2011 Mercedes-Benz C300 complaints

My vehicle has been making very odd noises, the steering wheel keeps looking off center and the car is kicking/fishtailing at times without warning. Our mechanic has looked at the car SEVERAL times and finally discovered that the sub frame is completely rusted out and broken. We were told not to drive the vehicle anymore as it is extremely dangerous. After researching about this issue, we found that a class action lawsuit was filed in February 2023 for corrosion/rusting out of frames in 2010-2022 Mercedes Benz models. According to the information, Mercedes is refusing to cover the cost of the repairs and is not returning calls from customers effected by this issue. This information has been reported and added to the class action lawsuit. It was recommended that we report it here as well.

Hi, I dropped off my car with Mercedes-Benz Dealership in Egg Harbor Twp, NJ back on Dec 21, 2022 and still waiting on recall to be fixed and while I'm without ever since that. Please look into this recall.

Rear tires were down to steel belt after replacing August 1, 2022 and less than 10,000 mile wear. I took the car to a dealership for diagnosis. The rear subframe is completely corroded and failed causing extreme wear on tires and a DANGEROUS DRIVING SCENARIO. I’ve researched and see this is a common problem on these Mercedes cars. Why is there no Mercedes recall or accountability for this common issue?This is a serious issue that could cause serious accidents and bodily harm or death..

Takata recall. The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V081000 (Air Bags) and 19V010000 (Air Bags). The vehicle was taken to a local dealer for the recall repair; however, the vehicle remained at the dealer awaiting parts for the repair. The manufacturer was contacted and was unable to confirm when the parts would become available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

Took my 2011 C300 4matic to a local mechanic after I noticed a dramatic pulling sensation to the left after braking. After mechanic's inspection, I was informed that the rear subframe was rotted out and that the vehicle is unsafe to drive. I still have the car available for inspection of the rear subframe. The rear subframe caused the pull to the side under braking, which alone could cause an accident. Since it also connects the suspension to the frame of the car, at any point a critical suspension component could break off from the subframe, likely causing total loss of control of the car and potentially an accident. I also took the car to a Mercedes-Benz dealership where they confirmed that the rear subframe would need to be replaced and that the car was not safe to drive. I contacted Mercedes-Benz corporate, but received no support. I was only informed that they are aware of this issue, but they will not assist in any way since there is no recall issued. I provided them with copies of the quote from the dealership.

The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while driving at approximately 55 MPH and slowing for traffic, the rear end of the vehicle started to drift to the right. The contact heard an abnormal sound coming from the rear driver’s side of the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had driven the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the entire rear subframe needed to be replaced due to extensive corrosion. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

Electronic steering locks are failing in these cars at an alarming rate. When it fails, the car will be stranded or if driving the car will completely lock the steering and take away control from the driver. This is a safety issue that Mercedes should be recalling and fixing because it will take people's lives away. Mercedes is aware of this issue but is failing to recall it and considering it as non-safety. When manufacturing the Electronic Steering lock, Mercedes used cheap parts that are prone to failure. This issue affected many years and models of their cars but only recalled a few cars. Once failure occurs, the car will not start and it will be required to tow it to a dealership where repairs over $2000 will be needed to fix this SAFETY issue.

My 2011 c300 has a rotted rear subframe making the car not able to be driven. It has major ,life threatening, costly damage and this issue already has a recall all over the world but not in the United States.

The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated when he started the vehicle, the driver side taillights were inoperable, and the taillight warning light was illuminated. The contact examined the taillights and noticed that the wires were melted, and the taillight assembly had melted as well. The dealer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V177000 (Exterior Lighting). The contact received no additional assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 90,000.

Rear sub frame and suspension welds have cracks and are broken a loose which when having to put on brakes suddenly cause car to servely pull and twist which can cause a bad accident or worse.

Subframe rots prematurely. Known issue to Mercedes Benz and has been recalled and covered in both Germany and Canada.

The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed, and the rear end of the vehicle pushed out. The contact looked underneath the vehicle and noticed that the subframe was rusted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who informed the contact that the control arm had detached. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.

Due to apparently deficient sunroof water drain system design, rainwater and condensation entered the passenger compartment under the carpeting, potentially damaging the vehicle's electrical wiring. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. A dealer has inspected and confirmed the damage. Initial symptoms of the problem were wet carpeting and the sound of water sloshing around under the floor of the passenger compartment.

