Owners filed 15 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It has been recalled 1 time.
What fails
Component
Reports
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Engine and Engine Cooling
2
0
0
0
Visibility › Windshield
1
0
0
0
Unknown or Other
1
0
0
0
Tires › Tread/Belt
1
0
0
0
Tires › Sidewall
1
0
0
0
Seats › Front Assembly › Power Adjust
1
0
0
0
Seats
1
0
0
0
Power Train › Automatic Transmission
1
0
0
0
Fuel/Propulsion System
1
0
0
0
Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System
1
0
0
0
1 safety recall
Part 573 reports
Seat Belts03V534000
Filed Dec 19, 20034,348 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Llc.
Defect. ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, SOME SEAT BELT BUCKLES MAY HAVE A BURR ON A METAL COMPONENT OF THE LOCKING MECHANISM. THE PRESENCE OF THE BURR COULD PREVENT THE SEAT BELT FROM LOCKING UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.
Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY.
Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SEAT BELTS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON DECEMBER 22, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.
What owners reported
Newest filings
Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Oct 17, 2013123,000 milesNY
I SMELLED STRONG VAPORS OF GAS INSIDE MY CAR AND OUTSIDE THE AREA. I LOOKED UNDER CAR GAS WAS POURING OUT FROM UNDER FUEL TANK . TOOK IT TO ( TOWED THAT IS) THE SHOP FIND FUEL TANK WAS DEFECTIVE ! FOUND HOLE IN THE TANK ON THE TAB IF THAT MAKES SENSE . THE SHOP CALLED AROUND FOR SAFETY RECALL AND MERCEDES SEE IF ANY OTHER INFORMATION. I AM AWARE MERCEDES HAS HAD PROBLEM IN PAST WITH FUEL TANKS . THE SOP INFORMED ME IF I DROVE THIS CAR WITH HEAT FROM EXHAUST WOULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE ., I AM TRYING TO CONTACT MERCEDES CORPORATE HEAD QUARTERS WITH NO LUCK . IS THERE ANYWAY I CAN REPORT FILE HAVE RECOURSE .THIS CAME TO 3000.00 OUT OF POCKET ! NOT MENTION IT COULD HAVE HAD SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES ! *TR
Electrical SystemFire1 injured
Filed Jul 8, 201258,000 milesMD
I HAVE BLACK MERCEDES C230 KOMPRESSOR SPORTS SEDAN 2004 MODEL. CAR WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW AT MERCEDES AUTHORIZED DEALER. THERE IS NO MODIFICATION MADE TO THIS CAR AND ALL THE SERVICING DONE AT MERCEDES AUTHORIZED DEALER SINCE I BOUGHT THIS CAR. IT HAD ONLY 58000 MILES. LAST B SERVICING WHICH CHECKED ANY SAFETY RELATED ISSUES AND INCLUDES REGULAR MAINTENANCE, WAS DONE AT AUTHORIZED DEALER ON 02/18/2012. NO ISSUE WAS INFORMED ON 02/18/2012 TO US BY MERCEDES AUTHORIZED DEALER SERVICING DEPARTMENT. ON 06/21/2012, WHEN I WAS DRIVING THIS CAR FROM WORK TO HOME, I TURNED ON A/C, A/C SHUTDOWN AND I STARTED SMELLING SMOKE. ON LEFT SIDE OF MY CAR THERE IS A/C VENT AND I SAW FIRE INSIDE THE HOOD THROUGH THAT VENT.I PULLED OVER CAR RIGHT AWAY AND ELECTRICITY WENT OUT WITH IN 1 MIN OF MY PULLING OVER AND WITHIN 4 MIN, WHOLE CAR WAS BURNING. MY CAR IS NOW TOTALED. THIS POSES FOLLOWING SECURITY CONCERNS: 1. MERCEDES C230 2004 IS MADE OF HIGHLY INFLAMMABLE MATERIAL AND DRIVER AND USERS OF CAR HAS VERY LESS CHANCE TO SURVIVE IF THERE IS FIRE. 2. MERCEDES C230 2004 MODEL A/C UNIT IS NOT OF HIGHEST QUALITY AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS FAULTY. BOTH OF ABOVE ISSUES POSES VERY SERIOUS SECURITY RISKS TO PUBLIC AND IT NEEDS THROUGH INVESTIGATION. I CONTACTED MERCEDES HEAD QUARTER FOR INVESTIGATION AND MERCEDES DECLINED TO INVESTIGATE. GEICO STATED IN REPORT THAT HOOD IS STUCK AND CAUSE OF FIRE IS UNKNOWN. GEICO INSURANCE COMPANY AUTHORIZED MERCEDES ENGINEERS TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER UPON MY REQUEST AND M
Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System
Filed Nov 21, 2011NC
2004 MERCEDES BENZ C- CLASS WAGON. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFECT THAT ALLOWS COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE TRANSMISSION, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION, TORQUE CONVERTER AND RADIATOR *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS FORCED TO SPEND OVER SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED, TO CORRECT A DEFECT MERCEDES BENZ WAS AWARE OF. *JB
Air Bags › FrontalCrash1 injured
Filed Jun 27, 2007FL
VEHICLE IS A C 320 AND WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES PER HOUR WHEN ACCIDENT OCCURRED, RECEIVING SIGNIFICANT FRONT END COLLISION BY OTHER VEHICLE AND THEREAFTER HITTING A CONCRETE STREET DIVIDER.DRIVER RECEIVED INJURIES TO HEAD,UPPER AND LOWER BODY AND LEGS.
Electrical System › Wiring › Interior/Under DashFire
Filed Apr 10, 2007FL
I HAVE A 2004 MERCEDES C230 COMPRESSOR. YESTERDAY, I DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME AND AFTERWARDS LEFT IT PARKED. ALL OF A SUDDEN, THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR. IT ENGULFED THE WHOLE VEHICLE IN SMOKE AND DAMAGED MOST OF THE INTERIOR. THE FIRE INVESTIGATOR CAME ,AND STATED THAT IT WAS FROM THE ELECTRICAL WIRES INSIDE THE DASHBOARD. *AK
Tires › Sidewall
Filed Apr 24, 200628,553 milesNJ
THE SIDEWALL OF ONE OF THE TIRES MOUNTED ON THE CONSUMER'S 2004 MERCEDES BENZ C320W RIPPED AND CRACKED THE RIM. *NM AFTER THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT INSPECTED THE TIRE AND RIM, THEY DETERMINED DAMAGED TO BE ATTRIBUTED TO ROAD DAMAGE FROM IMPACT. *JB
Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Dec 30, 200521,000 milesLA
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS AN ODOR COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION AREA. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THE ODOR WAS COMING FROM EITHER AN OIL OR TRANSMISSION LEAK. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF THE ODOR. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THIS WAS A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. THE VEHICLE IS A 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ C230. *AK
Visibility › Windshield
Filed Jul 25, 2005CA
I WAS TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY (APPROXIMATE SPEED 60 MPH) WHEN I HEARD SOMETHING HIT THE WINDSHIELD OF MY 2004 MERCEDES C240. THERE WAS NO IMMEDIATE SIGNS OF DAMAGE. HOWEVER, ABOUT 30 MINUTES LATER AFTER I HAD MADE STOP AND LATER RETURNED TO THE CAR I NOTICED A 12 INCH CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD. I BELIEVE THERE IS A SERIOUS DESIGN DEFECT WITH THE WINDSHIELDS IN MERCEDES. A CO-WORKER OF MINE HAS HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD IN HER 2004 C320 MERCEDES TWICE WITHIN THE PAST 18 MONTHS. THE SERVICE REPS HAVE TOLD HER THAT THIS HAPPENS ON THE TIME, ESPECIALLY FOR COMMUTERS WHO TRAVEL THE 91 FREEWAY HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. I WOULD THINK THAT R&D WOULD HAVE DONE SUFFICIENT TESTING TO ENSURE THAT A WINDSHIELD COULD WITHSTAND CONTACT WITH A ROCK OR PEBBLE.
