2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 complaints

CONNECTOR (HARNESS) IS MELTED AND SHORTED THE CIRCUIT BOARD FOR TAIL LIGHTS AND IS NOW INOP. *TR

WAS PULLED OVER BY POLICE WHO INFORMED MY TAILLIGHT WAS NOT WORKING ON MY PASSENGER SIDE. WHEN PULLED OVER, TAILLIGHT ILLUMINATED BUT VERY DIMLY. ISSUE HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE ROUGHLY JUNE 2012 WHEN PURCHASED. WAS NOT DISCLOSED THAT THIS WAS A POSSIBLE ISSUE AT TIME OF PURCHASE AND DID NOT DISCOVER THE ISSUE WITH MELTING OF WIRING HARNESS TO LIGHT PANEL UNTIL CHECKED 11-8-13. TOOK TO LOCAL DEALER WHO SOLD ME THE VEHICLE, AND MERCEDES IS PLANNING ON CHARGING ME $305 FOR REPAIR (PARTS ROUGHLY $50). THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR A KNOWN DEFICIENCY WITH THE VEHICLE. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM WITHOUT A DOUBT. I WILL BE MENTIONING THIS ONGOING INVESTIGATION TO THE MERCEDES SERVICE PEOPLE (AS IF THEY DON'T ALREADY KNOW) AND ATTEMPT TO GET THEM TO FIX AT NO COST. *TR

I DROVE MY CAR HOME FROM WORK. EVERYTHING WAS WORKING FINE AND TEN MINUTES LATER WHEN I WENT TO GO BACK TO WORK, THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I COULD GET ALL THE ELECTRICAL WORKING , BUT THE CAR WOULD JUST NOT START UP. I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE STEERING LOCK, AND IT NEEDS REPLACED.I GOT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT MY STEERING LOCK NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR ANYMORE. IMAGING DRIVING IN A BAD PART OF TOWN SUDDENLY YOUR "STEERING LOCK" MALFUNCTIONS OR MY WIFE IS DRIVING AND IS STUCK IN A BAD PART OF NEW ORLEANS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE TAIL LIGHT AND TURN SIGNAL FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE OF THE NECESSARY REPAIR . THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

REAR TAIL LIGHTS MALFUNCTION. GROUND WIRE IN THE TAIL LIGHT HARNESS GETS VERY HOT TO THE POINT OF MELTING THE INSULATOR ON THE WIRE AND REAR LIGHT CONNECTOR (WHICH PROVIDES POWER TO THE TAIL LIGHT). THIS RESULTED IN THE REAR TAIL LIGHTS TO STOP WORKING. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. MERCEDES WILL REPLACE THE PARTS IF THE CAR IS UNDER WARRANTY BUT WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIR OUT OF WARRANTY. FURTHERMORE, THE REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE THE SAME AND THIS ISSUE WILL REOCCUR. *TR

2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300 RIGHT REAR LIGHTING FAILURES IN THE BRAKE AND/OR TURN SIGNALS OF MY VEHICLE. THE FAILURE CAN CAUSE THE LIGHTS TO DIM AND OR CAUSE THE LIGHTS TO NOT ILLUMINATE AT ALL. *TR

MY RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LIGHT CONNECTOR BOARD IS MELTED. ALL MY LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING AT ONCE AND DEALER STATED ITS A FAULTY CONNECTOR BOARD THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. SAME ISSUE SO MANY OTHERS HAVE REPORTED. MB NEEDS TO RECALL THIS ISSUE BC IT MAKES NO SINCE I HAVE TO PAY 400.00 FOR A WELL KNOWN ISSUE THAT IS HAZARDOUS WHICH THE DEALER ADVISED. *TR

