2009 Mercedes-Benz C 300 Steering Problems

The problem is that the steering wheel locking mechanism has failed. The vehicle could not be started or driven. It required a flatbed tow to an authorized Mercedes repair facility. It was diagnosed as the steering mechanism, requiring replacement. The cost for this repair is $1400.00. I researched this problem on the MB website and it stated that this issue was common. I feel that this is a safety issue and should be repaired free of charge or at a significant discount. The car is currently being repaired, and I can forward any relevant documentation to you once the repair is complete.

NHTSA ID

11667436

Incident

Jun 14, 2025

I drove my car to get lunch. Came back out to go back to work and the car would not start. Would not even turn over. My Radio did not turn on and I couldn't even roll my windows back up. Luckily they were only cracked open a small amount. My steering wheel cannot be turned, it's locked in it's current position. I am told the ESL (Electronic Steering Lock) and possibly the EIS is the cause of this problem. The display on the dash says "Take your key from ignition" and that is all I get. Had to have my car towed and now I have a dead car with the windows partially open that I cannot close.

NHTSA ID

11615266

Incident

Sep 16, 2024

The entire rear subframe of any W205 body model including but not limited to the C class from 2009-2014, CL class, SL, class ETC. suffers admittedly from MB USA, premature rust, deterioration etc. there is an active recall for these same models in Canada and all of Europe but not the USA. My garage kept 2009 C300 has suffered extensive rear end damage from a factory defect that Mercedes refuses to recognize in the Continental U.S. but will admit the same issues occurred in the EU and Canada. Keeler Mercedes, USA, of Colonie New York, stated they completed my subframe repair under the MB rear subframe extended warranty. The vehicle was driven home and inspected only to find out Keeler Mercedes of NY did NOT replace this crucial safety component under MB-USA extended warranty issued for this defect. This is pure negligence. When asked why the subframe wasn’t replaced as the work order stated it did, they stated “a mix up in paper work” I believe Mercedes-Benz USA and Keeler Mercedes of New York conspired together to push this massive safety defect aside and lie about completing the work in fear of the payment from warranty not being worth the labor hours required by the technicians. This oversight COULD have been a multi million dollar lawsuit if any injury was sustained after said repairs were done in belief the vehicle was safe to drive. Keeler Mercedes’ has also had this vehicle in their possession from June 14th 2024, to todays date, July 5th 2024 with no word on when repairs to subframe will be completed. Subframe replacement stated on MB website states it is an 8 hour labor job. We’re on day 18 now. MAJOR safety issue and shady dealing by dealership

NHTSA ID

11599329

Incident

Jun 14, 2024

Suspension Cross-Member - Mercedes-Benz (204-350-01-41) Driving regularly suddenly fill like the rear passenger side tire moved unevenly, then went to the tire shop, and when they take out the tire see how the rear frame was rusted and broken in a straight line exactly in the middle of the tire hole area. Then start to check used cars to donate that part and All of them have the same trouble in that piece, so I decided to review the frame and discover that the rust begins to damage the opposite side too, so I'm pretty sure is a component failure in metal and materials more than simple rust.

NHTSA ID

11479521

Incident

Mar 26, 2022

Steering Wheel locked due to ESL Module's motor failure making the car won't turn on, not drivable. Stuck, stranded.

NHTSA ID

11479405

Incident

Aug 12, 2022

2009 C300 at 120k miles car won’t start. Dashboard indicates “remove key from ignition” key was not in ignition, had car towed to the dealership, they said car needs a new steering lock and ignition switch due to malfunction. Total cost $1923. Thankfully car was not in motion when this happened. Please do a recall on steering lock and ignition switch for the safety of everyone!!!!

NHTSA ID

11440838

Incident

Nov 17, 2021

Steering lock malfunction and unable to start car. Vehicle has completely shut down.

NHTSA ID

11440028

Incident

Nov 7, 2021

electrical ignition switch and electronic steering lock the component malfunctioned with no symptoms. i got stranded for 5 hours past midnight car has been inspected by a shop and Mb dealer no warning lights and no symptoms

NHTSA ID

11428255

Incident

Aug 7, 2021

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? One day my car did not crank or start. Had it towed to dealer and they seemed to be familiar with everything they needed to order to fix it without blinking. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? As much as not being able to drive your car Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, See attached invoice Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No

NHTSA ID

11421548

Incident

Jul 9, 2019

REAR SUBFRAME ASSEMBLY RUSTING, CREATING SAFETY ISSUE. DISCOVERED 04-22=2021

NHTSA ID

11414872

Incident

Apr 22, 2021

Mileage

115,000 mi

MY VEHICLE CONTINUOUSLY GIVES ME WARNING/ALERT MESSAGES OF HEADLIGHT/SIGNAL/PARKING LAMP ISSUES. UPON INSPECTION AND TAKEN TO CERTIFIED, RELIABLE MERCEDES REPAIR SHOPS, LIGHTS ARE FULLY FUNCTIONING, YET ALERTS CONTINUE ON MY DISPLAY/DASH. MORE IMPORTANTLY THE ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK (ESL) HAS FAILED ON MORE THAN ONCE COSTING VERY CONSIDRABLE AMOUNTS OF REPAIR BILLS, AND IT HAS HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING, I PARKED THE CAR WHICH HAS BEEN PERFECTLY MAINTAINED AND WITH LOW MILEAGE, AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS, MAKING IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO EVEN HAVE IT TOWED TO BE REPAIRED.

