2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 problems
NHTSA has received 942 complaints about the 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300, and 29% of them involve air bags. Next are electrical system (24%) and steering (14%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 942 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Air bags 29% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 25 and 23
- Injuries and deaths
- 43 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 79,000 miles 625 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 21 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 42 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 109 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 144 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 146 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 75 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 36 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 27 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 15 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 2 |
| 200k+ miles | 8 |
What the data shows
Of the 625 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 79,000 miles. For air bags specifically, the median reported mileage is about 79,000 miles (77 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 25 complaints mention a crash; 23 complaints mention a fire; 43 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2008 ranks 4th most-complained-about out of 15 model years of the Mercedes-Benz C300 with enough data (166 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 7 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Good evening, I drive a 2008 mercedes benz c300 sport which I financed from a VW dealer, which sold it as a pre owned/used vehicle still under warranty, regardless, I opted to ensure I had the maximum warranty available. On thursday, sept 03 I was involved in an accident while operating this vehicle. Inside the vehicle was a front passenger and a rear passenger as well, neither of whom I think were wearing seat belts.
I was edging out of a parking space in a supermarket parking lot. I stepped on the brake pedal to allow another car to pass. My car suddenly surged ahead, hitting five other vehicles and a pedestrian, before smashing into a barrier that stopped it. I was pushing hard on the brake petal throughout, but it had no effect on stopping the car. It is of course possible that I stepped on the gas pedal and not the brake pedal.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 mercedes-benz c300. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, when the front driver headrest air bag deployed without impact. The contact stated the front passenger side SRS malfunction service required and the front driver side SRS malfunction service required warning messages illuminated. The contact stated she heard an abnormal noise coming from the rear of the headrest that deployed. The contact stated she could smell and saw smoke on the rear headrest.
Right rear lights went out on car, started smelling melting plastic. Stopped and checked the plug that went into the lights has melted.
While driving all of a sudden the steering stopped working. It turned freely both sides but the car was going straight. It happened on a city road. If it happened on a highway it would be a disaster.