2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Complaint Log

Rear brakes backing plates rotted prematurely despite garage kept and well maintained status. While driving, noticed loud scraping and grinding noises from the rear left wheel. Took to mechanic and he found severe rust, with deep corrosion and flaking "rotted". He said I was lucky because this was very close to causing the entire brake assembly to fail, which would lead to serious braking problems or "locked out wheel" and loss of control on a highway which would have put me and others at risk. Had similar rust issues with this car that were fixed in the recent past including rusted brake lines and rusted rear subframe. There is definitely something wrong with the manufacturing as the rear subframe had been recalled and got it fixed that way less than a year ago.

Car was Off and parked when brake line failed. Further inspection was able to identify that brake pipes was slowly corroded thought entire lower part of the brake system causing critical failure of brakes. Extreme safety issue due to the material of metal/coating and position of brake pipping. If operator was not observant, operator/driver would not have any braking and could cause harm.

The driver’s side door handle broke and I was unable to leave the car unless it was unlocked and rolled the window down to open it from the outside through the window. If there was a loss of power and you pulled on the latch and it broke you would be delayed in exiting. There are multiple videos on after market parts to repair the plastic pin that breaks. Tesla seems to be recalling their vehicles for a similar problem recently, why not Mercedes for a known problem????

The electronic steering wheel lock went out causing the car to not start. Upon checking the Internet to see if anyone else was having this problem I found that it was a problem many Mercedes Benz owners have had and it's an expensive one. It's not just with my particular model and it's not limited to older models of the brand either.

I drove vehicle to Publix with no problems. When i tried to start vehicle, key turns but car does not start. There is no cranking sound. I called a mechanic friend and after extensive diagnosis he determined it was the ESL Module which controls the steering. Fortunately i was not driving the vehicle when the ESL Module failed. There is a recall on Mercedes Benz c300 from 2012-2017 for the ESL Module problems but the 2011 is not included. It should be recalled since it is a safety hazard and it appears others have had similar problems according to comments on Google. I have a handicapped wife i take care of and having issues with the steering can cause accidents and injuries. There were no messages or symptoms of the problem prior to the failure. There needs to be a recall or further inspection done on the 2011 Mercedes Benz c300. Car will be towed to a Mercedes Benz dealership for Diagnostics.

The ESL is going out and is causing the car to not detect the key.

Rear subframe , so I went in for an alignment and was quickly notified and denied service due to my rear sub frame being broken. Car is reported to be unsafe by the tire company.no lights etc. My family and I could of seriously been hurt. I can retrieve a statement from dun tire in auburn and from mercedes. They are charging me 641.00 and I'm without a vehicle for 2wks

The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes Benz C300. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the rear lights became inoperable and failed to illuminate as needed. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that rear lighting wires were burned, causing an electrical failure within the rear light assemblies. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V177000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 100,000.

Subframe rusted resulting in failure of left rear suspension mount causing dangerous loss of control of car under braking.

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)

I just purchased a 2011 Mercedes C300. I was told that for the past 2-3 years the vehicle would constantly bald out the rear 2 tires and would need replaced every 3 months. As I was driving the vehicle I noticed that the rear tires would make weird noises as if it was hutting something. Upon further investigation the rear sub frame is rotted, which based on research appears to be a very common problem with these vehicles. The rear sub frame is rotted in which caused the lower control arms to completely rot off of the frame posing as a serious safety issue for me when driving with my children and a safety issues for others when I drive on the road. On top of that due to the lower control arms completely rotting off the frame it caused the control arms to hit the gas tank which could catch the car on fire. Mercedes has refused to issue this as a recall in due part to their negligence. Customers cannot afford to pay $5000 for a rotted subframe due to negligence from Mercedes. Please research how many vehicles have had rotted subframes for this vehicle. In Germany they will repair the rotted subframe free of charge. Mercedes needs to be held accountable for risking peoples lives.

The ESL or electronic steering lock is a very common issue with this year and model at around the 70k mile mark. You cannot start the car once this goes out and it’s over $2k to fix

The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed and almost went all the way to the floorboard, and the vehicle failed to stop as needed, requiring an increased effort to bring the vehicle to a complete stop. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

For the 2011 Mercedes Benz C300, the following is a general description of the issue: The component that failed is the "internally faulty" electronic steering column lock control unit which doesn't allow the car to start its ignition. The technician at the Mercedes Benz car dealership noted on the invoice "found the electronic steering lock is internally faulty." Technician provided two specific codes and recommended to replace the steering lock control unit. Yes, this car is available for inspection upon request. Car is not reliable. After running errands, car did not start. I was stranded and could not get back home. Car had to be towed to the Mercedes Benz dealer service center. Yes, problem was reproduced in another Mercedes-Benz C300 car that I own. This other vehicle is a 2010 Mercedes-Benz C300. The failure of the "internally faulty steering lock control unit resulting in a no crank/no start condition" was confirmed on the invoice from the Mercedes Benz dealer service center. The car was not inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representative. The car was inspected by the Mercedes Benz dealer service center. Prior to complete failure, car would occasionally not start. This issue first appeared on or around 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 occurred around the same time period and were separately diagnosed and fixed at different Mercedes Benz dealer service centers.

The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the messages to check the rear taillights and rear turn signals were displayed. The contact drove the vehicle to a local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the rear taillight bulbs and connectors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact informed the dealer that the vehicle had been previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V177000 (Exterior Lighting). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

Rear brake line rusted through land leaked all the break fluid rendering the vehicle unsafe to drive due to the complete failure of the breaking system. The location of the break line corrosion is above the rear differential and next to a retainer clip.

I was told by 2 different vehicle repair shops that the subframe is broken. I just dropped it off at the Mercedes service shop near me to look at.

While I was driving, my seat back suddenly started reclining backward. I could not make the seat stop or go forward with pushing the power seat button control. It kept reclining back, pushing into the back seat and would not stop until there was no power left. Had my child been in the seat behind me, instead of behind the passenger seat, her legs would have been crushed. I took it to a vehicle repair shop and they were able to manually put the seat back to an upright position. I have not let my child ride in the back seat after that incident yet. I just dropped the car off to the Mercedes service department near me.

Interior door handle becomes inoperative due to breaking of some internal element. This prevents leaving the vehicle. Of concern is that in case of emergency, the occupant cannot exit the vehicle. If power is affected, the windows cannot be lowered which is the only way to exit using the exterior door handle. This is a well known defect of this series of Mercedes Benz to which the manufacturer has not accepted responsibility.

The car is not starting. no dashboard no lights no window function no seat function no radio. nothing. Ignition lights are not turning on and the car is dead. Car batteries were newly replaced but understand this could be EIS and Steering lock issues which is common in Mercedes Benz models. Why is Manufacturer not compensating / correcting for common errors on his Models?

The brake lines have corroded in multiple places causing brake fluid to leak, potentially creating a safety risk had the problem not been immediately observed and corrected. An independent service center confirmed the problem and replaced all the brake lines and hoses. There were no warning lamps or signals. A puddle of brake fluid under the car was the first indication of a problem.

The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, he became aware that the brakes were not functioning properly. The contact had to pump the brake pedal to bring the vehicle to a complete stop. The cruise control, ABS, and traction control warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic; however, the vehicle was diagnosed with a failure with the electronic stabilizing program control unit. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 84,000.

my ESL (electronic steering lock. ) has went out when I did research this something that always happened please fix

Recently I was driving and heard a knocking/creaking noise in the left rear. When braking I felt as though I was going to lose control of the vehicle...vehicle appeared to fishtail and pull to the left. I first noticed it on [XXX] when I was driving on the highway in excess of 60 MPH. On [XXX] I brought it to my mechanic (Genesee Auto Repair, 40 Liberty Street, Salem, NH (603)898-1899) and my mechanic informed me that the left rear subframe had rotted out and told me that I should not be driving the car. There were no warning lamps or messages indicating there was a problem. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The right rear tail light housing harness melted due to an electrical issue. Wire tends to heat up too much. This caused my right rear tail light, right break light and right side turn signal not to function.

We had notifications on our dashboard that rear driver side (left) lights were out while driving car. We thought the light bulbs just had to be replaced. We brought to mechanic to just fix lights & they discovered the light ground wire burned out & caused light holder to be damaged as well where ground wire was. It caused rear driver side tail lights to fail. We had light bulb holder with wires all replaced on 2/23/24. This issue was a recall back in 2014 & seems to be a reoccurring issue with this part of the Mercedez 2011 C class.

Non operating. No tags . No plates.

Melted taillight socket board.

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.

