RoadVitals

2002 Mercedes-Benz C Class Electrical Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Electrical reportsComplaints 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.
10
Latest May 20, 2013
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
32%
of 31 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Mercedes-Benz C Class submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming electrical

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

ElectricalInterior & seats
Filed May 20, 2013

DRIVERS POWER SEAT CONTROL MODULE DRAINS BATTERY WHEN AUTO IS PARKED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10512849
Incident
May 17, 2013
Mileage
56,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jun 2, 2011

MERCEDES BENZ C240 ECU FAILURE. ALSO THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS ARE SOMETIMES RANDOM AT BEST AND SOMETIMES SHUTS OFF. THE CARS INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ALSO SOMETIMES DOESN'T WORK, THE POWER STEERING LEAKS INTERMITTENTLY THE REAR COIL SPRING BROKE ON LEFT SIDE OF VEHICLE . THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED SO WAS THE COIL PACK AND OTHER ITEMS BY MERCEDES BUT THEY ALWAYS TRIED TO JUSTIFY THAT PROBLEM WAS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR WHICH IS NOT TRUE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10404244
Incident
Mar 5, 2011
Mileage
90,000 mi
ElectricalInterior & seats
Filed Dec 19, 2008

SEAT CONTROLLER MODULES, THEY CONSTANTLY DRAIN THE BATTERY WHEN THE CAR IS OFF. THIS IS A VERY VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH MERCEDES C CLASS. THE CONTROLLER DRAINS THE CAR BATTERY TO THE POINT WERE THE CAR CANNOT START, AND CONTINUES TO DO THIS IF THE CAR IS NOT DRIVEN EVERYDAY. OBVIOUSLY HAVING A CAR BATTERY GET SUCKED BELOW 3V IS NOT HEALTHY FOR THE BATTERY, AND IN THE END EVERYONE WITH THIS PROBLEM HAS TO REPLACE THEIR BATTERY MANY MANY TIMES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10252301
Incident
Dec 15, 2008
ElectricalEngineSuspension
Filed Aug 26, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ C CLASS. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH OR HIGHER, THE ESP INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND REPAIRED ONCE BEFORE FOR THE SAME FAILURE. THE FAILURE OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WILL NOT ORDER THE PARTS AND MAKE THE REPAIR AGAIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000. UPDATED 09/23/08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED IN BRAKING MODE.

NHTSA ID
10239832
Incident
Aug 24, 2008
Mileage
110,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Oct 30, 2007
Fire reported

MY WIFE DROVE THE CAR IN THE MORNING, NO PROBLEM. EARLY AFTERNOON, SHE LEFT TO PICK UP OUR CHILD, WHILE LEAVING THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THE VEHICLE STARTING SENDING WARNING SIGNS CAME ON THE DASH THAT HAD NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE. THEN THICK SMOKE CAME OUT FROM UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL. MY WIFE HAD TO OPEN HER WINDOW. SHE THEN TURNED AROUND TO GO BACK HOME PRIOR TO LEAVING THE COMMUNITY. ON THE WAY BACK THE CAR SLAMMED ON BRAKES BY ITSELF AND CUT ITSELF OFF AND SAID THE VEHICLE HAD 7 FAULTS. RAN UP TO A NEIGHBORS HOME, UPON RETURNING THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND BECAME A TOTAL LOSS. POLICE AND FIRE MARSHAL CAME TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. SINCE THEN, WE HAVE HAD TO TRACK DOWN MERECEDES BENZ AND BASICALLY HAVE HAD NO CUSTOMER SUPPORT WHATSOEVER. WE LOCATED THE VEHICLE FOR MERCEDES AS THEY TOOK THEIR SWEET TIME. THEY DID GET AN INSPECTOR THERE TO VIEW THE VEHICLE BUT HAVE YET TO HEAR ANYTHING FROM THEM REGARDING THIS MATTER. WE HAVE CONTACTED AN ATTORNEY TO PROTECT US AND WANT MERCEDES TO BE HELD LIABLE FOR THIS INCIDENT. SOMETHING WAS VERY WRONG AND WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT NO ONE WAS HURT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10207484
Incident
Mar 27, 2007
Mileage
65,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Feb 8, 2007

ON FEBRUARY 6, 2007, I TOOK MY MB TO SOVEREIGN MOTOR CARS LTD IN BROOKLYN, BECAUSE OF THE SRS LIGHT. THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED IN 2005 AND THE ABOVE COMPANY TOLD ME THAT IT HAD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. IN THE MIST OF REPLACING THE ALTERNATOR VIA DRILLING, THE CAP (BOTTOM PART THAT HOLDS THE BOLT) BROKE. I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS IS COMMON BECAUSE OF THE MIXTURE OF ALUMINUM ENGINE AND STEEL CASING. I WAS TOLD MORE THAN 2% OF MERCEDES BENZ VEHICLE THAT ENTER THIS SHOP THE CAP BREAKS AS A RESULT OF OXIDATION AS TOLD BY MR. YELTKIN, SHOP STEWART. SOVEREIGN WANTED ME TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR OF THIS INCIDENT MORE THAN $2000 FOR A FAULTY CAPPING. OR $800 TO HAVE IT WELDED TOGETHER BUT THEN WAS TOLD IT MAY BREAK AGAIN. BOTH BOLTS WERE DAMAGED BUT SOVEREIGN REPLACED THEM WITH TEMPORARY BOLTS TO SHOO ME ON MY WAY. *NM

NHTSA ID
10181944
Incident
Feb 7, 2007
Electrical
Filed Dec 2, 2003
Crash reportedFire reported

WHEN DRIVING 15 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. 15 SECONDS LATER, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. DUE TO SEVERE FIRE DAMAGE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *AK

NHTSA ID
10049880
Incident
Nov 11, 2003
Mileage
18,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jan 28, 2003

ESP & BAS WARNING MESSAGES APPEARED ON THE MESSAGE SCREEN TWICE, ONCE ON 1-20-03 & AGAIN ON 1-27-03, THE FIRST TIME DEALER SAID IT CAN HAPPEN IF YOU DIDN'T TIGHTEN THE GAS CAP. ON BOTH OCCASIONS, THE MESSAGES WERE GONE THE NEXT DAY. ON 1-27-03 I CALLED RALLYE MOTORS TO TELL THEM & I HAVE AN APPT FOR MARCH 10, 2003.

NHTSA ID
10003576
Incident
Jan 27, 2003
Mileage
6,670 mi
ElectricalEngineFuel system+2 more
Filed Aug 29, 2002

VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED ONE FLAT TIRE AND ONE BLOWOUT, NO TIRE INFORMATION GIVEN, CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE SHAKES WHEN DRIVING OVER 60 MPH. *SLC

NHTSA ID
567249
Incident
Nov 1, 2001
ElectricalOther / unspecified
Filed Apr 4, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THERE ARE PROBLEMS CONCERING THE ESP AND BAS SYSTEMS WARNING MESSAGES THAT ARE APPEARING ON THE MONITOR, WHEN TRAVELING AT A MODERATE RATE OF SPEED IN A STRAIGHT LINE, THE VEHICLE LOSES ALL POWER ALONG WITH BRAKING SENSATION.*JB

NHTSA ID
564905

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 .