2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 complaints

APPROXIMATELY A YEAR AGO MY C300 LOCKED UP ON ME WOULD NOT START. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP AND WHEN THEY CHECK IT THEY STATED THAT EIS WAS OUT ON IT. THE COST OF THE REPAIR WAS OVER $2000.00. ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, AS I STARTED THE CAR IN THE MORNING FOR WORK I NOTICED THAT THE START WAS A LITTLE HESITANT, SO I REPLACED THE BATTERY AND THINGS GOT BACK TO NORMAL. TODAY LEAVING FOR LUNCH I PLACED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND TURNED IT TO GET THE "SLIENT CLICK" AGAIN. IT IS DOING THE SAME THING IT DID ABOUT A YEAR AGO AFTER MERCEDES "SO CALLED FIXED THE EIS". ACCORDING THE MB FORUMS THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE FOR MULTIPLE 2008 C300'S. I AM GETTING READY TO TOW THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT NOT GOING TO PAY FOR THE SAME ISSUE THAT THEY SUPPOSEDLY FIXED ABOUT A YEAR AGO. *TR

ON SEPTEMBER 24, 2013, MY 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C300 WITH 32,050 MILES WOULD NOT START DESPITE MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS. EACH TIME I WOULD TRY AND START IT EVERYTHING CAME ON IN THE CABIN BUT THERE WAS A COMPLETE DISCONNECT TO THE ENGINE WHICH WOULD NOT EVEN CRANK. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE CAME OUT MY HOME AND DETERMINED THE BATTERY WAS FINE, I THEN HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED INTO THE DEALER. DURING THIS VISIT, THEY REPLACED THE ELECTRICAL CONTROL UNIT AND IT WAS THERE FOR A FULL WEEK. IN OCTOBER 2014 AND AT 39,000 MILES, THE PROBLEM BEGAN AGAIN IN THAT THE CAR WOULD NOT START INTERMITTENTLY AND I HAD TO GO BACK TO THE DEALER. THEY AGAIN REPLACED THE ELECTRICAL CONTROL UNIT WHICH TOOK ANOTHER WEEK. A FEW DAYS LATER, THE CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN FOR AN ENTIRE DAY DESPITE MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS AND I WAS STRANDED. ANOTHER TOW AND BACK TO THE DEALER AGAIN, THIS TIME THEY STATED IT WAS ALSO THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH (EIS) AND ELETRONIC STEERING LOCK (ESL) THAT WERE FAULTY AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AT AN APPROXIMATE COST OF $2000. I ARGUED WITH THEM EXTENSIVELY ON WHY ALL THESE PARTS WERE FAILING ON A VEHICLE WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON THIS MODEL YEAR. AFTER TWO ADDITIONAL WEEKS IN FOR SERVICE, THE VEHICLE WAS JUST RETURNED TO ME. BESIDES A KNOWN MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH THESE PARTS WHICH MB HAS NOT ADDRESSED, THIS ALSO REPRESENTS POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARDS FOR DRIVERS IF YOU BECOME STUCK IN A REMOTE OR DANGEROUS AREA OR IN INCLEMENT WEATHER WHEN

MY CAR WAS PARKED IN MY GARAGE WHEN I TURNED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND TRIED TO START THE CAR. THERE WAS NOTHING. I TRIED SEVERAL TIMES, TURNING THE KEY BACK AND FORTH, TAKING IT OUT, TURNING IT. STILL NOTHING. I CALLED AAA. THEY TESTED THE BATTERY. IT WAS FUNCTIONING. THE AAA TECHNICIAN NOTED THAT THE DOOR LOCKS AND AUDIO LOCKING SIGNALS WERE WORKING. I CALLED, BILL, MY SERVICE TECH AT THE MBZ DEALERSHIP AND LEFT A MESSAGE FOR HIM TO PHONE ME. IN THE MEANTIME, I CALLED A LOCAL MECHANIC THAT HAD REPAIRED OTHER FAMILY VEHICLES. HE SAID HE WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT IT. SO I HAD IT TOWED TO HIS SHOP. BILL CALLED ME BACK LATE AFTERNOON AND ASKED ME TO TRY THE SPARE KEY TO SEE IF IT WOULD START. I HAD MY NEIGHBOR DRIVE ME TO THE SHOP WHERE MY CAR WAS AND TRIED THE SPARE KEY. STILL NOTHING. I SPOKE WITH THE FAMILY MECHANIC. HE WAS NOT ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE, NOR HAD HE SERVICED IT. HE BELIEVED THAT IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE EIS AND SAID THE DEALER NEEDED TO DO THE REPAIR. I CALLED BILL BACK. LET HIM KNOW THE SPARE DID NOT WORK AND ARRANGED TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY. LATER THE NEXT DAY, BILL CALLED ME AND STATED THAT THE ISSUE WAS WITH THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEM. I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE STEERING LOCK. HE COULD ORDER THE PART. THE COST WOULD BE $1,100. I ASKED WHAT WOULD CAUSE THE PART TO FAIL. HE SAID THAT ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS, LIKE HIS TV, JUST FAIL OVER TIME. I AUTHORIZED THE REPAIR. I HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN MY CAR INTO THIS DEALERSHIP FOR ITS REGULARLY SCHE

CAR WON'T START. KEY WILL TURN BUT NOTHING HAPPENS. TRIED JUMP STARTING THE CAR BUT DID NOT WORK. BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE STEERING LOCK IS THE PROBLEM AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO START. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

I WAS DRIVING LISTENING TO MY MUSIC AND ALL OF A SUDDEN SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM MY MONITOR I THEN QUICKLY TURNED MY MUSIC OFF AND PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE CAR OFF. I NOW HAVE A BLACK SCREEN AND MERCEDES SAID THE WHOLE UNIT WILL COST 2,000 DOLLARS I SAID YOU ARE CRAZY THIS SHOULD BE COVERED BY MERCEDES. *TR

C300 2008 WITH 217,000 MILES. WENT TO START CAR AND IT WOULD NOT TURN OVER. POWER EVERYWHERE BUT THE ENGINE. TOWED TO DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSIS. STEERING LOCKED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. SAME COMPLAINT AS HUNDREDS OF OTHERS ON THIS SITE AND MANY MORE READ ONLINE AT VARIOUS SITES. SHOULD BE A RECALL FROM MERCEDES. OVER $1,500 IN REPAIR COSTS. ALSO PROBLEMS WITH FRONT LIGHTS SAME AS REAR LIGHTS THAT ARE ON RECALL. MERCEDES WOULD NOT REPAIR THE FRONT LIGHTS AND WANTED TO CHARGE OVER $700 TO FIX ONE LIGHT. WITH 217K MILES AND BARELY ANY OTHER REPAIRS I SUPPOSE I SHOULD BE HAPPY BUT THIS SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING COMPLAINT FROM SO MANY IT IS OBVIOUSLY AN ISSUE. *TR

CAR YEAR: 2008 MODEL: C300 4MATIC SPORT MILEAGE AT TIME OF FAILURE: 30,893 WARRANTY: EXPIRE ON DUE TO AGE OF CAR, NOT MILEAGE ESTIMATE CAUSE: MANUFACTURING DEFECT PART EFFECTED: EIS (ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH), ESL (ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK), ECU ESTIMATED EFFECTED VINS BASED ON EXTENSIVE ONLINE RESEARCH AND CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS: THOUSANDS ESTIMATE COST OF INDIVIDUAL REPAIRS PER INCIDENT DUE TO DEFECT: $1,200. TO $1,990. ESTIMATE PROFIT FOR DEALERSHIPS: $100MM+ RESEARCH KEYWORDS: MERCEDES BENZ, EIS, ESL, C300 SOURCE OF 99% OF COMPLAINTS: WWW.MBWORLD.COM & INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED MB DEALERSHIP. "SERVICE CAMPAIGN BULLETIN" CAMPAIGN NO. 2008020003, MARCH 2008 RECALL: NOT ISSUED THIS IS REGARDS TO A CONSISTENT AND REPEATED KNOW MANUFACTURER DEFECT IN SEVERAL YEARS MERCEDES BENZ MODELS, THAT THE COMPANY, MERCEDES BENZ (MB) IS AWARE OF AND HAS ISSUED A "SERVICE CAMPAIGN BULLETIN" CAMPAIGN NO. 2008020003, MARCH 2008. UNFORTUNATELY MB CLAIMS THAT THIS ISSUE ONLY AFFECTS "APPROXIMATELY 10 VEHICLES". A 08 MERCEDES C300 THAT I BOUGHT ON 6/12/2013 WITH 9,025 MILES WHEN I BOUGHT IT AND NOW HAS ABOUT 30,896 MILES TODAY 11/20/2014. ON 11/19/2014 MY CAR STOPPED WORKING. \ AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE I NOTICED HUNDREDS UPON THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE 08 C300 KNOWING AS THE EIS,ESL, OR THE IGNITION FAILURE AND REPAIRS UP TO $2000 IN SOME CASES. I WILL NEED TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED TO A MB DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THIS FIX. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE, YOUR TIME AND CO

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND THE STEERING SEIZED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,005.

HELLO I AM A OWNER OF A 08 MERCEDES C300 THAT I BOUGHT ON 5/26/2014 WITH ABOUT 77700 MILES WHEN I BOUGHT IT AND NOW HAS ABOUT 80600 MILES TODAY 11/12/2014. ON 11/8/2014 I WAS RUNNING MY USUAL WEEKEND ERRANDS ( BUYING GROCERIES, PAYING BILLS, ETC.) WHEN I STOPPED TO BUYING SOME THINGS FROM A CORNER STORE AND WHEN I GOT BACK INTO MY VEHICLE THE CAR WOULD NOT START WHEN I PUT MY KEY IN. I NOTICE THERE WAS NOT "CLICKING NOISE" FROM WHEN I PUT MY KEY IN THE IGNITION AND I COULD NOT LOWER MY WINDOWS BUT I STILL HAD POWER NOW KNOWING THAT IT WAS NOT A POWER THING I KNOW IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE IGNITION. AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE I NOTICED HUNDREDS UPON THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE 08 C300 KNOWING AS THE EIS,ESL, OR THE IGNITION FAILURE AND REPAIRS UP TO $2000 IN SOME CASES. I GOT MY CAR TOWED TO A MB DEALERSHIP HERE WHERE I LIVE AND THEY ARE NOT LISTENING TO WHAT IAM TELLING. I ALREADY TOLD THEM WHAT IT WRONG AND THEY FORCED ME BASICALLY TO DO THE DIAGNOSTIC ($130) AND TO GET A KEY REPLACEMENT ($300) SO NOW I AM IN THE WHOLE BY A TOTAL OF $2000. I TOLD THEN THAT THESE ISSUES ARE HAPPENING WITH OTHER CUSTOMERS AND THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE AND THEY DON'T CARE AT ALL. HOW IS THERE NOT A RECALL FOR THIS? SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS CUSTOMERS CANT BE TREATED LIKE THIS ESPECIALLY IF YOU BOUGHT A CAR IN GREAT CONDITION LESS THAN 6 MONTHS AGO. MERCEDES NEEDS TO OWN UP TO THE MISTAKE AND DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FOR THIS ISSUE HOPEFULLY

PARKED IN THE GARAGE AT NIGHT IN THE MORNING IT WOULD NOT START, STEERING LOCKED, TRANSMISSION LOCKED AND THE WORSE THE TIRES WERE HALF TURNED, AFTER 3 HOURS WE WERE ABLE TO GET IT OUT AND TOW IT TO MBZ DEALER, AFTER 2 DAYS DIAGNOSED AS IGNITION FAILURE AND STEERING LOCKED, IT TOOK 5 DAYS TO GET REPAIRED AT A $1000.00, FROM DAY ONE THIS CAR ONLY SERVICED BY MBZ DEALER AND I SEE SO MANY SAME COMPLAINTS BY OWNERS AND CANNOT BELIEVE MBZ WONT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS ISSUE, NOW I'M KIND OF SCARRED IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN WHILE I'M DRIVING. *TR

I DROVE TO THE STORE AND WHEN I GOT IN MY CAR TO LEAVE THE IGNITION WOULD NOT START WHEN I PUT THE KEY IN AND TRIED TO TURN IT ON. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED AND I COULD NOT CHANGE THE GEARS OF THE CAR TO NEUTRAL OR ANY OTHER GEAR. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO THE NEAREST MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP AND THEY PERFORMED A FULL INSPECTION AND FOUND THAT THE STEERING IS LOCKED. *TR

ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK MALFUNCTIONED. I'M NOW OUT $1100.00 BECAUSE OF A PROBLEM SO COMMON, A GUY WHO HADN'T EVEN SEEN MY CAR WAS ABLE TO GUESS THE MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR OF MY CAR JUST BY TELLING HIM THE ISSUE. HOW HAS A RECALL NOT BEEN MADE ON THIS PROBLEM? CAR WORKED FINE JUST TWO HOURS BEFORE IT WOULDN'T START... UNBELIEVABLE. *TR

THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD A TREND AMONG MANY PEOPLE WITH THEIR STEERING RANDOMLY DEFAULTING. TO GET IT FIXED THEY QUOTED ME 1300 DOLLARS. MANY PEOPLE SEEM TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM RIGHT AFTER THEIR WARRANTY EXPIRES. THE PERSON WHO CONTACTED ME SAID "THERE WAS A FAULTY STEERING PROBLEM". PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG ,BUT TO ME FAULTY MEANS WORKING BADLY OR UNRELIABLY BECAUSE OF IMPERFECTIONS. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A RIDICULOUS THING TO PAY FOR ESPECIALLY KNOWING THAT THIS CAR IS ONLY 6 YEARS OLD AND I BOUGHT THE CAR 6 MONTHS AGO.I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED SOMETHING SO VILE AND CROOKED FROM A COMPANY LIKE THIS IN MY LIFE. THE CAR SEEMED TO BE WORKING PERFECTLY FINE MINUTES BEFORE IT DECIDED TO GIVE OUT, 3 MINUTES TO BE EXACT. IF I WERE TO HAVE BEEN DRIVING AND THE STEERING WHEEL WHERE TO HAVE LOCKED UP ON ME ON AN INTERSTATE LIKE THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL. SOMEONE NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE IT IS GETTING OUT OF CONTROL FOR A COMPANY TO BE ABLE TO SCAM CUSTOMERS LIKE THIS. *TR

WALK HOME SCENARIO DUE TO VEHICLE NOT STARTING. PARKED THE CAR AT WORK IN THE MORNING AND IN THE EVENING GOING BACK HOME THE CAR WOULD NOT START. THE IGNITION KEY TURNS BUT THERE WAS NO CRANKING. HAS AN 8 MONTH OLD BATTERY. ALL ELECTRICALS -LIKE HEAD LAMP ETC WORK. CHECKED ALL THE FUSES AND THEY WERE OK. GOOGLED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT EIS (ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH) PROBLEM IS A VERY COMMON ONE ON THE C300'S. COULD BE A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE IF THE IGNITION SWITCH DOESNT WORK WHILE THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING AND VEHICLE STALLS. *TR

PARKED CAR IN THE GARAGE FROM THE DAY BEFORE. WAS LEAVING FOR WORK THE NEXT MORNING AND IT WOULD NOT START. I CALLED FOR A TOW TRUCK. WHEN THE DRIVER ARRIVED, HE TESTED THE BATTERY AND SAID THAT ITS NOT THE PROBLEM. SO I DROVE MY OTHER CAR TO WORK. A CO WORKER HAS THE SAME MODEL CAR STATED THAT SHE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. HER CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AND SHE WAS TOLD IT WAS AN IGNITION ISSUE. WHAT A COINCIDENCE!! AFTER WORK I WENT HOME TO SEE IF THE CAR WOULD NOT START. THE FIRST ATTEMPT...NOTHING...THE SECOND ATTEMPT IT STARTED RIGHT AWAY. SOMEONE HAS TO LOOK INTO THIS. TWO SAME MODEL CARS WITH THE SAME ISSUES. HAD IT BEEN A DIRE SITUATION WHERE I NEED TO FLEE FROM INJURY, THE CAR COULD POSSIBLE NOT START. NHTSA COULD YOU PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS MORE THOROUGHLY. *TR

TAIL LAMP REPLACEMENT- I GOT A RECALL LETTER 4 MONTHS AGO AND NO FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. EMAIL TO THE DEALER AND COMPANY NOT BEING SATISFACTORILY RESPONDED TO. WHAT'S THE TIMELINE ON THESE RECALLS? *TR

I TURNED ON THE COMMAND VIDEO SCREEN AND HEAVY SMOKE STATED COMING OUT OF IT. *TR

MY WIFE PARKED THE CAR TO GET GAS IN A NOT SO GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD, DUE TO BEING A SCHOOL TEACHER IN THAT AREA, KEY WOULD UNLOCK AND LOCK DOOR, AND WOULD LET YOU TURN KEY, BUT WILL NOT UNLOCK STEERING WHEEL, AND WILL NOT START CAR, NEITHER DID THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH LIGHT UP (CHECK ENGINE, ABS, TPMS, ABS, ETC), CALLED ROADSIDE, TOWED TO DEALER, DIAGNOSED AND CAME UP WITH BAD STEERING LOCK(ESL), WAS QUOTED $1200 FOR THE REPAIR, TOLD THEM TO GO AHEAD SINCE WE NEED THE CAR, CAR IS STILL THERE TODAY, DID GOOGLE SEARCH ON THIS ISSUE AND FOUND HUNDREDS OF CUSTOMERS WITH THIS SAME COMPLAINT. NOW, I THOUGHT I BOUGHT A DEPENDABLE CAR BEING THAT ITS A MERCEDES, GONNA GET RID OF IT NOW AND NOT BUY THIS BRAND AGAIN, THERE IS EVEN A CAMPAIGN SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS ISSUE, I DO HAVE A CASE, WHICH THEY WILL CONTACT ME TOMORROW ABOUT THIS, MERCEDES SHOULD COVER THIS COST BEING THAT IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE, WHAT IF MY WIFE WAS ROBBED,OR EVEN RAPPED BECAUSE OF WHERE THIS HAPPENED, OR WHAT IF THE COMPONENT DECIDED TO LOCK UP AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THEN WILL THEY RECALL THIS? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, A WARNING INDICATOR ALERTED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE DRIVER SIDE BULB, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT SMELLED A BURNING ODOR UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER TO HAVE IT REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V177000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT WIRES WERE FRAYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS WERE DIM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED OR DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE FAILURE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS FIRST PURCHASED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN...UPDATED 09/25/14 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE HEADLIGHTS WERE FIXED ON SEPTEMBER 18, 2014. UPDATED 10/02/14

MERCEDES ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK (ESL) FAILED. CAR WOULD NOT START DUE TO THE KEY NOT BEING RECOGNIZED. I WAS ABLE TO CLOSE AND OPEN THE DOORS, LIGHTS CAME ON, BUT WOULD NOT START. BATTERY WAS TESTED WAS IS FINE. STARTER WAS FINE. ALL FUSES WERE FINE. TOWED TO MERCEDES AND THE ESL IS BEING CHANGED AT THE COST OF $1200.00 . THE AUTOMOBILE IS STILL AT THE DEALERSHIP ONE WEEK LATER. HEARD A LOT OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR FAILURE WITH THE SAME MODELS. I HAVE SPOKEN TO MERCEDES BENZ OF AMERICA IN MONTVALE NJ, BUT THEY INSIST SINCE THE AUTO IS PAST THE WARRANTY PERIOD THEY CANNOT HELP ME FINANCIALLY WITH THE REPAIRS, THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL AS MERCEDES IS AWARE OF THIS AND IS NOT OWNING UP TO THEIR MISTAKE. THERE ARE MANY SIMILAR EXPERIENCES AND COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OWNERS WITH THE C300 2008, 2009, AND 2010 MODELS. I KNEW WHAT THE MECHANICAL/ELECTRICAL ISSUE WAS FROM READING THE VARIED STORIES ONLINE AND EXPERIENCES FROM OTHER OWNERS, BEFORE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AND LOOKED AT FROM THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP. *TR