While driving down the highway at approximately 55mph, my car abruptly swerved left nearly causing an accident with the vehicle in the opposite line. My car was taken to my personal mechanic where he found the rear subframe to be completely broken on the left side due to severe rusting. Luckily the break lines were not damaged during the breakage. I investigated this issue online and it seems to be a very common issue in which no recall has been issued. This is a very serious safety issue that very easily could have resulted in a fatality on myself or other and future failures. It is my understanding that Mercedes Benz has a 30-year corrosion warranty but the subframe is not covered. How can this be?

The control arm is currently freely hanging. The reverse subframe rusted out where the control arm connects to it causing severe swaying when braking.

I was teaching my 16 year old son how to drive when he got his learners permit . When we got onto the highway a car cut him off and he had to apply a firm steady brake . When breaking the car swerved from the rear into the other lane , nearly striking another vehicle . This also resulted in a loss of control when applying heavy breaking after I had him pull over and I took control of the vehicle once I was able to get the car to the shop I pulled the rear wheel s off and inspected the brakes , which were found to be in good condition . I looked around the vehicle and noticed where the rear driver side subframe connected to the control arm broke off from a manufacturer defective weld or poor selection of materials . component. Upon inspection both sides are perforated and have lost structural integrity. Many other vehicles of the model type have reported similar issues online. This is a serious safety concern that will happen to 100% of these vehicles. A recall needs to be issued by Mercedes for this immediately. This vehicle has very little rust anywhere except at these connections .

The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear driver’s and passenger’s side wheels swayed left to right, and the rear driver’s side wheel detached from the suspension. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a repair shop where it was diagnosed that the rear subframe was rusted and needed to be replaced. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was scheduled an appointment. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was awaiting an estimate. The contact was provided a case number. The failure mileage was 88,640.

Tried to get alignment and was told rear sub frame is rotted. Must be replaced. Car is garaged. Serviced at dealer. This shouldnt be happening. Car was involved in accident (mainly passenger doors damaged) which triggered us to need to get new tire which alerted us to alignment cant be completed and told to not drive car it's not safe due to rotted subframe.

The subframe and the brake lines are very faulty in this car when it comes to its design. The subframe and brake lines rust easily and are cheaply made for this car. My car break down while driving making it hard to have pressure on the brakes. My incident was around the school area. There were no accidents or collisions Involved. It could happen to adults and children. The dealer never confirmed this problem before selling it to me. Another manufacturer told me about this problem. The car showed warning signs like the braking system and brake fluid. The brake fuel was leaking. The problem appeared when I started the car.

I was driving my 2011 MB C300 40 MPH on a straight suburban road when the light turned red. I applied the brakes and heard a clunk from the rear. Surprisingly, the car swerved with a right turn yaw moment. Normally I enjoy driving my car, but that never happened before. So I tried it again in the next block and it yawed again. That’s not right. My mechanic happened to be just down the road so I pulled in. He told me that the rear subframe had rusted out and the car was unsafe to drive. Furthermore, he would not attempt welding it because the metal is too far gone. A new replacement part is unavailable from the dealership and back ordered from Germany for months. Used part will also be rusty. My car with 77k miles on it is suddenly worthless. Mercedes-Benz “The Best and then Nothing”

The rear subframe rotted and broke as I was driving. I almost got into a bad accident. This apparently is a common & deadly issue that MB is aware of. Unacceptable that there is not a recall.

While driving home last night (with passenger), I experienced a sudden pull to left and wobble\oscillation of the car when I made steering corrections to prevent vehicle from going into oncoming traffic. Car seemed to behave normally except whenever I applied the brakes. I proceeded home, where I inspected for the obvious such as brake calipers, pads. rotors etc. Then I removed the rear left tire. This was due to a clunking sound that seemed to come from that area. Everything looked OK until I saw a front lower suspension part (a plastic covered pressed metal strut connecting the lower part of the wheel\rotor assembly to large U-shaped frame member which had multiple welded attachments and brackets) just hanging there unattached on one (forward) end. The bracket it was bolted to was just sheared off. Looked like it rusted to the point of finally tearing itself off of the frame. There was no warning of this condition either by sensors/lights/etc. or the performance of the vehicle when driving it. The defective braking action was sudden. This is NO SMALL ISSUE! After reading of the numerous reports of this very same problem I have to say I am amazed that NOTHING IS BEING DONE TO PREVENT THE FIRST DEATHS AND INJURIES THAT WILL MOST LIKELY OCCUR FROM THIS. This is a danger to the occupants of the principle vehicle, pedestrians, as well as other vehicles in the immediate vicinity, moving or stationary. This can happen at high speeds, slow speeds, in traffic with other vehicles aro

Rear suspension crossmember mounting point for one of the control arms broke off allowing control arm to fail. Possible entire wheel assembly could now fail creating dangerous driving conditions especially at higher speeds. Took to a shop and confirmed. Called Mercedes dealership and they said it was not covered by a recall even though in Europe I believe it is. Many websites have said this is an ongoing and common problem.

