RoadVitals

2006 Mercedes-Benz C Class

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

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.
9
Latest Apr 1, 2010
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
2
Latest Jul 7, 2008
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
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.
0
1 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 9 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2006 Mercedes-Benz C Class, most frequently naming the tires & wheels, body & structure and brakes categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 5 manufacturer communications are on file.

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

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Tires & wheels216.7%
  • Body & structure18.3%
  • Brakes18.3%
  • Electrical18.3%
  • Engine18.3%
  • Fuel system18.3%
  • Exterior lighting18.3%
  • Other / unspecified18.3%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

2 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
08V303000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Jul 7, 2008
404 units potentially affected
The defect: MERCEDES-BENZ IS RECALLING MY 2006-2008 M-CLASS, R-CLASS, MY 2005-2009 SLK-CLASS, MY 2005-2008 C-CLASS, MY 2003-2004 AND 2006-2008 CLK-CLASS, MY 2003-2008 E-CLASS, MY 2004 AND 2008 CL-CLASS, MY 2008 CLS-CLASS, MY 2004 AND 2007-2008 S-CLASS, MY 2003 G-CLASS, AND MY 2003-2004, 2006 AND 2009 SL-CLASS VEHICLES. A SOFTWARE CALIBRATION NUMBER (SCN) CODING RECEIVED ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES DURING A RECENT WORKSHOP VISIT WAS INCORRECT. DEPENDING ON THE MODEL YEAR AND MODEL AFFECTED, THE RESULTS OF AN INCORRECT SCN CODING CAN AFFECT A NUMBER OF VEHICLE SAFETY AND EMISSION FUNCTIONS INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING TYPES OF FUNCTIONS: (1) THE FUEL GAUGE READINGS MAY BE INCORRECT; (2) A STUCK FUEL-LEVEL SENSOR MAY NOT BE DISPLAYED IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER; (3) THE OBD SYSTEM MAY CAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE INCORRECTLY; AND, (4) THE SPEEDOMETER MAY BE OUT OF TOLERANCE.
The risk: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE ELECTRICAL FUEL PUMP MAY NOT RECEIVE A CRASH SIGNAL THAT IS REQUIRED FOR THE FUEL PUMP TO DISCONNECT AND PREVENT FUTURE FUEL DELIVERY AS DESIGNED.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL RECODE THE SCN FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 30, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.
MERCEDES-BENZ USA, LLC.Manufacturer number 2008 070001View on NHTSA.gov
05V560000

AIR BAGS

Dec 20, 2005
61,000 units potentially affected
The defect: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH SPORT MODEL STEERING WHEELS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." IN CERTAIN LOW RISK AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT TESTS CONDUCTED BY NHTSA, USING AN OUT-OF-POSITION UNBELTED 5TH PERCENTILE FEMALE CRASH TEST DUMMY, IRREGULARITIES WERE DEMONSTRATED INDICATING THAT OCCUPANTS MAY NOT BE PROPERLY PROTECTED IN A CRASH.
The risk: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, AN OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED WHICH COULD RESULT IN INJURIES.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW AIR BAG INFLATOR MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 15, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.
MERCEDES-BENZ USA, LLC.Manufacturer number 2006020005View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 9
Airbags
Filed Apr 1, 2010

BATTERY WENT DEAD ON OUR 2006 C320 MERCEDES THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AFTER THE CAR WAS RESTARTED AND THE DEALER CLLAIMS THE BAG CAN DEPLOY WITHOUT WARNIG IF NOT REPAIRED THE CAR ONLY HAS 36000 MILES THEY REFUSED TO FIX PROBLEM WIYH OUY BEING PAID BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS 30 DAYS OUT OF WARRANTY.

NHTSA ID
10323345
Incident
Apr 1, 2010
Mileage
36,000 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Oct 18, 2007

HIGHWAY CRUISING AT STEADY STATE SPEED, APROX 65 MPH. RIGHT FRONT TIRE FAILURE. CONTROL WAS MAINTAINED. PULLED OFF TO SHOULDER AND REPLACED TIRE WITH SPARE. TIRE IS BEING REPLACED. DAMAGED TIRE IS AVAILABLE. *JB

NHTSA ID
10206164
Incident
Oct 14, 2007
Mileage
11,025 mi
Body & structureElectrical
Filed Aug 24, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE WEARING SUNGLASSES THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS NOT READABLE. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THIS WAS HOW THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED. UPDATED 09/15/06. *JB

NHTSA ID
10166440
Incident
Aug 23, 2006
Mileage
1,500 mi
BrakesEngine
Filed Aug 1, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS A KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE BRAKE PEDAL SHAKES WHILE DEPRESSED. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THIS WAS NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS.

NHTSA ID
10164130
Incident
Aug 1, 2006
Mileage
9,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Apr 17, 2006
1 injury reported

THE MERCEDES CLK350 VIN [XXX]- THE PASSENGER SEAT AND DRIVER SEAT WHEN RELEASED TO ALLOW A REAR PASSENGER OUT OF THE CAR CAUSES THE HEAD REST TO AUTOMATICALLY DESCEND AND CAN TRAP THE REAR OCCUPANTS HAND IN PLACE AS IT DID WITH A 10 YEAR CHILD IN MY CAR. THE CONTROL TO RAISE THE HEADREST IS DISABLED WHEN THE SEAT IS IN THIS POSITION THEREBY NOT ALLOWING ANY METHOD TO RELEASE THE TRAPPED HAND. I SPOKE WITH MERCEDES THIS MORNING AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS HOW IT IS DESIGNED AND THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT BUT WOULD TELL THEIR ENGINEERS. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION SINCE EVERYONE NEEDS TO USE THE FRONT SEAT TO ASSIST THEMSELVES WHEN EXITING THE VEHICLE. *NM UPDATED 07/16/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
10155478
Incident
Apr 16, 2006
Mileage
3,800 mi
Other / unspecifiedTires & wheels
Filed Apr 7, 2006

I BOUGHT A NEW 2006 C230 ON 2/27/2006 . I WAS DRIVING THIS CAR ON THE FREEWAY AT NIGHT AND AFTER 10-15 MINUTES OF DRIVING THE TIRE ON DRIVER REAR SIDE WAS SHREDDED. I REPLACED THIS TIRE WITH THE SPARE TIRE. AFTER ALL REMAINING TIRES WERE CHECKED THAT WERE GOOD TO DRIVE...I DROVE ANOTHER 15-20 MINS AND DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE SHREDDED. AT THIS TIME I HAD TO CALL AAA AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MERCEDES DEALERSHIP IN BEVERLY HILLS. THIS DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS SOMETHING HAD IMPACTED THE WHEELS OF THE CAR AND THAT SHREDDED THE TIRES. I ALSO LOOKED AT THE WHEELS MYSELF AND I DID NOT SEE ANY DAMAGE TO THE WHEELS WHERE THEY WERE POINTING TO SAYING THERE IS SLIGHT RAISED OR INDENTATION . THEY TOLD ME MERCEDES WILL NOT COVER FOR THE WARRANTY OF THE TIRES AND WHEELS. I FEEL THAT I DID NOT DO ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY WHILE DRIVING THIS CAR TO CAUSE THIS DAMAGE AND I SHOULD NOT BE AT FAULT FOR THIS AND THAT THE MERCEDES COMPANY SHOULD COVER THIS COST AND REIMBURSE THE COST OF WHEELS AND TIRES. THE COST OF THE PARTS WAS $1050 AND I PAID $1431 IN TOTAL TO THE DEALERSHIP AT BEVERLY HILLS. ALSO THE MERCEDES LOGO ON MY NEW WHEELS THAT WAS PUT ON IS RUSTED AND DOES NOT NEW WHILE THE OLD WHEELS THAT WERE NOT REPLACED HAVE THE MERCEDES LOGO THAT LOOKS NEW. ALSO, IF THERE IS ANY EXTRA OR SPECIAL WARRANTY FOR TIRES AND WHEELS ...I WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THIS WARRANTY WHILE PURCHASING THE CAR. *JB

NHTSA ID
10154849
Incident
Apr 2, 2006
Fuel system
Filed Apr 5, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAD SERIOUS TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THE VEHICLE LURCHED CONTINUOUSLY WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH. THERE WAS ALSO A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE WHEN THE VEHICLE SHIFTED GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL PUMP. THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED, BUT THE PROBLEMS CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN BACK TO THE SERVICE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE ISSUE.

NHTSA ID
10154581
Incident
Apr 4, 2006
Mileage
5,100 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Mar 20, 2006

