2024 Mercedes-Benz C 300

DRIVING A 2024 MERCEDES C300 ON THE FLORIDA TURNPIKE IN THE LEFT LANE AT 70 MPH THE ENGINE SUDDENLY SLOWED DOWN. WHILE THE VEHICLE SLOWED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC I WAS ABLE TO MERGE TO THE OUTSIDE LANE WHERE IT STOPPED. I CALLED MERCEDES EMERGENCY WHO SUGGESTED WAITING A WHILE AND TRY STARTING THE VEHICLE . AFTER A FEW MINUTES I WAS ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE AND DRIVE IT TO THE DEALER. THE DEALERS COMPUTER ACKNOWLEDGED THE STOPPAGE AND AFTER THREE WEEKS AND 500 MILES DRIVEN BY THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE AND PLANS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE COMPUTER. I AM [XXX] OLD AND AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR AND WANT TO END THE LEASE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11751377

Incident

Jul 8, 2026

While I am driving my car it will make a loud crackling sound then my screens go black and warning sounds go off! This is not normal and I read there are recalls but when I entered my vin# nothing came up. Not to mention since I bought the car last February, I have had nothing but issues with my AC turning off which that I have taken to the dealership with video proof and told it was a software update which did not fix the issue. i am paying way too much money for a newer vehicle and having more issues than my 2015 Mercedes Cla 250.

NHTSA ID

11749373

Incident

Jul 9, 2026

The car jerks so hard at times randomly that it feels like I got rear ended and it is completely unsafe. It also does small jerks at times. It's happened driving 70 mph down a highway, making a right turn accelerating slowly. Going slow down the street at 35, at a red light completely stopped or stop sign. There's no rhyme or reason to it. I've taken it to Mercedes five or six times now with the same issue and they have not been able to duplicate the problem. It's currently at Jacksonville Mercedes dealership where I bought it with the foreman. He is with my permission driving it back and forth to work because I said I do not want the car back until they can duplicate the problem and fix it or recall it or give me a new one or give me my money back. One of the instances that jerked so hard that it hurt my back. None of the sensors go off when it's plugged in while they're trying to locate a problem it only happens when it's being driven and again there's no rhyme or reason to when it happens. It does happen pretty regularly at least 10-12 times hard over the last year and the little ones happen more frequently at least 20 to 30 over the last year the last time being when I drove it on 1/5/26. Miles have been from 200 to 9100. It been happening for a year now. Mercedes Clearwater and Mercedes Jacksonville will have all of the files from the five or six times I've brought it in. I also attempted to get a lemon law request through Mercedes executive services in March or April which they denied because they couldn't duplicate the problem, but there was never a serious attempt to duplicate it by Mercedes until now that it's at the Jacksonville location where I purchased it from. The Foreman and GM there are taking it more seriously and the foreman again is driving it back and forth to work in hopes of duplicating the problem.

NHTSA ID

11709707

Incident

Jan 5, 2026

On Friday [XXX] at approximately [XXX]. My wife and I were driving our 2024 C-Class 300 (~8,000 miles on this vehicle) on [XXX] and entering the intersection of [XXX]. Riverside, CA 92506 when all of sudden the car just died (the engine stopped running, pushing the gas pedal with no power) and all the dashboard lights came on flashing like crazy. This incident paced my wife and I in a very venerable bad not safe situation. If there was any traffic at in this intersection at that moment it would have been a bad situation. I called MB Walter's they could hear the sounds which were loud and they ask me to open and close the doors to see if sound would stop and wait 5 minutes and try to restart. Waited 5 minutes car started and we drove it to Walter's. The week before I had it back in the service department because the finger print function was not working any longer. They supposedly replaced the software package and then this major issue happen. The service department at Walter's has tried at least two times to download a new software package however this vehicle is not allowing it to accept it. They said engineers from the East coast were trying to help but nothing has been accomplished. It is becoming frustrating and allowing the overall safety concern has been increasing for my wife and I. What if this happens again and we are on the freeway or a street with traffic which both situations could cause a severe accident and harm. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11692765

Incident

Oct 3, 2025

The vehicle appears to have experienced a braking system malfunction, possibly involving the brake-by-wire system, electronic stability control (ESC), or unintended acceleration event. When the brake pedal was fully depressed, the car suddenly and uncontrollably accelerated forward into a cinder block wall. After the incident, it was observed that only the left-side tires left skid marks, indicating an apparent brake imbalance or failure on the right side. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. My safety and the safety of others were severely compromised. My daughter and I were in the car during this and are extremely traumatized. Despite pressing the brake pedal, the vehicle accelerated forward and crashed into a cinder block wall, which could have resulted in serious injury or death had a person, pedestrian, or oncoming vehicle been in front. This type of malfunction poses a critical risk of high-speed unintended collisions in public or residential areas. As of now, the problem has not yet been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or service center, but further inspection is pending. I am requesting a full diagnostic evaluation, including electronic and mechanical systems related to throttle and braking. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by Mercedes-Benz, police, or insurance representatives, but the car is in the possession of a Mercedes’ collision center. NO, there were no warning lamps, messages, or unusual symptoms on the dashboard prior to the event. The vehicle gave no indication of mechanical or electronic failure before the sudden acceleration occurred.

NHTSA ID

11677330

Incident

Jul 30, 2025

The driver’s seat in my car moves backward on its own while I’m driving. I’ve taken the car to the dealership several times, but the issue still hasn’t been resolved. This is extremely dangerous and frightening. It has happened twice on the highway, Several times in the dealership’s garage, And most recently, while I was pulling out of a parking spot: Half of my car was still in the parking area and the other half was already in the street. The road had a curve, so other drivers couldn’t see me until they got very close, which could have caused a serious accident. This is a serious safety concern that needs immediate attention.

NHTSA ID

11677176

Incident

Jul 26, 2025

See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA ID

11659453

Incident

Sep 7, 2024

Issue: Post-Airbag Deployment PCM Lockout Description: I am reporting a critical safety concern regarding the 2024 Mercedes-Benz C300. After an airbag deployment, the vehicle's Powertrain Control Module (PCM) is designed to automatically lock, preventing the engine from being restarted. While this feature is intended to enhance safety, it poses significant risks in certain emergency situations. For instance, in scenarios such as a landslide, attempted robbery, or a collision with wildlife in a remote area with poor cell signal, this design could leave the driver stranded without the ability to restart the vehicle and drive to safety. The inability to restart the vehicle could result in life-threatening situations where immediate evacuation from the scene is necessary. Recommendation: To mitigate this risk, I strongly suggest implementing an emergency override function that allows the driver to restart the vehicle after airbag deployment if they are in a clear state of consciousness. This could be achieved by incorporating a method such as long-pressing the ignition button, which would allow the driver to force-start the vehicle and improve their chances of survival in critical situations.

NHTSA ID

11610577

Incident

Aug 3, 2024

Complaint Audible "slurping" operating noise from the fuel tank Cause Conditions: • The fuel tank is around half full • The secondary chamber is almost empty. The suction jet pump suctions up small quantities of fuel and air. This results in vibrations and turbulence, which make noises. These noises may sound like slurping. The fuel pump and the drained secondary chamber amplify certain noises which can be loud or shrill. The viscosity of the fuel and the intensity of the fuel pump also impact the noises. • The fuel level is in the area of the saddle overflow in the primary chamber. The fuel mixed with air flows back into the secondary chamber. The noises may therefore be audible for longer • If the primary chamber is no longer in the area of the saddle overflow, the noises should disappear because the secondary chamber no longer receives fuel. • The area of the saddle overflow in the primary chamber is around +/- 2 liters of fuel volume (fuel gauge shows around half full). Remedy • Refill/drain approx. 5 liters of fuel; if the noise is reduced/is no longer present due to this, the circumstance specified above is present Further measures may cause a reduction in noises in the specified area: • In isolated cases, a fuel tank installed under stress may amplify the noises. The installation position of the fuel tank and the contact surfaces on the body-in-white should be checked here. To do so, release the fuel tank and refasten it, see WIS. • Replacement of component parts such as fuel tank/delivery module does not provide a remedy! If a similar noise is heard, but the tank volume is 3/4 or 1/4 and not 1/2 as described above, another circumstance is present

Complaint After an "Over the Air" update (OTA), FM or SDARS radio reception is limited; only a few stations are found. Cause The firmware installation was incomplete. Remedy In the A26/17 control unit "MBUX multimedia system" (head unit), use XENTRY to carry out the special process "All Modules"; this will reinstall the firmware completely.

Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end). The noise is heard once in each instance when changing direction of travel. Note: Sound file in attachment Cause If the complaint is eliminated by experimentally loosening the outboard collar nut (by 1 turn), the problem is due to cracking of the microweld between the wheel bearing inner race and the joint housing of the side shaft. Note: The collar nut must always be replaced after being loosened. See also LI33.20-P-078406 Remedy Coat contact surface of side shaft with wheel bearing with Molykote paint. To do this, proceed as follows: 1. Remove side shafts 2. Clean contact surface A (see image file in attachment "Outer joint housing before") before coating with Molykote, using "spirit" (free of dust and grease) 3. Coat contact surface A (see image file in attachment "Outer joint housing after") with Molykote and leave to dry for "one hour" in removed condition 4. Reinstall side shafts Note: Before using the antifriction coating (Molykote), stir it or shake it thoroughly for (at least 1 minute).

Complaint Traffic sign symbol for "Traffic Sign Assist" is blinking in instrument cluster without obvious cause usually with one of the following scenarios: • Flashing without a speed limit ("- -"). • Flashing when current vehicle speed is under speed limit. • Flashing between US speed limit symbol and European speed limit symbol. NOTE: • Verify that the concern falls under one of the attachment videos. If not, then it is outside of the scope of this LI. • This also does not cover "Traffic Sign Inoperative" messages on the instrument cluster. Cause There are two identified reasons for this concern: 1. Country code information stored incorrectly at a particular geographic latitude range. 2. Incorrect reference data when the vehicle is started and a GPS signal is not immediately available. Remedy Do not replace parts. Please open a TIPS case to the Body/Chassis/Entertainment inbox but read the below carefully: • The vehicle must be exhibiting the concern as shown in the attachment videos. • The vehicle DOES NOT need to be at the dealer, nor does it need to be brought into the dealership. • If the geographic location is known, it is very important that it is provided. • Provide any pictures or videos, if available. A new software for the head unit is scheduled for tentative release in Q3 2026.

Complaint Radio station cover art does not refresh when switching stations. The UI continues to show the old station’s artwork instead of updating to the new one. Cause When a new station change request is triggered, a temporary glitch is causing the Head Unit application to fail to overwrite the previous request. This glitch is causing the cover art mismatch in the Radio application. Remedy Please do not replace any parts. The E505.9 software is released and available in XENTRY Q3 2026.

Complaint Creaking noise, in irregular sequence when driving slowly in combination with slight steering movements and/or Creaking/crackling noises from the area of the wheel bearing on the front axle when cornering/ maneuvering. Sound file attached for comparison. MUST match noise for proper diagnosis. NOTE: Steering functionality is not affected. Cause Contact area between wheel bearing and steering knuckle. See also: LI35.30-P-058566 (Throttle Lift-Off Noise - Rear) LI33.30-P-056665 (Throttle Lift-Off Noise - Front) LI40.10-P-059248 (Wheel cracking noise when cornering) Remedy 1. Perform Operation A and evaluate by testing vehicle. 2. If noise is still present after re-testing: • If 192/232 chassis, verify FIN is in the listed range below in "Operation B" and perform. • If not 192/232 chassis or vehicle is a 192/232 not in the listed FIN range, additional verifications of where the noise is coming from are needed. Use multiple channel NVH method to narrow down location. Verify the LI's listed above were completed or if there are other similar noises associated with the chassis (Example: 192/232 also has under panel noises and an associated LI). Operation A: 1. Clean contact surfaces of wheel bearing and steering knuckle with brake cleaner as seen in the attached pictures. NOTE: The front area of the wheel bearing and the seals must not come into contact with the cleaner, otherwise, the sealing rings will be damaged. 2. Clean threads of wheel bearing mounting. 3. Thinly coat contact surfaces of wheel bearing, steering knuckle, and axle mating face with Molykote (annular joint grease). See the attached steering knuckle and wheel hub pictures for reference. NOTE: Axle mating face greasing is also covered in LI35.30-P-058566 and LI33.30-P-056665. Operation B (Only applies to 192 and 232 in listed FIN range): Only affects vehicles up to FIN end number: • Model series 192: xxx xxx xx 002 876 • Model series 232: xxx xxx xx 022 312 1. Replace steering knuckle. 2. Wheel bearings do not need to be replaced.