1998 Mercedes-Benz C280 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1998 Mercedes-Benz C280, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Electrical527.8%
- Suspension422.2%
- Fuel system211.1%
- Interior & seats15.6%
- Other / unspecified15.6%
- Tires & wheels15.6%
- Brakes15.6%
- Visibility15.6%
- Heating & air conditioning15.6%
- Driver assistance15.6%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING HEADLIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND FLASHED, AND EVENTUALLY BATTERY WENT DEAD. VERY NEXT DAY A RECALL NOTIFICATION WAS RECEIVED. BATTERY WAS REPLACED AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE.*AK
WHILE HUSBAND WAS MOVING OBJECTS IN TRUNK. TOUCHED BATTERY AND EXPLODE AT HIS FACE, INJURING PARTS ON FACE AND BODY.*AK THE CONSUMER SUFFERED EYE DAMAGE, NASAL FRACTURE AND FACIAL LACERATIONS AS THE RESULT OF BATTEY EXPLOSION. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED AT THE CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. *YH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
WITHOUT ANY WARNING ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN AROUND THE CORNER CAR JUST MADE A VERY LOUD SOUND COMING FROM UNDER DRIVER'S SIDE IN THE FRONT. CAR CAME DOWN ON DRIVER SIDE VERY CLOSE TO TIRE. WHEN I EXISTED THE VEHICLE IS WHEN I REALIZED THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE COIL SUSPENSION WAS ON THE GROUND COMPLETELY OFF. HAD IT TOWED AND LOOKED AT BY A MEINIKE THEY STATED THE THE FRAME WHERE THIS CAME OFF HAD SOME RUST. I HAVE MY VEHICLE SERVICED REGULARLY OIL CHANGE WITH TIRE ROTATION NO MECHANIC EVER NOTICED IT WHILE SERVICING. I HAVE A TODDLER DRIVING IN THE CAR WITH ME AND JUST CAME OFF THE HIGHWAY THIS COULD HAVE BEEN FAR WORSE OUT COME. IN THE MEANTIME MERCEDES DEALERS HAVE JUST BEEN GIVING ME THE RUN AROUND THIS IS OBVIOUS A MANUFACTURE'S DEFECT. AND VERY EXPENSIVE OUT OF POCKET TO REPAIR. MERCEDES SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS MALFUNCTIONING DEECT THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED AN HORRIFIC TRAGEDY TO ME AND MY FAMILY AND OTHER MOTORIST.
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH, THE SPRING PERCH SUPPORTING THE LEFT, FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE. INSTANTLY, THE LEFT FRONT SUSPENSION TOTALLY COLLAPSED LEAVING THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL WITHOUT ANY SUSPENSION OR WHEEL CLEARANCE INSIDE THE FENDER. THIS IN TURN CAUSED THE LEFT FRONT BUMPER TO NEARLY DRAG ON THE PAVEMENT. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT IN MERCEDES AUTOMOBILES THAT USE THIS SAME OR SIMILAR SPRING PERCH. THIS TYPE OF PART IS ONE THAT SHOULD NEVER FAIL UNLESS DUE TO AN ACCIDENT. FORTUNATELY, THE DRIVER IN THIS CASE KEPT HER CALM AND SAFELY GUIDED THE VEHICLE OFF THE INTERSTATE. AS A RESULT OF THIS INCIDENT, I HAD MY 1997 MERCEDES E420 INSPECTED AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT ONE OF THE SPRING PERCHES ON THAT CAR WAS ABOUT TO COLLAPSE AS WELL. ALL MERCEDES USING A SIMILAR SPRING PERCH SHOULD BE INSPECTED IMMEDIATELY BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
FUEL HOSE (PART NO.A2084761526) ABRUPTLY BURST WHEN CAR WAS STARTED, RESULTING IN HUGE FUEL LEAK (LIKE A SPIGOT), WITH FUEL IMMEDIATELY POOLING UNDER THE CAR AND STREAKING AWAY. IF THERE HAD BEEN A LIT CIGARETTE BUTT ON THE PARKING LOT PAVEMENT WE WOULD HAVE EXPLODED, KILLING ALL 4 OCCUPANTS AS WE WERE GETTING INTO THE CAR. IT WOULD HAVE WIPED OUT THREE GENERATIONS: TWO PARENTS, ONE CHILD AND ONE SURVIVING GRANDPARENT. THIS PART HAS TO BE FAILSAFE DUE TO THE POTENTIAL FOR CATASTROPHIC LOSS OF LIFE. I HAVE A 13-YR-OLD CAR THAT HAS NEVER HAD BREAKAGE OF A FUEL HOSE LIKE THIS. I URGE A RECALL OF THIS PART SO AS TO PREVENT FUTURE LOSS OF LIFE. THIS IS NOT A CASE OF NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE.
GAS TANK GAUGE FAILED. YH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING AN ELECTRICAL LIGHT WILL COME ON AT THE DASHBOARD, AND THE LIGHT HAS A DESIGN LIKE A BULB, STARTING TO CHECK ELECTRIC ON THE BRAKES. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
HORN DID NOT WORK AT ALL. YH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHILCE, DRIVER NOTICED A SHIMMY OR VIBRATION. THE PROBLEM GREW WORSE WITH FURTHER TRAVEL AND ESCALATED WITH INCREASED SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A DEALERSHIP, THEIR TECHNICIAN IDENTIFED THE PROBLEM WAS THE TIRES, ALL FOUR TIRES WERE WORN DOWN TO THE METAL AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN 26,000 MILES. THE TIRE WERE MANUFACTURED BY CONTINENTAL.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE WAITING AT A RED LIGHT TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AFTER THE CONSUMER STARTED TO MAKE THE LEFT TURN AND SPINNED 360 DEGREE ANGLE INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO APPLY BRAKES BEFORE HITTING THE OTHER VEHICLE, BUT THEY DID NOT RESPOND. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Heating & air conditioning
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
From owner reports, verbatim
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE WAITING AT A RED LIGHT TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AFTER THE CONSUMER STARTED TO MAKE THE LEFT TURN AND SPINNED 360 DEGREE ANGLE INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO APPLY BRAKES BEFORE HITTING THE OTHER VEHICLE, BUT THEY DID NOT RESPOND. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .