2013 Mercedes-Benz C250 Steering Problems

My wife and the kids we're stranded for hours because of the ESL systems lock the steering wheel and did not allow the car to start or steering wheel to move. She smelled something and pulled over and turned car off. No lights, no way to charge cell phone because no power to the car at all. My family was stranded because of this seems like it's a very very serious issue with a lot of Mercedes-Benz vehicles. As a consumer Mercedes-Benz is using cheap parts which can cause people to lose their lives if the steering wheel is to lock up while driving the motor burns out inside of the ESL module

NHTSA ID

11583450

Incident

Apr 17, 2024

Mercedes has had an issue with the steering lock for years and continue to not fix the issue. My vehicle would not turn on at random times, and this is due to a fault with the steering lock and key. The worst part of the issue, it’s only solved by Mercedes due to security issues and costs $2000. I was locked out of my car for hours, missing a doctors appointment, and if this was during a snow storm or heavy freeze (I live in CO), this is a potential fatal flaw. I also learned they cannot fix my vehicle for months due to high demand and coming from Germany. Looking online this is a continued problem for over a decade of vehicles and this needs to be resolved either by recall, a price adjustment due to this being a Mercedes flaw, or give the capability to certified maintenance locations to do the job for a fraction of the price (I see the price of the part is marginal compared to the upcharge by the dealer.

NHTSA ID

11546602

Incident

Sep 20, 2023

WHILE PULLING INTO GARAGE, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED IN PLACE AND WOULD NOT TURN. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED A FAULTY ESL (ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK), THE REPAIR WAS COMPLETED AT A COST TO ME OF $1,140.70. MERCEDES BENZ USA REFUSED TO REIMBURSE.

NHTSA ID

11414261

Incident

May 3, 2020

Mileage

74,156 mi

II WAS DRIVING AND CAR STEERING WHEEL GET STUCK DID NOT MOVE UP AND DOWN AND ALSO FRONT RIGHT SEAT DID NOT MOVE.

NHTSA ID

11391140

Incident

Oct 25, 2020

Mileage

80,000 mi

ELV LOCK FAILURE ON THE IN THE STEERING COLUMN, VEHICLE DISABLED

NHTSA ID

11376967

Incident

Nov 27, 2020

Mileage

100,000 mi

SLICING MY HAND OPEN ON MY STEERING WHEEL WAS COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED. I WAS AT THE CAR WASH THE CAR WAS SITTING STILL, THE KEYS WERE NOT IN I THE IGNITION AND DRIVER DOOR WAS OPEN. I REACHED MY ARM THROUGH THE TOP OPENING OF THE STEERING WHEEL TO INSERT MY KEY FOB AND START MY CAR. WHEN I STARTED PULLING MY ARM BACK THROUGH, THE METALLIC TRIM ON TOP OF THE STEERING WHEEL FRAYED AND SLICED OPEN MY MIDDLE FINGER ON MY RIGHT HAND. I CAN BARELY DRIVE MY CAR WITHOUT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT WHERE MY HAND IS GOING TO GO THE WRONG WAY AND BE SLICED BY PART OF MY STEERING WHEEL I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THIS IT'S VERY DANGEROUS.

NHTSA ID

11350059

Incident

Jul 18, 2020

Mileage

63,000 mi

MY CAR WAS PARKED AT THE MALL, WHEN I WENT TO THE CAR TO START IT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN ON. HAD TO GET THE CAR TOWED TO A MECHANIC. I HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING WHEEL IMMOBILIZER. *TR

NHTSA ID

11324561

Incident

Dec 5, 2019

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ C250. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V252000 (STEERING). NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000.

