Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2011 Mercedes-Benz C 300 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 34 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 34, in the owner's own words
The electronic steering wheel lock went out causing the car to not start. Upon checking the Internet to see if anyone else was having this problem I found that it was a problem many Mercedes Benz owners have had and it's an expensive one. It's not just with my particular model and it's not limited to older models of the brand either.
I drove vehicle to Publix with no problems. When i tried to start vehicle, key turns but car does not start. There is no cranking sound. I called a mechanic friend and after extensive diagnosis he determined it was the ESL Module which controls the steering. Fortunately i was not driving the vehicle when the ESL Module failed. There is a recall on Mercedes Benz c300 from 2012-2017 for the ESL Module problems but the 2011 is not included. It should be recalled since it is a safety hazard and it appears others have had similar problems according to comments on Google. I have a handicapped wife i take care of and having issues with the steering can cause accidents and injuries. There were no messages or symptoms of the problem prior to the failure. There needs to be a recall or further inspection done on the 2011 Mercedes Benz c300. Car will be towed to a Mercedes Benz dealership for Diagnostics.
The ESL or electronic steering lock is a very common issue with this year and model at around the 70k mile mark. You cannot start the car once this goes out and it’s over $2k to fix
The ESL is going out and is causing the car to not detect the key.
For the 2011 Mercedes Benz C300, the following is a general description of the issue: The component that failed is the "internally faulty" electronic steering column lock control unit which doesn't allow the car to start its ignition. The technician at the Mercedes Benz car dealership noted on the invoice "found the electronic steering lock is internally faulty." Technician provided two specific codes and recommended to replace the steering lock control unit. Yes, this car is available for inspection upon request. Car is not reliable. After running errands, car did not start. I was stranded and could not get back home. Car had to be towed to the Mercedes Benz dealer service center. Yes, problem was reproduced in another Mercedes-Benz C300 car that I own. This other vehicle is a 2010 Mercedes-Benz C300. The failure of the "internally faulty steering lock control unit resulting in a no crank/no start condition" was confirmed on the invoice from the Mercedes Benz dealer service center. The car was not inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representative. The car was inspected by the Mercedes Benz dealer service center. Prior to complete failure, car would occasionally not start. This issue first appeared on or around August 2024. This steering lock failure is a critical issue as I had the same problem with another Mercedes Benz C300 that I own. Both steering lock failures for both cars occurred around the same time period and were separately diagnosed and fixed at different Mercedes Benz dealer service centers.
The car is not starting. no dashboard no lights no window function no seat function no radio. nothing. Ignition lights are not turning on and the car is dead. Car batteries were newly replaced but understand this could be EIS and Steering lock issues which is common in Mercedes Benz models. Why is Manufacturer not compensating / correcting for common errors on his Models?
Non operating. No tags . No plates.
Car slow down and stop and cannot start in traffic….
Hi, I dropped off my car with Mercedes-Benz Dealership in Egg Harbor Twp, NJ back on Dec 21, 2022 and still waiting on recall to be fixed and while I'm without ever since that. Please look into this recall.
Electronic steering locks are failing in these cars at an alarming rate. When it fails, the car will be stranded or if driving the car will completely lock the steering and take away control from the driver. This is a safety issue that Mercedes should be recalling and fixing because it will take people's lives away. Mercedes is aware of this issue but is failing to recall it and considering it as non-safety. When manufacturing the Electronic Steering lock, Mercedes used cheap parts that are prone to failure. This issue affected many years and models of their cars but only recalled a few cars. Once failure occurs, the car will not start and it will be required to tow it to a dealership where repairs over $2000 will be needed to fix this SAFETY issue.
Rear sub frame and suspension welds have cracks and are broken a loose which when having to put on brakes suddenly cause car to servely pull and twist which can cause a bad accident or worse.
