2011 MERCEDES-BENZ C300 Complaints

I own a 2011 C300. Recently, my car suddenly stopped working while I was attempting to leave somewhere away from my home. It would not crank or turn over/start. So I was completely stranded, and in the extreme Florida heat. There has been no damage or wreck to cause this. There were also no warning lights or symptoms in my car beforehand. My car was towed to a Mercedes Benz dealership in the nearest city. They diagnosed the problem as an electronic steering lock failure. I asked how this happened. I was told that they do not know how it happened. I was also quoted a very expensive repair bill. Upon researching this problem further, I found out that steering lock failure and ignition switch failure is a recurring and common problem that Mercedes Benz already knows about, and many people with my car and similar models have had the same problem over the years. Age of the car at time of failure did not matter, either- it has happened to many cars at different ages and mileage.This is not a normal problem for any car to have, nor is it caused by normal wear and tear. Some people have even had their cars suddenly stop working while they are driving. Many people have also asked why these faulty parts have not been recalled yet. I contacted the company multiple times and did not receive any resolution to the problem. They said that this is my responsibility to repair, and they would not pay to repair this, nor reimburse me. The company's agent did not care at all about the issues, nor take any accountability for them as the manufacturer. Being stranded in the middle of nowhere at any time is dangerous for anyone, especially in certain areas or during intense weather. This entire issue has caused extreme stress for me- interruption in my schedule, lack of transportation, and financial loss. Please hold the Mercedes Benz company accountable for their lack of proper manufacturing and lack of proper repair to their parts that they know are faulty. Thank you.

The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at an independent mechanic for a brake inspection, the mechanic informed him that the subframe was corroded, causing the vehicle to fishtail while braking. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 108,500.

The contact's son owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while his son was reversing, he heard an abnormal noise. The contact stated that the ABS, the traction control, and another unknown warning light were illuminated. The driver called the contact and made him aware of the failure. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that the rear subframe was fractured. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 119,000.

I recently noticed a noise coming from the left rear side os the car when I would go over the slightest bumps. I was scheduled to have my breaks replaced and when the auto was on the lift, the mechanic noticed that the frame was cracked. The auto has never been involved in any serious accidents. I did some searching on Mercedes Benz forums and there are several references of similar occurrences. Those reporting the issue after visiting a dealer have hinted it's a known issue and caused by Winter weather. This doesn't seem reasonable for a car that is not new, but after 11 years shouldn't be happening. I am needing to proceed w/ the repair as the car has many more years of use, but would like to report this issue and if determined to be subject to a recall, be compensated for the whole/partial cost of any reasonable repair costs. Kind regards,

My 2011, 300C has 116,000 miles. Driving the car I notices that when I applied brakes car swayed to the left. Concerned I brought vehicle to MB in Paramus, NJ. Was told that rear sub-frame was rusted and dislodged along with the brake lines, also rusted. Car was serviced every 10k miles as recommended by dealer and just now these issues were identified. I recently also was told that the fuel tank was also rusted out and needed to be replaced. These issued were a danger to me and my family and could have resulted in potential deaths. MB does not have any recalls for these problems but I believe NHTSA should initiate a recall as many others have had these problems. A google search has identifies a large number of people having these same problems. Below are 2 videos of the problem. https://app.mykaarma.com/service-cart/mpi/BfGpB6lKrWaYxN3TKQFzqa2MgCzxYgihmma6Ker7cFE/check/Your_CAR_CHECK_ID/media/0/view/1 https://api.mykaarma.com/video-walkaround/details?inspection_uuid=629e0e431dd41d3dfba54fd1&fileType=video No warnings messages or previous symptoms occurred and even though car was serviced every 10k miles, dealer Neve identified any of the concerns. How can that be when brake lines are rusted. Dealer refuses to take any responsibility and MB Germany has yet to respond to my various emails. Please review as these issues have life and death implications and a Recall should be initiated by NHTSA.

I noticed that when using the brakes the car would pull to the side. The front brake rotors and pads were completely replaced but the pulling behavior remained unchanged. When the mechanic specifically looked for reasons for the pulling he found the rear driver's side stabilizer completely rusted through and the passenger side one showing signs of similar impending failure. I took pictures of both. The driver's side arm that was broken was also rubbing against the gas tank. The company, Mercedes, is only allowing replacement parts to be delivered when ordered by VIN, so I can't get a part already in the US (it has to be ordered directly from Germany and specifically for my car's VIN - they KNOW there's a problem).

I have a 2011 C300 Sport that I purchased end of the lease (3yr.). The car was never driven in the winter for 4 seasons and most recently just the last 3 winters. Complete frame rot on the rear driver's side. Rot was noticed by my mechanic at the last oil change. He said he is replacing three rear frames for customers as soon as he can get parts. Parts are limited and only in Germany. I want it repaired with genuine parts. If the frame separates while the vehicle is at highway speeds, operator control can be compromised. The brake line which attaches to the frame has ruptured in many cases from what I have read. I called MB customer service and there is no recall at this time. I called the local dealer and they have been replacing quite a few frames with the same issue. This is a dangerous failure and if I remeber correctly about 8-10 years ago Toyota recalled trucks and SUVs for frame replacement.

The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact indicated that while driving at various speeds, a knocking noise was present coming from the rear of the vehicle. Additionally, while abruptly braking the vehicle would pull to the left. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the rear subframe was fractured. The cause of the subframe failure was not determined and no further information was available. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not yet notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 139,000.

The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle stopped in the middle of the roadway. The contact stated that the tire pressure and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the independent mechanic and diagnosed with transmission failure. The transmission was rebuilt. The contact then had the vehicle towed to another mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the rear axle. The rear axle was replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 1,000.

This car was taken to a local Mercedes Benz dealership for repairs. Upon inspection, the dealer ship stated that the rear subframe was rusted on the vehicle and it was not safe to drive. Typically, frames do not rust out in 11 years and 110,000 miles on the car. I called Mercedes Benz to ask about this problem and their customer service representative immediately asked if this was the rear subframe. This tells me that Mercedes Benz has had numerous calls about this issue before. The Service Advisor at Germain Mercedes Benz stated that he had seen this issue on multiple occasions. We went to an independent service shop for a second opinion and they also stated that they had made this repair on this model of car. We have a strong suspicion that Mercedes is aware of this problem and has done nothing with it.