I PARKED & LOCKED MY CAR WALKED AWAY FROM IT FOR 10 MINS, WHEN I CAM BACK I WAS ABLE TO UNLOCK THE CAR THE SIDE MIRROR FOLDED OUT. WHEN I PLACED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION THE KEY TURNED BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT START NOR COULD I TAKE THE GEAR OUT OF PARK. THE DASH HAD A MESSAGE STATING REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION. THINKING THAT THE BATTERY WAS DEAD I HAD THE BATTERY REPLACE. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH & STEERING LOCK ASSEMBLY. TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOORS FAILED TO LOCK MANUALLY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE POWER DOOR LOCK SWITCH HAD TO BE USED IN ORDER FOR THE DOORS TO LOCK. IN ADDITION, WHEN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WAS OPEN AND THE POWER LOCK SWITCH WAS ACTIVATED, ALL THE DOORS, EXCEPT FOR THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR, FAILED TO LOCK. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000. UPDATED 10/24/14*CN UPDATED 4/16/2015 *JS

MERCEDES ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK (ESL) FAILED. CAR WOULD NOT START DUE TO THE KEY NOT BEING RECOGNIZED. EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE CAR WORKS ELECTRONICALLY, RADIO, WINDOWS, LIGHTS, ETC. BATTERY WAS TESTED WAS IS FINE. STARTER WAS FINE. ALL FUSES WERE FINE. TOWED TO MERCEDES AND HAD ESL CHANGED FOR MORE THAN A THOUSAND DOLLARS. HEARD A LOT OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR FAILURE WITH SAME MODELS. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL AS MERCEDES IS AWARE OF THIS AND IS NOT OWNING UP TO THEIR MISTAKE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,918.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND NO WARNING SENSORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000.

PARKED BY CAR AS USUAL, CAME OUT AN HOUR LATER AND MY CAR WOULDN'T START. THE KEY FOB LOCKS AND UNLOCKS THE DOOR AND THE LIGHTS STILL COME ON BUT WHEN I PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND TURN THE KEY THE CAR WON'T START. THE ROAD SIDE SERVICE TECHNICIAN STATED THE KEY FOB IS NOT BEING RECOGNIZED AND THAT IS THE REASON THE CAR WON'T START. *TR

I WAS DRIVING WHEN I GOT A RIGHT REAR LIGHT TAIL AND BRAKE WARNING NOT WORKING FOR THE SECOND TIME. I JUST REPLACED THE BULBS A MONTH AGO JULY 2014. WHEN I CHECKED TO REPLACE THEM I SMELL SOMETHING BURNT AND UPON FURTHER CLOSE INSPECTION I SAW BARED BROWN WIRE BURNT CONNECTOR (OUTER EDGE WIRE ON THE CONNECTOR) AND SOME SIGNS OF MELTING ON THE LIGHT ASSEMBLY. THE BROWN WIRE THAT WAS BARE BURNT THROUGH THE CONNECTION THAT PROBABLY CAUSED THE SHORTING. *TR

EIS STEERING FAILURE, CAR UNABLE TO START! THIS HAPPENED LESS THAT A MONTH AFTER BRINGING MY CAR IN FOR EXPENSIVE DEALERSHIP SERVICE AND EVERYTHING CHECKED OUT! BUYER BEWARE! *TR

THE ENGINE DIES. THIS IS KNOWN BY MERCEDES BENZ AND IS BEING REPORTED ALL OVER. THE IGNITION SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND REPLACED. WHY IS NHTSA DRAGGING ITS FEET ON THIS ISSUE. SOMEONE WILL BE INJURED OR KILLED BY THIS, IF IT HAS NOT ALREADY HAPPENED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE THAT THE DRIVING PATTERN ON THE ROAD CHANGED AND CRASHED THE VEHICLE INTO AN EMBANKMENT. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000. UPDATED 11/05/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED HER SON RECEIVED SEVERE FACIAL, HEAD INJURIES. SURGERY WAS REQUIRED IN ORDER TO RECONSTRUCT FACIAL FRACTURES AND LACERATIONS. UPDATED 7/15/2015*JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C 300. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V177000 (LIGHTING). HOWEVER, THE PARTS NEEDED WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE DEALER WAS NOT SURE WHEN THEY WOULD RECEIVE THE PARTS NEEDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,936.

PARKED THE CAR IN THE GARAGE AND THE NEXT MORNING, THE CAR WOULD NOT START. FIRST, I THOUGHT IT WAS A BATTERY PROBLEM. CHANGED THE BATTERY AND USED A NEW ELECTRONIC KEY BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT START. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, WHICH STARTED FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A NEIGHBOR EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED THAT A FAILED FUSE BOX CAUSED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000.

