2009 Mercedes-Benz C350 Steering Problems

Vehicle has lost its ability to be driven. Car alarm has gone of a multitude of times at different hours of day and night. Finally we were told that the steering column needs to be replaced. According to tow truck driver, Auto lock person, this is common from the 300 series of Mercedes Benz. Obviously very costly. My car is worthless at this point. I believe that the Mercedes Benz should have a recall on the steering column lock. Obviously, this is not only a defect but, also causing safety issues with it just turning off and not able to restart.

NHTSA ID

11660551

Incident

Mar 14, 2025

Total shutdown of complete system…brakes, steering and engine at around 25-to 30 MPH. No warning. Happened two times…once before M-B service and once after service for problem. It checked out OK from dealership months before only to have it happen again. Was lucky to avoid a crash both times. Sold to dealership. Wrote my safety concerns for a new owner to local dealership and corporate.

NHTSA ID

11531281

Incident

Jun 13, 2023

I HAVE CONTINUED TO HAVE LIGHTING ISSUES WITH FRONT, REAR, AND SIGNAL LIGHTING. I AM CONSTANTLY HAVING TO PAY TO REPLACE THESE LIGHTS EVERY YEAR. NOW MY POWER STEERING MALFUNCTION EBS LIGHT HAS COME ON. THIS IS JUST TOO MUCH. I JUST PAID $1300 FOR SERVICE B AND SOME OTHER THINGS THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I AM TIRED OF ALWAYS HAVING TO PAY TO REPLACE LIGHTS.

NHTSA ID

11166631

Incident

Jan 12, 2019

WHEN I PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION IT WILL NOT TURN OVER NO LIGHTS DISPLAY ON THE DASHBOARD. THE RADIO CUTS ON AND THE ONLY THING THAT DISPLAYS ON THE DASHBOARD IS THE MILEAGE NO OTHER LIGHTS. WHEN THE KEY IS TURNED TO FIRST OR SECOND POSITION. THE DAY BEFORE WHEN MY CAR WOULD NOT START I WAS ABLE TO TAKE THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION AND REPLACE IT IN THE CAR STARTED RIGHT UP THIS TIME IT DOES NOTHING. I'M BEING TOLD IT'S AN ESL STEERING WHEEL LOCK ISSUE THAT IS COMMON TO THIS CAR MODEL.

NHTSA ID

11156489

Incident

Dec 5, 2018

Mileage

150,000 mi

AFTER PARKING CAR AT WORK WHEN I WENT TO STAR VEHICLE IT WILL NIT START OR TURN OVER.THE CAR IS UNDER 80K MILES THIS IS UNACCEPTABLY DISTURBING FOR THISNPROBLEM TO OCCUR WHEN I ONLY DRIVE TO WORK AND HOME DMH THERE SHOULD BE A DISCOUNT FOR THUS ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

10979855

Incident

Apr 21, 2017

Mileage

80 mi

CAR WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT. I WAS 120 MILES FROM HOME WHEN THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START -- EVEN THOUGH THE BATTERY, LIGHTS, STEREO, GAUGES, ETC. ALL WORKED FINE. STILL, THE ENGINE WOULDN'T EVEN CRANK, HAD CAR TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MERCEDES REPAIR FACILITY (IT WAS A SUNDAY AND THE LOCAL MERCEDES SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT OPEN). THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH (EIS) AND OTHER PARTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1526.94. MONTHS LATER I VISITED THE NHTSA WEBSITE AND LEARNED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL OF MERCEDES AND THAT THE MANUFACTURER IS REFUSING TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. WITH A PROBLEM THIS WIDESPREAD -- WHICH CAN OCCUR MULTIPLE TIMES DURING THE LIFE OF THE CAR -- MERCEDES SHOULD FOOT THE BILL. I WOULD HAVE COMPLAINED EARLIER BUT ONLY NOW LEARNED THAT MANY OTHER OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME DEFECT. MY CAR HAD ONLY 37,110 MILES AT THE TIME. I SHOULD BE REIMBURSED MY MERCEDES.

NHTSA ID

10871329

Incident

Aug 16, 2015

Mileage

37,110 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ C350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL MECHANISM LOCKED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REMEDIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000.

NHTSA ID

10863010

Incident

May 3, 2016

Mileage

68,000 mi

VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. KEY TURNS IN INGNITION BUT DISPLAY INDICATES TO REMOVE KEY. WINDOWS/SUNROOF DID NOT WORK. CALLED AAA TO CHECK BATTERY. BATTERY FULLY CHARGED. TOWED TO MB AUTHORIZED REPAIR SHOP STEERING LOCK MECHANISM $980.00 TO REPLACE

NHTSA ID

10837999

Incident

Feb 24, 2016

Mileage

82,000 mi

POWER STEERING LEAKS AT 60,000 MILES. DEALER SAYS THEY HAVE TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PINION. IT WILL COST $2,500 TO REPAIR.

NHTSA ID

10825800

Incident

Feb 11, 2016

Mileage

3 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES BENZ C350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY FAILED TO START THE VEHICLE AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS AND THE STEERING COLUMN DID NOT LOCK. IN ADDITION, CERTAIN ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS, SUCH AS THE RADIO, DOOR LOCKS, INTERIOR LIGHTS, AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS DID NOT FUNCTION. THE TAKE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT ELECTRONIC STEERING CONTROL MODULE MALFUNCTIONED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 113,000. UPDATED 04/07/16*LJ *JS

NHTSA ID

10819722

Incident

Dec 30, 2015

Mileage

113,000 mi

PARKED MY VEHICLE IN MY GARAGE FOR WEEK 80,000 MILES ON VEHICLE. TRIED TO START CAR ONLY REMOVE KEYS LIGHT ON DASH AND ALL ELECTRONICS WORK. MERCEDES TOW SAYS NOT BATTERY BUT STEERING OR IGNITION COMPONENT ARE OUT! THIS IS LOOKING LIKE A COMMON PROBLEM PLEASE HELP BECAUSE THE DEALERS ARE WANTING THOUSAND OR MORE TO REPLACE.

NHTSA ID

10816664

Incident

Dec 28, 2015

Mileage

80,000 mi

MY CAR IS A 2009 WITH 33,200 MILES ON IT AND THE EIS/ESL (STEERING LOCK) FAILED. I HAD TO PAY $1800 FOR THE DEALER TO FIX IT. HOW DOES A CAR WITH SO LITTLE MILEAGE HAS A MAJOR PROBLEM LIKE THIS? THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. ALL THE COMPLAINTS ON THE SAME ISSUE SHOULD WARRANT AN INVESTIGATION

NHTSA ID

10783769

Incident

Oct 16, 2015

Mileage

33,200 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES BENZ C350. WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC STEERING BOX AND THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH (EIS) NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000.

NHTSA ID

10767481

Incident

Sep 18, 2015

Mileage

83,000 mi

CAR STEERING LOCK IS BROKEN: PARKED ON A HILL FACING UPHILL AND WHEN I GOT BACK IN MY CAR I COULDN'T START MY ENGINE. LIGHTS, RADIO, DISPLAY ALL WORK FINE, BUT THE ENGINE DOESN'T TURN ON. WINDOWS, HORN, BLINKERS ARE ALL LOCKED. HAD TO GET IT TOWED, DIAGNOSED WITH STEERING LOCK FAILURE. APPARENTLY IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MERCEDES OF MY MAKE AND MODEL.

NHTSA ID

10749486

Incident

Aug 15, 2015

Mileage

78,964 mi

CAR HAD IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE. STEERING WHEEL LOCKED TRANSMISSION LOCKED IN PARK. DASH LIGHTS AND DOOR LOCKS OPERATE.CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER.THIS HAS BEEN A LARGE PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES FOR YEARS.THERE SHOULD BE A MANUFACTUER RECALL NOT A CONSUMER EXPENSE. THANK YOU,PLEASE HELP

NHTSA ID

10732781

Incident

Jul 2, 2015

Mileage

84,350 mi

I AM ATTEMPTING TO LEAVE OFFICE DEPOT PARKING LOT AND MY CAR WILL NOT START (NO PROBLEM PRIOR TO GOING INTO THE STORE!) I PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION THE LIGHTS, RADIO, DASHBOARD ALL COME ON AND I HEAR A CLICKING SOUND. HOWEVER, THE POWER WINDOWS DON'T WORK, NOR THE SUNROOF. AFTER RESEARCHING MOST OF THE NIGHT (COULDN'T REST) AND MOST OF THE DAY, IT APPEARS TO BE THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH (EIS) WHICH IS VERY COSTLY! AND THERE ARE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS OVER THE SPAN OF YEARS!!! THE NIGHTMARE STORIES (I HAD DEJA VU...EXACTLY THE SAME ISSUE!) DEFIANTLY ENOUGH COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE THAT YOUR ORGANIZATION SHOULD OPEN AN INVESTIGATION. A DEMAND FOR A RECALL IS NEEDED ASAP!!! PRICE OF REPLACEMENT/REPAIR COULD BE FROM $1,100 TO $2,200....RIDICULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NHTSA ID

