2000 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 2000 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 assistance218.2%
- Brakes218.2%
- Engine218.2%
- Tires & wheels19.1%
- Body & structure19.1%
- Transmission19.1%
- Electrical19.1%
- Suspension19.1%
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
WHILE TRAVELING IN A STRAIGHT LINE AT A CONSTANT VELOCITY, MY CAR APPLIED BRAKING FORCE TO THE FRONT LEFT (DRIVER'S SIDE) WHEEL, RAPIDLY AND SUDDENLY. THE BAS ESP LIGHT THEN CAME ON AND REMAINED ON FOR THE DURATION OF THE DRIVE. *TR
CAR: 2000 MERCEDES C230 KOMPRESSOR DRIVING AT 55MPH, THE CAR'S FRONT RIGHT BRAKE SUDDENLY ENGAGED CAUSING THE CAR TO LOOSE CONTROL FOR A MOMENT. THE BRAKE THEN RELEASES AND THE BAS/ESP LIGHT ILLUMINATES. THIS HAS HAPPENED 5 TIMES IN THE LAST WEEK. THIS SITUATION IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!!!!!! I HAVE RESEARCHED THE ISSUE AND THE DEALERSHIP IS TELLING ME IT IS THE YAW RATE SENSOR OR STEERING POSITION SENSOR. THE FIX IS $1100. THIS IS A TOTAL SAFETY ISSUE ON THIS CAR AND AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE IN VARIOUS FORUMS THERE ARE NUMEROUS OWNERS IN BOTH THE C AND ML CLASS VEHICLES (THEY USE THE SAME EXACT SAME PART NUMBERS) THAT EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE TAKE TIME TO LOOK INTO THIS. THERE ARE A LOT OF THESE CARS ON THE ROAD AND THIS CAN AND WILL CAUSE MAJOR ACCIDENTS!!!! *TR
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.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE TRAVELING IN A STRAIGHT LINE AT A CONSTANT VELOCITY, MY CAR APPLIED BRAKING FORCE TO THE FRONT LEFT (DRIVER'S SIDE) WHEEL, RAPIDLY AND SUDDENLY. THE BAS ESP LIGHT THEN CAME ON AND REMAINED ON FOR THE DURATION OF THE DRIVE. *TR
CAR: 2000 MERCEDES C230 KOMPRESSOR DRIVING AT 55MPH, THE CAR'S FRONT RIGHT BRAKE SUDDENLY ENGAGED CAUSING THE CAR TO LOOSE CONTROL FOR A MOMENT. THE BRAKE THEN RELEASES AND THE BAS/ESP LIGHT ILLUMINATES. THIS HAS HAPPENED 5 TIMES IN THE LAST WEEK. THIS SITUATION IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!!!!!! I HAVE RESEARCHED THE ISSUE AND THE DEALERSHIP IS TELLING ME IT IS THE YAW RATE SENSOR OR STEERING POSITION SENSOR. THE FIX IS $1100. THIS IS A TOTAL SAFETY ISSUE ON THIS CAR AND AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE IN VARIOUS FORUMS THERE ARE NUMEROUS OWNERS IN BOTH THE C AND ML CLASS VEHICLES (THEY USE THE SAME EXACT SAME PART NUMBERS) THAT EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE TAKE TIME TO LOOK INTO THIS. THERE ARE A LOT OF THESE CARS ON THE ROAD AND THIS CAN AND WILL CAUSE MAJOR ACCIDENTS!!!! *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
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ C280. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE CRANK SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SENSOR. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 36,806.
HARMONIC BALANCER FAILED AT 52000. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, REAR TIRE FAILED (BLEWUP). TIRE WAS IN GOOD CONDITION WITH GOOD AMOUNTS OF TREAD. CAR, ROAD, TEMPERATURE, SPEED ALL WERE IN NORMAL CONDITIONS. *JB
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
I HAD JUST EXITED THE FREEWAY, AND SLOWING DOWN FOR A STOP LIGHT WHEN I HEARD A LOUD CRACK. THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE COIL SPRING SOCKET THAT CONNECTS TO THE UNIBODY HAD RUSTED AND BROKE, DROPPING THE SUSPENSION ON TOP THE TIRE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP, AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE COIL SOCKET WAS RUSTED AS WELL. THE DEALERSHIP ALSO MENTIONED THAT IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM BUT MERCEDES HAD YET TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFT BOX NOT SEALED PROPERLY TO PROTECT AGAINST WATER SPILLS. THIS CAN STOP YOUR CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. *JB
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
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ C230. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES, SUCH AS THE SPEEDOMETER, WERE UNABLE TO BE READ, WHICH INCREASED THE RISK OF A CRASH. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY $1,500 TO REPLACE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MODULES BECAUSE HIS VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 06V028000 (INTERIOR LIGHTING). THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
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
I HAD JUST EXITED THE FREEWAY, AND SLOWING DOWN FOR A STOP LIGHT WHEN I HEARD A LOUD CRACK. THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE COIL SPRING SOCKET THAT CONNECTS TO THE UNIBODY HAD RUSTED AND BROKE, DROPPING THE SUSPENSION ON TOP THE TIRE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP, AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE COIL SOCKET WAS RUSTED AS WELL. THE DEALERSHIP ALSO MENTIONED THAT IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM BUT MERCEDES HAD YET TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. *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 .