NHTSA ID

11322445

Incident

Apr 27, 2020

Mileage

69,000 mi

RECALL ON MY CAR IS STILL WAITING TO BE FIXED. I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW IN APRIL 2013. MILEAGE TO DATE IS ONLY 22, 271 MILES. I AM NOW BACK IN CANADA BUT COULD NOT BRING MY CAR TO CANADA BECAUSE THERE IS AN OUTSTANDING RECALL. IN MAY 2018, THE RECALL ON STEERING WAS FIXED. BECAUSE I DO NOT LIVE IN CALIFORNIA ANYMORE, IT IS IN A GARAGE WASTING AWAY. I ONLY USSE THE CAR IN MY YEARLY VISITS TO CHECK ON IT. LAST 2018, I USED THE CAR FOR LESS THAN 1,000 MILES. IN 2019, I HAVE NOT USED THE CAR. LAST FEB 2020, I REQUESTED A FRIEND TO HAVE MY CAR CHECKED AT AN MB DEALERSHIP (FLETCHER JONES IN FREMONT, CA). THEY REPLACED THE WHOLE STEERING MECHANISM BECAUSE IT WAS LEAKING OIL PROFUSELY. I COMPLAINED THAT SINCE THE RECALL ON THE STEERING WAS ONLY FIXED IN MAY 2018 AND USED THE CAR LESS THAN 1,000 MILES, HOW CAN THE STEERING MECHANISM DAMAGED AS SUCH. ALSO, ALTHOUGH THE CAR IS ALMOST 7 YEARS OLD, THE TOTAL MILEAGE ON THE CAR IS ONLY 22. 291 MILES. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THERE IS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT IN THIS PART? ON ACCOUNT OF THE FRON PASSENGER AIRBAG RECALL NOT YET BEING FIXED, I LEFT MY CAR IN CALIFORNIA. IT WAS SCHEDULED TO BE FIXED IN 2019 BUT WAS MOVED TO APRIL 2020. I HAVE WASTED SO MUCH MONEY IN THIS CAR BUT AM NOT ENJOYING OR BENEFITING FROM IT. I PRAY THAT THE AIRBAG RECALL IN THIS CAR BE FINALLY FIXED THIS COMING APRIL AS I HAVE DECIDED TO DRIVE IT FROM FREMONT, CA TO TORONTO, CANADA THIS COMING FIRST WEEK OF MAY WITH A CO-DRIVER. I AM FEED UP SPENDING SO MUCH MONEY ON A CAR I AM NOT USING AND DO NOT BENEFIT FROM. PLEASE HELP ME GET THE AIRBAG FIXED BEFORE I DRIVE IT TO TORONTO CANADA FROM STOCKTON, CA , A DISTANCE OF MORE THAN 2,600 MILES, EXPOSING MYSELF AND MY CO DRIVER TO HIGH RISK OF NOT HAVING A PROPER WORKING AIRBAG.

NHTSA ID

11311897

Incident

Jan 31, 2020

I HAVE BEEN HAVING CONSTANT ISSUES WITH THE STEERING AND AIRBAG LIGHTS GOING ON. I WAS ALSO IN A BAD REAR END WRECK IN 2016 AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I HAVE BEEN CALLING SANTANDER CONSUMERS ABOUT THE ISSUE AND THEY DON'T CARE AND ARE STILL MAKING ME PAY MY MORE. THE MERCEDES DEALER HAS SAID THAT THE RECALLS ARE PENDING AND THEY DO NOT HAVE THE PARTS TO FIX THE ISSUE. SO I HAVE STOPPED MAKING PAYMENTS BECAUSE I HAVE A TODDLER AND WILL NOT DRIVE A DANGEROUS CAR AND THE CAR WAS RECENTLY REPOSSESSED LAST WEEK. THE AIRBAG DEPLOY LIGHTS CONSTANTLY STAY ON INDICATING THEY ARE NOT WORKING AND THE STEERING KEEPS LOCKING UP. IT HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED AND IN MOTION.

NHTSA ID

11291637

Incident

Jan 1, 2019

Mileage

30,000 mi

VEHICLE SHOULD NOT START. WAS LEFT STRANDED. DIAGNOSTICS RETURNED ESL FAILURE. MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FROM OTHER CONSUMERS.

NHTSA ID

11173175

Incident

Jan 21, 2019

TAKATA INFLATORS - I WAS SOLD A MERCEDES C250 BY AN AUTHORIZED MERCEDES DEALERSHIP AS A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED VEHICLE IN MARCH 2016. WHILE SELLING THE VEHICLE, THE DEALERSHIP SHOWED ME A CARFAX REPORT WITH NO OPEN RECALLS. THIS RECALL HAS BEEN OPEN SINCE JAN 2016 IMPLYING THAT I WAS SOLD THE VEHICLE USING FRAUDULENT INFORMATION. ALSO SINCE THEN IT HAS BEEN 2 YEARS WITH NO REMEDY AS THE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. I CONTACTED THE CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THEY CANNTO HELP SOLVE THIS.