AS REPORTED MULTIPLE TIMES BY OTHERS, TAIL LIGHT CONNECTOR IS INSUFFICIENT TO HANDLE THE HEAT EMANATING FROM THE GROUND (BROWN) WIRE. CONNECTOR BURNS. CABLE COVERING MELTS. ALL TAIL LIGHTS (INCLUDING BRAKES, TURNING AND REVERSE) STOP FUNCTIONING. - SAFETY ISSUE- (NOT TO MENTION GAS TANK SITTING NOT TOO FAR FROM SOURCE OF FIRE) PRELIMINARY SYMPTOMS: RANDOM WARNING MESSAGES IN DASHBOARD ABOUT LIGHTS MALFUNCTIONING. ONE TAIL LIGHT DIMMER THAN THE OTHER. REPAIRS REQUIRED: NEW CONNECTOR/NEW PINS PLUS REGROUNDING TO AVOID CERTAIN RECURRENCE AUTHORIZED DEALERS KNOW WELL ABOUT THE PROBLEM. "RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED" "RECALL IS SURELY COMING" BUT WILL NOT REPLACE IF OUT OF WARRANTY REFERENCES: PRIOR REPORT CHAIN NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10499828 PICTURES AND MULTIPLE INFORMATION HTTP://MBWORLD.ORG/FORUMS/C-CLASS-W204/465331-TAIL-LIGHT-CONNECTOR-MELTED.HTML. *TR

THE WIRING HARNESS TO THE TAIL LAMP ON THE RIGHT SIDE WAS FRIED & FILLED WITH SMOKE AND NOW THE TAIL LAMP GOES VERY DIM & ALMOST OFF, BUT REPLACING WITH NEW BULB DOESN'T HELP. *TR

TAIL LIGHT MESSAGE. FOUND HARNESS MELTED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LIGHT. NOW I GET A MESSAGE FROM BOTH SIDES. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND FUNCTIONED PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A LOCAL DEALER AND WAS DIAGNOSED WITH HAVING A SHORT IN THE TRANSMISSION COMPUTER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE VEHICLE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE FUEL GAUGE READING DISPLAYED EMPTY ALTHOUGH THE FUEL CAPACITY LEVEL WAS HALF FULL. THERE WAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER WAS 08V303000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

THE INFORMATION SYSTEM IN MY CAR GAVE ME THE SYMBOLS FOR THE RIGHT BACK LIGHTS. I CHECK AND REALIZED MY LIGHTS WERE OUT. I OPENED THE WIRING IN THE TRUNK. THE BROWN WIRE ON THE OUTER SIDE BURNED THROUGH THE CONNECTOR AND THE LAMP CARRIER. *TT

CARS AUTOMATED WARNING SYSTEM INDICATED PROBLEMS WITH RIGHT REAR LIGHTING SYSTEM ("CHECK RIGHT REAR TURN SIGNAL ETC"). TOOK CAR TO MECHANIC. THERE HAD BEEN A SHORT IN THE RIGHT REAR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM...PLASTIC CIRCUIT BOX EXHIBITED SIGNS OF A SHORT AND MELTED PLASTIC. MECHANIC REPLACED WIRING, CIRCUIT BOX AND LIGHTS. COULD VERY EASILY HAVE HAD A FIRE IN THE TRUNK OF THE CAR. *TR

BURNING SMELL AND MELTED CONNECTORS ON REAR TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY. *TR

THE LEFT REAR LIGHT WAS NOTICED TO BE DIMMER THAN THE RIGHT ONE. ONCE THE LIGHT CLUSTER WAS OPEN UP, A BURN /MELTING OF THE ELECTRICAL SOCKET WAS NOTICED. *TR

THE RIGHT REAR BULB ASSEMBLY AND HARNESS HAVE MELTED AND ARE ONLY INTERMITTENTLY FUNCTIONAL. *TR

THE LEFT TAIL LIGHT CONNECTOR AND THE PLATE CONNECTION MELTED. REPORTED THE ISSUE TO MB DEALER AND MB CAC BUT THEY REFUSED TO ACCEPT IT AS A DESIGN FLAW. THE EXPLANATION GIVEN TO ME WAS IT MELTED BECAUSE OF HEAT OF LIGHT BULBS. THE SAME FLAW HAS BEEN REPORTED ON MANY FORUM AND I THINK IT IS A RECALL ITEM. *TR

