drive power, increasing the chance of crashing while operating. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? no. Mercedes dealership states they will not repair recalls on the weekends only m-f. I work at the hospital m-f 0800-1700. The dealership will not make any accommodations in assisting me with my schedule to get car fixed. They refuse to let me make apt on sat/sundays and they will not have car towed to and from mercedes dealership to my work. They have suggested for me to leave work around 1400 to drop car off and pick up a loaner for repairs m-f. This is not feasible.

See all problems of the 2022 Mercedes Benz C300 🔎.

The contact owns a 2019 mercedes-benz C300. The contact stated while driving normally one day, the vehicle randomly lost power steering. There were messages for the brake assist and the rear sensors displayed. The contact stated that he turned off and restarted the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the steering rack failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 18v850000 (steering). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not cover the repair because the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 52,000.

I purchased the vehicle in 2015, and a few months ago I started having issues with the steering wheel, as well as an error message with the airbag. More recently, I am experiencing issues with my ignition switch, and after doing some research I’m seeing that many people who drive the mage and model of my vehicle are experiencing issues with their ignition switch suddenly going out. I’ve been quoted 2k to repair the issues, but I feel the mercedes should be responsible for taking care of what seems to be a faughty ignition switch with this particular model. There was no warning, no indication that there was a problem, one day my car just wouldn’t start. I need to report this to make sure buyers are aware with issues with the C300 model for all vehicles that are a 2013 and under.

See all problems of the 2013 Mercedes Benz C300 🔎.

The contact owns a 2019 mercedes-benz C300. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 mph and making a left turn, the steering made an abnormal sound. The contact pulled into the nearest parking lot, where the steering wheel locked. Messages regarding the brake assist and the rear sensors were displayed. The contact stated that he turned off and restarted the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the steering rack was fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 18v850000 (steering). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not cover the repair because the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 43,000.

The contact owns a 2015 mercedes-benz C300. The contact stated while driving 65 mph, the power steering assist warning light illuminated, and the steering wheel became firm. The contact was able to pull over safely on the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the dealer stated that steering column was experiencing an electric failure, and that the rack and pinon needed to be replaced, and the steering module needed to be reprogramed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the manufacturer stated that the VIN was not under any recall. No further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 100,000.

Car slow down and stop and cannot start in traffic….

See all problems of the 2011 Mercedes Benz C300 🔎.

The small plastic located inside the sliding panoramic sunroof explode and the panasonic sunroof can be open/close or up/down normally but when I hit close it will stop where the broken pieces was and the roof will automatically move back to the fully open position dealer said need the rail replaced -2057800175 -2057800275 motor is broken, need to be replaced , he said after saying the roof can go forward and backward, up and down but can’t close completely. I was gullible to believe what the technician and sale guy said. Technically technician can check the voltage and say it for sure if it is broken. Also, a technician already knew that the sliding rail is damaged. He jumped to the conclusion that motor is broken because of sunburn. I have asked my nephew what he would do in this situation. He innocently said he would replace new sliding rails first and try to run if the “alleged motor “ is really broken. If it is broken, he can just switch to a new motor before testing to confirm it working. He wouldn’t decide to buy a new motor that cost $1,400 extra while the old one might be working properly. Anyway, labor with rails and “motor” cost $3500. Then later I learn I’m not alone. How many affected from this defective parts that mercedes doesn’t sell it separately. Owner must buy 2 set of rails- a left set and a right set. Cost $1100 total. So since the number of affected are pretty high, a few factory in china and turkey decides to produce these little and sell it online for $15-92, glue and lubricants included. -number of owners struggling to find parts https://mbworld. Org/forums/c-class-w205/734208-pano-roof-failure-2. Html parts that mercedes cannot sell it separately so owners have to buy 2 sets left set and right set rails. “try words like repair sunroof kit for mercedes “ on ebay only a few couple thousand people buying it in 2022 alone. . Read more...