CAR WOULD NOT START MORNING OF 8/8. AAA WAS CALLED. TOW TRUCK DRIVER DETERMINED IT WAS NOT THE BATTERY AND TOWED THE CAR TO MB SERVICE. MERCEDES DIAGNOSED THE FOLLOWING ISSUES WITH MY 2008 C300 WITH 55K MILES: REPLACE ELECTRICAL IGNITION SWITCH, $561 FOR THE PART. REPLACE ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK, $384 FOR THE PART. REPROGRAM BOTH KEYS, $595. LABOR FOR ALL OF THE ABOVE, TBD, AS MY CAR IS STILL WITH MERCEDES AS I FILE THIS COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA ON 8/15. THESE ARE OBVIOUSLY MAJOR AND ONGOING ISSUES EXPERIENCED BY MANY C300 OWNERS, AND MERCEDES IS VERY WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THEY HAVE SIMPLY FOUND A GREAT WAY TO EXTORT MONEY FROM THEIR CUSTOMERS, RATHER THAN DOING THE RIGHT THING AND RECALLING THESE FAULTY PARTS BEFORE SOMEONE REALLY GETS HURT. *TR

MANY PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE IN MANY FORUMS. I WONDER IF SOMEONE HAS TO BE INJURED OR KILLED (IF NOT ALREADY) BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE. THE CAR ARBITRARILY AND WITHOUT NOTICE DIES AND WILL NOT RESTART. IT LEAVES THE DRIVER COMPLETELY VULNERABLE, WHEREVER IT OCCURS. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED IN MY SITUATION. NOTHING WORKED, I HAD TO CALL, TO BE TOLD THAT THIS IS A BATTERY ISSUE. IT WAS NOT, AS DETERMINED BY THE TOW TRUCK COMPANY AND THE DEALERSHIP, AFTER THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THEM. IS THIS EVER GOING TO BE INVESTIGATED AND RECALLED BEFORE FURTHER DAMAGE AND/OR INJURY OCCURS ? *TR

NEAR THE END OF A 388 MILE DRIVE, THE WARNING LIGHT FOR SRS MALFUNCTION CAME ON ALTHOUGH IT SEEMED THAT NO CONDITION CHANGED. MY CAR ALREADY HAD THE TAIL LIGHT FAILURE NOTIFICATION LIGHT ENGAGED FOR A FEW MONTHS ALREADY. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS MAY BE MORE THAN AN ELECTRICAL NOTIFICATION ISSUE AND THAT THE SRS (SECONDARY RESTRAINING SYSTEM) IS NOT GOING TO WORK SHOULD I GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. *TR

CAR WOULD NOT START OR SHIFT GEARS. BATTERY WAS FOUND TO BE FULLY CHARGED. GEARS AND STEERING COMPLETELY LOCKED OUT. NO DASH BOARD LIGHTING. MERCEDES BENZ DISPATCHED BUT COULD NOT JUMP START. TOWING ONLY AFTER FORCING COVER OFF GEAR SHIFTER AND OVERRIDING GEARS TO PUT VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL. 69K MILES. *TR

CAR WOULD NOT START. DROVE VEHICLE TO WORK AND WORKED PERFECTLY BUT LATER THAT MORNING WHEN I TRIED TO TURN ON THE VEHICLE NOTHING WOULD HAPPEN WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO TURN IT ON. THE LIGHTS AND LOCKS WORKED. ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE ATTEMPTED TO JUMP VEHICLE BUT WAS TOLD BATTERY WAS NOT THE ISSUE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. WAS TOLD STEERING LOCK NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. SEEMS THIS IS A TYPICAL PROBLEM FOR THIS MODEL YEAR. *TR

PARKED CAR AT A GAS STATION FOR 5 MINS. RETURNED AND CAR WOULD NOT START. DASH STATES REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION. DEALER STATES EIS FAILURE. VERY COMMON IN THESE CARS. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED!! MERCEDES BENZ SHOULD BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS FAILURE. VERY DANGEROUS AND COULD HAPPEN ANYWHERE AT ANYTIME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE BATTERY WAS REMOVED, CHARGED, AND RE-INSTALLED, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESTART. THE RADIO AND HEADLIGHTS ACTIVATED WHEN THE BATTERY WAS RE-INSTALLED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000.

