2000 Mercedes-Benz C230 Owner Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ C230 N/A. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WAS NO LONGER OPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SPRING COIL HAD FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 290,000. UPDATED 06/30/16 *BF UPDATED 08/17/16*LJ *CN

NHTSA ID

10864192

Incident

May 8, 2016

Mileage

290,000 mi

I'VE BEEN UNABLE TO READ MY MILEAGE FOR MANY YEARS NOW. I HAVE A 2000 C230. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE CLUSTER HAD TO BE REPLACED @ AROUND $1000.00. FOUND THIS TO BE UNACCEPTABLE SINCE THE CAR AT THE TIME WAS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD. IT'S A SHAME MERCEDES BENZ DOESN'T RECALL THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10505953

Incident

Apr 4, 2005

Mileage

50,000 mi

DRIVING TO WORK AT 3:45 A.M. (EASTERN TIME) MY CAR FELT LIKE IT HIT SOMETHING IN THE ROAD I PULLED OVER TO EXAMIN THE VEHICLE. I COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING UNTIL I GOT TO WORK WHEN IT WAS MORE LIGHT OUT. I REMOVED THE WHEEL AND FOUND THE COIL SPRING TOWER HAD RIPPED ALMOST COMPLETELY OFF???? I NOTICED RUST AND NO OTHER DAMAGE TO THE UNDERCARRIAGE LESS THE SHOCK THAT GO HIT BY THE SPRING. THIS HAS TO BE A RECALL OR SOME MANUFACTURE TSB. THE CAR IS SUPER CLEAN HAS 157,000 ON THE CLOCK. I INSPECTED THE OTHER WHEELS THEY APPEAR OK IT'S THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10445026

Incident

Jan 23, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES C230. THE CONTACT STATED THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT THE VEHICLE BEING INVOLVED IN A CRASH AND INJURED THE PASSENGER IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 210,000.

NHTSA ID

10426308

Incident

Sep 16, 2011

Mileage

210,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES-BENZ C230. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ODOMETER FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY ADVISED HIM THAT HE WOULD NEED TO REPLACE A CLUSTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000. UPDATED 04/15/11*LJ THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER IT WOULD COST $800 TO REPAIR/REPLACE THE ODOMETER. UPDATED 10/07/11

NHTSA ID

10390595

Incident

Jan 13, 2011

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES C230. THE CONTACT STATED THE ODOMETER FAILED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE GAUGE CLUSTER WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000.

NHTSA ID

10386656

Incident

Jan 28, 2011

Mileage

88,000 mi

2000 C230K MERCEDES. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION AND EXPRESSES DISSATISFACTION WITH DEALER *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE EXHAUST. THE TRANSMISSION PAN WAS DISTORTED AND BENT. ALSO, THE LOW BEAM LIGHT WAS OUT ON THE DASHBOARD.

NHTSA ID

10378885

Incident

Jan 1, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ C230. THE CONTACT STATED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR STATE INSPECTION AND DID NOT PASS DUE TO THE ODOMETER BEING INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED FOR THE FAILURE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES SINCE PURCHASE. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THERE WAS NOT A RECALL THE FAILURE AND WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH REPAIRS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 80,663.

NHTSA ID

10343507

Incident

Jul 7, 2007

Mileage

80,663 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ C230. WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT LIQUID HAD SPILLED INTO THE GEAR SHIFT. SECONDS LATER, THE WINDOW CONTROL BUTTONS NO LONGER FUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE WINDOW SWITCH COMPONENT WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 75,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 97,000.

NHTSA ID

10336402

Incident

May 19, 2006

Mileage

75,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY OR ON ANY OTHER STREET MY MERCEDES BENZ C230 ENGAGES THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE BY ITSELF CAUSING THE CAR TO VEER SHARPLY TO THE LEFT FOR ABOUT 2 SECONDS. MULTIPLE OCCASIONS OF THIS VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. DEALER STATES THAT THE ISSUE IS A FAULTY YAW RATE SENSOR AND CHARGES OVER $1,000 TO REPAIR BUT THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL DUE TO THE POTENTIAL FOR THIS TYPE OF MALFUNCTION TO SERIOUSLY INJURE SOMEONE OR EVEN WORSE. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS EVENT IN MORE DETAIL, I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A OCCURENCE WITH MB OCCURING IN SERVAL VEHICHLES OVER THE YEARS. THIS MUST BE RECALL EM

NHTSA ID

10307346

Incident

Aug 28, 2009

Mileage

127,000 mi

2000 MERCEDES C230 DEFECTIVE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH HAS FAILED 4 TIMES ON THIS CAR, AND THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING. THIS COULD LEAD TO A SERIOUS COLLISION, AS DRIVERS BEHIND ARE NOT AWARE THAT I'M SLOWING DOWN/STOPPING. ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS WHEN THE BRAKE SWITCH FAILED, IT WAS ALSO NOT POSSIBLE TO SWITCH THE TRANSMISSION OUT OF THE "PARK" POSITION. DURING THE LAST FAILURE, THE TRANSMISSION WORKED OK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10281516

Incident

Aug 22, 2009

Mileage

137,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ C230. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRUNK LID SPRINGS FAILED IN THE CLOSED TRUNK LID POSITION. IF THE TRUNK LID IS MANUALLY LIFTED, IT MAY NOT REMAIN IN THE UP POSITION AND COULD INJURE SOMEONE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE HINGE SPRING BRACKET AND ASSOCIATED SPRINGS. FIVE YEARS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE REPAIR WOULD COST $829.17. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V285000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK:LID:LOCK). THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT ASSUME FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIRS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE EXCEEDED ITS WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 101,000.

