2019 Mercedes-Benz AMG C43 Owner Complaints

Front seat belts do not automatically retract.

NHTSA ID

11667937

Incident

Jul 1, 2024

I drive 40-50 miles per day in this vehicle. I noticed a wobble develop last week, so I stopped into a local service shop to see if maybe a tire weight fell off. They brought me into the garage and spun all four tires individually in front of me...Every one of them was no longer a circle, more oval shaped. All four rims lost their shape. I drive this car on a highway to work every day with occasional potholes and rough concrete connections, but nothing notable over the last 11k miles I have put on the car in 8 months of ownership. The wheel repair shop who rolled them back in to shape told me "Mercedes-Benz and BMW are our most frequent customers" either for dents, cracks, or curb rash. He even went on to say "AMG rims may be the softest on the road. Even a speed bump going a little too fast will destroy an AMG rim." Sure enough, another C43 AMG was parked next to me in the parking lot when I picked my car up and a 2011-2013 C250 with the AMG sport styling package had just parked. I think seeing three AMG products in for the same reason is more than a coincidence. Furthermore, all four wheels to have lost their shape at only 33k miles total on the car is also hard to believe. After further research, it seems many Mercedes-Benz, especially AMG, drivers are facing similar problems; C43 with 5 cracked rims over 2 years, C43 with 1 rim replaced after 1 month of ownership, C43 with all new wheels after owner discovered 3 cracked rims out of the 4. Many stories. Given the violent wobble at highway speeds, it is scary to think that potholes could render these cars undrivable. These cars are advertised with performance in mind, yet rims that crumble under normal driving conditions, such as my 22 mile drive to work every day. Marketing speed and hardcore driving is reckless for cars prone to develop oval shaped wheels under these conditions. Specifically, the 19" AMG sport rims like the package on my car. No warning lights or anything either.

NHTSA ID

11498249

Incident

Dec 19, 2022

I own a 2019 Mercedes AMG C43. I had 2 cracked rims which the insurance company claims that it is a manufacturers defect and not due to hitting holes in the road. The city of Chicago, where I reside, has many pothole problems. Which can be tough to avoid. After reading Mercedes Benz forums and finding there are many people having issues with these rims cracking. Most of my driving is in the city and not high speed but others have reported that the rims have cracked during highway driving and they have had tire losses as well. I believe there to be a risk with these rims cracking so easily, and causing damage to tires as well. Thought I should pass this on

NHTSA ID

11478570

Incident

May 11, 2022

I have 2 cracks in my wheels that needed repair. These cracks were 180degrees from each other. No tire damage

NHTSA ID

11448698

Incident

Jan 24, 2022

WAS STOPPED AT RED LIGHT. WHEN IT TURNED GREEN, PULLED UP WAITING FOR TRAFFIC TO CLEAR FOR A LEFT TURN; ONCE TRAFFIC CLEARED, ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE THROUGH TURN BUT VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. MOVED FOOT BACK TO BRAKE THEN TO GAS, STILL NO MOVED. TRIED TO CONFIRM VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE, NOTICED MESSAGE ON INSTRUMENT PANEL "TRANSMISSION FAILURE". VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO OR OUT OF ANY GEAR, AND WOULD NOT MOVE. SHUT OFF VEHICLE AND RESTARTED, VEHICLE THEN SHIFTED AND MOVED NORMALLY. WAS ABLE TO CLEAR INTERSECTION.

NHTSA ID

11204150

Incident

Apr 24, 2019

Mileage

1,000 mi