MANY NEWER CARS ARE EQUIPPED WITH BLINDING, BLUE-GREEN, HEADLIGHTS THAT ARE A SAFETY HAZARD AND SHOULD BE PROHIBITED. THERE ARE SEVERAL PROBLEMS. FIRST, WHEN SEEN FROM ANY ANGLE, THESE HEADLIGHTS ARE HIGHLY DISTRACTING, IN THAT THEY DRAW ONES EYES FROM THE ROAD AHEAD AND ON EITHER SIDE; THE REASON THAT THEY ARE DISTRACTING IS THAT THEY ARE OF A NOTABLY DIFFERENT COLOR AND ARE MUCH BRIGHTER THAN THE TRADITIONAL INCANDESCENT LIGHTS. SECOND, WHEN VIEWED FROM ANY ANGLE, THE LIGHT "FLARES" ABOUT ONES EYES, FORMING SPIKES THAT RADIATE OUTWARDS FROM THE LIGHT ITSELF, THEREBY OBSCURING ONE'S VIEW OF THINGS ABOVE, BELOW AND ON EITHER SIDE OF THE LIGHT ITSELF. THIRD, WHEN VIEWED FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, THE LIGHTS ARE OFTEN BLINDING, DEPENDING ON WHETHER THE ROAD IS FLAT OR HILLY, THE RESULT BEING TO OBSCURE ALMOST EVERYTHING AHEAD, ABOUT THE SAME AS TRADITIONAL INCANDESCENT LIGHTS ON "HIGH"BEAM. FOURTH, WHEN VIEWED FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION ON ROADWAYS THAT ARE NOT PERFECTLY LEVEL, THESE HEADLIGHTS ALTERNATE RAPIDLY, BACK AND FORTH, LIKE A STROBE LIGHT, BETWEEN "STANDARD" AND "BLINDING," A RESULT OF THE FACT (WHICH I ASSUME) THAT THE LIGHTS ARE VERY TIGHTLY FOCUSED, AND THE PROBLEM BEING THAT THE "FOCUSED" LIGHT UNDER THESE CONDITIONS IS REPEATEDLY FOCUSED ON THE EYES OF THE DRIVER HEADING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THE MOST HAZARDOUS ARE ITEMS THREE AND FOUR, BUT ITEM FOUR IS PARTICULARLY HAZARDOUS BECAUSE IT COMBINES THE WORST OF ALL OF THE OTHERS - BOTH DISTRACTION AND BLINDINGNESS. CLEARLY, HEADLIGHTS NEED TO BE DESIGNED TO LIGHT THE WAY AHEAD; BUT THERE ARE COMPETING GOALS, WHICH INCLUDE NOT BLINDING OTHER DRIVERS. LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE IN THIS WORLD, WHAT IS GOOD FOR ONE PERSON MUST BE WEIGHED AGAINST ITS NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON OTHERS. THAT IS WHERE GOVERNMENT HAS A KEY RESPONSIBILITY; TO ASSESS THE BENEFITS AND BURDENS AND ARRIVE AT A COMPROMISE THAT OPTIMALLY SUITS EVERYONE'S NEEDS BEST. *NM

NHTSA ID
10153254
Incident
Mar 20, 2006

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

LI-54-21

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

DAIMLER/XENTRY: FUEL LEVEL INDICATOR AND RADIO FREQUENCY CENTRAL LOCKING INOPERATIVE, INSTRUMENT CLUSTER REPORTS TURN SIGNALS INOPERATIVE, DIAGNOSIS OF REAR SAM NOT POSSIBLE. CONTROL MODULES. MODELS C CLASS, MODEL SERIES 204. NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE UPDATED 7/8/11. *PE

SB-32-25-82

SUSPENSION:FRONT:SHOCK ABSORBER; SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM; SUSPENSION:REAR:SHOCK ABSORBER; SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM

MERCEDES-BENZ: SHOCK ABSORBER PROCEDURE. *RM

SB-91-60-193

AIR BAGS

MERCEDES: AIRBAG DURABILITY AND RELIABILITY. AIR BAG SRS CONTROL MODULE (N2/2) DOES NOT HAVE A SET SHELF LIFE AND WILL NORMALLY BE RELIABLE FOR THE LIFE OF A VEHICLE. WITH 164, 216 221, 251 AND NEWER, THE AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT CAN BE RESET FIVE TIMES. WITH MODES 202, 210 AND NEWER, THE AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT CAN BE RESET THREE TIMES. EARLIER MODELS WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THEIR AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT AND TRIGGERED RESTRAIN COMPONENTS CHANGED ONLY AFTER AN ACCIDENT. NO MODELS OR MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE

PB-61-10-07

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING; FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING

MERCEDES: REPLACING THE LONGITUDINAL MEMBER (LEFT AND RIGHT) BELOW THE MAIN FLOOR PANEL ON ALL MY 204 UP TO 12/31/07. (C300, C350, C300 4-MATIC, C63 AME). *PE

276064

POWER TRAIN

LEARNING IN SELECTION RANGE SENSOR NOT POSSIBLE AFTER EHS REPLACEMENT. *TT

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Mercedes-Benz C Class by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2023000—
2012100—
2008131251.4
2006Viewing920—
2005520—
2004151045.1
2003900—
2002310033.1
2001140233.2
2000803—
1999712—
1998612—
1997300—
1996610—
1995490041.4
1994150046.1
1991100—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.