LEFT TAIL LIGHT OUT. FOUND MELTED NEGATIVE CONNECTOR ON PLUG TO LEFT TAIL LIGHT. I REPAIRED THIS BY CONNECTING TO A DIFFERENT POINT ON THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY. FOUND TODAY, 14.AUG 2013 THAT REVERSE LIGHT WILL NOT WORK. INVESTIGATED AND FOUND NO POWER TO THE PLUG FOR THE REVERSE LIGHT BULB,WHICH HAS BEEN CHECKED BY VOLTMETER. *TR

DRIVER INFORMATION SYSTEM SHOWED THAT THE REAR RIGHT BRAKE LAMP WAS OUT. WHILE CHECKING THE REAR TAIL LIGHT TO REPLACE THE BULBS WE CHECKED THE HARNESS AND IT WAS COMPLETELY MELTED! THEN I KNEW WHY I HAD SMELT A BURNING SMELL BEFORE. I CALLED MY NEAREST MERCEDES DEALER SHIP AND THEY SAID IT WOULD COST AROUND $475 TO $700 TO FIX. I DIDN'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS TALKING ABOUT BUT IM OUT OF WARRANTY. THIS SHOULD BE FIXED BY MERCEDES. ITS ABSURD AND NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT TO ATTENTION FOR OUR SAFETY. *TR

BOTH TAIL LIGHTS LAMP CARRIERS AND CONTACT BUSHINGS HAD MELTED AROUND GROUND WIRES IN MY 2008 C300 MERCEDES. *TR

DRIVER INFORMATION SYSTEM SHOWED THAT THE REAR RIGHT BRAKE LAMP WAS OUT. WHILE CHECKING THE REAR TAIL LIGHT TO REPLACE THE BULBS WE CHECKED THE HARNESS AND IT WAS COMPLETELY MELTED! THEN I KNEW WHY I HAD SMELT A BURNING SMELL BEFORE. I CALLED MY NEAREST MERCEDES DEALER SHIP AND THEY SAID IT WOULD COST AROUND $500-$600 TO FIX. I DIDN'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS TALKING ABOUT BUT IM OUT OF WARRANTY. THIS SHOULD BE FIXED BY MERCEDES. ITS ABSURD AND NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT TO ATTENTION FOR OUR SAFETY. *TR

GROUND WIRE TO REAR RIGHT TAIL LIGHT MELTED AT THE CONNECTION POINT TO THE TAIL LIGHT BOARD AND HARNESS. SMELLED SMOKE AND FOUND DAMAGE SHORTLY AFTER. *TR

STARTED THE VEHICLE AND THERE WAS A FAILURE FOR HEAD LIGHTS, TAIL LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO REPAIR THE BULBS AND THEY TOLD ME THE CONTROL BOARD FAILED, MELTED AND THEY REPLACED IT. I WAS LATER TOLD THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE 2008 C300. *TR

WIRES ON BOTH HEADLIGHTS MELTED AND BURNT. CONCERNED ABOUT A POSSIBLE FIRE AND MY HEADLIGHTS NOT WORKING. MERCEDES WILL NOT COVER UNDER WARRANTY. CAN PROVIDE PHOTOS. *TR

