2023 Mercedes-Benz C300

Routine

Owners filed 22 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the forward collision avoidance › automatic emergency braking. It has been recalled 9 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Service Brakes4
201
Electrical System4
000
Forward Collision Avoidance › Automatic Emergency Braking3
000
Forward Collision Avoidance › Adaptive Cruise Control3
000
Unknown or Other2
000
Tires › Sidewall2
000
Visibility/Wiper1
000
Structure › Body1
000
Forward Collision Avoidance1
000
Engine1
000

9 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Lock26V481000
Filed Jul 24, 2026310,667 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Llc

Defect. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2020-2021 CLA, 2019-2022 A-Class, 2022-2023 C-Class, 2024 CLE, 2020-2026 GLA/GLB, and 2023-2024 GLC vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific model information. The micro-switch in the driver's door lock may corrode and fail to detect an open door, preventing the electronic parking brake or "Auto-Park" feature from engaging automatically. This may result in a vehicle rollaway.

Risk. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy. Dealers will replace the driver's door lock, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 18, 2026. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning July 31, 2026.

Electrical System › Wiring › Fuses and Circuit Breakers25V255000
Filed May 12, 2025443 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Llc

Defect. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2023-2024 C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, SL, GLC, EQE SUV, EQE, EQS SUV, and EQS vehicles that were incorrectly repaired under recall 24V-115. An incorrect fuse box that was not designed for the vehicle may have been installed.

Risk. An incorrect fuse box can result in a sudden loss of drive power or a loss of critical safety functions such as the restraint systems or instrument cluster, increasing the risk of a crash or injury. Additionally, there could be an increased risk of a fire.

Remedy. Dealers will inspect and replace the main fuse boxes, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 6, 2025. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2025050003/4.

Seat Belts › Front25V253000
Filed May 2, 202546 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Llc

Defect. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2022-2025 C 300, and 2023-2024 AMG C 43 vehicles. The driver-side seat belt cover may not be properly installed on the seat belt tensioner, which can cause the seat belt anchor to come loose.

Risk. A loose seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy. Dealers will inspect and repair the seat belt covers, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 16, 2025. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2025040012.

Electrical System › Wiring › Fuses and Circuit Breakers24V446000
Filed Jun 14, 20241,058 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Llc

Defect. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2022-2023 C 300 vehicles. The bolt securing the electrical wire to the pre-fuse box could be improperly tightened, causing the wire to overheat. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2024070005.

Risk. An overheated wire can cause a fire and a sudden loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Dealers will inspect and rework the wiring harness, as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 2, 2024. Owner may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-877-496-3691.

Electrical System › Wiring › Fuses and Circuit Breakers24V115000
Filed Feb 16, 202431,848 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Llc

Defect. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2023-2024 C300, AMG C43, S580e, S580, Maybach S580, Maybach S680, AMG SL43, AMGSL63, GLC300, EQE350, EQE500, EQS450, EQS580, AMG EQS, 2023 S500, AMG SL55, AMG EQE, 2024 E350, E450, AMG C63e S, CLE300 Coupe, CLE450 Coupe, and GLC300 Coupe vehicles. The 80-Amp fuses may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can cause the fuses to fail.

Risk. An 80-Amp fuse that fails can result in a sudden loss of drive power or a loss of critical safety functions such as the restraint systems or instrument cluster, increasing the risk of a crash or injury. Additionally, there could be an increased risk of a fire.

Remedy. Dealers will replace the main fuse boxes, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 5, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2024030008.

Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump23V880000
Filed Dec 21, 202379,676 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Llc

Defect. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021-2024 GLE, GLS, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, SL, GLC, CLS, AMG GT, and G-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle details. The fuel pump may shutdown, causing a loss of drive power.

Risk. A loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 28, 2024. Owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, on February 23, 2024, April 19, 2024, June 28, 2024, August 9, 2024, October 1, 2024, and December 2, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 23V-445.

Electrical System › Wiring23V462000
Filed Jun 30, 20238,178 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Llc

Defect. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2022-2023 C300 and 2023 AMG C43 vehicles. The transmission wiring harness may be the incorrect length, which can result in harness damage and a loss of drive power.

Risk. A loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Dealers will inspect and repair the transmission wiring harness routing, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 18, 2023. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6373. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2023070015.

Electrical System › Wiring23V463000
Filed Jun 30, 20231,558 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Llc

Defect. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2022-2023 C300 and 2023 AMG C43 vehicles. The ground connections for the electrical wiring harness may not be secured properly, which can result in the electrical wiring harness overheating.

