RoadVitals

1997 Mercedes-Benz C280 Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
7
Latest Feb 28, 2015
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
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Sep 4, 2003

What this page shows

Our database holds 7 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1997 Mercedes-Benz C280. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

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

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–7 of 7

ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Feb 28, 2015

INSULATION ON THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE HEADLIGHTS IS FAILING TO WHERE BARE WIRES SHOW AND ARE CONTACTING OTHER BARE WIRES SHORTING OUT THE SYSTEM. AFTER SEARCHING ONLINE I SEE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10691286
Incident
Feb 28, 2015
Mileage
100,450 mi
Airbags
Filed Sep 18, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCEDES BENZ C280. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE AIR BAG IN THE STEERING WHEEL DEPLOYED UNEXPECTEDLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10637226
Incident
Apr 22, 2014
Electrical
Filed Aug 22, 2009

MERCEDES 1997 C280 SPORT WIRING HARNESS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10281424
Incident
May 17, 2009
Mileage
68,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jan 14, 2009

1997 MERCEDES BENZ, MODEL C-280: TRUNK FRONT SPRING ANCHOR POINT (DRIVERS SIDE) BROKE FROM METAL FATIGUE WHEN THE TRUNK WAS OPENED. THE WELD POINT DID NOT BREAK. MERCEDES BENZ USA WAS NOTIFIED OF THE METAL FAILURE PROBLEM AND HAS DECLINED TO ACT OR TAKE RESPONSIBILITY, AS THEY STATED "THIS IS DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE". THIS PART IS NOT ONE TO BE REPLACED BY WEAR AND TEAR. WE ARE ADVISING YOU OF THE METAL PART FAILURE, PLEASE RESPOND. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID
10254997
Incident
Jan 8, 2009
Mileage
113,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Sep 20, 2007

1997 C-CLASS C280 SPORT MERCEDES-BENZ WIRING HARNESS PROBLEM CAUSING RANDOM ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. *JB

NHTSA ID
10203533
Incident
Sep 17, 2007
Mileage
70,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Aug 23, 2006

WIRE HARNESS AND MASS AIR FLOW SENSORS ARE WELL KNOWN TO FAIL IN ALL W202 BODY STYLE MERCEDES MAF ARE NOT A LARGER PROBLEM DUE TO THEIR LOW REPAIR COST ON THE OTHER HAND ALL W202 HAVE TO HAVE THE WIRE HARNESS REPLACED IN UNDER 10 YEARS WHICH FOR $2000+ IS UNREASONABLE DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT IS A CLEAR PROBLEM IN ALL SUCH VEHICLES. *JB

NHTSA ID
10166284
Incident
Apr 16, 2005
Mileage
999,999 mi
Visibility
Filed Sep 4, 2003

INTERIOR WINDSHIELD FOGS ONCE CONSUMER EXIT THE VEHICLE. *MR THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PARK POSITION WITH THE ENGINE OFF. THE VISIBILITY THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD WOULD GET WORSE IF THE DEFOGGER WAS TURNED ON AND WOULD NOT DEFROST WHEN THE WINDSHIELD FOGGED UP. (MODEL-C 280) *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID
10039659

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 sources

Data on this page last refreshed .