NOTICED FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT THE LEFT REAR BRAKE AND TAIL LIGHT WAS MUCH MORE DIM THAN THE CORRESPONDING LIGHTS ON THE RIGHT SIDE. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THESE SAME LAMPS ALSO FLICKERED FROM DIM TO SLIGHTLY BRIGHTER AND REPORTED ON THE NEXT SERVICE APPOINTMENT. WHEN IT CAME BACK FROM THE DEALER THE PROBLEM WAS MARGINALLY BETTER; HOWEVER, IT STILL EXISTS TO THIS DAY. I SEE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON MERCEDES OWNERS HOTLINES WITH VARIOUS DEGREES OF SUCCESS AT THAT DEALERS. I HAVE ALSO SEEN COMMENTS ABOUT A SO-CALLED FIX THAT HAS BEEN MENTIONED. MY COMPLAINT WAS NEVER PRINTED OUT ON MY COPY OF THE WORK ORDER FOR THAT SERVICE DATE EITHER. I'VE GIVEN UP.ON COMPLAINING TO MERCEDES AS I HAD ANOTHER COMPLAINT TO THE FACTORY WHICH ENDED UP JUST BEING BRUSHED OFF AS NORMAL. ONCE AGAIN NO DOCUMENTATION OF THAT VISIT WAS GIVEN EVEN THOUGHT A FACTORY REP WAS PRESENT. MY BELIEF IS THAT THE TAIL LAMPS SHOULD BE FAIRLY EQUALLY BRIGHT IN ORDER TO PROVIDE VEHICLES BEHIND YOU AN ACCURATE LOCATION OF THE REAR OF MY VEHICLE. A PROPER FIX THAT COMPLETELY CORRECTS THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO BE PERFORMED ON THESE VEHICLES AT NO CHARGE TO THE OWNERS. I AM THE ORIGINAL PURCHASER OF THIS VEHICLE. *TR

INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATES ISSUES WITH VARIES LIGHTS. REPLACE BULBS WITHOUT RESOLUTION. TOOK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO INDICATED "FOUND RIGHT REAR TAIL LAMP BULB CARRIER CONNECTOR PIN BURNT AND LEFT REAR CARRIER BULB CONTACTS DISTORTED. REPLACED RIGHT REAR BULB CARRIER, CONNECTOR AND PINS AND REPLACED LEFT REAR BULB CARRIER ONLY. ALL LIGHT WORK AS DESIGNED AT THIS TIME. ON 07/18/2013, FRIENDS REPORTED TO ME THAT MY FRONT LOWER ROUND PARK LIGHTS WERE OUT. THE LEFT ONE WAS ON AT FIRST THEN IT WITHOUT LIKE THE RIGHT ONE. NO REPORT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. *TR

I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS MESSAGES ON MY 2008 C300 MERCEDES REGARDING TAIL LIGHT/ BRAKE LIGHT OUT. I HAVE NOTICED THAT MY PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LIGHTS/ RUNNING LIGHTS ARE MUCH DIMMER THAN THE DRIVER SIDE LIGHTS. I HAVE INSPECTED THE WIRING HARNESS ASSEMBLY ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND NOTICED SIGNIFICANT DISCOLORATION WITH THE "BROWN WIRE" AND ASSOCIATED CONNECTOR; THE CONNECTOR HAS ALSO BEEN "HOT" TO THE TOUCH. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH MY LOCAL MERCEDES DEALER NEXT WEEK TO HAVE IT INSPECTED/ EVALUATED. I REALLY BECAME MORE CAUTIOUS FOLLOWING THE RECENT NEWS ARTICLE REGARDING 2008-2009 MERCEDES TAIL LIGHT ISSUES. SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT AND IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED/ CORRECTED. *TR

TAILLIGHTS, FAILED RIGHT SIDE CONNECTION MELTED NO RIGHT SIDE TAILLIGHTS LIGHTS (TURN,BRAKE, BACKUP LIGHTS LEFT SIDE FAILED 3/13 ALSO MELTED CONNECTOR WAS STOPPED BY POLICE SAFETY VIOLATION NO TAIL LIGHTS LEFT SIDE FAILED AGAIN THIS WEEK 7/1/2013. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE WARNING PANEL ILLUMINATED REFERENCING THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE LIGHT. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000. *TR

THE RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. AFTER EXAMINING THE WIRING AND HARNESS WERE MELTED. HAD TO BRING IN TO FIX. THE BACK BOARD WERE THE LIGHTS ARE ON WAS ALSO BURNT. NOW HAVING PROBLEMS ON THE LEFT SIDE. I JUST SAW ON THE NATIONAL NEWS WERE OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR CAR. IT SEEMS THE WIRING IS NOT PROPER SIZE TO HANDLE THE ELECTRIC LOAD. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS DRIVING THIS VEHICLE WITH THE REAR LIGHTS GOING OUT. THE LIGHTS ARE RUNNING WAY TO HOT. SEEMS TO BE A DEFECT ON THIS YEAR 2008 VEHICLE. I HEARD THAT THIS IS BEING INVESTIGATED BY YOU. MY WIFE IS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE OF GETTING HIT FROM BEHIND BECAUSE THE PROBLEM WITH LIGHTS BURNING OUT OR MAYBE A FIRE FROM THE WIRING MELTING. MERCEDES SAYS THEY WILL NOT FIX AND THAT THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM. *TR

THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY FAILED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE CONNECTORS TO THE BULBS AND THE PANEL WAS MELTED DUE TO HEAT AND THEREFORE, DIMMING OF THE LIGHTS OCCURRED FOLLOWED BY COMPLETE MALFUNCTION. THE FIRST TIME WAS REPLACED UNDER MANUFACTURER WARRANTY. THE SECOND AND THIRD TIME THIS OCCURRED WAS PAID FOR OUT OF POCKET BECAUSE VEHICLE'S MILEAGE EXCEEDED THE MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY COVERAGE. *TR

I GET SIGN ON DASH,REAR TAIL LAMPS FAILED, I CHECKED THE LIGHTS ,REPLACED BULB,DOING SAME THING FOUR TIMES,NOTICED SOMETHING BURNING INSIDE THE BULB CONNECTOR,I AM SCARED IT MIGHT CATCH FIRE. *TR

RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHT DASH MONITOR INDICATED A PROBLEM. FOUND THE RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHT CIRCUIT BOARD GROUND WIRE BURNED AND SMOKING. PLASTIC CONNECTOR AND LIGHTING CIRCUIT BOARD MELTING. APPEARS THAT THE ELECTRICAL CURRENT DRAW IS GREATER THAN THE GROUND WIRE CAN HANDLE. TAKEN TO DEALER FOR FIX. NO RESPONSE AS YET, BUT BASED ON OTHER ONLINE REPORTS, IT APPEARS UNLIKELY THEY WILL SUPPORT A WARRANTY CLAIM FIX. *TR

WHILE DRIVING IN THE EVENING ON HIGHWAY, BOTH TAIL LAMP WARNINGS CAME ON INDICATING BULBS HAD BURNED OUT. I STOPPED CAR AFTER SMELLING AN ODOR. I SAW THE LEFT TAIL LAMP WAS DIM AND THE RIGHT TAIL LAMP WAS NORMAL. I DID NOT OPEN TRUNK. AFTER REACHING MY DESTINATION I CHANGED THE LEFT TAIL LAMP BULB, BUT BULB WAS STILL DIM. I PULLED OFF THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR AND FOUND 3 LEADS ON THE CONNECTER BURNED AND MELTED. I WENT TO THE DEALER IN ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA AND INQUIRED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. I WAS INFORMED NO RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED AND THE DEALER WOULD NOT FIX. SO, I PURCHASED LEFT TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY, CONNECTOR AND PINS TO MAKE REPAIR MYSELF (I AM A FORMER AIRPLANE MECHANIC). TAIL LAMPS HAVE BEEN FUNCTIONING NORMALLY SINCE I REPLACED THE PARTS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PANEL LIGHTING STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE TAIL LIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND REPAIRED, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000. *TR

RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHT CONNECTOR SMOKED AND MELTED CONNECTOR. CIRCUIT BOARD WHERE ALL THE LIGHTS ARE CONTAINED MELTED WITH HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BOARD. INSPECTED LEFT SIDE CIRCUIT BOARD AND FOUND HOLE STARTING TO BURN BUT NO CONNECTOR DAMAGE WAS PRESENT AT THAT TIME. REPLACED LEFT SIDE BOARD AS A PRECAUTION AND HAVE MONITORED IT SINCE. REPLACED CONNECTOR AND WIRING ON THE RIGHT REAR SIDE ALONG WITH THE CIRCUIT BOARD. I SAVED BOTH BOARDS IN CASE THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE EXAMINED FOR FUTURE REFERENCE. *TR

