Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Mercedes-Benz C230 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
FUEL SYSTEM IS LEAKING GETTING CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAN'T PASS SMOG AND EGR HOSES THAT RUN DOWN BY THE SUPER CHARGER ARE LEAKING CAUSE THE RUBBER THEY USED KNOWING THIS WOULD HAPPEN ALL HAVE TO DO WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ C230. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 25-30 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. UPDATED 02/05/16*LJ UPDATED 02/11/16 *JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ C230. WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS A KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT IF THE SOUND BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE, THE INTAKE AND EXHAUST CAM SHAFT ADJUSTER, THE CENTER BOLTS FOR THE CAM SHAFT, AND THE CHAIN TENSIONER WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000.
ENGINE STALLED WHILE WAITING FOR A LEFT TURN. HAVE A QUARTER TANK OF GAS. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. FAULT LIGHT DID NOT COME ON. CAR WAS PUSHED WHILE IN NEUTRAL BUT BREAKS DID NOT FUNCTION. ALMOST HIT A PARKED CAR. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME OF OCCURRENCE. REPAIR IS MORE THAN $1000. MECHANIC FOUND MOTOR OIL LEAKING ON ENGINE PARTS. IN 2003 ENGINE STALLED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A FWY. REPAIR WAS A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS. *TR
THIS CAR IS A MONEY PIT! I BOUGHT 2004 C230 KOMPRESSOR USED IN 2007. TO DATE I HAVE SPENT WELL OVER $8500 IN REPAIRS AND THE CAR IS SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY WITH ITS LATEST AFFLICTION..A COMPLETELY BLOWN ENGINE. IT IS A USELESS PIECE OF JUNK AND I AM OUT THE $25,000 I ORIGINALLY PAID FOR IT, PLUS THE ADDITIONAL $8500 I HAVE PUT INTO IT. THIS IS HOW MERCEDES BENZ TAKES CARE OF BUSINESS? SOMETHING HAS DRASTICALLY CHANGED. MY DAD HAS HAD 2 MERCEDES OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS...THEY RAN PERFECTLY UNTIL HE SOLD THEM. HE JUST BOUGHT A BRAND NEW S-SERIES (2012) AND IT HAS ALREADY BEEN IN THE SHOP NUMEROUS TIMES. THE CARS ARE MADE CHEAP AND EVERYTHING IN THE INTERIOR IS PLASTIC, NOT WOOD AS IT SHOULD BE. MERCEDES, YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF HOW FAR YOU HAVE LET YOUR STANDARDS FALL, IT IS A DISGRACE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ C230. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE OIL WAS LEAKING ONTO THE O2 SENSOR. THE O2 SENSORS WERE PLACED AUGUST 2009 BY THE DEALER; THE PROBLEM WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE ENGINE OIL BEGAN LEAKING ON THE SENSORS AGAIN SO THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CAMSHAFT, WIRING HARNESS AND O2 SENSORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 44,600 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 71,000.
MERCEDES C230 KOMPRESSOR. THE BOLT THAT HOLDS THE ALTERNATOR BELT HAS BROKE 3 TIMES! WHEN THE BELT SLIPPED IT AFFECTED THE POWER STEERING AND I WAS UNABLE TO STEER! VERY SCARY, LUCKILY I WAS DRIVING UNDER 25 MPH AT THE TIME. THERE MUST BE A DEFAULT IN THE DESIGN FOR THIS TO KEEP HAPPENING! *TR
THIS IS A 2004 MERCEDES C230. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON. I WENT TO DEALER WITHIN 15 MILES OF WARNING LIGHT COMING ON. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK AND THAT IT HAD DRIPPED OVER THE WIRING HARNESS. IT WOULD COST $3,500 TO REPAIR. I HAVE NEVER MISSED A MAINTENANCE ON THIS CAR. THEY SAID THE THIS HAPPENS BECAUSE OF WHERE THE O2 SENSOR IS LOCATED. THIS IS A DEFECT AND DESIGN FLOW CREATED BY MB. THEY SHOULD DO A RECALL TO PROTECT THE WIRING HARNESS
THIS IS A 2004 MERCEDES C230. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON. I WENT TO DEALER WITHIN 5 MILES OF WARNING LIGHT COMING ON. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK AND THAT IT HAD DRIPPED OVER SEVERAL COMPONENTS AND THE WIRING HARNESS. I WOULD COST $3,500 TO REPAIR BUT THEY ABSORBED THE LABOR COST AND IT SHOULD COST ABOUT $2,000. I HAVE NEVER MISSED A MAINTENANCE ON THIS CAR. THEY SAID THE THIS HAPPENS BECAUSE OF WHERE THE O2 SENSOR THAT LEAKED IS. IT SEEMS ODD TO HAVE MINOR ISSUE CAUSE SUCH ENORMOUS DAMAGE. *TR
MERCEDES BENZ C230 KOMPRESSOR SPORT SEDAN BEGAN TO LEAK OIL INTO THE CAM MAGNET SENSOR WHICH LEAD TO THE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS, COSTING HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO REPLACE. MB HAS KNOWN OF THIS PROBLEM IN THE 111 AND 271 SERIES OF ENGINE FOR MANY YEARS. COSTING THE CONSUMER HUGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY FOR A PROBLEM THEY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT. NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR FLAKING OR SHOWING SIGNS OF LEAKING OIL UNTIL ITS TOO LATE. *TR
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.
Data on this page last refreshed .