Complaints about the 2018 Mercedes-Benz C 300 peaked in 2023, with 24 filed
Owner complaints about this model year, by the year they were filed with NHTSA.
Sedan, gasoline, built in United States. Owner complaints on file from Jun 19, 2018 to Sep 16, 2026.
Owner complaints about this model year, by the year they were filed with NHTSA.
Owner complaints by component. Hover or focus a bar for the crash, fire, injury or death count.
Check a specific vehicle by VIN on NHTSA's site: a campaign may cover only part of a model year's production.
| Campaign | Filed | Subject | Component | Vehicles | Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23V-854 | Dec 15, 2023 | Front roof panel located between the windshield and the panoramic sunroof may not have been bonded correctly to the vehicle during a prior repair,… | Structure | 2,976 | Part replacement |
| 22V-365 | May 20, 2022 | Error in the communication module's SIM card software can cause a mobile network connection failure, disabling the emergency call (eCall) system | Communication | 242,722 | Software update |
| 21V-509 | Jul 2, 2021 | LED headlights may have been incorrectly adjusted during a vehicle repair | Lighting | 1,467 | Part replacement |
| 21V-197 | Mar 19, 2021 | Front roof panel located between the windshield and the panoramic sunroof may not have been bonded correctly to the vehicle during a prior repair | Structure | 15,096 | Repair or modification |
| 21V-072 | Feb 12, 2021 | On June 18, 2021, an additional 9 vehicles were added, including certain 2021 GLA250, GLC300, 2018 S450, E400, and 2017 CLA250 vehicles | Communication | 67 | Inspection |
| 21V-058 | Feb 5, 2021 | Software design of the communication module may fail to communicate the correct vehicle location for the emergency call system (eCall) in the… | Communication | 1,292,258 | Software update |
| 21V-032 | Jan 29, 2021 | Front seat belts might not fully retract to their stowed position | Seat belts | 24,550 | Repair or modification |
| 19V-586 | Aug 9, 2019 | Mounting bracket for the 12-volt battery may not be secured | Electrical system | 26,584 | Part replacement |
| 19V-130 | Feb 26, 2019 | Seatbacks of the front seats may not properly lock on the right side of the seat | Seats | 22,637 | Part replacement |
| 18V-906 | Dec 19, 2018 | Headlights on these vehicles may not be properly adjusted | Lighting | 2,364 | Repair or modification |
| 18V-872 | Dec 7, 2018 | Steering coupling may not have been correctly locked during manufacturing | Steering | 2 | Inspection |
| 18V-850 | Nov 29, 2018 | Locknut in the steering rack may break under high load, possibly causing the steering to become stuck in one position | Steering | 6,373 | Part replacement |
| 18V-838 | Nov 27, 2018 | Status of the passenger side air bag may not display correctly | Airbags | 104,663 | Software update |
| 18V-725 | Oct 15, 2018 | Cover for the starter battery may not cover the live positive electrical wire, and in certain crashes, the vehicle's strut brace may deform and… | Electrical system | 4,073 | Part replacement |
| 18V-608 | Sep 11, 2018 | Incorrect bonding of the rear window may cause the window to loosen and detach from the vehicle | Visibility and wipers | 387 | Repair or modification |
| 18V-456 | Jul 10, 2018 | Due to a bonding issue introduced in the production process, the rear beltline trim may separate from the vehicle | Structure | 10,826 | Part replacement |
| 18V-207 | Mar 29, 2018 | Seatbacks of the front seats may not properly lock on the right side of the seat | Seats | 3,088 | Part replacement |
| 17V-627 | Oct 6, 2017 | Driver's air bag may unexpectedly deploy due to insufficient grounding of the steering components if an electrostatic discharge occurs and the air… | Airbags | 495,290 | Not stated |
The full text of every complaint filed with NHTSA about this model year, newest first. Complaints are filed by owners and are not verified by NHTSA; NHTSA removes personal details before publishing.
99 complaints on file, page 1 of 5.
Front roof panel came detached at hwy speed
NHTSA complaint 11764699The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz C-300. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH South on the interstate towards Miami, the front panel detached without warning. The contact pulled over to inspect the vehicle and became aware that the panel between the windshield and sunroof had detached. The contact stated that water started entering the vehicle from several areas. The sunroof was inoperable. The contact called the insurance company. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V854000 (Structure). The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 83,000.
NHTSA complaint 11759626Transmission failed, yes available for inspection Very bad safety issue Yes it has been confirmed by dealship Yes by the deanship Yes there was warning lamps that appeared in January 2026
NHTSA complaint 11744612The contact's wife owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while washing the vehicle, a part of the panoramic roof started moving while depressing the glass. The contact stated that there was water leaking into the vehicle from the glass. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V854000 (Structure); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed. The manufacturer confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact was then referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
NHTSA complaint 11722229Check engine light comes on, Error Code P052E, after a lot of research, this is a known defective part by Benz. Huge safety issue not addressed by them. Very costly to fix for a customer. There is a new and improved replacement part from Benz indicating they are aware of the faulty old parts that are currently in those cars but yet they have failed to do a recall.
NHTSA complaint 11709871My vehicle only had 31,000 miles and I experienced engine failure. I bought a new engine for 16, 500. 00 dollars. Mercedes Benz did nothing. I almost got in to several accidents because the engine completely stop on the interstate. Almost got hit by several cars. This is unacceptable.
NHTSA complaint 11695170Rearview Camera is not displayed when the vehicle is placed in reverse. The display shows a black screen. A Recall Notice has been published for other vehicles of the same year, make, and model. The failure of the Rearview Camera results in safety risks during normal use of the vehicle.