I have a 2011 Mercedes C300 that I purchased as a Certified Vehicle - this car was purchased at The Mercedes Dealer in Kansas City. I believe I purchased it around 2013 - I have recently found out that the rear sub frame is completely rusted out. I have had the car repaired at my auto shop - Not a MB dealership, as there was not a dealership that was able to see the car in any reasonable amount of time and the car was not safe to drive. The only way I found out about this rusted out subframe was due to the control arm breaking off - This car was very dangerous to drive and in essence, it is probably a good thing that the control arm broke as this could have resulted in a loss of steering on the vehicle and a very dangerous accident! I have been reading online and speaking with MULTIPLE people who have had the same situation with this rear subframe. This is CLEARLY an issue with MB and clearly an issue that they have been made aware of. When I called the NMB service department they were a month out to just look at the car - and the part is on back order I was told - which CLEARLY indicates a lot of these rear sub frames are being replaced. I am attaching various articles / forums online that I just, at a glance, composed a list of. There are a TON of stories of these sub frames rusting out for various models. Seems to be tied mostly to the C300 vehicles. I am attaching pictures of this rusted out subframe and an invoice that I paid to have the car repaired for this issue. The

The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300.The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle was swinging from side to side. The contact desperately pumped the brake pedal, and the vehicle was able to stop swinging. The contact checked the vehicle and notice that the subframe was fractured on the driver’s and passenger’s side rear. The dealer was contacted and stated that they were aware of the failure; however, there was no recall on the vehicle for the failure. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 101,058.

Rear Sub frame faiIure / rusted and rotted On this site alone there are complaints listed under 3 different heading Structure (30) / SUSPENSION (38) / UNKNOWN OR OTHER (20) all related to the rear sub frame. not to mention 100's on the web. I nearly died when I hit the brakes the car lurched to the left at highway speed. My mechanic told me that the rear Subframe was rotted and the rear control arm is no longer connected to the sub frame He insisted that the car is UNSAFE to drive. He was very surprised as the car only has 70,000 miles on it and in good shape with no rust anywhere else on the car. I did a quick search of the issue on the web and immediately found that MB has had this issue across the world in various models manufactured in 2011-2014. Presently, there are recalls in Germany and Canada for this issue. I contacted my MB Service department and was informed that no recall for this issue exists in the US and they would not cover the costs to repair. The repair could cost between $5k to $7k They told me that I would need to contact MB North America Customer Service. I find it amazing that MB Service, Dealers and North America HQ are all aware of this issue but the Company will not issue a recall or stand behind their product. This not some minor defect. When a major structural component of the car is compromised the lives of vehicle occupants and others on the road are at risk of death due to a major accident. The vehicle is now undriveable and will cost several tho

Rusted left rear ear of rear subframe.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Rear subframe has rusted out and left side arm has separated- my car has been routinely maintained and primarily housed in garaged parking. It does not have a history of flood or water damage. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? My steering and breaking was impacted even at low speeds < 30 MPH. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? - Vehicle failed a Maryland state safety inspection and was deemed unsafe to drive. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Yes, inspected by Maryland state certified safety inspector Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? I noticed decreased accuracy in my steering upon breaking and decreased function in breaking- my inspection revealed that all breaks were intact and working.

When fuel tank is greater than approximately 3/4 full there is a strong fuel odor that seems to emanate from the rear passenger side of the vehicle; at lesser fuel quantities the odor is not noticeable. On one occasion I detected what appeared to be fuel dripping from underneath the vehicle. Took vehicle to dealership for troubleshooting and was informed "fuel leaks at the fuel pump" and it was recommended that the fuel pump and fuel sender be replaced. Additionally, the leak apparently damaged the electrical wiring harness to the fuel pump and that also needs to be repaired. There were no warning lamps or messages displayed that alerted me to this problem. Obviously, this is a hazard to safety.

Rear subframe rotted and broke

The rear subframe rotted away

A dealer inspection found a rusted away rear subframe with holes in it and near total failure and undriveable. The part is being removed by a dealer and its whereabouts after that will be unknown. Garage kept and continually cleaned a car such as this should not experience the visible decay it has after such a short time. A defect definitely existed in the sub-par metal products used during production. This issue presents a catastrophic situation if not realized in time. A factory recall is in order.

