1998 Mercedes Benz C Class

Routine

Owners filed 6 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the structure › frame and members › underbody shields. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails

Component	Reports		Crashes	Fires	Injuries
Visibility › Windshield	1		0	0	0
Suspension	1		0	0	0
Structure › Frame and Members › Underbody Shields	1		0	0	0
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly	1		0	0	0
Child Seat	1		0	0	0
Air Bags	1		0	0	0

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports

Electrical System › 12v/24v/48v Battery01V366000

Filed Dec 4, 200165,731 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Llc.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HOPPECKE BATTERIES. THE BATTERY MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE COULD BE LESS THAN NEEDED TO MAINTAIN PROPER ELECTROLYTE LEVELS.

Risk. THE LOW ELECTROLYTE LEVELS RESULT IN ACCELERATED BATTERY GRID GROWTH, INCREASED POTENTIAL FOR INTER-CELL RUPTURE AND SPARKING, AND THE POTENTIAL FOR A BATTERY EXPLOSION.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BATTERIES, INCLUDING FLUID LEVELS. SOME BATTERIES MAY BE REPLACED IF NECESSARY, ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. IN ADDITION TO THE BATTERY INSPECTION, THE ADDITION OF LABELS IN THE VEHICLE OWNER'S MANUAL AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT WILL BE INCLUDED TO CONSPICUOUSLY REMIND OWNERS AS WELL AS DEALER AND SERVICE PERSONNEL OF THE NEED TO PERFORM BATTERY MAINTENANCE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 20, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

What owners reported

Newest filings

Suspension

Filed Mar 2, 2014173,000 milesIN

WAS DRIVING CAR AND HEARD LOUD NOISE GOT OUT AND SAW FRONT RIGHT SIDE WAS SITTING LOWER ON ONE SIDE. CAR PULLS HARD TO THE RIGHT. HAD MY MECHANIC INSPECT. CONCLUDED THAT THE CUP HOLDER THAT HOLDS THE VEHICLES SPRINGS WAS RUSTED OUT. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE AND SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM AND OR DESIGN FLAW. THANKFULLY DID NOT HAPPEN AT HIGHER SPEEDS IN DANGEROUS CONDITIONS. *TR

Child Seat

Filed Jan 18, 2000FL

BRITAX ROUNDABOUT CAR SEAT DOES NOT FIT INTO MERCEDES C CLASS CAR. *AK

Air Bags

Filed May 11, 1999AL

WHILE DRIVING AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN THE AIRBAG EXPLODED . THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER AT THE TIME THE AIRBAG EXPLODED. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

Structure › Frame and Members › Underbody Shields

Filed Feb 8, 1999KS

HEAT SHIELD MAKES NOISE WHEN VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF, DUE TO DESIGN.

Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly

Filed Feb 1, 1999CA

GAS GAUGE SENSOR FAILED.

Visibility › Windshield

Filed Feb 1, 1999CA

WINDOW FAILED. NLM

6 of 6 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1995

Year	Complaints	Recalls	Fires	Deaths	Assessment
2012	1	0	0	0	Routine
2008	13	1	2	0	Routine
2006	9	2	0	0	Routine
2005	5	2	0	0	Routine
2004	15	1	2	0	Routine
2003	9	0	0	0	Routine
2002	31	0	2	0	Routine
2001	14	0	0	0	Routine
2000	8	0	0	0	Routine
1999	7	1	0	0	Routine
1998 — this page	6	1	0	0	Routine
1997	3	0	1	0	Routine
1996	6	1	0	0	Routine
1995	49	0	2	1	Fatalities reported
1994	15	0	5	0	Routine
1991	1	0	0	0	Routine

Compare every C Class year →

Other Mercedes Benz models

All Mercedes Benz models →

C300 3,958 E350 2,210 E320 1,164 ML350 951 GLK350 904 ML320 742 C250 725 C230 657 GLC 300 650 E500 460

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Dec 4, 2001. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.