1997 Mercedes-Benz C Class Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1997 Mercedes-Benz C Class, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Driver assistance120.0%
- Electrical120.0%
- Engine120.0%
- Fuel system120.0%
- Suspension120.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
WAS DRIVING VEHICLE DOWN THE HIGHWAY TRAVELING AT NORMAL SPEEDS. ALL OF A SUDDEN CAR BEGAN BACKFIRING AND SPEED DROPPED FROM 65 MPH TO 30 MPH. THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND BEGAN TO BACKFIRE MORE. TEMP WENT UP AND CAR STARTED SMOKING. PULLED OVER TO CHECK ON CAR AND IT NEVER RESTARTED AGAIN. CONTACTED MB ASSIST AND WAS TOLD I WOULD NEED A JUMP WITH THICK GAUGE CABLES AND THEY COULD SEND A TECH BUT THE CHARGES WOULD BE AT MINIMUM $100. ITS BEEN OVER A WEEK AND THE CAR WILL NOT START. I'VE PUT BATTERIES IN FOB (THEY NEVER HAD ANY BEFORE) , CHARGED CAR BATTERY , CHECKED ALL FUSES, JUMPED CAR BATTERY AND NOW AM BEING GIVEN A P1570 IMMOBILIZER CODE . THE CAR ALARM HAS NEVER BEEN ACTIVATED. . THIS CAR IS MAKING ABSOLUTE NO SENSE WITH THE ERRORS AND NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY IT NEARLY CAUGHT FIRE AND WONT START NOW... *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
WAS DRIVING VEHICLE DOWN THE HIGHWAY TRAVELING AT NORMAL SPEEDS. ALL OF A SUDDEN CAR BEGAN BACKFIRING AND SPEED DROPPED FROM 65 MPH TO 30 MPH. THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND BEGAN TO BACKFIRE MORE. TEMP WENT UP AND CAR STARTED SMOKING. PULLED OVER TO CHECK ON CAR AND IT NEVER RESTARTED AGAIN. CONTACTED MB ASSIST AND WAS TOLD I WOULD NEED A JUMP WITH THICK GAUGE CABLES AND THEY COULD SEND A TECH BUT THE CHARGES WOULD BE AT MINIMUM $100. ITS BEEN OVER A WEEK AND THE CAR WILL NOT START. I'VE PUT BATTERIES IN FOB (THEY NEVER HAD ANY BEFORE) , CHARGED CAR BATTERY , CHECKED ALL FUSES, JUMPED CAR BATTERY AND NOW AM BEING GIVEN A P1570 IMMOBILIZER CODE . THE CAR ALARM HAS NEVER BEEN ACTIVATED. . THIS CAR IS MAKING ABSOLUTE NO SENSE WITH THE ERRORS AND NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY IT NEARLY CAUGHT FIRE AND WONT START NOW... *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ABRUPTLY SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE ALL POWER. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE. TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP AFTER 80000 MILES. *AK *TS
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
WAS DRIVING VEHICLE DOWN THE HIGHWAY TRAVELING AT NORMAL SPEEDS. ALL OF A SUDDEN CAR BEGAN BACKFIRING AND SPEED DROPPED FROM 65 MPH TO 30 MPH. THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND BEGAN TO BACKFIRE MORE. TEMP WENT UP AND CAR STARTED SMOKING. PULLED OVER TO CHECK ON CAR AND IT NEVER RESTARTED AGAIN. CONTACTED MB ASSIST AND WAS TOLD I WOULD NEED A JUMP WITH THICK GAUGE CABLES AND THEY COULD SEND A TECH BUT THE CHARGES WOULD BE AT MINIMUM $100. ITS BEEN OVER A WEEK AND THE CAR WILL NOT START. I'VE PUT BATTERIES IN FOB (THEY NEVER HAD ANY BEFORE) , CHARGED CAR BATTERY , CHECKED ALL FUSES, JUMPED CAR BATTERY AND NOW AM BEING GIVEN A P1570 IMMOBILIZER CODE . THE CAR ALARM HAS NEVER BEEN ACTIVATED. . THIS CAR IS MAKING ABSOLUTE NO SENSE WITH THE ERRORS AND NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY IT NEARLY CAUGHT FIRE AND WONT START NOW... *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY MERCEDES 1997 C-280, PURCHASED FROM THE MERCEDES DEALER, HAS EXHIBITED SEVERAL INHERENT DESIGN ISSUES. THE ISSUE THAT IS THE GREATEST SAFETY ISSUE IS THE CONSTANT DETERIORATION/DESTRUCTION UNDER NORMAL USE OF THE UPPER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS, EVERY 50,000 MILES OR SO, WHICH IS NOT NORMAL FOR ANY MODERN CAR. IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN A CAR AT THAT FREQUENCY (AT $1000/ REPAIR), AND YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL FAIL. MOST PEOPLE EVENTUALLY GIVE UP. WHEN THESE BUSHINGS SUDDENLY FAIL, THE STEERING AND BRAKING ARE AFFECTED. IT IS ESPECIALLY NOTICED IN SHARP TURNING SITUATIONS, SUCH AS PARKING AND EMERGENCY ACCIDENT AVOIDANCE MANEUVERS. PARTIAL CONTROL OF THE STEERING IS LOST AND WHEN THE ANTILOCK BRAKES ARE APPLIED IT BECOMES SEVERELY ERRATIC. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER AND MERCEDES BENZ USA AND BOTH HAVE DENIED ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT MUST BE EITHER A DESIGN FLAW IN THEIR PRODUCT OR SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE CAR THAT I HAVE, PURCHASED USED AS A 'STAR MARK' CAR FROM THE DEALER. THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM ONCE UNDER WARRANTY, AND THEN IT FAILED ABOUT 50,000 MILES LATER. THE PROBLEM IS EXACERBATED WHEN IT IS RAINING. TODAY I LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR IN THE RAIN AT 45MPH WHEN I ENCOUNTERED A SEAM IN THE PAVEMENT, TRIED TO CORRECT AND APPLIED THE ABS BRAKES. THREE WAS NO COLLISION OR INJURIES, LUCKILY, BUT IT IS TIME THAT MERCEDES TOOK RESPONSIBILITY FOR A PROBLEM THAT THEY CREATED AND FIX IT PROPERLY. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT I HAVE ASKED FOR A PERMANENT FIX AND THEY DON'T HAVE ONE, AND SEEM TO BE AWARE OF AN INHERENT DESIGN PROBLEM IN THESE CARS. ALSO, IF IT HAD FAILED ON A STEEP MOUNTAIN ROAD SUCH AS OUR LOCAL HWY 154, WITH NO RAILING, IT COULD HAVE BEEN A FATAL ACCIDENT AND INVOLVED OTHER CARS. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .