TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ C250. UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, A RATTLING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A CAM SHAFT ISSUE, AND THE TIMING CHAIN AND SPROCKETS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL, BUT THE VEHICLE YEAR WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
2012 Mercedes-Benz C250 complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2012 record →
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ C250. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, SMOKE SUDDENLY APPEARED UNDER THE HOOD AND FLAMES WERE PRESENT UNDER THE VEHICLE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,572. UPDATED 06/01/17*LJ UPDATED 09/18/2017*JS
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCDES-BENZ C250. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V017000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ C250. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V017000 (AIR BAGS) FOR THE FRONT PASSENGER INFLATOR; HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ C250. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V017000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS NOT EXPERIENCING A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ C250W. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V017000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
I BROUGHT MY 2012 MERCEDES C250 NEW AND I THOUGHT I WAS BUYING A QUALITY CAR. HOWEVER, I NOTICED LAST YEAR THE DRIVER SEAT, PASSENGER SEAT AND ONE OF BACKSEAT SEAT COVER ARE RIPPED. I DRIVE MY CAR EVERYDAY TO WORK AND MY DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL ON A CITY STREET. MY DAUGHTER WEIGHS ABOUT 98 POUNDS AND I WEIGHT UNDER 170 POUNDS AND NO ONE SITS IN THE BACKSEAT. I AM SO DISAPPOINTED WITH MERCEDES BENZ COMPANY. I WILL BE GRATEFUL IF MERCEDES BENZ COMPANY WILL REPLACE MY SEAT COVERS PLEASE STAND BY YOUR NAME AS A QUALITY COMPANY. .
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ C250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT SEVERAL DIFFERENT COMPONENTS WERE REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE WAS PERSISTENT. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V017000 (AIR BAGS). THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 35,000. UPDATED 06/07/17*LJ
THE CEL CAME ON AND THE ENGINE WAS HAVING A ROUGH START . I TOOK IT TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND AFTER USING THE STAR DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM THE DIAGNOSES WAS CAMSHAFT ADJUSTERS IN FAILURE. THE REMEDY REPLACE THE CAMSHAFT ADJUSTERS. COST $3500.00. *TR
WHEN STARTING THE CAR THE VEHICLE MAKE LOUD RATTLING NOISE AND THE ENTIRE CAR SHAKES. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE MECHANIC AND HE SAID IT IS THE CAMSHAFT ADJUSTER/ACTUATORS. WHICH NEED TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE TIMING CHAIN. HE ALSO SAID IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AS THEY CAN FAIL AND CAR WILL STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF A ROAD. THE CAR WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE SOMETIMES DOESN'T WANT TO GO AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY FELL THE CAR JERK SEEMING AS THE CHAIN IS SKIPPING. IT HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES. CAR HAS 67,000 MILES AND THIS STARTED HAPPENING AT 57K MILES.
DEALER SAID THE CAMSHAFT ADJUSTER WITH CHAIN TENSIONER NEEDS TO BE REPLACE AT 65,000 MILES. ALSO THE HIGH PRESSURE PUMP NEEDS TO BE REPLACE TOO. THIS AFTER SPENDING OVER $773.06 HUNDRED DOLLARS ON ENGINE ANALYSIS. I DECLINE THE SERVICE BECAUSE IT WILL COST ME $5,324.98 TO GET THE JOB DONE. COULD THIS BE A SAFETY RECALL BECAUSE THE DEALER SAID ONE OF THIS DAYS IT MIGHT JUST STOP ON THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. NOW I AM DRIVING THIS VEHICLE WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEM I MENTION ABOVE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ C250. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD CLANKING NOISE WHEN IT WAS STARTED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED CONSTANTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE EXHAUST CAMSHAFT ADJUSTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,219.
CAR SHOWED SIGNS WELL BEFORE VEHICLE STARTED SHOWING CODES. WHEN I WOULD START IT UP THE VEHICLE SOUNDED LIKE A ROCKET SHIP WAS ABOUT TO TAKE OFF AND SHORTLY AFTER THE NOISE WOULD GO AWAY. WITH NO CODES MERCEDES TRIED REPLACING THE SOME AC PARTS BUT IT DIDN'T HELP. I JUST ASSUMED THE NOISE WAS HARMLESS IF MERCEDES SAYS NOTHING'S WRONG THAN IT MUST BE OKAY. THEN ONE DAY I WENT TO TURN THE CAR ON AND IT HESITATED MAKING ALL KINDS OF NOISE BUT ALWAYS STARTED AFTER HOLDING THE KEY IN THE ON POSITION AND PUSHING FORWARD. CAR SEEMS TO WORK WELL ONCE STARTED BUT I AM USING MORE GAS WHICH MIGHT BE RELATED.THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AFTERWARDS AND WOULD TURN ITSELF OFF. AFTER BRINGING IT TO MERCEDES THEY STATE I NEED A NEW INTAKE VARIABLE CAMSHAFT ADJUSTOR AND IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO REPLACE THE EXHAUST AS WELL SINCE THERE'S NO CHARGE FOR ADDITIONAL LABOR SINCE THE EXHAUST ADJUSTOR IS GOING TO BE ACCESSIBLE. MY CAR IS AT 68,000 MILES AND WELL KEPT THIS IS A MECHANICAL ISSUE WITH MERCEDES IN MULTIPLE MODELS AND YEARS.
WHILE DRIVING ON I-5 NORTH COMING FROM LA JOLLA, MY VEHICLE STOPPED ACCELERATING, AND SUDDENLY STOPS IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY FREEWAY. I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, THEN RESTARTED AFTER FIVE SECOND. AFTER RESTARTING MY VEHICLE IT STARTED RUNNING AGAIN. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES ALREADY, AND HAVE BROUGHT MY VEHICLE TO THE SERVICE CENTER (ON EACH OCCASION). SERVICE REPORT INDICATE TRANSMISSION ERROR. AT TIMES, THE "SLIPPERY ROAD" SIGN ON MY DASHBOARD WOULD BLINK EVEN THOUGH THE WEATHER IS HOT OR HAS NOT RAIN FOR AGES.
