Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 Mercedes-Benz C350 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 54 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.
The 25 most recent of 54, in the owner's own words
The ESL system malfunction causes either steering lock or ignition switch to fail resulting in a failure to start the vehicle creating safety issues and a failure to reach safe destination. This problem is reported to be an extremely common issue in the Mercedes Benz W204 C-Class models.
All of a sudden, the car would not start and inserting the key and turning doesn't do anything. Turns out that like many other folks, the Electronic Steering Lock module is faulty and preventing the car from starting. Found out that only the dealer can fix it and mercedes provides the replacement part. The cost is unaffordable at $2200 from the dealer and the part is back ordered and won't be available for approximately 2 months. This is completely unacceptable and mercedes should prioritize and fix this issue as a safety issue with a recall since it completely makes the car non-driveable and nobody but the dealer can fix this, which allows the dealer to charge any amount they like.
The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz C350. The contact stated that after the vehicle was turned off, she attempted to restart the vehicle, but the engine failed to turn over. The contact stated that the next day the vehicle started; however, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the speedometer started to malfunction. The vehicle was towed to the dealer; however, the contact was unsure if the vehicle was diagnosed. Additionally, the contact stated that on a separate occasion while driving at an undisclosed speed, she noticed that water had started to leak from the sun visor. The contact also heard water moving around on the floorboard. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 166,000.
AFTER A FEW YEARS OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE FOLLOWING STOPPED WORKING CAUSING DIFFICULTY DRIVING THE VEHICLE ABS/EPS INOPERATIVE CRUISE CONTROL INOPERATIVE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, SEVERAL ELECTRICAL FAILURES HAD OCCURRED AND ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. IT WAS LATER DISCOVERED THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A FAULTY FUSE. NO FURTHER INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAD STOPPED WORKING AND THE SRS WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES WERE NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER PLAZA MERCEDES BENZ LOCATED AT 11910 OLIVE BLVD, CREVE COEUR, MO 63141 AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
ON SUNDAY, JUNE 27, UPON RETURNING TO MY CAR I DISCOVERED THAT THE KEY WOULD NOT DISENGAGE THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK TO ALLOW ME TO TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH TO THE ON POSITION OR STEER THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE GEARSHIFT COULD NOT BE DISLODGED FROM THE PARK POSITION. I CONTACTED AAA. A TEST OF BATTERY REVEALED THAT IT WAS FULLY CHARGED. I WAS ABLE TO MANUALLY DISENGAGE THE GEAR SHIFT AND PLACE THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, HOWEVER, THE CAR WAS UNABLE TO BE LOADED ON TO THE FLATBED TOW-TRUCK, AS THE FRONT WHEELS WERE LOCKED AT AN ANGLE AND I WAS PARKED IN PARKING SPACE, BETWEEN THE SIDEWALK TO MY FRONT AND RIGHT SIDE AND A CAR TO MY LEFT. I WAS FORCED TO LEAVE THE VEHICLE AND FIND AN ALTERNATIVE MEANS OF GETTING HOME. FIVE DAYS AND NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS LATER, AAA WAS FINALLY ABLE TO RETRIEVE MY VEHICLE. CONVERSATION WITH MECHANICS AT MB DEALERSHIP AS WELL AS MB TRAINED PRIVATE MECHANIC IDENTIFIED PROBLEM AS DEFECTIVE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH (EIS/ EZS) AND ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK (ESL/ ELV). CONTACTED MBUSA CORPORATE OFFICE AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR (APPROXIMATELY $1,600) WAS MINE, SINCE, DESPITE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING SIMILAR MECHANICAL ISSUE, THERE IS NOT A RECALL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C350. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, A FAMILY MEMBER NOTIFIED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE TRUNK. THE CONTACT OPENED THE TRUNK AND NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS IN FLAMES AROUND THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS PRESENT, BUT NO REPORT WAS FILED. THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLIES WERE REPLACED APPROXIMATELY FOUR YEARS AGO PER AN UNKNOWN RECALL BY MERCEDES-BENZ OF SOUTH ORLANDO IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA. HOWEVER, THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED FOR THE RECENT FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000.