Risk. An overheated wiring harness can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy. Dealers will inspect and repair the ground connections for the electrical wiring harness, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2023. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6373. MBUSA's numbers for this recall are 2023070016, 2023070017, 2023070018, and 2024070016.

Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump23V445000
Filed Jun 26, 2023143,551 vehiclesMercedes-Benz Usa, Llc

Defect. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021-2023 C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, CLS, SL, GT, GLC, GLE, GLS, and G-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle details. The fuel pump may shutdown, which can result in a loss of drive power.

Risk. A loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 14, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2023070012.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Visibility/Wiper
Filed Nov 15, 2025CA

When going into Reverse the passenger side mirror angles down to see curbs. When putting back into Drive it should be going back up to normal angle, but 20% of the time it does not go back up. If you're driving in the dark you may not know it's reverted back up and get into a car accident. Dealership said there are no issues and a technician stated it goes back up at +9 mph. I've gone over 30 mph driving on public street only to realize it late. I am hoping this gets publicity before an accident occurs due to a defective safety-comfort feature.

Forward Collision Avoidance
Filed Aug 13, 202528,000 milesNJ

The contact owns a 2023 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that on occasion while driving at various speeds, the vehicle unexpectedly stopped without the brake pedal being depressed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed twice by the local dealer, and the contact was advised that the Forward Collision Avoidance sensors needed to be recalibrated; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer where the vehicle was inspected, and the contact was advised that further diagnostic tests were required to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 28,000. The VIN was not available.

Unknown or Other
Filed Aug 7, 2025MO

My panoramic sunroof spontaneously exploded while driving down the highway, no external impact was made. The glass exploded from the inside out. It made a loud boom, it startled me on the highway resulted me to swerving on the road, which would have put me and other drivers at risk. There's plenty other MB drivers reported similar issues that stated. MB has also settled a class action lawsuit regarding such manner. UNKNOWN There were no warning signs prior to the event. The event spontaneous and sudden.

Forward Collision Avoidance › Automatic Emergency Braking
Filed Jul 18, 2025NJ

On 4 different occasions car brake assist activated causing car to come to an immediate stop and jerk. At stop light as I started to accelerate a left turn car came to an immediate stop almost causing the car behind hit rear end. Brake assist light activated. This happened twice. And twice when in reverse backing out of a parking space and backing into driveway. Dealership notified look at my car and stated they did not see anything wrong. 4th incident happened within 30 minutes after leaving Wilmington Mercedes Benz.

Structure › Body
Filed May 23, 2025TX

While driving at 60mph my panoramic sunroof completely shattered. Nothing at all hit the sunroof to cause it to shatter. If my sunshade cover had not been on, the glass would have fallen on me while operating my vehicle. This is not only dangerous but unacceptable. It was also a distraction that could have caused an accident. Mercedes did not make me aware of the class action lawsuit they have with the panoramic sunroofs, and I feel that was neglectful on their part. Upon inspection from a service advisor at a Mercedes Benz dealership, they told me something must have hit it (nothing hit it) and want to charge me $4,000 to fix it.

Tires › Sidewall
Filed Sep 17, 202416,000 milesNC

The contact owns a 2023 Mercedes Benz C300 equipped with Pirelli Tires, Tire Line: P Zero, Tire Size: 255/35/VR19, DOT Number: [XXX] . The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, there was an unknown bumping sound heard. The contact pulled over and noticed that the passenger's side front tire was flat. The TPMS warning light was illuminated. The infotainment screen showed a reading of the tire 0 PSI. The contact noticed there was a hole in the tire and the side wall was damaged, and the rim was damaged. The contact depressed the SOS button but received no assistance. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was taken to a tire center, but no assistance was provided. The contact called the local dealer and was provided information for the tire replacement. The dealer informed the contact that the tires on the vehicle were not correct for the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The vehicle and tire failure mileages were 16,000. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Forward Collision Avoidance › Adaptive Cruise Control
Filed Sep 5, 2024OK

This car has the driver assistance package including Active Speed Limit Assist which is supposed to automatically adjust the speed of the vehicle based on detected speed limits. However, it gets the speed limit wrong an excessive amount of the time sometimes resulting in the car suddenly decelerating which I consider to be a serious safety issue that could result in collisions. In my situation, I have experienced the car suddenly slowing to 40 mph for no reason in an area where the speed limit was 65 mph. I have also seen this problem documented on a number of blogs related to Mercedes-Benz vehicles. When I reported the problem to the dealership, I was told that it was a known issue and was encouraged to turn this feature off. I think Mercedes-Benz needs to fix this known issue for those of us who have cars with Active Speed Limit Assist.

