2010 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Complaint Log

The contact owns a 2010 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that the vehicle had failed to start after several attempts; however, the infotainment system was turned on. The contact stated that the engine failed to start. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact related the failure to an unknown steering coupling interlock mechanism recall. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the residence. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 98,000.

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

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

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.

Passenger side front airbag reports as inoperable.

The contact owns a 2010 Mercedes-Benz C300W. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for an alignment. The contact was later informed that the wheel alignment was not fully completed due to extensive corrosion on the subframe. The contact picked up the vehicle and upon investigation discovered that there was a warranty on the vehicle for the corrosion of the subframe. An appointment was scheduled, and the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it remained for two weeks. The contact was later informed that the condition of the vehicle did not reach the warranty standards for repair. The vehicle remained in the possession of the dealer unrepaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that dealers were independently owned and made their own decisions on warranty repairs. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.

Rear subframe rust out and rear passenger brake line corrosion. The entire subframe has to be taken apart in order to reach the brake line. The vehicle is due to get the rear subframe replaced as part of the warranty extension. The brake lines are not covered. Took it into Mercedes Benz Dealership in Santa Fe, NM. They will not even touch it because they don't even know how repair it.Also they never done this type of work.

The right rear brake line had rusted out and caused complete brake failure while driving. If this occured at highway speeds it could have resulted in serious injuries. A search has shown this is widespread with the C300 and other mercedes vehicles and although mercedes has acknowledged this in other vehicles it has not done so for the C300. This is a potential for serious bodily injury and should be addressed.

The vehicle had a previous warranty repair for the taillight burning out repaired but the issue has happened per the recall but the dealer states that since they fixed it then they wont fix it again even tho its what the complaint for the recall was originally

For the 2010 Mercedes Benz C300, the failure of the steering lock control unit resulted in the vehicle being unable to start its engine. Vehicle was disabled, and I was left stranded. Car had to be towed to my house and separately had to be towed to the Mercedes Benz car dealership service center. The technician at the Mercedes Benz car dealership service center recommended replacement of the steering lock. Yes, this car is available for inspection upon request. This same problem was reproduced in another Mercedes-Benz C300 car that I own. This other vehicle is a 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300. The car was not inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representative. The car was inspected by the Mercedes Benz dealer service center. No warnings or messages prior to the complete failure. This issue first appeared in August 2024. This steering lock failure is a critical issue as I had the same problem with another Mercedes Benz C300 that I own. Both steering lock failures for both cars resulted in the car being unable to start occurred around the same time period and were separately diagnosed and fixed at different Mercedes Benz dealer service centers.

The contact owns a 2010 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the steering wheel locked. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was scanned, and diagnostic trouble codes indicating the TRP and Power Steering failure were retrieved. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and required to be towed. An unknown local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle remained parked in the storage. The contact related the failure to an unidentified recall; however, the VIN was not included.  The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

I had to pull over in the emergency lane to take a very important phone call! Turned off the car and removed key! Upon trying to crank car back up the EIS (electronic ignition switch) failed and the car wouldn’t start back up! This is absolutely dangerous considering the car has less than 100,000 miles on it! This is a known problem with Mercedes and should be recalled! This is going to kill someone if this continues to go unresolved! Mercedes charges 1,000s of dollars to repair something that is happening with w204 generation year of the car!

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.

My brake line is corroded and needs replacing at a cost of $3500.00. I have an extended warranty on the rear subframe due to a recall; however, Mercedes will not cover this costly repair. I was informed by service advisor that I could still drive car with extra caution, as there are no leaks.

The contact owns a 2010 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to make a left turn, the brake pedal was depressed, and the vehicle drifted farther to the left than intended. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who observed abnormal deterioration of the sub frame. The vehicle was later taken to the dealer, but the vehicle was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact investigated and related the failure to Manufacturer Communication NHTSA ID Number: 10233780 (Structure, Equipment). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 75,000.

