1998 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 1998 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
- Suspension228.6%
- Airbags114.3%
- Body & structure114.3%
- Fuel system114.3%
- Seat belts114.3%
- Visibility114.3%
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
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
WAS DRIVING CAR AND HEARD LOUD NOISE GOT OUT AND SAW FRONT RIGHT SIDE WAS SITTING LOWER ON ONE SIDE. CAR PULLS HARD TO THE RIGHT. HAD MY MECHANIC INSPECT. CONCLUDED THAT THE CUP HOLDER THAT HOLDS THE VEHICLES SPRINGS WAS RUSTED OUT. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE AND SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM AND OR DESIGN FLAW. THANKFULLY DID NOT HAPPEN AT HIGHER SPEEDS IN DANGEROUS CONDITIONS. *TR
HEAT SHIELD MAKES NOISE WHEN VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF, DUE TO DESIGN.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN THE AIRBAG EXPLODED . THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER AT THE TIME THE AIRBAG EXPLODED. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
HEAT SHIELD MAKES NOISE WHEN VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF, DUE TO DESIGN.
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
GAS GAUGE SENSOR FAILED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
BRITAX ROUNDABOUT CAR SEAT DOES NOT FIT INTO MERCEDES C CLASS CAR. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
WINDOW FAILED. NLM
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 .