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

the rear subframe on my car rotted out. Before they called a recall/extended warranty,I paid to have it fixed. Since it is a 2011, I was not about to pay $7,000-$9,000 to get a new one. I made the best decision with the information I had at the time. It broke in June of 2022. I had the car fixed with a used subframe from Atlantic Auto. Once I realized there was FINALLY a recall/Extended warranty, I submitted All necessary paperwork and have been denied. I wrote to Mercedes Benz Corporate office. They contacted the Warwick store. Went back and forth All summer and they have refused to reimburse me the &2,299. that I spent to fix the car. It says the decision is made on a case by case review. They have denied my claim. I have all the correspondence between myself and Mercedes Benz.

On 8/3/2023 we could smell a strong gasoline smell inside and outside our 2011 Mercedes C300. We towed the car to a Mercedes specialty repair shop for inspection. The found that the passenger side fuel pump cover (which is a large cylinder assembly actually) was leaking due to cracked plastic. Gas vapors could be detected outside the car, in the trunk, and in the car as the gas tank is right under the back seat. Our mechanic said he had just fixed another Mercedes with the exact same problem. Apparently this is a well known defect and I understand that Mercedes has an extended warranty for later models. We believe the extended warranty should be extended to our 2011 C300 which has only 55,000 miles.

The subframe has rusted/fallen off. This is incredibly risky as the car cannot be driven safely and it happened without warning. My mechanic said it is not due to any driving incidents but through rust occurring on Mercedes' subframes, which are flimsy. It has been inspected professionally by a mechanic. There are NO warning lamps. This could kill someone on the highway as while braking the car veered left and right. I had small children in the car we all neck pain from the car veering while stopping on the highway. I have taken good care of my vehicle and have all maintenance current. This is a fault with the material on the subframe. For MB: All the subframes are on backorder and are incredibly expensive to fix. I have a video of the damage from the mechanic if needed.

Over the weekend my vehicle driver side interior door handle became inoperable not allowing me to open my door from the inside. The handle flaps back & forth with no connect to the inside of door panel not making be able to get out of my vehicle. I was stuck & had to climb over to passenger side to get out. It only opens from outside . It has been functioning well for the life of me owning the vehicle, never giving me any problem until now, suddenly with no warning that it was breaking. My Mercedes dealer said I need a whole door panel & they have had several calls from other C300 owners where this handle broke also recently. So they are aware & admitted so. This is a recall or factory defect in my eyes. Also I looked online & this is very common because of a plastic not metal part Mercedes uses . Is this not unsafe enough to be recalled? It’s a no brainer! Not bein able to exit your vehicle at all. I was so scared and shocked a car of this class has this safety issue and they do not do a thing to their owners to fix it, its on owner and their pockets. This should be taken care of immediately for free. Are they waiting for someone to have an accident and lose their life to act on replacing this problem?! Again I feel this is a major safety recall that needs to be addressed ASAP. Safety, peace of mind, accessibility to exit/enter your vehicle. If no one can help you from the outside, you have to climb out from passenger side or thru the back of the vehicle. You can open your window too, but what if that jams electrically ….you are stuck. $900 plus labor should not be on me but should be in Mercedes hands to value my life & others lives more than any price as a standard part of their fleet of cars they have driving across USA. High end luxury car w/a faulty door handle that leaves you unable to get out, unbelievable ! Has safety hazard written all over it. I have a video & submitted a pic of my issue. This is my second MB I owned and I never had this danger occur.

The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that when starting the vehicle, the ignition was not reading the key, and the steering wheel was locked. The message to remove the key from the ignition was displayed. Additionally, the fuel gauge was inoperable and not reading the fuel level. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a locked steering wheel and the steering wheel lock needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the parts were ordered to complete the repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,100.

So i was using my car daily for go to work and I was on the highway and they happened a accident in front of me so I have to slow down due to the accident i was going 70 miles per hour and when made a hard break my car turn sideways due to the rear subframe was broke and I dint even notice that the part was rotten they i start looking online and I noticed that the majority of those car come with that factory issue.

The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated after adding more than 3 gallons of fuel to the vehicle, there was a strong fuel odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring and was making him unwell. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V557000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.

There is a crack in the flange causing a fuel leak in my C300 2011 Mercedes-Benz built March 2011. A strong gas smell fills the car. This situation is extremely dangerous and should be included in the recall that was approved for vehicles C300 manufactured from April 2011-July 2011. Please include my vehicle in this recall. There is only a one month difference.

Each time I filled my gas tank, there was an overpowering odor of gasoline inside the car and outside on the passenger side. Once the tank would get down below 3/4 of a tank, the odor would dissipate until down to a 1/4 of a tank it would go away completely.

My check engine light came on approximately one month ago. Once tested it indicated a fuel vapor leak. I pulled out of a driveway and a large stream of fuel spilled all over the roadway. Approximately 7 feet in length about 5 inches in width was on the road. I took it to a Mercedes repair shop and they informed me I had a fuel leak and that it was not safe to drive. There was corrosion and rust forming on the tank which seems very odd since the car is garage kept and we don't get much snow in Kentucky. My daughter rides in this car with me and they told me it is very dangerous and needs repaired. If I was to drive over a cigarette we could essentially blow up. I had a second shop look at it and they also informed me I had a fuel leak and would need to replace the fuel tank. I was told there was a recall on some models of Mercedes for this issue but can't seem to find one on my year make and model. Please help with this matter so my daughter and I can remain safe as well as others around us. Seems like we are in a ticking time bomb.

The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes C300. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH the check engine began flashing and the vehicle stalled. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle and smoke was observed emanating from the front driver's tire. The contact stated that the fire exploded from the engine compartment. Additionally, the contact stated that she was locked in the vehicle by the driver's seatbelt, but was able to get out of the vehicle. The fire department extinguished the fire and a report was taken. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was towed to a salvage lot. The contact was not sure if the vehicle restarted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

Like apparently the majority of this model year C300, the rear subframe is completely disintegrated. This is a known issue but Mercedes has not communicated it nor fixed it. I was told, and as the photos clearly indicate, this very likely could have resulted in a catastrophic or fatal accident as the entire rear is corroded. I have photo and video support as well as the inspection from a mechanic.

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

My vehicle has been making very odd noises, the steering wheel keeps looking off center and the car is kicking/fishtailing at times without warning. Our mechanic has looked at the car SEVERAL times and finally discovered that the sub frame is completely rusted out and broken. We were told not to drive the vehicle anymore as it is extremely dangerous. After researching about this issue, we found that a class action lawsuit was filed in February 2023 for corrosion/rusting out of frames in 2010-2022 Mercedes Benz models. According to the information, Mercedes is refusing to cover the cost of the repairs and is not returning calls from customers effected by this issue. This information has been reported and added to the class action lawsuit. It was recommended that we report it here as well.

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.

Rear tires were down to steel belt after replacing August 1, 2022 and less than 10,000 mile wear. I took the car to a dealership for diagnosis. The rear subframe is completely corroded and failed causing extreme wear on tires and a DANGEROUS DRIVING SCENARIO. I’ve researched and see this is a common problem on these Mercedes cars. Why is there no Mercedes recall or accountability for this common issue?This is a serious issue that could cause serious accidents and bodily harm or death..

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.

2011 C300 4matic Sport I'm very concerned about the front subframe after going over the invoice and everything that was replaced on the rear subframe due to a recall Mercedes issued. But wait doesn't the whole subframe have severe rust corrosion all throughout yes it does per mechanic/technician. I'm having steering issues while driving the vehicle when applying the breaks the vehicle pulls very hard to the left the whole car swerves to the left very dangerously. After getting it checked out the mechanic/ technician pointed out that the control arm snapped from the Front subframe due to severe corrosion. I'm not understanding how the recall was only for the rear subframe only. The whole entire subframe is severely rusted. Front subframe which may experience premature wear of the front axel carrier and a fracture risk, potentially resulting in sudden loss of steering control. After internal endurance testing determined the front axle carrier supplied for certain Mercedes SUV’s and cars may weaken prematurely. An investigation revealed the root cause of the problem was due to a manufacturing defect in which the parts did not receive proper corrosion protection. My front subframe did not receive the proper corrosion protection. It's available for inspection. It's currently still at the dealership due to being unsafe to drive. I'm having steering issues while driving the vehicle when applying the breaks the vehicle pulls very hard to the left the whole car swerves to the left very dangerously. The problem has been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. The vehicle or component has Not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives. Only Dealer and independent service center did the inspection. No warning indicators no other symptoms, this issue took place around February - March of 2023. When I received the letter about the subframe recall I was excited thinking the issue would be fixed. But No it's unsafe

My 2011 c300 has a rotted rear subframe making the car not able to be driven. It has major ,life threatening, costly damage and this issue already has a recall all over the world but not in the United States.

Subframe rots prematurely. Known issue to Mercedes Benz and has been recalled and covered in both Germany and Canada.