NHTSA ID

11104051

Incident

Jun 26, 2018

TAKATA INFLATORS (PASSENGER SIDE) GROUNDING CABLES IN STEERING WHEEL

NHTSA ID

11090384

Incident

Apr 23, 2018

I JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH MBUSA CUSTOMER SERVICE ABOUT THE TAKATA RECALL. IN THE LETTER SENT OUT, IT STATES THAT 'A PASSENGER- SIDE INFLATOR EXPLOSION DURING DEPLOYMENT COULD RESULT IN SHARP METAL FRAGMENTS STRIKING THE FRONT PASSENGER OR OTHER OCCUPANTS, POSSIBLY CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.' BUT THAT THERE ARE NO PARTS AVAILABLE TO FIX THIS POSSIBLE DANGEROUS SITUATION IF IT HAPPENS TO OCCUR. I TOLD THE PHONE REPRESENTATIVE I FEEL UNSAFE DRIVING MY CAR, ESPECIALLY WITH MY SON WITH ME AND ASKED IF MB CAN OFFER ME A RENTAL CAR UNTIL THE PARTS ARE AVAILABLE TO FIX THE RECALL. SHE SAID MB AT THIS TIME IS NOT IN THE POSITION TO OFFER RENTAL CARS. AND I REPLIED ' YOU ARE SAYING THAT MB IS NOT WILLING TO GIVE ME A RENTAL CAR WHILE YOU HAVE SENT OUT A RECALL STATING I CAN BE IN DANGER BUT ARE UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM?. AND SHE REPEATED THAT MB IS NOT IN THE POSITION TO OFFER RENTAL CARS AT THIS TIME. I FEEL LIKE THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING MERCEDES SHOULD DO. I UNDERSTAND MB IS SENDING OUT THE RECALL NOTICES TO SAVE THEMSELVES IF SOMETHING DOES HAPPEN TO A DRIVER DUE TO THE RECALL, AND I AM ASSUMING THEY ARE HOPING CUSTOMERS JUST DISREGARD THE NOTICE. IF A CUSTOMER, SUCH AS MYSELF FEELS UNSAFE BECAUSE OF THIS RECALL AND IF MB IS NOT GOING TO RESOLVE IT NOW, THEN WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS ?

NHTSA ID

11079827

Incident

Mar 16, 2018

Mileage

102,000 mi

TAKATA INFLATORS-I CURRENTLY HAVE 2 RECALLS ON MY CAR; ONE 10/05/17 NHTSA 17V627 AND OTHER ONE FROM 1/10/18 #18V043 WITH THE AIRBAGS. NEITHER ONE HAS A REMEDY YET AND I WAS TOLD THIS WEEKEND AT THE DEALER TO NOT LET ANYONE SIT IN THE PASSENGER SIDE DUE TO DANGER. THIS IS NOT AN OPTION FOR ME. I WAS ALSO TOLD THE EARLIER RECALL IS ALSO DANGEROUS YET NO ETA ON REPAIRS. I AM SINGLE PARENT WITH COLLEGE STUDENT AS WELL AS HANDICAP MOTHER IN HER 80S ... I NEED THIS FIXED NOW.....JUST TO BE TOLD I WILL BE CONTACTED WHEN THERE IS A REPAIR IS NOT AN ANSWER. I AM TERRIFIED TO DRIVE THE CAR AND HAVE NO OPTIONS ON THIS. PLEASE HELP PUT MY CAR IN PRIORITY LINE FOR REPAIR OR ELSE I SHOULD HAVE LKQ LOANER UNTIL IT IS REPAIRED. MY CAR SUFFERED FLOOD DAMAGE AT 4 MONTHS OF AGE IN 2014 AND I AM VERY CONCERNED PARTS WERE COMPROMISED THAT COULD AFFECT THIS EVEN MORE! (THE CAR WAS PURCHASED IN SOUTH FLORIDA AND WE MOVED TO GA 2015 THUS HIGH HUMIDITY EXPOSURE)

NHTSA ID

11076219

Incident

Mar 2, 2018

BIG SOUND

NHTSA ID

11063622

Incident

Dec 4, 2017

TOO LONG WAITING FOR ACCIDENT TO HAPPEN. HAVEN'T HAD AN INCIDENT, BUT THE LONGER THE WAIT, THE GREATER THE POSSIBILTY. WHEN WILL THE PARTS BE AVAILABLE ?

NHTSA ID

11062572

Incident

Jan 12, 2018

Mileage

35,500 mi

TAKATA INFLATORS INVOLVED ON A CAR ACCIDENT ON 02/27/2017 WERE THIS VEHICLE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOYED. THIS VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS AND GOT PAID OFF BY MY INSURANCE BUT I AM STILL HURT.

NHTSA ID

11044954

Incident

Feb 27, 2017

Mileage

47,296 mi

CLICKING IN STEERING COLUMN. MERCEDES BENZ STATED THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY . THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. I WAS PARKING. MY AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON AND I STILL HEAR CLICKING WHEN I TURN THE WHEEL

NHTSA ID

11042647

Incident

Apr 24, 2017

Mileage

38,000 mi