Unknown or Other
Filed Aug 4, 2024NY

While driving on the highway I had decided to tilt my sunroof open. When it opened the sunroof completely cracked/shattered discarding tiny particles of glass all over me. There were no previous compromising cracks nor did anything hit my pano sunroof causing this to happen

Electrical System
Filed Jun 25, 2024TX

The electrical wiring harness of my vehicle completely caught fire making my vehicle stopped working. Manufacture warranty refuses to acknowledge this as an ongoning issue with this models and forcing me to pay for my own repairs this is a danger to anyone driving this vehicle as the car entirely can be caught on fire at any given time.

Forward Collision Avoidance › Automatic Emergency Braking
Filed Apr 22, 2024NJ

Filing complaint on behalf of my sister. She was driving on empty side street around 25mph and the car comes to an abrupt stop. Apparently part of the collision avoidance system, yet nothing in road, on road or in sight. If there was anyone behind her, they would have slammed into the rear end of her car.

Forward Collision Avoidance › Adaptive Cruise Control
Filed Apr 2, 2024OK

The contact owns a 2023 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while driving with the Adaptive Cruise Control engaged, the vehicle decelerated quickly, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Service BrakesCrash
Filed Mar 15, 2024CO

On 2/17/24 the vehicle was parked in front of my house. There is a slight grade. The vehicle had been parked for approximately 1 hour when my neighbor called me to tell me that the vehicle had rolled down the hill and into his storage building. The vehicle rolled on its own. I have video evidence that no one was in or around the car at the time of this occurrence. I also, have 2 eyewitnesses who can corroborate this story. Due to safety concerns, I immediately returned the vehicle to Mercedes. I have .MOV files and pictures JPEG that will not upload for some reason.

Electrical System
Filed Nov 19, 2023NV

The above multiple problems/parts at issue. To include Other/I am not sure. Started at or approximately February 2023. The (Automatic Folding Side View Folding Mirrors before resolution) Malfunctioned 3 separate times before being fixed. During that time the (Cooling System Malfunction Reduced Drive Performance Service Required), displayed 2 separate Unknown Dates on the Dashboard Screen. The MB Dealership Service Diagnostic Check made was not Able to Detect the Trouble and was Never Fixed). On Monday, 08/21/2023, by (USPS) delivered a Mercedes Benz Official Letter Head Dated August 2023, stating that an (IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL) for my Make and Model was issued. For the (Fuel Pump Impeller Module & Unfortunately, the Remedy is Not Yet Available). August 2023, the (Battery Voltage Level Percentage Warning Light) displayed 2 separate times. Then unknown dates, the front left driver's and right passenger's window were only going down by about 10-25% and up by about 90%, without completely closing. on 10/26/2023, the (Coolant System Malfunction Reduced Drive Performance Serviced Required) displayed. It has been at the Henderson of Mercedes-Benz Dealership to this date because knowing and understanding of the issues and unable to repair the problem. Additionally, being told the fuel pump recall parts not available until May of 2024. Monthly payments are still made, but the vehicle is not or cannot be driven due to the C-Class Sedan Operator's Manual on Pages 26-27, noting this co

Electrical System
Filed Sep 12, 20236,000 milesCT

The contact owns a 2023 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH with the Intelligent Cruise Control activated, with no other vehicles or objects nearby, the vehicle inadvertently slowed down. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality but later displayed the following messages: “Active Emergency Stop Assist Currently Unavailable”, and “Active Steering Assist Inoperable”. The Forward Collision Avoidance warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 6,000.

Tires › Sidewall
Filed Sep 7, 20232,000 milesVA

The contact owns a 2023 Mercedes-Benz C300 equipped with Bridgestone RFT Tires, Tire Line: Turanza 100, Tire Size: 225/45/R18, DOT Number: VRJ7V4Y. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the driver's side tire exploded. The contact stated that a "0 PSI driver side front tire" warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that he observed that the driver's side tire had a portion blown out on the sidewall of the tire. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where it was diagnosed that the blowout had been due to external sources and not tire structural integrity. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact stated that the vehicle was no longer equipped with a spare tire, and the contact was informed by the dealer that any type of spare tire for the vehicle was unavailable for purchase. The contact had been told by the manufacturer that the vehicle had been equipped with "run flat tires" and there was no need for a spare tire. The approximate vehicle and tire failure mileage was 2,000.

Engine
Filed Aug 23, 20233,900 milesAL

The contact owns a 2023 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while reversing, the check engine warning light illuminated and the vehicle lost motive power, stalled and shutoff. The contact was able to restart the vehicle, but had the vehicle towed to the dealer. The dealer stated that no cause for the failure was found but updated the software. The failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and the contact was informed that the water pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 3,900.

Forward Collision Avoidance › Adaptive Cruise Control
Filed Jul 17, 2023OR

Major safety issue - PHANTOM BRAKING. On 2 separate occasions the vehicle engaged emergency braking while there was no apparent hazard. This phantom braking was very dangerous. This car has adaptive cruise control. It occurred in the exact same spot on Interstate-84 and NE 21st Avenue in Portland, Oregon while traveling east bound. The cruise control was on and engaged in incident 1. Cruise control was on, but not set, in the second incident. First incident was approximately 6/1/23. Second incident was 7/16/23. I have reported to Mercedes Benz Customer service. Case opened #2-42097036640. I will contact the dealership to report as well.

Service Brakes
Filed Jun 21, 2023CA

The Mercedes just slams on the brakes for no reason. It's happened 3x and is very scary. According to Internet posts this is a common problem because of collision assist malfunction

Electrical System
Filed May 26, 2023GA

- December 5, 2022, while driving on I-20 East in Atlanta, Georgia in the evening, at a speed of 15-20 mph my vehicle abruptly came to a stop in the middle of traffic with no warning and no action prompted by me while driving. There were vehicles positioned in front and behind my vehicle. Thankfully, the vehicle behind me was able to slam on its breaks to prevent colliding into my vehicle. - April 7, 2023, while driving in southwest Atlanta in a residential area at a speed of 15-20 mph, while on the phone with one of my work colleagues, my vehicle abruptly stopped while driving past houses with no warning and no action prompted by me while driving. There was a vehicle positioned behind me that was able to slam on its breaks to prevent colliding into my vehicle. - May 5, 2023, while driving in a residential neighborhood on W Wesley Rd in Atlanta at a speed of 10-15 mph in a construction zone, my vehicle again abruptly stopped with no warning. This time, the stop was much more forceful than previous incidents. - May 5, 2023 my car received the following prompt on my screen "Your vehicle has detected a breakdown. Do you want to receive support from Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance" - Mercedes assessed my car and reported the following: C111A00 Radar sensor 1 is disrupted by interference from an external transmitter." Then, "NOTE PER OWNERS MANUAL, THE SYSTEM ON THE CAR CANNOT ALWAYS TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ROAD, WEATHER OR TRAFFIC CONDITIONS///BE AWARE OF THE LIMITATIONS REGARDING TH

Service Brakes
Filed May 20, 2023CA

First week, the car would take off fast as soon as the brakes were released. Then first time I used the heat there was a crackling sound coming form the side of the center display and it got extremely hot, I was on the FWY driving in the rain. Brakes: Intermittently, when braking, the car speeds up as if shifting to N, problematic in the FWY traffic behind another car, sometimes the brake pedal can be heard rattling really lose underfoot, brakes also used to groan when backing up. Electrical: intermittently, the door/trunk lock, side mirror, garage door opener do not work, and the dash displays change by themselves, the worst is the unreasonably hot center display that burns fingers, and becomes untouchable on hot days. Transmission: seems not to work in unison with the accelerator as sometimes the RPM needle hits 3-4 but the car will not speed up or is sluggish. Other: the car intermittently kicks, like being rear ended, it happens at different speeds and stopped or driving, continuing a few times intermittently for a day or two. Twice have taken the car to MBZ dealership, one for 2 days, another for 10 days, they said they reset everything and all was fine. The issues are intermittent and hard to duplicate for some one who does not drive the car regularly. The dealership has been great but I do not feel they are able to reveal the problems with the vehicle. The car is like a computer with a virus and sometime gives erratic response.

20 of 22 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2008
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20261100Routine
20254200Routine
202411300Routine
2023 — this page22900Routine
202225900Routine
202114700Routine
202033900Routine
2019671700Routine
2018991800Routine
20172161530Above average
20162861350Above average
20153801110Above average
201494500Routine
2013259620Above average
2012266641Fatalities reported
2011480660Above average
2010453650Above average
20095768180Above average
20086727160Above average

Compare every C300 year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Jul 24, 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.