2011 Mercedes-Benz C300 problems
NHTSA has received 585 complaints about the 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300, and 43% of them involve air bags. Next are suspension (10%) and body & structure (9%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 585 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Air bags 43% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 20 and 6
- Injuries and deaths
- 22 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 80,000 miles 173 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 | 16 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 13 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 24 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 31 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 37 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 29 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 12 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 7 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 4 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 173 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 80,000 miles. For air bags specifically, the median reported mileage is about 60,000 miles (41 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 20 complaints mention a crash; 6 complaints mention a fire; 22 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2011 ranks 3rd most-complained-about out of 15 model years of the Mercedes-Benz C300 with enough data (185 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 6 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.
Airbags did not deploy. While driving on the highway, a deer ran across the opposite side lane of traffic and collided with the drivers side and windshield. The entire deer landed in drivers lap and passengers side seats. No airbags deployed. Statefarm and state trooper reports with photos taken. Both occupants were taken to er by ambulance and treated.
The air bags on my c300 mercedes 2011 did not deploy during front crash. The accident happened at a t intersection street. I was at the front lane at a t intersection stopping during red light. A volvo car from the other side of the intersection that was trying to make a left turn-into the street that I was stopping on- crashed into my vehicle front to front as a result of avoiding getting crashed by another car that was passing red light into it's opposite direction.
Tl* the contact owned a 2011 mercedes benz c300. While at a stop, the accelerator pedal was applied and the vehicle violently accelerated to 30 MPH. The brake pedal was depressed, but failed to respond causing the contact to crash into the rear end of another vehicle. The steering wheel and the steering column air bags deployed. As a result, the contact sustained knee and back injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed.
Repeatedly, vehicle refuses to start on first try. Insert key, steering wheel unlocks. Turn it, all lights come on. Turn to start and nothing happens. Turn switch all the way off and then try again and it starts.
I recently noticed a noise coming from the left rear side os the car when I would go over the slightest bumps. I was scheduled to have my breaks replaced and when the auto was on the lift, the mechanic noticed that the frame was cracked. The auto has never been involved in any serious accidents. I did some searching on Mercedes Benz forums and there are several references of similar occurrences. Those reporting the issue after visiting a dealer have hinted it's a known issue and caused by Winter weather.