NHTSA ID

10259209

Incident

Dec 8, 2003

Mileage

35,000 mi

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PIXELS WENT OUT ON ODOMETER FOR MY CAR WHICH SEEMS TO HAPPEN WITH ALL MERCEDES. 1. PIXELS STARTED TO GO OUT OVER THE MONTHS. 2. 3 YEARS AFTER I BOUGHT IT. 3. REPLACED INSTRUMENT CLUSTER $1,000. *TR

NHTSA ID

10256159

Incident

Jan 2, 2009

Mileage

70,000 mi

TL -THE CONTACT CALLED REGARDING A 2000 MERCEDES C230. THE CONTACT STATED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000. THE CONTACT HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN AND THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AS NEEDING A NEW INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. KB

NHTSA ID

10184340

Incident

Mar 1, 2004

Mileage

100,000 mi

2000 KOMPRESSOR C230 WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. UPON INSPECTION MECHANIC CHANGED THE SHIFTER. *KB

NHTSA ID

10168016

Incident

Aug 7, 2006

Mileage

66,138 mi

FAILURE OF THE TURN SIGNALS, WIPERS AND POWER WINDOWS AND THE LOCK SYSTEM THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE EIS SYSTEM OR THE KEY SYSTEM. THIS CAUSED A SAFETY HAZARD OF WHICH NO CONTROL OF ABOVE SYSTEMS. THE CAR WAS IN THE DEALERSHIP 7 DAYS TO THE TUNE OF OVER $800.00 . *JB

NHTSA ID

10166647

Incident

Aug 13, 2006

1.) NO ACCIDENT THOUGH CAR WAS CONSIDERED TOO UNSAFE TO DRIVE WHEN REAR COIL SPRING WAS DISCOVERED AS BROKEN WHEN MY WIFE TOOK THE CAR TO NEW COUNTRY MOTORS; HARTFORD, CT TO INVESTIGATE A VERY INTERMITTENT "THUNK" FROM THE REAR UNDERSIDE OF THE CAR WHICH WAS INITALLY WAS THOUGHT TO BE SOMETHING IN THE TRUNK. 2.) WE WERE PLANNING TO TAKE THE CAR ON A 800 MILE TRIP THAT EVENING AND HAD NO IDEA THAT THE NOISE INDICATED AN EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS CONDITION (SPRING COULD DISLODGE AND GO THROUGH TIRE RESULTING IN A MAJOR LOSS OF CONTROL). 3.) WE HAD TO RENT A CAR AT A COST OF $170 PLUS PAY FOR THE LABOR AND ALIGNMENT $632 DESPITE THE DEALER/MERCEDES PAYING FOR THE 2 REPLACEMENT REAR COIL SPRINGS. (APPROX $100 VALUE) I ASKED FOR THJE OLD PARTS, BUT THE MANAGER SAID THAT THEY WERE BEING SENT TO MERCEDES FOR EVALUATION AND THEN HE WOULD GIVE THEM TO ME.

NHTSA ID

10126953

Incident

Jun 21, 2005

Mileage

32,216 mi

THE TRANSMISSION ON THE VEHICLE WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED SEVERAL TIMES. WHEN THE DEFECTIVE OCCURRED, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO OVER 10 MPH. THE GEAR BOX HAS BEEN CHANGED THREE TIMES. *JB

NHTSA ID

10097105

Incident

Sep 17, 2003

Mileage

20,000 mi

FUEL GAUGE SENSORS FAILURE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10082648

Incident

Jul 23, 2004

Mileage

36,200 mi

ENGINE LIGHT FLASHES ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING. RINGS ON THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE TYPE OF RINGS. *AK THE DEALER DID NOT HONOR THE VEHICLE'S WARRANTY. THE SPEAKERS WOULD INTERMITTENTLY CHANGE THE RADIO SOUND, CENTER CONSOLE DID NOT OPEN PROPERLY, VOLUME DID NOT WORK, THERE WAS A WIND NOISE COMING FROM BEHIND THE DRIVER WHILE IN MOTION, DRIVER'S SEAT HEATER WAS EXTREMELY HOT, BLOWER MOTOR WAS INOPERATIVE AND THE FAN SPEED CONTROL SWITCH ILLUMINATION WAS INOPERATIVE AT TIMES. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10034123

Incident

Aug 1, 2001

THE DRIVER'S SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE POWDER SUBSTANCE CAUSE RED SPOTS ON THE CONSUMER'S ARM AND FACE. THE INCIDENT WAS TWELVE MONTHS AGO BUT THE SPOTS ARE STILL PRESENT. *AK *NM

NHTSA ID

10024341

Incident

Dec 23, 2002

Mileage

45,000 mi

SRS LIGHT CAME ON JUST ABOUT THE TIME A SERVICE SCHEDULE WAS DUE. MERCEDES DEALER INSPECTED THE ITEM AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS "HIGH PRESSURE" FROM DRIVERS SIDE DOOR AIRBAG. THEIR RESOLUTION IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE AIRBAG TO GET THE LIGHT TO TURN-OFF, BUT CANNOT STATE THAT AIRBAG WILL WORK PROPERLY OR CONTINUE TO MALFUNCTION.

NHTSA ID

10030667

Incident

Jul 6, 2003

THE VEHICLE'S EXHAUST SYSTEM RATTLED, THERE WERE NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON INTERMITTENTLY AND WAS RESET BECAUSE THERE WAS NO PROBLEM FOUND, THERE HAD BEEN A POSSIBILITY OF PROBLEMS WITH THE SEAL ON THE FUEL INJECTION AND AIR INJECTION VALVES, THE CLIMATE CONTROL UNIT WAS FAULTY, THE HEATED DRIVER SIDE SEAT DID NOT WORK PROPERLY, AND THE MIDDLE CONSOLE DID NOT CLOSE. SCC *JB

NHTSA ID

10008600

Incident

Oct 1, 2001

I HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURES WITH MY 2000 MODEL YEAR C230K MERCEDES. THESE HAVE MOSTLY EFFECTED THE CARS SAFETY SYSTEMS WHICH IS A MAJOR CONCERN TO ME. THE FIRST FAILURE WAS A COMPLETE DRAIN OF THE BATTERY CHARGE FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS THE SENSORS OF THE ABS SYSTEM FAILED AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS THEN AUTOMATICALLY LOCKED IN PARKING POSITION AFTER THE NEXT STOP AS A SAFETY FEATURE. MORE RECENTLY FAILURES IN THE SRS SYSTEM HAVE RESULTED IN MERCEDES REPLACING SECTIONS OF MY STEERING COLUMN AND THE WHOLE WIRING HARNESS IN THE CAR. I HAVE JUST MOVED FROM THE USA TO BELGIUM FOR A 2-3 YEAR WORK ASSIGNMENT AND THE CAR IS NOW IN TRANSIT TO BELGIUM. I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW IN THE USA. I WAS VERY UPSET WITH THE WAY MERCEDES HANDLED MY CASE AND I STARTED RESEARCHING ON THE WEB TO SEE IF OTHERS HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES. I BELIEVE THERE ARE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF ISSUES WITH THESE CARS ELECTRICAL SYSTEM BEING POSTED BY OWNERS IN VARIOUS WEB SITES. I HAVE READ REPORTS OF OTHER OWNERS HAVING THEIR BATTERY EXPLODE. ANOTHER OWNER HAD A TAILLIGHT ASSEMBLY TOTALLY MELT DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. HOWEVER THE MOST SIGNIFICANT AND MOST RECURRING ISSUES BEING POSTED ARE FAILURES OF THE SRS SYSTEM SIMILAR TO THE FAILURE MY CAR SUFFERED AND THESE FAILURES DO NOT SEEM TO BE LIMITED TO A SPECIFIC MODEL. THE MOST NUMEROUS FAILURE BEING REPORTED IS A FAILURE OF AN ELECTRIC CONTACT IN THE STEERING COLUMN WHICH IS PART OF THE SRS CIRCUIT. THEY ARE REFERRED TO AS "CONTACT RINGS". ON MY CAR THESE WERE REPLACED FIRST AS BASED ON THE TECHNICIANS EXPERIENCE THAT IS WHERE THEY BELIEVED THE PROBLEM EXISTED. THAT DIDN'T FIX THE ISSUE FOR MY SPECIFIC CAR AND AFTER A LOT MESSING 4 WEEKS LATER THE TOTAL HARNESS WAS REPLACED. FOR BACKGROUND THE SRS LIGHT CAME ON CONTINUOUSLY RIGHT BEFORE I HAD PLANNED TO SHIP THE CAR TO BELGIUM. I WAS IN BELGIUM AND DEALT WITH BOTH A DEALERSHIP IN BALTIMORE AND MERCEDES USA TO GET THE ISSUE FIXED.*AK

NHTSA ID

767562

Incident

Aug 9, 2002

THE CAR HAS 33,000 MILES ON IT. THE PADS ARE LOW BUT NOT DOWN TO THE INDICATORS. MEANWHILE, THE FRONT ROTORS ARE DOWN TO THE MINIMUM SPECIFICATION WITH NO WARNING. I WAS TOLD THAT ALL ROTORS WOULD GENERALLY REQUIRE REPLACEMENT BY 50,000 MILES ON CAR BECAUSE THEY WOULD BE AT MINIMUM SPEC WHICH IS A VERY UNREALISTIC AND UNSAFE CONDITION. *AK

NHTSA ID

756315

Incident

Dec 27, 2001