RoadVitals

1999 Mercedes-Benz C280 Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints 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.
10
Latest Dec 19, 2010
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
29%
of 34 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

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 1999 Mercedes-Benz C280 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.

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Engine
Filed Dec 19, 2010

ON NOVEMBER 24, 2010 OUR 1999 MERCEDES BENZ C280 SEDAN ENGINE STALLED/STOPPED RUNNING WITH NO WARNING. FORTUNATELY FOR US WE WERE NOT ON A FAST MOVING SURFACE STREET, A HIGHWAY OR A FREEWAY. THIS SITUATION, WHEN THE ENGINE STALLS/STOPS MAKES IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER THE CAR AND STOP IT SINCE THE BRAKES AND POWER STEERING ARE DIFFICULT TO USE EFFECTIVELY WITH THE ENGINE IS NOT RUNNING. AFTER REFUELING THE CAR WE TRAVELED APPROXIMATELY 100FT WHEN, WITHOUT ANY DASH BOARD WARNING LIGHTS OR ANY OTHER INDICATIONS, THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. WE ATTEMPTED TO START THE ENGINE SEVERAL TIMES AND IT WOULD NOT START. WE CALLED AAA OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AT APPROXIMATELY 3:15PM, THE TOW TRUCK ARRIVED AT 3:55PM AND THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER ASKED US TO ATTEMPT TO START THE CAR AND TO OUR SURPRISE THE ENGINE STARTED. WE DROVE TO SOUTH BAY MERCEDES BENZ, TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA, WITH THE TOW TRUCK FOLLOWING US. WHILE THE WORK ORDER WAS BEING PREPARED, SERVICE BAY PERSONNEL ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR SEVERAL TIMES AND WERE UNABLE TO DO SO. AFTER ABOUT 35 MINUTES, ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO START THE ENGINE WAS SUCCESSFUL. OUR CONCERN IS THAT THE ENGINE STALLING/STOPPING IS MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A TOTAL DISASTER FOR US AND OTHER DRIVERS HAD THIS HAPPENED IN A HIGH TRAFFIC SITUATION. THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE IN-DEPTH INVESTIGATED BY THE NHTSA TRAFFIC SAFETY ORGANIZATION. THIS INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE MADE TO DETERMINE FREQUENCY OF OCCURRENCE, REVIEW MERCEDES BENZ SERVICE REPORTS AND OTHER C280 OWNERS. THIS CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN SERVICED AT SOUTH BAY MERCEDES, TORRANCE, CA, AND HAS BEEN DRIVEN LESS THAN 20,000 MILES. THE ENGINE STALLING/STOPPING WAS CORRECTED BY REPLACING THE FRONT CRANKSHAFT TEMPERATURE SENSOR. THERE ARE NO REDUNDANCIES WHEN THIS PART FAILS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10371212
Incident
Nov 24, 2010
Mileage
19,559 mi
Engine
Filed Jul 11, 2007

MERCEDES-BENZ 1999 C280. CRANKSHAFT PULLEY FELL APART WHILE AT A STOP SIGN NOT FAR FROM HOME, WAS ABLE TO DRIVE BACK HOME BEFORE COMPLETE BREAKDOWN. SMELLED BURNING RUBBER, NO FIRE. THE CAR HAS ONLY 25,284 MILES. *AK

NHTSA ID
10196086
Incident
Jul 10, 2007
Mileage
25,282 mi
EngineExterior lightingSteering
Filed Dec 5, 2005

HARMONICA BALANCER ON 1999 MERCEDES BENZ C280 V6 2.8L ENGINE. I'VE HAD SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING AND STARTING THE CAR. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT I NEVER RECEIVED ANY PAPERS FROM THE MANUFACTURER. *JB

NHTSA ID
10144527
Incident
Sep 21, 2005
Mileage
40,000 mi
Engine
Filed Nov 1, 2004

A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE THEN STALLED. THE CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BUT WAS UNABLE TO SO. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED REPLACEMENT. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

NHTSA ID
10099153
Incident
Nov 1, 2004
Engine
Filed Aug 31, 2004

A SQUEAKING NOISE WAS COMING FROM MY WIFE'S MERCEDES BENZ C-280. ON HER WAY TO OUR MECHANIC, HER CAR DIED, CONVENIENTLY IN FRONT OF ANOTHER MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC IDENTIFIED A PROBLEM WITH THE HARMONIC BALANCER WHICH FLEW OFF ITS APPROPRIATE PLACE ON THE ENGINE. THE CAR IS BEING LOOKED AT ON 8/31/04 TO ASSESS THE AMOUNT OF DAMGED CAUSED.*AK

NHTSA ID
10088879
Incident
Aug 30, 2004
Mileage
76,000 mi
Engine
Filed Mar 25, 2004

ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLY HARMONIC BALANCER FAILURE

NHTSA ID
10063862
Incident
Mar 21, 2004
Mileage
48,370 mi
ElectricalEngineSteering
Filed Jun 20, 2003

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DRIVEBELT CRACKED AND CAME OFF WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING FAILURE OF POWER STEERING/ ALTERNATOR, AND THE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM.*AK

NHTSA ID
10024586
Incident
Jun 17, 2003
Engine
Filed May 1, 2003

THE DRIVE BELT PULLEY OF MY 1999 MERCEDES C280 BROKE. THE BATTERY CHARGE LIGHT CAME UP AND I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR BECAUSE MY STEERING BECAME STIFF. MY CAR JUST HAS 49K MILES AND I JUST USE IT AS A COMMUTE VEHICLE. THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO NHTSA RECALL NUMBER: 96V058000

NHTSA ID
10016864
Incident
Apr 29, 2003
Mileage
49,000 mi
EngineFuel system
Filed Apr 17, 2003

THE VEHICLES FUEL TANK FILLER FAILED AND MADE IT DIFFICULT TO FILL THE TANK WITH GAS. THE GAS CAME BACK OUT THE FILLER CAP ALTHOUGH THE TANK DIDN'T HAVE A HALF A TANK OF GAS. *NLM SOMETIMES THE ENGINE DIDN'T TURN OVER, AND THE VEHICLE WAS POOR ON GAS. *SCC

NHTSA ID
10016095
Incident
Dec 4, 2002
Mileage
48,000 mi
Engine
Filed Oct 10, 2001

ENGINE CABLE INSULATOR CRACK AND FELL OFF, CAUSING SHORTS AND THE ENGINE CUT OFF.

NHTSA ID
9004962
Incident
Jun 1, 2001

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

Data on this page last refreshed .