PARKED THE CAR IN MY DRIVE WAY N T CAR WOULD NOT START. KEY WOULD NOT FUNCTION. *TR

THE ENTIRE CAR LOSES POWER, NOTHING WORKS. *JS

CAR COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN. NOTHING WORKED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THIS HAS OCCURRED TO MANY OTHER CARS AND THE MANUFACTURER IS WELL AWARE OF THIS CONDITION. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO BE INJURED OR KILLED (IF THIS HAS NOT ALREADY HAPPENED) BEFORE THIS DEFECT IS ADDRESSED ? *TR

PARKED MY CAR IN THE PARKING LOT OF MY JOB, CAME BACK SAND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. WE TESTED THE BATTERY AND NO RESULTS. WE EVENTUALLY TOWED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND DETERMINE IT WAS THE ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK AND THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE ADVISOR THAT THE CAR GENERALLY DOES NOT LET YOU KNOW WHEN THIS ISSUE WILL ARISE. I WAS QUOTED $2,428 TO FIX BOTH, AFTER ARGUING WITH THEM ABOUT THIS ISSUE, THEY LATER DISCOUNT IT TO $1,780. I THINK THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. I COULD HAVE BEEN ON THE FREEWAY WHEN IT STOP AND WOULD HAVE BEEN A CATASTROPHIC EVENT. ALSO, I AM CONSTANTLY REPLACING MY LIGHT BULBS. CAN YOU INVESTIGATE IF THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE WITH THESE CAR. *TR

I WENT TO START MY CAR AFTER JUST USING IT AND IT DID NOT START. THE LIGHTS WORKED, RADIO WORKED, EVERYTHING BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT START. THE CAR WOULDN'T EVEN TURN OVER AS IF IT WAS ATTEMPTING TO TURN ON. I REMOVED THE BATTERY AND GOT IT CHECKED. AUTO ZONE STATED THE BATTERY WAS AT 79% BUT THIS SHOULD NOT KEEP THE CAR FROM RUNNING. I GOT MY CAR TOWED TO THE MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP IN GEORGETOWN TX. I WAS ADVISED AFTER THE DIAGNOSTIC WAS RAN THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE "STEERING LOCK ASSEMBLY" NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WITH PARTS AND LABOR I WAS QUOTED ABOUT $1,067. *TR

CAR WILL NOT START. WINDOWS, SUNROOF, STEERING INOPERABLE. NO POWER TO CAR WITH EXCEPTION OF RADIO AND LOCK/UNLOCK. NEED TO OVERRIDE TO GET CAR OUT OF PARK. OCCURRED FIRST TIME ON 7/7 AND I WAS STRANDED IN A PARKING LOT. SECOND TIME OCCURRED ON 7/12, CAR WAS PARKED ON SIDE OF ROAD AND WOULD NOT START. NEEDED TO BE TOWED ON FLATBED TO DEALER. DEALER CONFIRMED ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK DEFECTIVE AND $1,000 FOR REPLACEMENT AND PART. VERY COMMON IN MERCEDES C300 MODELS. PLEASE RESEARCH TO SEE IF THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. I PERFORMED A GOOGLE SEARCH ON THE ISSUE AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE OWNERS AND FORUMS COMPLAINING OF THE SAME ISSUE FROM A NUMBER OF COUNTRIES INCLUDING USA. THANK YOU. *TR

IT APPEARS THAT THE EIS MODULE HAS FAILED, I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND HAVE FOUND SEVERAL OTHER CONSUMERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUES WITH THIS PARTICULAR YEAR AND MODEL VEHICLE. THIS CONCERNS ME. WHY HASN'T ANY RECALLS BEEN DONE TO FIX THIS ISSUE. IT SEEM LIKE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. WHAT IF I WERE DRIVING MY CAR AND THE EIS HAD MALFUNCTIONED. I WOULD HAVE LOST POWER TO MY VEHICLE AS WELL AS ALL STEERING ABILITIES. COULD YOU PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE? *TR