REF: NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10676804 SUMMARY: CAMSHAFT INTAKE ADJUSTER REPLACED THERMOSTAT SEALS REPLACED CHAIN TENSIONER REPLACED MY 2012 MB C250, WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY BY YEAR AND MILEAGE, WAS DECLINED TO BE SERVICE BY MERCEDES BENZ OF CUTLER BAY, FLORIDA. THERE REASONING IS THAT I DID NOT USE A MB OIL FILTER; THEY HAVE CANCELLED MY WARRANTY. EVEN THOUGH I HAVE DONE ALL THE PROPER OIL CHANGES SOONER THAT THE MB RECOMMENDATIONS.
CAMSHAFT INTAKE ADJUSTER REPLACED THERMOSTAT SEALS REPLACED CHAIN TENSIONER REPLACED. *TR
THE STEERING WHEEL ,HAS ALUMINUM PLATING OR COVERING, THAT WAS PEELING OFF AND CUT MY FINGER AS I WAS DRIVING, THIS HAPPENED LAST YEAR AND WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, AND DEALER REPLACED, THIS IS HAPPENING AGAIN, AND THE DEALER HAS AGREED TO REPLACE EVEN THOUGH THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. I THOUGHT YOU GUYS SHOULD KNOW. *TR
ON MULTIPLE OCCURRENCES THE VEHICLE HAS STARTED TO MISFIRE AT RANDOM TIMES AND SPEEDS RANGING FROM 45-70 MPH RESULTING IN "LIMP MODE" OR A STALLING CONDITION. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, BUT WILL NOT BE ON WHEN THE VEHICLE IS RESTARTED. THE DEALERSHIP ON NO OCCASION HAS BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE MY CONCERN ALTHOUGH OTHERS HAVE BEEN IN THE CAR TO WITNESS. I FEEL VERY UNSAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AS WHEN IT STALLS ON THE HIGHWAY, I LOSE STEERING AND BRAKES AS WELL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES BENZ C250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, HE ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES BUT IT FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE VACUUM WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 30,000.
THIS WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT, IT IS, IN MY OPINION, A POSSIBLE SAFETY PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE - TURBO LAG; THROTTLE LAG; TRANSMISSION LAG. I ALMOST HAD TWO ACCIDENTS DUE TO THE LAG PROBLEMS, AND HAVE ATTACHED A MORE DETAILED ANALYSIS FOR YOUR REVIEW. TURBO LAG: THIS IS THE TIME IT TAKES FOR THE CAR TO GO FROM ITS NATURALLY ASPIRATED POWER TO THE FULL POWER OF THE CAR AT FULL BOOST/ PEAK BOOST IS REACHED RELATIVELY LOW IN THE REVERSE RANGE, BUT IT IS NOT INSTANTANEOUS POWER LIKE A NATURALLY ASPIRATED ENGINE. THROTTLE LAG: THE DRIVE BY WIRE SYSTEM HAS A BIT OF LAG. UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, I MEASURED IT AT .2 OF A SECOND OR SO. WHATEVER THE VALUE, THERE IS ALWAYS LAG THERE, AND WE ARE VERY SENSITIVE TO IT. HOWEVER, DRIVING INS MODE VS E MODE DOES MAKE SOMEWHAT OF A DIFFERENCE. NONETHELESS, THE CAR ALWAYS STARTS OUT IN E MODE WHEN I GET IN AND START THE CAR. WE DIDN'T PURCHASE THE CAR TO ALWAYS DRIVE IN S MODE. TRANSMISSION LAG: THIS I NOTICE SIGNIFICANTLY AND IT IS, IN MY OPINION, PROBABLY THE MOST ANNOYING TO ME. YOU'LL NOTICE THIS WHEN STOMPING THE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND THEN DOING THE WAIT... WAIT... WAIT.. DOWNSHIFT. EVEN IF THIS ENGINE WAS RUNNING ONLY ON ITS NATURALLY ASPIRATED FOUR CYLINDERS, THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD RESPOND IMMEDIATELY TO A SURE FOOTED STOMP TO THE FLOOR WITH THE QUICKNESS, AS DOES MY FOUR CYLINDER RAV-4. HOWEVER, THE MB C-250 DOES NOT! IN MY OPINION, YOU CAN RESET THE TCU ALL YOU WANT, THE DELAY WILL REMAIN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES BENZ C250. WHILE DRIVING, THE TURN SIGNAL WAS ACTIVATED WHEN A WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT SLIGHTLY ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION, WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE DIMNESS OF THE TURN SIGNAL WAS COMMON FOR THE MODEL YEAR VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 320. UPDATED 07/25/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE TURN SIGNAL CONTROL LIGHT. IT WAS HARDLY VISIBLE IN THE DAY LIGHT AND IN THE SUN. THE SERVICE DEPT STATED THE NEW MODEL HAS A NEW ELECTRONIC DASH WHICH COMES IN ONE NEW CIRCUIT PANEL . UPDATED 07/25/12
2012 MERCEDES C250 SPORT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ISSUES WITH LEVERS ON THE STEERING COLUMN *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE LEVER, WHICH WAS HIDDEN BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAD TO LEAN FORWARD TO LOOK OVER TOP OF THE STEERING WHEEL TO REACH THE LEVER. HE ALSO STATED THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS IN A HIDDEN AREA AS WELL. *JB
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NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C250 → · Every C250 year → · How the figures are calculated →