VEHICLE FAILED TO START/CRANK AFTER ONLY 28,000 MILES. CAUSE WAS A FAILED ESL (ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK) PART OF THE ELECTRONIC THEFT SYSTEM THAT TIES WITH THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH. THE FAILURE OF THIS PART DISABLES THE CAR AND IS UNUSABLE. THIS ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL, W204 - C-CLASS 300/350, HAS AN ABNORMAL AMOUNT OF REPORTS VIA MERCEDES BENZ INTERNET FORUMS ABOUT THIS VERY FAILURE. 13 PAGES WORTH ON ONE. GIVEN THE LOW AMOUNT OF MILES ON MY VEHICLE, THE FAILURE RATE SEEMS UNREASONABLY HIGH. THE PART FAILURE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE USE/ABUSE OF THE VEHICLE.
ESL FAILED IN UNLOCKED POSITION, CAR WONT START.
ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK- CAR WAS RUNNING FINE NO ISSUES PARKED THE CAR WENT BACK OUT TO START LESS THAN AN HOUR AFTER PARKING AND GOT NOTHING DASH CAME ON NO RADIO,NO WINDOWS,NO RELEASE FROM PARK, AND STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED AND WILL NOT UNLOCK. LEFT STRANDED HAVE TO HAVE A TOW TO CLOSEST MERCEDES BENZ DEALER 45 MILES AWAY....ESTIMATED COST AFTER 310.80 TOW 1200 TO 2000
ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK (ESL) GOES OUT DAMAGED WITHOUT REASON, HAPPENED ALL OF A SUDDEN TO MY PARKED CAR. CAR SIMPLY WON'T ATTEMPT TO START AND STEERING HIS COMPLETELY LOCKED. ONLY OPTION IS TO TOW IT TO THE SHOP AND A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR FIX. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF CASES ALREADY REGISTERED ON THIS AND IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS PART USED IN MANY MERCEDES CARS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C350W. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO PARK, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 113,773.
STEERING LOCK ISSUE. ENGINE DOES NOT CRANK AND CAR DOES NOT START. UPON INSERTING KEY, AN MESSAGE POPS UP ASKING TO REMOVE THE KEY. STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED AND CAR STUCK IN PARK. DUE TO THE CONFIGURATION OF MY PARKING GARAGE AND THE FACT THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED, IT TOOK ME SEVERAL DAYS AND 4 DIFFERENT TOW TRUCKS TO SUCCESSFULLY TOW THE CAR 1.5 MILES TO MY LOCAL MB DEALERSHIP. THE DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR OF THE FAULTY STEERING LOCK, WHICH THE SERVICE ADVISOR SAYS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME WITH MY MODEL, TOOK AN ENTIRE WEEK. I WAS TOLD MB DOES NOT OFFER A LOANER CAR IN THIS SITUATION. ALL IN ALL, IT TOOK MY 2 WEEKS TO FINALLY GET MY CAR WORKING AGAIN. THE REPAIR WAS $1,200. ADD IN THE 4 TOW TRUCKS, AND 2 WEEKS OF RENTAL CAR AND THIS WAS EASILY A $2,000 ISSUE. MB SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL GIVEN THAT THIS ISSUE IS SO PREVALENT AND CLEARLY A FAULT WITH THE STEERING LOCK PART.