08/15/2022 (date statement was wrote not date of incident) While driving into work at 50 miles an hour, traffic started to slow. While applying brake heard loud pop and vehicle rear end lounged right making steering difficult, I immediately released the brake and control came back I then gently applied the brake again to slow vehicle and felt slight clump from rear. This was very disconcerting my vehicle never had performed in that manner which made me feel very uncomfortable continuing driving, I had mechanic look at vehicle and was told the rear subframe had rusted and the rear left control arm broke away from frame??? My vehicle is very well maintain and just a little over 11 years old. Feeling belittled I began investing Mercedes’ forums and found this has been an issue with some of not all models and nothing has been done to correct this defect. I contacted Mercedes’ Benz and the service department knew exactly what it was and stated the is no recall on these failing subframe due to rust. This is a very serious safety issue due to the fact of loosing control of the vehicle when this component fails possibly causing serious injury or even death. To put insult to injury Mercedes has no plan to replace it and it’s left to the consumer to replace this non maintenance item. Looking into forums about this issue these subframes have failed at almost every odometer mileages, particularly the w204 chassis 2008-2014. A safety recall should be advised to the consumers whom own such vehicles!! Safety First!!!!!!!!! Respectfully, [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
The rear subframe is rusted and broken, alignment is out, and steering wheel is off centered. Given the history of this model car, it has been under recall in multiple countries outside the United States. This is a common and very dangerous issue that needs to be addressed in the United States because if you call any auto shop or Mercedes they all say it is a common problem with 2008-2014 C-class models. When you look up this issue with this car it has multiple threads saying that the rear subframe has rusted and broke when it is not supposed to.
I own a 2011 C300. Recently, my car suddenly stopped working while I was attempting to leave somewhere away from my home. It would not crank or turn over/start. So I was completely stranded, and in the extreme Florida heat. There has been no damage or wreck to cause this. There were also no warning lights or symptoms in my car beforehand. My car was towed to a Mercedes Benz dealership in the nearest city. They diagnosed the problem as an electronic steering lock failure. I asked how this happened. I was told that they do not know how it happened. I was also quoted a very expensive repair bill. Upon researching this problem further, I found out that steering lock failure and ignition switch failure is a recurring and common problem that Mercedes Benz already knows about, and many people with my car and similar models have had the same problem over the years. Age of the car at time of failure did not matter, either- it has happened to many cars at different ages and mileage.This is not a normal problem for any car to have, nor is it caused by normal wear and tear. Some people have even had their cars suddenly stop working while they are driving. Many people have also asked why these faulty parts have not been recalled yet. I contacted the company multiple times and did not receive any resolution to the problem. They said that this is my responsibility to repair, and they would not pay to repair this, nor reimburse me. The company's agent did not care at all about the issues, nor take any accountability for them as the manufacturer. Being stranded in the middle of nowhere at any time is dangerous for anyone, especially in certain areas or during intense weather. This entire issue has caused extreme stress for me- interruption in my schedule, lack of transportation, and financial loss. Please hold the Mercedes Benz company accountable for their lack of proper manufacturing and lack of proper repair to their parts that they know are faulty. Thank you.
My 2011, 300C has 116,000 miles. Driving the car I notices that when I applied brakes car swayed to the left. Concerned I brought vehicle to MB in Paramus, NJ. Was told that rear sub-frame was rusted and dislodged along with the brake lines, also rusted. Car was serviced every 10k miles as recommended by dealer and just now these issues were identified. I recently also was told that the fuel tank was also rusted out and needed to be replaced. These issued were a danger to me and my family and could have resulted in potential deaths. MB does not have any recalls for these problems but I believe NHTSA should initiate a recall as many others have had these problems. A google search has identifies a large number of people having these same problems. Below are 2 videos of the problem. https://app.mykaarma.com/service-cart/mpi/BfGpB6lKrWaYxN3TKQFzqa2MgCzxYgihmma6Ker7cFE/check/Your_CAR_CHECK_ID/media/0/view/1 https://api.mykaarma.com/video-walkaround/details?inspection_uuid=629e0e431dd41d3dfba54fd1&fileType=video No warnings messages or previous symptoms occurred and even though car was serviced every 10k miles, dealer Neve identified any of the concerns. How can that be when brake lines are rusted. Dealer refuses to take any responsibility and MB Germany has yet to respond to my various emails. Please review as these issues have life and death implications and a Recall should be initiated by NHTSA.