Rear Subframe Rot. The vehicle was purchased July 2021 from Automax Of Frederick Maryland. I took the car to Euromotors of Bethesda and they informed me about the issue so I took it back to the dealership because the car was sold to me like this and the owner of the dealership let me know that his "guys" would have never passed it in the MD inspection if a hole was about to be there or severe rust. However it was still sold and now I have the problem of where one of my control arms are rusted out and the car is not safe to drive. The dealer also let me know that the rust was just "surface rust" and it was nothing to worry about. The dealer ask me to bring the car in to inspect and lifted and let me know they would put a ticket on it if the car gave me any problems they would take care of it. Never got anything from them.

Had to replace the rear sub frame due to extensive rust and erosion. Major safety concern. This was brought to my attention at a routine maintenance service appointment. Almost as is they knew they should be looking for this problem. We are the only owners of this car. It is a garage parked car. No rust elsewhere just at the welded connection on the rear sub frame.

Rear subframe rusted to the point car is not drivable

--the rear subframe is severely rusted at 2 spots where the suspension and the body come together. If hit a hard bump or pothole it could break and cause a large safety issue. The rear subframe is $4751.00

I was driving my C 2011 MB and suddenly when applying the Brakes the car had a severe pull to the left and a loud noise from the rear driver side wheel. I made an appointment with my mechanic to have the issue looked at. There were no warning lights or other symptoms until basically the complete failure of the rear suspension. My mechanic informed me that the rear Subframe of the suspension on the vehicle had completely rusted out and the components holding the brake assembly and sway bar were almost at the point of becoming disengaged from the vehicle. He stated that the car is unsafe to drive. He was very surprised as the car is garage kept an in good shape with no rust anywhere else on the car. I did a quick investigation of the issue on the web and immediately found that MB has had this issue across the world in various models manufactured in 2011-2014. Presently, there are recalls in Germany and Canada for this issue. I contacted my MB Service department and was informed that no recall for this issue exists in the US and they would not cover the costs to repair. They told me that I would need to contact MB North America Customer Service. I find it amazing that MB Service, Dealers and North America HQ are all aware of this issue but the Company will not issue a recall or stand behind their product. This not some minor defect. When a major structural component of the car is compromised the lives of vehicle occupants and others on the road are at risk of death due to a majo

Rear Sub-Frame completely rusted out on car that has only 68800 miles and garaged kept since new. The suspension failure is an obvious engineering issue. No rust anywhere else on the car. The vehicle sways and bangs there is almost no metal left on the framework that all of the other rear suspension components mount to and rely on for stability. I have pictures to show what an obvious pre-mature failure this is from a touted high end auto manufacturer. Mercedes Benz should be investigated and made to repair these vehicles.

Rear subframe of vehicle completely rotted/rusted out and destroyed. Was driving at around 60mph and all of the sudden, went to step on the brakes and the car swerved across the highway uncontrollably. Initially thought this was my brakes, but turns out, it is the rear subframe. Took it to a mechanic who said the car is not drivable and showed me how badly the subframe is destroyed. This is due to a Mercedes Benz manufacturing issue where they tried cost cutting which turned out very poor quality materials for this very important assembly. My car only has ~90,000 miles and is just about 10-11 years of age. This issue should never happen for a vehicle with such low miles and such a short life, especially from a prominent and distinguished automotive company. This is a MASSIVE SAFETY CONCERN, and I am lucky that I was not involved in a major accident where people were killed or seriously injured. I have research online about this problem, and turns out, it is VERY COMMON with this body style c300 ('08 - '14). There are hundreds, if not thousands, of individuals within the USA who are having this exact same issue with as little as 60,000 miles. Most are happening around the 90,000 mile mark however. It is astonishing how this subframe was not recalled by now and how Mercedes USA has not taken responsibility for this. In fact, this is a known issue by the manufacturer, and has actually been recalled in Canada (but not the USA?).. This issue needs to be addressed and recalled IMME

When braking the back of the car all of a sudden tried to break out to the right. After towing it to the dealer I was told that the subframe was broken due to corrosion. The car is otherwise in good condition without any visible sign of corrosion. When searching the internet for the problem I learned that a lot of these cars have the same issue and that there are recalls for it in Canada and Europe. I'm just glad that I didn't get into a bad accident, since this came without warning and the dealer didn't make me aware of the problem even though I did every service for the car with them for the last almost 12 years.