FRONT LAMPS AND HEADLIGHT KEEP RANDOMLY NOT FUNCTIONING AT START OR WHEN DRIVING. WARNING LIGHT THAT BULB IS OUT COMES ON BUT THEN GOES AWAY AND THE LIGHTS COME BACK ON AFTER A LITTLE OF TIME AND A RESTART OF ENGINE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C350. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, BUT THE IGNITION FAILED TO TURN OVER AND START. A WARNING INDICATOR TO REMOVE THE KEY APPEARED. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED AND WOULD NOT TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRICAL STEERING LOCK MECHANISM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT DECLINED TO FILE A COMPLAINT UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 77,000. UPDATED 10/04/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE OLD PARTS AND REPAIR RECEIPT ARE AVAILABLE. UPDATED 10/13/16.*JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C350. WHEN THE IGNITION KEY WAS INSERTED INTO THE IGNITION SWITCH, A CLICKING SOUND WAS HEARD AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRIC STEERING WHEEL LOCK FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
STATIONARY VEHICLE NO START, NO CRANK WITHOUT WARNING WHILE PARKED ON A CITY STREET. FAILURE WITHIN THE ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK. VEHICLE WILL NOT RECOGNIZE THE DRIVERS KEY. DRIVER AND PASSENGERS LEFT DANGEROUSLY STRANDED WHERE EVER THE VEHICLE IS PARKED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURS. THIS FAILURE MAKES IT UNABLE TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL POSITION FOR TOWING.
ESL FAILURE. APPARENTLY THIS IS A VERY COMMON 1200$ ISSUE WITH C-CLASS. THE KEY WOULD TURN BUT THE CAR WON'T START. HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO INSTANTLY KNEW IT WAS THE ESL. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THESE ISSUES. SO MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM!
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AS THE SRS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,050.
THE VEHICLE LEFT ME STRANDED AND LOCKED OUT. I WAS UNABLE TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL PREVENTING A PROPER TOW.
MY 2008 C350 FAILED TO START WITHOUT WARNING, I CALLED AAA TO COME CHECK THE BATTERY AND THEY SAID THE BATTERY WAS GOOD. I ALSO NOTICED THAT MY STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT UNLOVK WHEN THE KEY WAS INSERTED. I CALLED AAA AGAIN AND REQUESTED TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP TO INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE. THE DEALERSHIP CALLED TO TELL ME THAT MY STEERING COLUMN AND EIS BOTH FAILED AND IT WOULD COST AROUND $1500 TO REPLACE. I WENT ON THE MBUSA FORUM WEBSITE AND FOUND HUNDREDS OF OWNERS THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, I EVEN SAW A CAMPAIGN NUMBER LISTED FOR THE EIS. IF THESE DEFECTS ARE KNOWN ISSUES AND SINCE THEY FAIL WITHOUT WARNING AND COULD CAUSE THE EIS TO FAIL AND ALONG WITH THE STEERING COLUMN TO LOCK WHILE THE DRIVER IS DRIVING CAUSING AN ACCIDENT OR LEAVING A FAMILY STRANDED, I'M NOT TO SURE WHY THIS SAFETY ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED AND ADDRESSED YET. DO WE NEED PEOPLE TO DIE IN VEHICLE ACCIDENTS FROM THESE PARTS FAILING BEFORE WE DO THE RIGHT THING AND RECALL THESE DEFECTIVE PARTS? I'M VERY THANKFUL THAT MY PARTS FAILED WHEN I WASN'T DRIVING BECAUSE I MIGHT NOT BE THE ONE WRITING THIS COMPLAINT, IT WOULD BE MY DAUGHTERS AND WIFE WRITING AND CRYING BECAUSE A KNOWN DEFECT WAS NOT CORRECTED IN A TIMELY MANNER AND IT TOOK MY LIFE AND POSSIBLY OTHERS. LET'S BE PROACTIVE AND NOT REACTIVE!
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C350. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SRS MALFUNCTION LIGHT BECAME ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
I HAD STOPPED TO CHECK THE MAILBOX IN THE PARKING LOT, TURNING THE ENGINE OFF. UPON RETURN, ENGINE WOULDN'T CRANK; WINDOWS WOULDN'T GO DOWN. DASHBOARD INDICATOR & INTERIOR/EXTERIOR LIGHTS WORKED. STEERING COLUMN LOCKED; UNABLE TO SHIFT GEAR FROM PARK. TOWED CAR TO DEALER. I HAD ONLY ONE KEY FOB. THEY WANTED TO TEST A SECOND ONE; SINCE I DIDN'T OWN ONE, THEY STATED I SHOULD PURCHASE ONE FOR $250 IN CASE IT WAS A FOB PROBLEM. IT WASN'T. THE EIS--ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH (THEY CALLED IT "STEERING LOCK" AKA ESL--ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK) IS THE CAUSE, ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY WANT $1100 FOR THAT ISSUE, TOTAL OF $1420 + TAX.
I DROVE WITHOUT PROBLEM TO A LOCAL STORE, LESS THAN 4 MILES AWAY. I WAS IN THE STORE 5 MINUTES. WHEN I CAME OUT AND TRIED TO START MY CAR, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED IN PLACE AND THE DASH SAID "TAKE KEY FROM IGNITION". THE LIGHTS AND RADIO WORKED, HOWEVER THE WINDOWS WOULD NOT WORK AND THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN ON. ALSO, THE SHIFT WAS STUCK IN "PARK" AND COULD NOT BE PLACED INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT AN OVERRIDE.
DROVE CAR TO WORK WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. AT THE END OF DAY, CAR WOULD NOT START AND ENGINE WOULD NOT CRANK OR TURN OVER. DASHBOARD INDICATOR, RADIO, WINDOWS, INTERIOR/EXTERIOR LIGHTS WORKED. GOT A JUMP FROM EMPLOYEE PARKING SERVICES, BUT CAR STILL WOULD NOT START. STEERING COLUMN LOCKED AND UNABLE TO SHIFT GEAR TO NEUTRAL. TOWED CAR TO AUTO REPAIR SHOP AND HAD SERVICE DIAGNOSTIC PERFORMED. ERROR FOUND TO BE RELATED TO SERVICE CAMPAIGN 2008020003 ISSUED MARCH 2008 IN WHICH THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. PER CAMPAIGN, "DAIMLER AG HAS DETERMINED THAT THE EIS MAY MALFUNCTION PREVENTING THE ELECTRIC STEERING LOCK AND THE CENTRAL LOCK FROM FUNCTIONING. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE EIS ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES DURING THE NEXT WORKSHOP VISIT. PLEASE NOTE THAT RECALL AND SERVICE CAMPAIGNS DO NOT EXPIRE AND MAY ALSO BE PERFORMED ON A VEHICLE WITH A VEHICLE STATUS INDICATOR. ORDER NO. P-SC-2008020003." PARTS--PART NAME:EIS PART NO: A204 545 14 08 ESTIMATED REPLACEMENT RATE 100%; PART NAME:ORANGE WORKSHOP KEY (MUST BE ORDERED BY VIN) PART NO: A000 766 96 06 9999 ESTIMATED REPLACEMENT RATE 100%. WARRANTY INFORMATION: OPERATION: REPLACE EIS CONTROL MODULE (02-5644); CONNECT/DISCONNECT STAR DIAGNOSIS (02-4762); CONNECT/DISCONNECT BATTERY CHARGER (02-5058). DAMAGE CODE: 46 926 31 7. DO YOUR RESEARCH--THIS PROBLEM HAS AFFECTED THOUSANDS OF MB OWNERS AND HAS OCCURRED TO SOME WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD, MORE SO THAN THE BACK TAIL LIGHT ISSUE WHICH WAS RECALLED. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS DANGEROUS ISSUE AND MAKE THIS A REQUIRED RECALL COVERED BY MERCEDES. DON'T BUY ANOTHER MERCEDES WITHOUT CHECKING THE VMI, VEHICLE MASTER INQUIRY FIRST. LIVES MATTER.
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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