Electronic steering locks are failing in these cars at an alarming rate. When it fails, the car will be stranded or if driving the car will completely lock the steering and take away control from the driver. This is a safety issue that mercedes should be recalling and fixing because it will take people's lives away. Mercedes is aware of this issue but is failing to recall it and considering it as non-safety. When manufacturing the electronic steering lock, mercedes used cheap parts that are prone to failure. This issue affected many years and models of their cars but only recalled a few cars. Once failure occurs, the car will not start and it will be required to tow it to a dealership where repairs over $2000 will be needed to fix this safety issue.

Bought a 2013 mercedes-benz C300 4matic on 1/16/23 with only 80k miles. Alignment was off so took it to local mercedes dealer today on 1/24/23. They advice that the subframe was rusted and not safe to drive, they are keeping it overnight to take a closer look and evaluate. Looked into it and found this is a common issue, experienced by many all over the world. Uk has rust protection so they can get it replaced for no extra cost. Why do we have to pay out of pocket? also did buy the carfax and showed clean with no issue found before purchasing the vehicle.

I was driving on highway i95, all the sudden, the vehicle shows, power steering malfunctioning see owner's manual. I've lost the power steering in the middle of the highway. The steering was so hard and not safe. The next day, I've started the car and the issue isn't there anymore! now the car is driving fine!!! please, this need to be fixed, cause it may happen again, and that happens on a sharp curve, it may lead to a crash!.

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.

Discovered a severely "rotted/rusted" rear subframe and one of the passenger side suspension/control arm of the rear passenger side wheel is completely "detached/disconnected" from the rear subframe. During a hard brake, the car will "swing/drift" to the right and is very dangerous and prone to accident/catastrophe. Also, many other 2008-2014 C300 owners already have reported/complaints over the internet. This defect needs to be recalled by the manufacturer.

Car would just shut down intermittently, sometimes sudden death. No crank no start. Been stranded at night alone with my child in the car and at times, unsafe areas. Electronic ignition switch is faulty and mb has had my car for 1 month to date. Quoted me a repair cost of $2,787. Said the eis is on back order with no eta, and they currently have 5 others with exact problem, ignition switch. So many people have reported this problem for years with the C300. I'm a single mom, it's been a nightmare.

See all problems of the 2014 Mercedes Benz C300 🔎.

Rear sub frame and suspension welds have cracks and are broken a loose which when having to put on brakes suddenly cause car to servely pull and twist which can cause a bad accident or worse.

Rear sub frame assembly failure. It is available for inspection upon request. Vehicle rear end begins to wobble at speeds above 40 mph. The issue causes steering to become more complicated and the vehicle veers sharply while braking. This issue makes all c class vehicles with this sub frame assembly extremely unsafe, especially at highway speeds. Vehicle has been inspected by the authorized Mercedes Benz dealership in indianapolis, in. Service advisor stated it's "amazing" that there hasn't been a recall issued yet. Based on this body style there have been roughly 320,000 of these c-class vehicles sold. If the NHTSA truly cares about safety, they will launch an investigation into this matter. There are no warning lamps or messages that appear prior to this failure.

See all problems of the 2012 Mercedes Benz C300 🔎.

When I started my car, the dash did not reveal park, drive, or reverse. It illuminated with a warning light indicating an electronic stability problem (esp). Research revealed this to be an important safety feature and that the mercedes-warning-lights-electric-stability-control may have problems with traction control requiring attention. The esp light was not flashing for the system to intervene – as the car was parked in my garage. It did not light up with the word ‘off’ to assess whether it may have been inadvertently deactivated. The light stayed on indicating a suddenly improperly working esp system. The light remained on after stopping and restarting the engine several times as the dealer maintenance technician suggested concluding with my vehicle being towed to Mercedes Benz of augusta for service. I am not sure if the mb mechanic reproduced the issue as they discussed several other potential failure points before resolving to replace an item in the steering control module. Experiencing this alert, I became more concerned that a safety inspection may not have been part of the last maintenance service. This is my third mercedes and I make sure to keep up with all my maintenance. I had never seen this warning light before. Up until this time the only warning light I had seen in my car was for low air in my tires. My safety was not at immediate risk. I am glad my car was not able to be driven, as I would have hated for it to stop while I was out and about. I am a proud Mercedes Benz owner as they are world renown for the safest cars on the road. My car has just over 25,000 miles and it was unimaginable that it would have this kind of failure. I should not be held accountable to pay for a safety failure that I should be part of required maintenance checks. An additional periodic mercedes required safety inspection could prevent this potential breakdown while providing another measure to protect the life of Mercedes Benz owners.

Rear subframe of vehicle rusted under regular use conditions and the left trailing arm mount broke off as a result. This caused vehicle braking to become extremely unstable and dangerous, even at low/medium speed. This is a known problem from this manufacturer and the fed government should take action to force recall.

The contact owns a 2012 mercedes-benz C300. The contact stated that the vehicle was unable to start-up as needed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a faulty steering column sensor that needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 104,692.

Dealer states that the rear subframe has rusted and degraded to the point of requiring full replacement. The car is 10 years old with 98,000 miles on the odometer. This is premature degradation of an essential component.

After repair done on the confirmed recall airbag computer/module my vehicle became immobile, malfuctioned. The vehicle warning lamps alerted the airbag malfunctioned, srs malfunction. I seeked service for repair of this recall by experts. This safety issue is still ongoing and urgency is needed for this to be resolved.

Rear subframe completely rusted through resulting in multiple attached systems to break off. When applying the brakes the rear end of the vehicle swings and can force the car into random directions. Upon any basic research this issue can be seen in similar mercedes models across the globe consistently. If the issue was not diagnosed sooner the likelihood of a fatal crash would have been extremely high due to critical components like braking and suspension systems being nonfunctional. Many vehicles that experience this design flaw are well maintained and kept in good conditions. I urge the NHTSA to release some kind of warning to owners of these vehicles because this issue can blindside even the most vigilant owners. Many posts regarding this issue describe nearly avoiding severe accidents. Please do not let this go unheard because it can be fatal if not addressed.

See all problems of the 2010 Mercedes Benz C300 🔎.

The rear subframe on the car is completely rusted. I get an oil change and a inspection of the car done at the dealer each year. Nobody mentioned to me that the rear subframe is rusted and is about to crack and fall apart. Was driving home from work when I suddenly had to stop and the whole car shifted to the right almost causing me to crash. Drove home and noticed a noise every time I hit the brakes. The next day took it to a mechanic and he showed me that the subframe cracked and fell apart. I know this is a big issue in europe and the dealers change it free of charge since it is on a recall, but nothing in the USA after several complaints from drivers. Do something about this!.

08/15/2022 (date statement was wrote not date of incident) while driving into work at 50 miles an hour, traffic started to slow. While applying brake heard loud pop and vehicle rear end lounged right making steering difficult, I immediately released the brake and control came back I then gently applied the brake again to slow vehicle and felt slight clump from rear. This was very disconcerting my vehicle never had performed in that manner which made me feel very uncomfortable continuing driving, I had mechanic look at vehicle and was told the rear subframe had rusted and the rear left control arm broke away from frame??? my vehicle is very well maintain and just a little over 11 years old. Feeling belittled I began investing mercedes’ forums and found this has been an issue with some of not all models and nothing has been done to correct this defect. I contacted mercedes’ benz and the service department knew exactly what it was and stated the is no recall on these failing subframe due to rust. This is a very serious safety issue due to the fact of loosing control of the vehicle when this component fails possibly causing serious injury or even death. To put insult to injury mercedes has no plan to replace it and it’s left to the consumer to replace this non maintenance item. Looking into forums about this issue these subframes have failed at almost every odometer mileages, particularly the w204 chassis 2008-2014. A safety recall should be advised to the consumers whom own such vehicles!! safety first!!!!!!!!! respectfully, [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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

See all problems of the 2009 Mercedes Benz C300 🔎.

The contact owns a 2015 mercedes-benz C300. The contact stated while driving 60 mph, the power steering malfunction message appeared on the instrument panel. As the contact attempted to exit the highway, excessive force was needed to steer the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 15v845000 (steering). The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

The contact owns a 2013 mercedes-benz C300. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to immediately respond while turning the steering wheel. After stopping the vehicle and attempting to reverse, it was discovered that the front wheels would no longer turn while turning the steering wheel in either direction. The vehicle was later towed to the residence. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA campaign number: 17v252000 (steering). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 95,000.

I needed new tires and the tire dealer reported that my subframe is rotted bilaterally. He suggested I do not invest in tires until it is replaced and to notify mercedes as there may be a recall. This defect caused instability of the frame that secures the tires. The safety risk should go without saying. Any rotted structure that supports the car and/or secures the tires is an obvious safety risk. After reading the multiple complaints posted under “structure” for this make and model, it appears that yes, this problem has been reproduced and confirmed by other owners and mechanics. I am presently picking up my car from the tire dealer and driving it directly to the mercedes dealership…so they will be aware and able to inspect it. There were no warnings or alerts that my subframe rotted. I do not believe this is something that could be measured with a sensor to trigger an alert electronically.

The rear subframe is rusted and broken, alignment is out, and steering wheel is off centered. Given the history of this model car, it has been under recall in multiple countries outside the united states. This is a common and very dangerous issue that needs to be addressed in the united states because if you call any auto shop or mercedes they all say it is a common problem with 2008-2014 c-class models. When you look up this issue with this car it has multiple threads saying that the rear subframe has rusted and broke when it is not supposed to.

Pulled into parking space on side of street and turned off vehicle to pick up restaurant food. Returned to vehicle within 5 minutes, turned the key, and vehicle was dead. 93 year old mother was in car which was now stuck in parking space. We had to open the doors, due to vehicle windows not functioning, to try to prevent inside of car from overheating due to outside temperature. Called aaa, who arrived after about 45 minutes, tried to jump start car, indicated appeared battery was fine. Had to re-contact aaa to get car towed. Waited another 45 minutes for tow truck to arrive. Again checked battery and ignition, battery fine, car was locked in park and steering wheel was locked,. Towing technician had to lift up center console to reach underneath to switch to neutral. Technician had great difficulty getting car onto flatbed of tow truck because it kept slipping back into park. Adding to the difficulty was the location of the car in the parking space on the side of a busy street. Car was towed from newport, ri to tiverton, ri to viti mercedes dealer, who confirmed the problem. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure. The final bill to repair this issue was $2,214. 15. Upon review of other incidents that occurred with this make, model and year, there have been a myriad of accounts of this same issue going back many years. Based on the numerous incidents of this type and the potential safety devastation this could have caused, the $2,214. 15 paid for repair in addition to $55 for towing should be reimbursed. This is a major safety issue that could be detrimental to the driver, occupants, towing company and other people around the disabled vehicle.

Failed component: power steering. Mercedes benz of princeton did the replacement, but we're not sure if they kept the part. Safety issue: on June 14, 2022, the vehicle’s power steering failed in the middle of a drive (see attachment for the error message). This was a major risk since the car was stuck in the middle of the road, with the steering wheel requiring tremendous force to turn. Luckily, we were a few 100 feet away from home, so we just left it. Next morning the car turns on fine and there are no issues with the steering. One week later, on June 19, 2022, the issue resurfaced. This time we were driving 35mph in a public street with traffic behind us. We were barely able to pull the car over to the side of the road. We took the car to Mercedes Benz of princeton where they diagnosed the issue and quoted $4551 to replace the entire steering rack. We also contacted mb USA to understand why our vehicle wasn't recalled as part of NHTSA recall id #15v-845. After dragging their feet for a full month (where no updates were provided), they denied the claim. On July 22, 2022, we ended up paying the full cost of repair and lost the use of the vehicle for a full month.