DRIVER INFORMATION SYSTEM SHOWED THAT THE REAR RIGHT BRAKE LAMP WAS OUT. WHILE CHECKING THE REAR TAIL LAMPS FOR OPERATION, ALL OF THE LAMPS ON THE PASSENGER TAIL LAMP WERE INOPERATIVE (BRAKE, TURN, REVERSE, PARKING). UNDER FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE PROBLEM, THE DRIVER SIDE LIGHTS APPEARED TO BE DIM AND FLICKERING. BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER REAR TAIL LIGHT CONNECTORS WERE FOUND MELTED AND EMITTING SMOKE AT THE CONNECTORS BROWN WIRE. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE CLOSEST MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP (MERCEDES BENZ OF ARLINGTON). THE DEALERSHIP HAD QUOTED $500 FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE REAR TAIL LAMP BULB HOLDERS AND CONNECTORS. A REPAIR WAS MADE BY AN INDEPENDENT SHOP USING DEALER BOUGHT PARTS, BUT WE FEAR THAT THE PROBLEM MAY RETURN. *TR

MY MESSAGE CTR ON MY MERCEDES C 300 (2008) STEERING WHEEL SAID TO CHECK RIGHT, REAR TAIL AND BRAKE LIGHT. I HAVE CHECKED THE LIGHTS AND HAD A MECHANIC CHECK LIGHTS, AND ALL SEEM FINE. I HEARD THE REPORT ON WBZ RADIO ON 7-15-2013 ABOUT REAR LIGHTS ON MERCEDES 2008, AND 2009 POSSIBLY CAUSING FIRES, AND WONDER IF THE MESSAGE ON MY CAR MAY BE WARNING OF A POSSIBLE FIRE OR FUTURE FAILURE.. I CALLED THE MERCEDES SERVICE DEPT. AND THEY HAD NOT HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM! I CALLED WBZ RADIO IN BOSTON, AND THEY DIRECTED ME TO NHTSB WEB SITE. THE MESSAGE TO CHECK REAR LIGHTS STILL COMES ON. *TR

THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TAIL LIGHT HARNESS CAUGHT FIRE AND MELTED. THERE ARE COUNTLESS COMPLAINTS AND REPORTS ON THIS ISSUE, BUT MERCEDES REFUSES TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM OR DO A RECALL. MOST INCIDENTS OCCUR BETWEEN 50,000 AND 60,000 MILES AND IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. YOU CAN GOOGLE THIS ISSUE AND SEE THE WIDE SPREAD COMPLAINTS ON THE MELTING WIRING HARNESS. THERE ARE ALSO SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS ON MB FORUM. BELOW IS ANOTHER WEBSITE WITH SEVERAL COMPLAINTS OF MELTED TAIL LIGHT WIRING AND NON-WORKING TAIL/BRAKE AND TURN SIGNALS. I'VE CONTACTED RELIABLE MERCEDES IN SPRINGFIELD, MO AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEIR SHOP HAS REPAIRED MANY MERCEDES C300'S WITH MELTED TAIL LIGHT WIRING, BUT SAID MERCEDES WILL NOT FIX RECALL THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS A TREMENDOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT YOUR AGENCY ADDRESS THIS MATTER WITH MERCEDES. HTTP://WWW.ARFC.ORG/COMPLAINTS/2009/MERCEDES/C300/ELECTRICAL_SYSTEM/PROBLEM.ASPX. *TR

HEADLIGHTS NOT WORKING BECAUSE OF FAULTY, BURNT WIRES. MERCEDES WILL NOT HONOR WARRANTY. SAID WIRES ARE COVERED BUT NOT HEADLIGHT ALTHOUGH THE WIRES ARE INSIDE HEADLIGHT AND CAUSED THE LIGHTS TO STOP WORKING. HAPPENED ON BOTH MY HEADLIGHTS. *TR

MORE PROBLEMS WITH MODEL 204. THERE IS A NO EXPIRE RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER 200802003 FOR THE ISSUE I HAVE HOWEVER MY VIN IS NOT PART OF IT EVEN THOUGH I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. PLACED MY KEY AND CAR WON'T START, NO CRANK. GOT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT MY STEERING LOCK NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR ANYMORE. IMAGING DRIVING HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY FROM HOME AND SUDDENLY YOUR "STEERING LOCK" MALFUNCTIONS! SCARY. *TR

