Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 2 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2011 Mercedes-Benz C204, most frequently naming the electrical, engine and steering categories. 55 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.
When owners filed reports about this model year
Not enough dated records to plot a meaningful trend — 2 months of data.
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2020 MY VEHICLE WAS NOT STARTING IN ORDER TO TAKE ME HOME AT 9:40 PM. DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE ESL IN THE STEERING COLUMN I AM NOW FORCED TO WAIT HERE UNTIL A TOW TRUCK COMES. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS LOCATION AND WISH MY VEHICLE WOULD START KNOWING THAT IT HAS THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF VOLTAGE AT THE BATTERY.
THE ESL STEERING LOCK MALFUNCTIONED. THIS CAUSES THE CAR NOT TO START. I HAD THE AIRBAGS REPLACED DUE TO RECALL ABOUT 3 WEEK SALES EARLIER. THE CAR WAS WORKING PROPERLY THE DAY BEFORE AND THE NEXT MORNING THE CAR WON'T START AND A MESSAGE COMES UP ABOUT REMOVING THE KEY.
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
EQUIPMENT; SEATS
Seat cushion fore/aft adjuster seat cushion cover becomes detached
SEAT BELTS
Seat belt extender toothed rack sluggish or makes noises
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE; TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS
"Tire pressure loss detection system inoperative" message in instrument cluster in yellow.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE; ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL:AUTOMATIC (ASC); EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
Road test cannot be started after exchanging the ESP control unit or after successfully updating the software.
STEERING; STEERING:COLUMN
Noise in area of steering column after conducting service measure 1709P46C60 "Check mechanical steering column, rework if necessary"
STEERING; STEERING:COLUMN
Noise in area of steering column after conducting service measure 1709P46C60 "Check mechanical steering column, rework if necessary"
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.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
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.