RoadVitals

1999 Mercedes-Benz C Class Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
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Latest Mar 1, 2009
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
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Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
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What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1999 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

  • Electrical342.9%
  • Airbags114.3%
  • Brakes114.3%
  • Engine114.3%
  • Suspension114.3%

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

Electrical

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

MFR# 2001120004 & NHTSA# 01 V 366 000/BATTERY: CONSUMER STATES DEALER (PARK PLACE MOTORS;HOUSTON,TX; PHONE# 713/986-6400) NOT HONORING RECALL, NO PARTS AVAILABLE. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*JB

NHTSA ID 8009010 · filed May 2, 2002

THE CONSUMER TOOK HIS VEHICLE IN FOR A RECALL# 20012004 FOR HIS BATTERY. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO BROWN MERCEDES BENZ ROUTE 250 EAST PANTOPS CHARLOTTESVILLE VIRGINIA (804 817 3380). MR JACKSON EXPERIENCE PROBLEM WITH HIS VEHICLE SHUTTING DOWN WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. NLM

NHTSA ID 8006448 · filed Mar 26, 2002

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

MERC. BENZ 1999 C230 COMPRESSOR, THE CAR ROLLED OVER THREE TIMES BUT NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *NM

NHTSA ID 10177411 · filed Dec 31, 2006

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Brakes

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

HAD THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE WHEN BRAKES FAILED TO FUNCTION WHILE ON AN INCLINE. HAD LITTLE BRAKING POWER ON STRAIGHT AWAY. MANUFACTURER KNOWS OF BRAKE PROBLEM. THE DEALER/MECHANIC ARE AWARE OF PROBLEM, BUT NOTHING WAS BEING DONE. *AK

NHTSA ID 849003 · filed Sep 28, 1999

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

I OWN A 1999 MERCEDES C43, I LIKE MANY OTHERS HAVE A HIGH FAILURE RATE OF THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSORS ON OUR VEHICLES. THIS PART WHEN FAULTY WILL NOT ALLOW THE CAR TO START WHEN THE CAR IS WARM. WHEN THE CAR SITS FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME TO "COOL DOWN" THE CAR WILL START. I WAS AT THE DEALER TODAY, AND THEY ARE AWARE THIS IS A HIGH FAILURE ITEM ON THIS MODEL. AS WELL AS THE CLK430, AND S430. BUT NO RECALLS HAVE BEEN ISSUED. THERE ISN'T ANY SIGN THAT THIS PART IS FAILING, ON SOME INSTANCES THE CAR JUST STALLS WHILE DRIVING. THIS COULD POTENTIALLY BE A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS. I AM NOW AWAITING THE PART TO COME IN, AND WILL HAVE IT REPLACED ON THURSDAY THE 27TH. *JB

NHTSA ID 10163463 · filed Jul 25, 2006

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

SPRING PERCH (MOUNT) FOR THE FRONT SPRING ON DRIVER'S SIDE FAILED DUE TO CORROSION CAUSING SPRING TO BE EJECTED UNDER THE CAR AND FENDER TO DROP ONTO TIRE. CORROSION IS UNDETECTABLE BY NORMAL INSPECTION BECAUSE MANUFACTURER USES A HEAVY, RUBBERIZED COATING ON UNDERBODY PARTS. CAR WAS TRAVELING AT LOW SPEED SO DAMAGE WAS MINIMAL. AT HIGHER SPEEDS, CONSEQUENCES COULD BE SEVERE. INVESTIGATION REVEALS THAT THIS IS BECOMING A FAIRLY COMMON OCCURRENCE ON MERCEDES BENZ W202 AND W210 CHASSIS. FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED, BUT IS BELIEVED TO REQUIRE REMOVAL OF REMNANTS OF THE OLD PERCH, GRINDING OF THE FRAME TO REMOVE CORROSION, AND WELDING A NEW PERCH ONTO THE FRAME. THE SPINDLE ASSEMBLY AND CONTROL ARMS WILL HAVE TO BE DISASSEMBLED TO ACCOMPLISH THIS AND THEN REASSEMBLED AND THE SUSPENSION REALIGNED. *TR

NHTSA ID 10260354 · filed Mar 1, 2009

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

Data on this page last refreshed .