2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Steering Problems

June 2, 2025 To Mercedes Customer Service: Safety Issue. This weekend I experienced the most frightening encounter that I ever had in a car. As I was driving on a 4-lane bypass highway at 55MPH my car suddenly and erratically turned to the right almost sending me into the cement bridge guards (I was driving over a river bridge). As I tried to correct the car, it then veered sharply left sending me into the passing lane where other traffic needed to avoid hitting me. Then after the car was stabilized “ESP inoperable” light came on. I had nowhere to pull off on this particular highway and had to continue to drive until I got to an exit. Took to my dealership. Apparently cause is “broken subframe” Not knowing what that meant, I looked it up, only to find a longstanding problem in Mercedes vehicles. I feel fortunate to have avoided a serious accident/injuries. But I have to say I am disappointed in the Mercedes response to this issue and the recall which only focuses on particular years and models impacted by the issue. Subframes, meant to last the lifetime of the car, have been a recurring issue with Mercedes. Apparently the class action law suit covered cars 2010 to 2022 and so even though what happened to me (sudden severe and erratic swerving) is identical to that described in the class action findings and recalls, and my car is still within the 20 year timeframe for free repairs up until 2027, I do not qualify simply because my car is 2007. (~$3500 bill coming my way) I see no logical explanation as to why all cars experiencing a subframe corrosion and breakage would not be covered by the same recall regardless of the year of the car. How is that logical? (Car is still in repair shop. no invoice available yet.)

I first noticed an issue with the alignment. The vehicle would always pull to the left. After 3 different alignment procedures, it remind the same. I started noticing a clunking sound when I would brake. While driving I hit a moderate pothole and the car lurched side to side, causing me to lose control. It was fortunate that I was on a surface street, and that I was only traveling about 35 mph. I almost struck the vehicle next to me, but my quick reflex prevented it. I limped the car, going 15-20 mph with hazards on, to my mechanic. He called me the next day informing me that I had a complete rear subframe failure. I researched and found that Mercedes, had extended the warranty on all models of the same year but my model was not included. Numerous mercedes of the same year and model are having the same issue. This is an EXTREMELY and dangerous issue that Mercedes need to address. Others my not be so fortunate as I was to have been on a surface road under speed. I would not have been able to control the vehicle had I been traveling at highway speed.

I was pulling out of my driveway when all of a sudden, the car came to a screeching halt and would not move. I was stuck diagonally in the middle of the road. When I called AAA for a tow they said it looked like the passenger front ball joint failed. Upon inspection, it was found that the ball joint failed and the tie rod, lower control arm, and strut all broke as a result. The axel was also ripped out when the control arm failed. All of these things needed to be replaced. I can only image what would have happened if I had been traveling on a main road or highway at a higher rate of speed. But to have a catastrophic failure like this happen was completely unexpected, especially after having brand new tires and an alignment completed only one week earlier. Ultimately, I am unsure if this was due to an error on the tire shop's part with the alignment they did or a Mercedes general quality issue. Either way, my vehicle is inoperable and I'm faced with a $1,700 bill for what should potentially be a recall. To know that another one could fail at any time at any speed with no warning is deeply unsettling and I will be getting rid of the car as soon as possible, likely never buying a Mercedes again.

CAME TO MY CAR ONE DAY AFTER IT SAT FOR MAYBE AN HR AT MY MECHANICS HOUSE THE DOORS UNLOCKED WITH REMOTE, WENT TO SRART CAR AND IT DID NOT A MAKE UNLOCK VIBRATING SOUND AFTER THAT REALIZED IT WAS NOT WORKING, SPENT 400 DOLLARS EACH ON TWO DIFFERENT KEYS BOTH OF THOSE DID NOT WORK, TECHS HAD ISSUE OROGRAMMING KEY

TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP FOR RECALL SERVICE ON DRIVER AIRBAG MODULE, AFTER DRIVING AWAY ONCE JOB WAS FINISHED NOTICED I WAS UNABLE TO TURN STEERING WHEEL AND THE STEERING WANTED TO LOCK WHILE DRIVING.SRS LIGHT REMAINED ON. SMOKE CAME OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND CAR WAS NOT OVERHEARING, I CALLED DEALERSHIP AND SERVICE ADVISOR WAS GONE AND WAS NOT OFFERED ANY ADDITIONAL HELP. I DROVE CAR SLOWLY TO MY HOME AND PARKED IT ON THE STREET BECAUSE I WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE TO THE DRIVEWAY. I OPENED HOOD AND SMOKE WAS COMING FROM POWER STEERING RESERVOIR AND ALSO LEAKING FLUID.I DID NOT HAVE ANY ISSUES DRIVING MY VEHICLE PRIOR TO THIS RECALL SERVICE. I WAS PUT ENDANGER ALONG WITH MY 2 KIDS AND NOW HAVING TO FIX OTHER COSTLY REPAIRS AND HAVE NO ADDITIONAL VEHICLE TO DRIVE. FLIE SIZE OF PICTURE EXCEEDS UPLOAD LIMITS.

I WAS ENTERING TO MY CAR AND ADJUST THE STEERING WHEEL, BUT IT DID NOT LOCK THE WHEEL NOW IS UP AND DOWN AND SO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE ANY MOVEMENT AND THE WHEEL GOES UP OR DOWN DEPEND HOW I TURN DOWN LEFT OR RIGHT AND THEY SAID THAT IS NOT A COMPANY RECALL ON THAT SITUATION, BUT IS A SAFETY MARA SHOULD BE COVER IS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND SO EXPENSIVE TO FIXED. *TR

THE BRAKES FAILED WHILE DRIVING MY 2007MERCEDESBENZ.5TH TIME. I LEASED A MBENZ 2007 C230W FROM BILL USSERY MERCEDES JANUARY 2007.2 WEEKS FROM PURCHASE BROUGHT THE CAR INTO SERVICE TOLD THEM THE CAR WOULD SHAKE VIGOROUSLY WHEN PRESSING ON BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN FROM 40MPH OR MORE. TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG. 2MONTHS LATER BROUGHT CAR BACK AND CAR WAS SHAKING WHEN BRAKING. CONFIRMED THE SHAKING AND BRAKE ROTORS BRAKE PADS,BRAKE DISCS WERE REPLACED,FRONT SUSPENSION LOOSE/TIGHTENED. THIS HAS OCCURRED NOW ON 5 SEPARATE OCCASSIONS. ONGOING SINCE FEBRUARY OF 2007. I FELT UNSAFE IN THE CAR. CALLED MBUSA ON 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS BEGINNING IN OCTOBER TIL NOW. CLAIM WAS FILED AND I NEVER HEARD BACK. ON MAY OF 2008,MY BRAKES DID NOT WORK WHILE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE. I WENT TO SLOW DOWN TO EXIT,NO BRAKES!CAR SHOOK WORSE THAN EVER!HAD THE CAR TOWED INTO MERCEDES. I WILL NOT DRIVE THAT CAR AGAIN!THEY REFUSE TO REPLACE THE CAR. ONCE AGAIN STATED THEY FIXED MY CAR,TO PICK IT UP OR STORAGE FEES WOULD BE CHARGED AND CAR IMPOUNDED. I REFUSE TO DRIVE A CAR THAT CAN INJURE OR KILL ME OR MY SON OR SOMEONE ELSE. THE SERVICE RECORDS ON THIS CAR CLEARLY STATE ALL OF THE ABOVE. MERCEDES BENZ REFUSES TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY BLAMING ME AS THE CAUSE FOR THE ROTORS, BRAKE PADS AND DISCS TO BE REPLACED 5 TIMES IN LESS THAN ONE YEAR. THEY WON'T TEST DRIVE THE CAR ON THE INTERSTATE TO SIMULATE WHAT HAPPENED TO ME, BUT THEY WANT ME TO COME GET THE CAR AND DRIVE IT?I AM STILL WITHOUT A CAR AND I PAID FOR THIS LEASE IN FULL 2YRS. I WILL NEVER DRIVE IT AGAIN. NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO DRIVE IT PERIOD!I HAVE NEVER HAD PROBLEMS WITH MERCEDES BENZ AND I LOVE THEIR CARS, BUT THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR IS DEFECTIVE. PLEASE HELP ME. THANKS. *TR