Seats › Front Assembly › Power Adjust
Filed Nov 27, 2004FL
EVER SINCE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE I HAVA HAD PROBLEMS WITH IS FEATURES. POWER SEATS THAT MOVE BY THEMSELVES, AUTOMATIC DIMMING MIRRORS THAT TURN PITCH BLACK IN MIDDLE OF DAY, POWER TILT STEERING WHEEL THAT HAS UNPREDICITIBLE MOVES. AUTO WINDSHIELD WIPERS THAT DONT FUCNTION PROPERLY IN HEAVY DOWN POURS. THE SEATS ARE POWER AND THEY WILL MOVE ALL BY THEMSLEVES AND MOVE THE DRIVER EITHER INTO THE STEERING WHEEL OR PULL THE DRIVER BACK FROM THE WHEEL AND PEDALS. THE RAIN WIPERS DO NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY, DURNING HEAVY DOWNPOURS THEY JUST STOP WORKING MAKING DRIVING NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE. THE AUTO DIMMING REAVIEW MIRROR TURNS ITCH BLACK FOR NO REASON IN MIDDLE OF DAY SO YOU CAN NOT USE MIRROR TO LOOK BEHIND YOU. I HAVE REPORTED ALL THESE PROBLEMS TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAY THEY ARE NORMAL, THEY CHECKED THEM OUT AND SAID THAT IF THEY ARE INTERMITTENT THEY WILL NEVER FIND ANY PROBLEMS AND THEY REFUSE TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM. THESE ARE MAJOR SAFETY HAZARDS TO DRIVERS AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE.*AK
Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Aug 25, 2004IL
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED STEAM COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDER, LIFTED UP THE HOOD, AND SMOKE CAME FROM THE ENGINE. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK
Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Aug 12, 2004IL
WILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER NOTICED STEAM COMING FROM THE HOOD AND BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE DRIVER TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE ,BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB
Air Bags › Side/WindowCrash
Filed Aug 3, 20041,750 milesTX
WHILE DRIVING 30-35 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION, VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE SIDE, AND THE SIDE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *AK
Seats
Filed May 27, 20041 milesGA
NEW 2004 C230K COUPE. DRIVERS SEAT HAD SLIGHT ROCKING MOTION FORWARD AND BACK FROM THE DAY OF PURCHASE. NOTIFIED DEALER - SAID WAS NORMAL. ROCKING MOTION GOT WORSE AND AGAIN NOTIFIED DEALER AT 5000 MILES ON ODOMETER. DEALER SAID SEAT ADJUSTER WAS COMING LOOSE FROM SEAT FRAME, APPARENTLY THE BOLTS HAD "WALLOWED OUT" IN THE HOLES AND THE TWO PIECES COULD HAVE COME APART FROM EACH OTHER. MY WORRY WAS THAT IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT IT COULD HAVE SEPARATED AND A SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH COULD HAVE OCCURED SINCE THE PART I WAS SITTING IN WAS NO LONGER ATTACHED TO THE FRAME OF THE CAR...SEATBELTS, AIRBAGS, ETC WOULD HAVE BEEN TOTALLY USELESS. DEALER ORDERED NEW SEAT ADJUSTER AND ATTACHED IT TO SEAT FRAME.*MR
Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Apr 7, 200412,000 milesMI
THE RIGHT REAR TIRE HAS A SPLIT ABOUT 1.5 INCHES LONG PROCEEDING DIAGONALLY THROUGH THE TREAD TO NEAR THE SIDEWALL. THERE IS NO OTHER DAMAGE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE TIRE NEAR THE SPLIT OR EVIDENCE OF CONTACT WITH ANYTHING. I DRIVE LONG DISTANCES OFTEN AND WONDER IF THIS IS SOME TYPE OF DANGEROUS DEFECT.*AK
Unknown or Other
Filed Feb 6, 2004MN
THIS DEFECT/CONCERN IS A GENERAL SAFETY COMPLAINT WITH RESPECT TO ALL VEHICLES WHICH SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY ENACTMENT OF STANDARDS TO BE USED BY ALL MANUFACTURERS. MAINLY THE STANDARDIZATION OF THE LOCATION AND FUNCTION OF KEY CONTROLS AND SWITCHES ON ALL AUTOMOBILES. IN TODAYS DRIVING, DRIVERS ARE PLACED BEHIND THE WHEEL OF UNFAMILIAR VEHICLES ALL THE TIME AS TRAVEL AND BUSINESS PUTS THEM IN RENTAL CARS. WITH EACH VEHICLE HAVING DIFFERENT LOCATIONS FOR LIGHT SWITCHES, FLASHERS, WINDSHEILD WIPERS/WASHERS, DIMMERS AND CRUISE CONTROLS. DRIVERS CAN END UP HAVING ACCIDENTS, ESPECIALLY IN HURRIED SITUATIONS, WHEN TRYING TO FIND THE LOCATION OF THE CONTROLS IN AN UNFAMILIAR CAR. ONE MIGHT ARGUE THAT IF YOU ARE DRIVING A NEW VEHICLE YOU SHOULD FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH ALL THE CONTROLS BEFORE STARTING TO DRIVE... BUT OFTEN TIMES IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, (WINDSHIELD SPLASHED WITH MUD), YOU INSTINCTIVELY RESPOND TO WHERE YOUR EVERYDAY VEHICLES CONTROLS ARE. THIS NOT ONLY DELAYS RESOLUTION OF THE SITUATION BUT TAKES YOUR ATTENTION AWAY FROM DRIVING. SETTING A STANDARD WOULD MAKE AUTO MANUFACTURES PUT ALL THESE CONTROLS IN A STANDARD POSITION SO WHEN YOU GO FROM ONE CAR TO THE NEXT THEY ARE ALWAYS WHERE YOU WOULD EXPECT THEM! *AK
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 19, 2003. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.