AFTER TAKING MY CARE TO THE DEALER, I HAD A ERROR MESSAGE ON MY DISPLAY STATING THAT MY RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHT IS OUT. THEN A MESSAGE STATING MY RIGHT LOW BEAM IS OUT. I REPLACED ALL THE BULBS..... FIVE DAYS LATER I GET ANOTHER RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHT IS OUT. TWO WEEKS LATER MY RIGHT LOW BEAM IS OUT AGAIN. SEEMS THERE IS A WIRING SHORT THAT KEEPS BURNING OUT THE LOW BEAM AND TAIL LIGHT. OH BY THE WAY TAIL LIGHT/BRAKE LIGHTS WORK. STILL HAVE ERROR MESSAGE. *TR

PASSENGER TAIL WIRE HARNESS HAS MELTED TO THE CONNECTOR AND THE LAMP HOLDER. THIS IS BECAUSE THE CONNECTOR PINS USED FOR THE GROUND WIRE CANNOT SIMPLY HANDLE THE LOAD. I AM NOT SURE HOW THE PASSED THE MB QUALITY CONTROL. THIS COULD EASILY BE A FIRE HAZARD. MB DEALERSHIP RECOMMENDED THE SAME PIN CONNECTOR TO FIX BUT I'M SURE THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. I AM FILING THIS INCASE MY CAR BURNS BECAUSE OF THE ISSUE. *TR

MERCEDES BENZ C300, 2008 WAS STOPPED IN ORDER TO BE PARKED. I ACCIDENTALLY LEFT THE CAR IN "DRIVE" AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF COMPLETELY. I DO NOT PLACE MY KEY IN THE CAR IGNITION...I USE THE "KEYLESS GO" FEATURE AVAILABLE BY MERCEDES BENZ. THE KEY FOB ALWAYS REMAINS IN MY POCKET. I EXITED THE CAR, CLOSED THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT DOOR AND WITH MY KEY FOB I LOCKED ALL THE CAR DOORS AND WALKED AWAY FROM THE CAR. 45 MINUTES LATER I NOTICED FROM MY OFFICE WINDOW THE CAR HAD ROLLED APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET. I FEEL THERE IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE IN THAT IT SHOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED ME TO LOCK ALL THE CAR DOORS WITH THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE. OTHER MERCEDES BENZ VEHICLES DO NOT EXHIBIT THIS FAULTY FEATURE AND MAKE THE DRIVER AWARE THAT THE CAR IS IN DRIVE OR ELSE SOME MERCEDES MODELS AUTOMATICALLY MOVE THE CAR INTO "PARK" FROM "DRIVE" TO AVOID THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT THE CAR CAN ROLL AWAY BY ITSELF. *TR

THE TAIL LIGHTS OF MY MERCEDES BENZ C300 2008 STOPPED WORKING. WHEN I WENT TO MY LOCAL MERCEDES DEALER TO SEE WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CAR, THE SERVICE PERSON AT THE DEALERSHIP IMMEDIATELY TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE FULLY AWARE WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR WITHOUT EVEN LOOKING AT IT. THEY SAID THAT THE PLASTIC COVERS OF BOTH REAL TAIL LIGHTS ALONG WITH THE WIRE HARNESS HAD MELTED. IN FACT, THE SERVICE PERSON PUT HIS HAND BACK THERE AND HE GOT BURNED BECAUSE THE ENTIRE WIRE ASSEMBLY WAS MELTED AND WAS SHORT. I ASKED THEM TO REPAIR THE CAR FOR FREE BECAUSE THIS IS A DEFECT SINCE THE WIRE HARNESS ASSEMBLIES AND PLASTIC TAIL COVER LIGHTS SHOULD NOT MELT UNDER ANY CONDITIONS. THIS IS BOTH A COLLISION HAZARD AND A FIRE HAZARD AND IT IS VERY COMMON IN THIS MODEL. MERCEDES BENZ USA REFUSED TO FIX THE VEHICLE FOR FREE AS THEY HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO DO SINCE THIS IS A DEFECT. PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL FOR THE PLASTIC COVER AND WIRE HARNESS OF THE REAL TAIL LIGHTS OF THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE THIS SITUATION IS DANGEROUS BOTH IN TERMS OF A FIRE HAZARD AND IN TERMS OF A COLLISION HAZARD. *TR