I was driving down the road when a deer ran out into the roadway ahead of me. I applied the brake firmly and hear a "pop" and the car suddenly changed lanes. I was able to recover without much of an incident but applying the brakes from that point on caused the car to "steer" into a new direction. I took the vehicle out to a friends farm and jacked it up to find that on this car with zero other corrosion issues that the mounting point for one of the rear suspension arms had rusted at the weld and broken off the sub frame. I should note that the rest of the underbody was inspected and the rear subframe is the only place that has any corrosion. Research into this issue over the past few months has lead me to countless people being affected by the same issues. This is not an isolated case and it needs to be addressed by the manufacturer before it causes a fatal accident (if it has not already).

The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while having a routine brake service performed, the contact was informed that the driver’s side rear subframe was rusted. The contact was informed that the failure might puncture the fuel tank. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 157,000.

Manufactory defect on w204 Chassis Mercedes Benz rear sub frame rusting allowing control arm to brake free affecting safety and drivability control loss, which has or could lead to severe accident. There no recalls for this defect and is a common issue with materials on back order for the rear sub frame, vehicle Is not drivable until frame is replaced.

My C300 2011 is having rear suspension problem which is unsafe to drive. I took in my car for my usual maintenance check and was told by the mechanic that the rear left driver side suspension is rusted and rotated out, to the point that it can break off and cause an accident. As Mercedes product, even the mechanic was surprised to see this happen on this car. Not surprised the dealer told me there is no recall at this time. I am still waiting for a quote but from what I've seen other people complaining with the same exact issue in same make and model. I have attached pictures just in case.

I started to smell gas after filling my tank. Once the gas level went down, the odor disappeared. I took car to dealer who said car needs new gas tank (issue on top of tank) and cost is approx $5K for parts and labor. I started reading about same exact issue on same C300 model and year 2011. I was advised that car with high mileage of 114,000 was not worth repairing even though there are no dents, cosmetically very nice, new tires, always dealer maintained. I have the dealer inspection paperwork

The contact's client owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that the vehicle's owner had complained of an abnormal fuel odor coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. Upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact discovered that fuel was spraying out of the fuel pump onto the exhaust. The contact was able to replace the fuel pump and correct the failure. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V557000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) which he linked to the failure. The dealer nor the manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had been repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 142,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle and driving a short distance, there was a burning odor coming from inside and outside the vehicle. The traction control warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a certified mechanic who replaced the fuel cabinet. The burning odor persisted. The contact was informed that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V557000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage 12,800.

The driver side rear tail light wiring melted the tailight housing. This component was already replaced as part of a previous recall, but apparently Mercedes is not properly fixing the issue. They refuse to fix it for free, because they already "addressed" the recall. Looks like they are putting cars back on the street that could catch fire.

I am contacting you about a certified pre-owned car I had purchased from Mercedes Benz Cincinnati. Following my most recent routine maintenance visit to the dealer, I received an email from Mercedes stating that they had identified that the rear subframe on my Mercedes C300 4Matic needed replacement and it was not safe to drive. It turns out that the two joints on the subframe were corroded. This type of a problem is not expected for a professionally maintained certified car by Mercedes that is at 58,481 miles. The issue has nothing to do with standard wear and tear, or user negligence, and it stems from the material used in the specific component. There is no other area on the vehicle that is displaying even the slightest amount of corrosion. The mechanic said that this is to do with the properties of the materials selected for the manufactured part, they have been seeing many cars of the same year with the same exact problem, and if the subframe joints were to break while the car is in motion, it could potentially cause a fatal accident. There were no warning lamps, message or symptoms of the problem prior to the failure. I contacted Mercedes and asked them to address this problem. After months of back and forth, I was told there were no safety recalls, and the car was out of standard warranty period. I was also told that the part was not currently available (and was on back order). As you may know, the subframe's job is to distribute high local loads over a wider area of t

I am reporting a big safety hazard issue on these Mercedes C300 model year 2011. The suspense bracket just breaking off with obvious no visible issues. The suspension support bracket is got rotted with rust from inside out and broke off while driving on the highway. The issue was obvious when I braked suddenly and the car just pulled itself to the right side. This could easily cause an accident. I reported the incident to Mercedes and they told me to report to NHSTA and they cannot do anything. Once home and jacked up the vehicle I found that the bracket was completely off the frames and it did hit the gas tank causing a dent in the tank (a big safety issue) seam. I googled the issue and it seems like it is a known issue with these models and Mercedes have not recalled or fixed this issue on any vehicle. I have attached pictures of the broken bracket. Thank you