NHTSA ID

11414467

Incident

Apr 21, 2021

Mileage

95,000 mi

THE CAR WAS STATIONARY. IGNITION SWITCH LOCKS THE CAR DOES NOT START AND THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD DOES NOT COME ON, IT HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR SEVERAL YEARS UNTIL IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE, IT WONT START AT ALL HAD TO GET IT TOWED TO MERCEDES

NHTSA ID

11402916

Incident

Mar 12, 2021

Mileage

103,000 mi

CAR WAS PARKED BY SIDE WALK NEXT TO MY HOUSE. INSERTED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND TURNED IT. THE CAR DID NOT START, AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED. NO LIGHTS FLASHED ON THE DASHBOARD. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED ON TRUCK BED SINCE IT'S REAR-WHEEL DRIVE. DEALER TOLD ME IT'S THE IGNITION SWITCH LOCK CYLINDER. COST $1500 TO FIX. THIS IS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. NOT FAIR.

NHTSA ID

11372335

Incident

Oct 27, 2020

Mileage

55,000 mi

EIS STEERING LOCK BATTERY FAIL. $12 BATTERY DIES AND EIS STAYS IN LOCK POSITION KEY DOESN'T RESPOND TO IGNITION SWITCH OR CAR UNLOCKING DOORS.

NHTSA ID

11329801

Incident

May 9, 2020

MY CAR EVERY SO OFTEN WON?T START BATTERY IS GOOD STARTER IS GOOD JUST DOES NOTHING HAPPENED OVER 10X HAD IT TOWED TO 5 MECHANICS SHOPS AND MERCEDES CAN?T DIAGNOSE PROBLEM BECAUSE AFTER A DAY MAYBE TWO SOMETIMES 4 OR 5 THE CAR WILL JUST START UP ON ITS OWN AND THEN A FEW WEEKS OR MONTHS WE GO THROUGH IT ALL OVER AGAIN RESEARCHED AND OTHER MERCEDES C300 DRIVERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM FOR MONTHS AND ITS THE STEERING LOCK MODULE. *TR

NHTSA ID

11326438

Incident

May 27, 2020

Mileage

85,000 mi

TURNED IGNITION KEY TO START VEHICLE. NOTHING HAPPENED. NO CRANKING OR CLICKING. COMPLETE SILENCE. STEERING WHEEL AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTER WERE BOTH LOCKED INTO POSITION AND COULD NOT BE MOVED EVEN THOUGH IGNITION WAS IN THE 'ON' POSITION. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ASSOCIATED WITH A DEFECT IN THE 'ELECTRICAL IGNITION SYSTEM/ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK (EIS/ESL)' AND IS THE SUBJECT OF A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THIS CONDITION OCCURRED ON ONE PREVIOUS OCCASION WITHIN THE LAST 45 DAYS. ON BOTH OCCASIONS VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY HOWEVER IF IT WERE OCCUR WHILE MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK AND DRIVER WOULD BE UNABLE TO AVOID A COLLISION. THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED AND WIDELY KNOWN SAFETY DEFECT FOR WHICH THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BEAR THE COST OF CORRECTING (AT THE CURRENT TIME VEHICLE OWNERS ARE CHARGED BETWEEN $1200-$1700 TO PERFORM THE DEFECT CORRECTION OUTLINED IN THE MANUFACTURER'S TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN). *TR

NHTSA ID

11323812

Incident

May 7, 2020

Mileage

82,000 mi

PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE WHOLE CAR SHUT DOWN AFTER BEING INSPECTED. IT SAID TO BE A INTERLOCK SWITCH PROBLEM I'LL HAVE TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED BECAUSE IT WILL NOT TURN ON IT IS SHUT DOWN .

NHTSA ID

11316625

Incident

Jan 27, 2020

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE IGNITION OR THE STEERING COLUMN CONTROL LOCK FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HOY FAMILY AUTO (1122 AIRWAY BLVD, EL PASO, TX 79925, (915) 706-2200) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN CONTROL MECHANISM FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,169. *PM CONSUMER STATED OIL CHANGE WAS DONE 1,000 MILES PRIOR TO FAILURE.*JB

NHTSA ID

11255788

Incident

May 9, 2019

Mileage

120,169 mi

STEERING WHEEL STUCK IN LOCKED POSITION. CAR WILL NOT START. LOTS OF RESEARCH ON THE ISSUE HAS SHOWN MANY PEOPLE HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THIS ISSUES HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS STATIONARY. MANY TIMES AT NIGHT WHEN I AM GETTING OFF WORK.