10731241

Incident

Jun 29, 2015

WHEN TO GET MY CAR WAXED FOR THE WEEKEND. GOT HOME PARKED THE CAR AND WHEN MY WIFE AND I WERE READY TO GO OUT THE CAR WOULDN'T START. DASH LIGHTS, RADIO, ECT WERE WORKING BUT THE IGNITION WOULDN'T START. I CAN HEAR CLICKS FROM THE ENGINE N THE STEERING WAS LOCKED. BAG IGNITION STEERING LOCK. $1,900 TO FIX HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO MOVE THE CAR UNTIL I COME UP WITH THE MONEY TO FIX IT! COMMON ISSUE FROM ALL 2008 & 2009 MERCEDES W204 C CLASS! & NO RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10694005

Incident

Jan 21, 2015

Mileage

49,000 mi

2009 MERCEDES BENZ C350 - STEERING WHEEL LOCK / $1400 TO REPAIR AND REPLACE THE MODULE. COMMON ISSUE WITH THE C-CLASS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10684096

Incident

Feb 13, 2015

Mileage

70,900 mi

I WAS LEAVING WORK, CAR WAS PARKED IN THE LOT, KEY WOULD TURN,LIGHTS AND DASH CAME ON, COULD NOT GET THE CARE OUT OF PARK, ONLY CLICKING SOUNDS FROM THE ENGINE. HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALER, THEY JUST CALLED AND SAID THE STEERING LOCK WAS BAD, REPAIR BILL IS $1100. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10631809

Incident

Sep 8, 2014

Mileage

30,250 mi

FIRST DAY WHEN RECEIVING MY KEYS FOR A BRAND NEW MERCEDES C350 2009 AT THE DEALERSHIP...ENGINE LIGHT TURNS ON. LATER FINDING OUT IT WAS THE FUEL SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. A MONTH LATER OF GETTING A BRAND NEW CAR CORROSION WAS FOUND IN THE TAILLIGHTS. THEN FINDING OUT CORROSION ON THE BRAKE PADS. MONTHS AFTER THIS THE POWER TRAIN WAS SLIPPING UP... THE RPMS OF THE CAR WOULD SURGE UP HIGH AND REMAIN STUCK AT HIGH RPMS. IF I ACCELERATED THE GAS IT WOULD SHOOT UP HIGHER TO HIGHER RPMS AND THE CAR WOULD MAKE THE NOISE BUT IT WOULDN'T MOVE. I THOUGHT IF I LET GO OF THE GAS THINKING THE RPMS WOULD RETURN BACK DOWN... BUT IT WOULDN'T...HUGE SAFETY ISSUE WHEN YOUR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY AND HAVE NO CONTROL TO DRIVE YOUR CAR. I WOULD HAVE TO PULL OVER SOME HOW AND TURN OFF THE CAR FOR THE RPMS TO COME BACK DOWN SO I CAN DRIVE IT AGAIN. I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK SEVERAL TIMES TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT THEY COULD NEVER DUPLICATE THE ISSUE. THEREFORE, NOTHING GOT FIXED OR REPLACED JUST CONSTANT SOFTWARE UPDATES WERE STATED WERE DONE. SOON AFTER TAKING MY CAR OVER 5+ TIMES FOR THIS SAME ISSUE, MY SRS STEERING MALFUNCTIONED. I GOT THAT REPLACED AND PAID FOR IT A YEAR AGO. NOW BACK TODAY EXACTLY 12 MONTHS LATER REPAIRING IT AGAIN - SRS MALFUNCTION...AGAIN STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE WAITING FOR A TOW TRUCK ALL ALONE. I HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP REPAIRING MY CAR FOR SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS, GETTING STRANDED, TOWING MY CAR, PAYING FOR ALL REPAIRS AND GIVING UP WEEKENDS AND WORK TIME TO GO TO THE DEALERSHIP. I HATE THIS CAR! THAT I'M ABSOLUTELY HAVE NO PEACE OF MIND, I DON'T FEEL SAFE, CAR IS NOT RELIABLE, HAS EXTREMELY POOR QUALITY. NOT WORTH IT AT ALL! *TR

NHTSA ID

10586814

Incident

May 1, 2009

Mileage

5 mi