Dealer notes, fuel tank, and hold down straps are rusted and rotted

The interior driver door handle failed during normal use. The cable attachment eyelet broke off, preventing the interior door handle from opening the door. This is a safety issue because it prevents occupants from exiting the vehicle quickly during an emergency situation. When this failure occurs, occupants must roll down the window and operate the exterior door handle, or crawl to another seat and exit using different door. The failed interior door handle is available. This failure appears to be a common problem that occurs on all doors.

1. Driver seat back broke in a rear collision. Documented in EMS report and Kentucky State Police official investigation photos. 2. Driver head rest failed, completedly came off during rear collision. Front passenger side did not fail. Documented in Kentucky State Police official investigation photos. 3. Driver side seat belt failed, completedly came off during rear collision.Documented in Kentucky State Police official investigation report and photos. Driver sustained massive and severe injuries. Prior issues: both front door and left rear door handle interior plastic broke and had to be repair. Major safety issue

Both the front seats tear at back bottom

Rusted rear sub frame that needs to be replaced. Premature rusting that Mercedes needs to repair at no cost. Also, premature battery drain on new battery. Needs to be fixed by Mercedes at no cost.

Rear Sub-Frame Failure almost caused a head on collision at slow speed. Hit brakes and my car fishtailed completely sideways.. - Many many complaints similar to mine on same issue, all on Mercedes C300. Some have reported to this website in hopes for recall and correction by Mercedes. It is extremely dangerous, and expensive to fix. You also do not know there's an issue until too late. Subframe rusting almost from inside out. My control arm fell right out and was hitting the gas tank! I'm thankful to be alive, This needs to be resolved. There are pictures on this forum that look exactly like mine. How sad. https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w204/661024-2009-c350-crack-rear-subframe-2.html Thank you for your time. I'm sure you will have many more complaints like this one as chat group considering filing class action if Mercedes does not recall and correct issue. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

During service B maintenance, a technician found rear subframe rusted through. Reportedly, there has been a large number of Mercedes C300’s with this very same problem, and Mercedes has a widely acknowledged the issue with rotted sub-frames. It’s a serious safety issue which led to recalls in other countries.

The Rear Subframe of the car rotted out, making the car dangerous to drive. This problem has been identified by Mercedes and IS considered a safety hazard in Canada and Europe. This problem should also be covered here in the USA. Unfortunately Mercedes Benz USA will not offer any help here, instead trying to charge customers more than $7,000.00 for the repair. A frame should last the lifetime of a car, especially when the rest of the car has no to little rust on it. The Subframe is available for inspection, broken suspension puts everyone in and around the car at risk while it is on the road. This issue was inspected and confirmed by a local Mercedes dealer and a local mechanic. There were absolutely no warnings of the issue before it happened.

Rear sub frame is corroded as shown to me by the Mercedes mechanic in a video he sent me.The car is available for inspection. I am nervous to drive now after hearing about the related problems others are having such as braking issues and swaying when the brakes are applied. The way I found out about the rear sub frame corrosion was when I needed work done at the dealer. This problem should not be happening to all of these vehicles. In other countries, Germany and Canada, to name a couple, Mercedes dealers are fixing this through a recall. Why not the US? The date below is when the mechanic told me about the problem and that it would cost $8000. to $10,000 to repair

The contact owns a 2010 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that their wife was driving approximately 60 mph when there was a strange noise coming from the vehicle as well as a shaking sensation. The driver pulled over to the side of the road where the vehicle was towed to their place of work. The vehicle was inspected by the tow truck mechanic who stated that the rear-sub frame had severe rust and was the cause of the failure. The contact had not been taken to the dealer. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.

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.

I need to have my rear brake lines replaced they are blown out but they need to remove the subframe in order to complete the job. They discovered that the subframe is completely rotted and has a hole in it and they believe if they remove it the subframe will break and need to be replaced. They indicated this was a big safety issue and is a known issue on the Mercedes. I was lucky I did not kill myself driving this vehicle. It did come up with warning lamps for the brakes and I contacted the dealership and had it towed there, that's when they discovered the rotted subframe.

car not able to be driven rear subframe had completely rusted out and rear light housing is burn

Power Seat Button Failed.

Cracks have formed in the plastic cover over the fuel pump in the fuel tank under the back seat. Gas is seeping out when the tank is full.

The dealer noticed that the rear suspension subframe had rusted and corroded with a hole. They rejected the passage of the state safety check. A review of online forums shows this is a common problem in these years and Canadian and German counterparts of MBUSA have issued recalls because a third party supplier provided the parts without sufficient corrosion protection. See eg. https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w204/805501-rotted-rear-subframe.html

The rear subframe rusted out. This seems to be common for this vehicle. Mercedes should replace for free. It’s recalled in other countries.

Rear subframe corrosion hast rusted through and the subframe is no longer attached to the lower control arm car has only 56k miles this has been recalled in Canada and the issue needs to be addressed in the us it is a safety issue

Corrosion of sub frame. Vehicle is available for inspection upon request. June 7, 2022 Viti service advisor reports rust hole in sub frame. Putting the safety of myself and family members at risk. Due to corrosion deteriorating the structural integrity of the sub frame. Sub frame could break causing catastrophic accident. Loss of control, rollover, fire, puncture fuel tank, etc. This appears to be a well known defect and is recalled in Canada. Vehicle was purchased and serviced at Viti from 2010 to present. Garaged. Vehicle has not been inspected by police, insurance presentative or others. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure.

The rear suspension cross member has rusted out on both sides. The rear wheels turn during braking, causing the vehicle to swerve. This is a original materials defect or design flaw.

I brought my car into the dealer to have my annual state required inspection, and was told by the dealer that the rear subframe had severe rot and corrosion, to an extent that they would not allow the car to pass inspection as it was hazardous to drive, and if the subframe cracked, for instance, by driving over a bump or pothole, I would endanger myself, passengers, and other cars on the road. I was stunned to find out that my Mercedes, a premium automobile, by a marquee manufacturer, which has a reputation for engineering/manufacturing excellence and had such significant corrosion. I was equally stunned because I have consistently maintained my car and done all the recommended maintenance. I asked the dealer service manager to hoist the car on a lift so I could inspect and verify the corrosion on the subframe. While I saw the significant corrosion on the subframe, all other parts of the underside of the car were in excellent shape and drive-able condition. This leads me to believe that there is a design/manufacturing flaw in the subframe. I researched this issue online and discovered that this exact Mercedes subframe has been recalled in other countries, but not in the U.S. It is a known and dangerous defect, Mercedes clearly knows it's a dangerous defect, and yet they have not recalled it. This has put me, my family, passengers and potentially other drivers at risk of serious harm and injury had the subframe broke while being driven. Additionally, it unfairly shifts the burden of repair onto the consumer rather than Mercedes for fixing a known and dangerous defect. Does a tragedy need to occur before this defective part is recalled? I hope not.

My husband drove my car home from work on April 18th 2022 and it was a bad rain storm that everyone. He had to drive through a couple of big rain storms. Soon afterwards he got around the corner from the house and the electric system failed lights started going off everywhere in the car, he lost steering and couldn’t see and almost crashed and got the car home safely but it wouldn’t shut off so he had to disconnect the battery for the car to shut off. On April 22 nd the car was towed to the dealership because it wasn’t driveable and they check out the car and discovered water under the carpeting of the drivers seat near the wiring of the car. I submitted an insurance claim and an adjuster went out to see the damage and his thought is that it’s due to a known problem for this car that’s been reported by many people with this same vehicle. The Mercedes Benz c300- 2010-2014 years. I checked online and apparently many people have reported this same issue water underneath the car due to bad firewall manufacturered not sealed correctly which could be a manufacturers/ safety issue. My husband was almost killed thank goodness he made it home safe that night. I believe there are many people that have had this issue and someone needs to be done for safety purposes, and I believe the insurance doesn’t want to cover the repairs because they are blaming Mercedes’ Benz. My cars been in the shop a month and I still have no answer from State Farm or the shop Mercedes Benz.

The rear sub-frame of my car has almost rusted in half. While driving on 95 I had to brake rather quickly and it felt as if the whole car was twisting. I called my mechanic the next day, drove in and put it on the lift only to find out that the sub-frame was almost detached from the car. Had this happened at 70 MPH it could have been disastrous. Mercedes knows about the design flaw but refuses to take any action.

Fuel smell when gas tank is full. Engine code P0456

rear sub frame rotted out and I nearly had an accident from this poor design and lack of notice from Mercedes. This should be a recall!

Gas smell inside the car. Fuel leak when gas tank us full.

Driver side subframe broke in half due to rust. However, vehicle has low mileage and was very well maintained and is in mint condition throughout with no signs of rust anywhere underneath on any parts. This subframe rusted through from the inside and with no way of being able to see or catch any warning signs for owners.

During maintenance of vehicle, completely bare wires were discovered. While researching replacement options, I became aware that this is a known issue ignored by the manufacturer and that no cost effective solution exists. This is a car my son has recently purchased on his own and I am assisting in the maintenance of this "German Engineering Turd" You would have thought they learned a lesson on arrogance from the past.

Rear subframe failure due to corrosion. Car has approximately 130k miles. Based on internet reasearch, this is a common issue with the c300 w204 Mercedes’ car. It’s a serious safety issue and warrants a recall before someone is killed. Failures have happened for this car at various miles on the odometer, without warning.

The rear subframe rusted so bad that one of the control arms detached from frame i think this is a risky and i seen lots of those complaints in YouTube I think there should be a recall from mercedes benz of usa .

After parking my car , turned ignition off, did some work for 45 minutes I came back attempting to start the car. The car won’t start, I am not hearing any of the normal sound that usually takes place when I place the key in ignition. Message on dashboard telling me to remove the key. Car will not start. After checking battery and calling mechanic they tell me the my steering wheel lock is bad. The ESL went bad out of nowhere. Car won’t start, steering wheel is locked and the only way to fix it is to take it Mercedes’ dealer and pay over $2000. I search on google and found out that this is a common issue with my 2010 C300. This is a manufacturing defect and Mercedes should recall it and pay for repair. In my case I parked my car in my garage, imagine if I was traveling on highway way and the steering wheel locks or failed on the side of busy interstate hwy. the worst part is that Mercedes dealer did nothing t warn me when I bought the car about this issue especially since it is know since 2008, and they will not allow after market parts to be installed by other mechanics. So this is defective and Mercedes should be forced to recall and replace for free. We should not wait for someone to die before this is fixed. This happened without any warning PLEASE FORCE MERCEDES TO RECALL AND FIX THE ESL NOW.

The contact owns a 2010 Mercedes Benz C300. The contact stated that the wiring in the left tail light had melted. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V177000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) which he linked to the failure. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and both informed him that the recall had been serviced prior to the contact owning the vehicle. The vehicle had been repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

The contact owns a 2010 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic where it was diagnosed with needing the back-circuit board to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

The rear subframe of this vehicle is made of faulty materials and has completely rusted out leaving the suspension components which connect to it in danger of failing. The left rear wheel connecting trailing arm has already detached from the subframe. There have been numerous complaints about the 2010-2013 Mercedes C300 W204 rear subframe, many of which share exactly the same failure as my own. It is a known problem with this generation of Mercedes.

Filled up gas and strong gas smell can be smelt throughout the car and Check engine light came on, took car to auto zone for report. Stated emissions code was listed. Was told to replace gas cap and code should clear. Replaced gas cap, still had code. Took car to shop and was told this model has this issue with this specific year and newer, and the problem could be one of 3 things. Replace gas cap, did that, replace fuel pump closing cover, did that, replace purge valve canister, did that. Check engine light still comes on and strong gas smell still exist after each fill up. Mechanic told me reach out because there was a recall on this same model a few years back...