NHTSA complaint 11692113I have noticed the driver seat belt not retracting after usage. Upon looking online I saw a post about a recall. Called local Benz dealership and BenzUSA customer service both said my Vin is not part of the specified recall.
NHTSA complaint 11689895The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, a part of the panoramic roof towards the driver's side detached from the vehicle. The contact pulled over to inspect the vehicle. The part was no longer attached, and the contact had to continue driving. The failure caused additional electrical failures due to water entering the cabin of the vehicle. The contact stated that the sunroof failed to open, and the infotainment center was inoperable. The contact found information on NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V854000 (Structure); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who related the failure to the recall; however, the vehicle could not be repaired under the recall because the VIN was not available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and opened a case. The manufacturer confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 109,000.
NHTSA complaint 11681537The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that after washing the vehicle, the contact became aware that the adhesive attaching the rear window to the convertible top had started to detach. Upon further inspection, the contact became aware that water had seeped into the vehicle through the crack. There was no warning light illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was also informed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 49,000.
NHTSA complaint 11664906In August 2024, a Mercedes-Benz dealership in Salisbury, MD installed the wrong type of rear tires on my vehicle. I was not informed they were mismatched or inappropriate for my vehicle. I later drove across the country with my infant child in the backseat, believing the tires were new and safe. On April 17, 2025, a certified tire shop in Texas (Discount Tire) inspected the tires and told me they were not suitable for my car and were already too old to be considered new — despite having been installed just 8 months earlier. They refused to buy them back or reinstall them due to the age and mismatch. Additionally, the dealership had earlier failed to correctly diagnose my ABS system, citing water damage but doing no further inspection. They also missed a major coolant leak and water pump failure, despite charging me for multiple diagnostics. Their negligence in both diagnosis and tire installation directly put me and my child at serious safety risk, especially while traveling long distance at highway speeds.
NHTSA complaint 11663518I recently purchased a 2018 Mercedes C300 and I noticed the rear view camera will not show an image. It mechanically will open and all other cameras are fully functional but the image will not show instead I see a icon of a camera in a red crossed circle. When doing VIN serch on my vehicle I don't see any open recalls. However, I noticed that NHTSA campaign number 22V232000 has recalled this exact issue. Although the report 573 says for it applying to 2019 models but with a production date between 2017 to 2021 vehicles applying. So I believe this recall should also apply to my vehicle.
NHTSA complaint 11647340The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked inside the garage, there was a strong fuel odor inside the garage. The contact stated that there was fuel leaking from the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 52,300.
NHTSA complaint 11642176The engine light is on with only 35000 miles. Upon using an OBD2 scanner, error code P052e positive crankcase ventilation(PCV) malfunction was detected. It's a problem that I researched and noticed a lot of people having the same issue. I was told that this can cause the car to stall or shut down? This causes serious risk and safety issues to drivers, passengers, and pedestrians. With so many complains about this problem, I believe the manufacturer and dealers should take responsibility before tragedies happen.
NHTSA complaint 11640265The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear window glass which was not properly bonded had become loosened. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V608000 (VISIBILITY). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 50,000.
NHTSA complaint 11617349Problem a recall was done on certain Mercedes vehicles where the front panel of the roof between the panoramic sunroof and windshield has defects in gluing or bonding agent from the manufacture. I believe my vehicle is showing possible premature bonding agent issues below the surface of panel. Where the manufacture bonding glue is causing interior flaking and cracking and lifting from the stress of the wrong/incorrect specified bonding material not used during the manufacturing process . I am afraid that while driving my vehicle at highway speed has the opportunity / potential for my panel to eventually break off and cause damage of flying panel pieces to harm myself or other vehicles traveling on the road. I believe the wrong bonding material is also causing other issues with the panel and the workmanship material used. My vehicle falls under the year, make, W222 and I am already seeing issues with my panel that by being proactive on my vehicle then reactive. I don’t want to wait for my panel to fly off when early detection and rectification is the safest way/option. My second concern is that there has already been changing dates on this recall information sent out in 2017, 2019 and now 2021. I am worried!!
NHTSA complaint 11614170The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz C300. While driving at various speeds, the contact could hear an abnormal sound from the transmission. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then taken to a local dealer for diagnosis, but the failure could not be replicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.
NHTSA complaint 11610269I need the Crankcase ventilation valve replaced and have heard many complaints about this repair.
NHTSA complaint 11606218The day after I purchased my c300, the engine light popped on. I went back to dealer and they said it was a recall because of a crank case (PCV). I was upset because they never said anything about it. This was April of 2024. Note:(This Dealer was not Ray Catina’s of Edison). I went to Ray Catina’s in Edison for them to inspect car and I have been calling because I was told it was a national recall and it was on back order and should be here in June. It is now almost August and I called on the 23rd of July and received a call from Ray Catena on the 24th for them to tell me that “they were told that the new plan from Mercedes is to bring my car in and they will clear code. That’s what they are told to do.” To me, this is NOT fixing the issue. I am a little aggravated because I bought my car on [XXX] and have NOT been able to feel good because not sure what ramifications will come with me driving my car with this issue. I was told that driving with this engine light on and code that it will not harm my car. They now say Mercedes was told to reset the code and that will resolve issue? I believe this is a band aid not a fix!!! I’m a little upset. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint 11604857Was sold Car Feb,27,2024 from dealership the car violently vibrates at 60mph took it to 3 Repair shops
NHTSA complaint 11596485Technical service bulletins and other notices the manufacturer sent to dealers. A bulletin is not a recall; the 60 most recent are listed.