I RECEIVED MESSAGES ON MY DASH STATING TO CHECK REAR LEFT TURN SIGNAL AND REAR LEFT TAIL/BRAKE LAMPS. UPON PULLING OUT THE REAR LEFT (DRIVER'S SIDE) TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY, WHICH HOLDS ALL THE BULBS, I NOTICED THAT THE TAIL LIGHTS WOULD FLASH WHEN I JIGGLED THE WIRES BUT NOT STAY ON. I PULLED THE HARNESS PLUG FROM THE SOCKET ON THE ASSEMBLY HOLDING THE BULBS AND NOTICED A BLACKENED BURNT SPOT AND MELTED PLASTIC ON THE PLUG ITSELF, AND ALSO A BURNT SPOT INSIDE THE PLUG SOCKET WHICH ALMOST BURNED THROUGH THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY UNIT. I HAVE PICTURES OF BOTH THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY UNIT PLUG AND SOCKET SHOWING THE BURNED MARKINGS. THIS IS A VERY CONCERNING ELECTRICAL SAFETY HAZARD THAT COULD LEAD TO A FIRE. THIS ISSUE SEEMS TO BE SIMILAR TO 2 OTHER INCIDENTS REPORTED IN THE NHTSA DATABASE FOR THE MERCEDES BENZ C300 2008 MODEL YEAR (INCIDENT #S 10475771 AND 10466181). *TR

THE SRS WARNING LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. I CAN NOT LOCATE ANY RECALLS OR WARNINGS FROM THE MERCEDES DEALER WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW FROM. WHAT SHOULD WE DO BEFORE THE AIRBAG MISTAKENLY DEPLOYS? *TR

C300 FAILED TO START. THE IGNITION SEEM TO WORK CORRECTLY.THE ENGINE WOULD START AND CUT OFF IMMEDIATELY. AFTER SEVERAL TRIES, FINALLY THE CAR STARTED AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO REPLICATE THE ISSUE. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID IT WAS PROBABLY COMPUTER AND A FULL RESET WILL FIX THE ISSUE. I GOT THE CAR BACK A WEEK LATER. WHILE DRIVING BACK HOME, I STOPPED TO GET GAS. I TURNED OF THE CAR AND AFTER PUMPING THE GAS, IT REFUSED TO START AGAIN. I HAD TO CALL THE ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE. THE CAR IS BACK AT THE DEALER NOW FOR 7 WEEKS. I ALSO HAVE A CASE OPEN WITH MERCEDES BENZ. SO FAR THERE IS NO RESPONSE AS TO WHAT MAY BE CAUSING THE ISSUE. *TR

ON OR AROUND 8/30/12 I NOTICED I HAD NO REAR BRAKE LIGHTS. THINKING A BAD BULB I CHECKED THE REAR TAILLIGHT BULBS. I NOTICED AN OVERHEAT CONDITION ON THE BULB HOLDER AND CONNECTOR. IT IS MELTED SHOWING EXTREME HEAT AND CURRENT DRAW. I CONTACTED THE DEALER EXPECTING IT TO BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AS IT IS A DEFECT AND UNSAFE. THEY WOULD NOT COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY AND GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE OF OVER $400.00 OR MORE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND A DESIGN FLAW AND SHOULD BE MERCEDES' RESPONSIBILITY. WHO IS LIABLE IF I GET REAR ENDED OR IF THE VEHICLE CATCHES FIRE? *TR UPDATED 3/28/13 *CN UPDATED 3/29/2013 *JS...UPDATED 05/08/13 *BF UPDATED 05/20/13