NHTSA ID

11234589

Incident

Jul 24, 2019

Mileage

140,000 mi

SAFETY ISSUE REGARDING FAILURE OF REAR SUBFRAME. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2009 C300 4MATIC SPORT. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT ITS ENTIRE LIFE AND IS NOT IN A HIGH SALT OR SNOW ENVIRONMENT. MY WIFE WAS EXTREMELY LUCKY TO HAVE AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT IN THIS CAR DUE TO THE REAR SUBFRAME RUSTING THROUGH AND SEPARATING. WE BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW AND PAID A PREMIUM FOR MERCEDES QUALITY BECAUSE WE THOUGHT IT WAS THE SAFEST VEHICLE MADE. I AM EXTREMELY DISMAYED TO LEARN THAT WHEN MY WIFE CAME HOME AND SAID THE CAR WAS DRIVING WEIRD, THAT IN FACT SHE WAS DRIVING A CAR THAT WAS FALLING APART WITH MY 7 YR OLD DAUGHTER IN THE BACK AND COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT. WHEN SHE ARRIVED AT THE ALIGNMENT SHOP THE MANAGER THERE INFORMED HER THE CAR WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND HE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS TYPE OF FAILURE OF THE FRAME BEFORE. MY WIFE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR BECAUSE IT WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. THIS CERTAINLY SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT OR USE OF POOR MATERIALS AND MERCEDES SHOULD COVER THE REPAIRS

NHTSA ID

11232023

Incident

Jul 12, 2019

Mileage

89,000 mi

PULLED INTO PARKING SPACE AND LOCKED CAR. 'THE CAR WAS IN A STATIONARY POSITION IN A PARKING LOT.' DID SHOPPING 1/2 HOUR. WHEN I CAME BACK THE CAR DID UNLOCK, BUT WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO START IT, THE KEY WOULDN'T TURN TO START THE CAR. I WAS UNABLE TO MOVE THE GEAR SHIFT, UNABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL, NO RADIO, THE CAR WAS TOTALLY LOCKED AND SHUT DOWN. I CONTACTED MY MERCEDES CERTIFIED MECHANIC AND HE HAD A TOW COMPANY COME TO RETRIEVE MY CAR. WHEN THE TOW GOT THERE, THE WHEELS WERE TURNED TO THE LEFT AS I HAD PULLED INTO THE PARKING SPACE AND THEY WERE STILL TURNED FROM PULLING INTO THE SPACE TO THE LEFT. IT TOOK THEM OVER AN HOUR TO LOAD THE CAR ON THEIR TRUCK BECAUSE THE WHEELS WERE LOCKED IN A TURN POSITION. THEY TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC AND HE REALIZED THE CAR WAS IN A STEERING LOCK. HE "REMOVED AND REPLACED -ALL." THE INVOICE STATES REPLACED "STEERING LOCK" [XXX] I WILL HAVE A COPY OF THE INVOICE FAXED TO YOU BY UPS. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO FAX. THERE WAS VIRTUALLY NO REASON FOR THE CAR TO LOCK AS IT DID. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF AN ISSUE WHILE DRIVING THE CAR UNTIL I ATTEMPTED TO START IT AND IT WAS COMPLETELY LOCKED. HAD THIS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING, I AM CERTAIN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TT *JS

NHTSA ID

11195780

Incident

Nov 26, 2018

Mileage

72,311 mi

THE CAR STOPPED ON ME WHILE I WAS DRIVING PN THE HIGHWAY, BECAUSE OF FAULTY ESL UNIT. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND IT US VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH ALL MERCERDES W204.

NHTSA ID

11179981

Incident

Feb 7, 2019

Mileage

148,000 mi

ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK FAILED TO OPERATE AND UNABLE TO START VEHICLE. COMMON PROBLEM WITH W204 CHASSIS AND PERHAPS A SAFETY ISSUE IF VEHICLE FAILS TO OPERATE AS DESIGNED.STATIONARY WHEN FAILED, HAD TO TOW HOME TO DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR. THEFT SENSITIVE DEVICE SO PARTS CAN'T BE ORDERED FROM OTHER THAN DEALER.

NHTSA ID

11129179

Incident

Aug 21, 2018

Mileage

84,500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ C300. UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 66,700. *TT *JS

NHTSA ID

11103434

Incident

Jun 22, 2018

Mileage

66,700 mi

DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAGS HAVE BEEN RECALLED AND CAN CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY COMMUNICATION AS TO WHEN A FIX WILL OCCUR AND HAVE BEEN TOLD BY SERVICE ADVISOR THAT THERE SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAGS IF IN COLLISION IN CALIFORNIA UNTIL A FIX. ALSO MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS OF BEING STRANDED DUE TO IGNITION SWITCH FAIL THAT LOCKS STEERING WHEEL AND IS A $1,300 FIX.

NHTSA ID

11079147

Incident

Jan 1, 2017

Mileage

48,000 mi