I haven't had an issue with this yet but have heard others having this issue. Mercedes Benz fitted cheap plastic Electronic Steering Lock (ESL) in these models that are prone to failure. Unexpectedly, this device will fail and will lock out the steering which can happen anytime and can cause a serious accident. The car will have malfunctioning steering when this device fails and should have a recall.
2008-2011 Mercedes models were manufactured with cheap electronic steering locks that fail often. While I haven’t experienced a failure while driving, the system is and has been extremely problematic and unreliable. It is highly plausible that the system could fail while driving due to the cheap components and unreliable and faulty programming. I urge the NHTSA to look into this and require Mercedes to replace these ESL’s with a safer, more reliable steering component that doesn’t have the potential to suddenly lock or unlock due to a unforeseen failure.
REAR SUSPENSION CONTROL ARM RUSTS OFF OF THE SUBFRAME. NO OTHER RUST ON THE CAR. DURING BRAKING THE CAR STEERS HARD TO THE RIGHT ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT
CAR PARKED,STEERING COLUMN SEIZED. UNABLE TO START IGNITION OR PUT VEHICLE IN GEAR. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED AFTER HER VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AT (MERCEDES-BENZ OF SHREWSBURY 760 BOSTON TURNPIKE, SHREWSBURY, MA 01545) FOR AIR BAG REPLACEMENT. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START AND THE POWER STEERING CEASED. THE VEHICLE WAS INITIALLY DIAGNOSED WITH A REPLACEMENT BATTERY AND AFTER THE REPLACEMENT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR A SECOND DIAGNOSIS WHICH WAS THAT THE STEERING LOCK MODULE WAS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THIS FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MERCEDES-BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT START AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THAT THE STEERING LOCK MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPIARED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MERCEDES-BENZ C300. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V010000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO PLAZA MERCEDES-BENZ (11910 OLIVE BLVD, CREVE COEUR, MO 63141, (314) 266-5469) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND SHE WOULD HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR THE REPAIRS. THE DEALER STATED THAT IF THE STEERING COLUMN WERE NOT REPLACED, THE VEHICLE COULD POTENTIALLY SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MERCEDES-BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF NORTHLAKE (LOCATED AT 10725 NORTHLAKE AUTO PLAZA, CHARLOTTE, NC 28269, (704) 321-4833) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC STEERING WAS FAULTY. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE STEERING LOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 87,536.*BF*JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MERCEDES-BENZ C300. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START AND THE POWER STEERING ABILITY SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MERCEDES BENZ OF HONOLULU (818 OKAPI OMANI AVE, HONOLULU, HI) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING LOCK MODULE WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MODULE WAS REPLACED AND THE FAILURE WAS REMEDIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000.
ON 11/25/2017 AT 1550 HOURS, I MADE MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO START MY VEHICLE. THE KEY WOULD TURN BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE SWITCH LIGHTS WERE OPERATING. HOWEVER, THE WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN AND THE GEAR WAS STUCK. THE BATTERY WAS CHECKED AND IT WAS FULLY OPERATIONAL. THE TOW TRUCK COMPANY MADE MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO RECHARGE THE CAR WITH NO SUCCESS. MY CAR WAS TOWED FROM DC TO DUMFRIES, VA (HOME). ON 11/27/2017 AT APPROXIMATELY 0721 HOURS. MY VEHICLE WAS TOWED FROM MY HOUSE TO THE ALEXANDRIA MERCEDES-BENZ SERVICE CENTER. MERCEDES GAVE ME A LOANER CAR. AT 0945 HOURS, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE MERCEDES-BENZ SPECIALIST AND HE SAID THE ISSUE IS THE STEERING LOCK. WHICH IS A NORMAL PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES. I WAS TOLD THE PRICE WOULD BE $1,628. MY VEHICLE HAS NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES AND I KEEP MY MAINTENANCE AND EVERYTHING ELSE UP TO DATE. MERCEDES-BENZ SHOULD RECALL ALL VEHICLES THAT HAVE THIS ISSUE.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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