What 516 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Mercedes-benz C-class Hybrid

The rear sub-frame of my Mercedes failed and resulted in a dangerous situation due to left rear suspension attachment point breaking free. Braking became uncontrollable. This seems to be a common problem in the 2008-2014 C300 Mercedes based on a quick scan of the internet.

NHTSA ODI 11425036

WHILE DRIVING, I HIT MY BRAKES AND IT WERE AS IF AN INVISIBLE HAND GRABBED THE STEERING WHEEL AND TURNED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT. I NEARLY WENT OVER A MOUNTAIN. I DROVE SLOWLY HOME BUT EACH TIME I WOULD HIT MY BRAKES THE SAME WOULD HAPPEN. LONG STORY SHORT, MY 2011 C300 WITH 80K MILES, BOUGHT FROM THE SHOWROOM AND GARAGE KEPT HAS A RUSTED AND BROKEN SUBFRAME. MY VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVABLE. I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION ALSO THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER HAS A TERRIBLE MOLDY ODOR.

NHTSA ODI 11403678

I WAS DRIVING MY 2011C-CLASS ON I-95 NORTH OF PHILADELPHIA WHEN I HAD TO SLOW DOWN DUE TO TRAFFIC. WITHOUT WARNING THE REAR OF THE CAR STARTED FISHTAILING ALMOST CAUSING A MULTI-VEHICLE ACCIDENT WHICH WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN INJURIES OR WORSE. I EXITED THE HIGHWAY AND TOOK SMALLER STREETS TO GET TO MY MECHANIC WHO HAS SERVICED THE CAR SINCE THE MERCEDES EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRED. UPON INSPECTION HE NOTICED THE REAR SUBFRAME WAS ROTTED OUT COMPLETELY AND THE TOE ARM WAS NOT ATTACHED. I HAVE OWNED THIS CPO CAR SINCE JUNE 2012. THE CAR IS GARAGE KEPT AND THERE ARE NO OTHER ISSUES OR RUST ON THE CAR. IT HAS APPROXIMATELY 129,000 MILES. THIS SEEMS TO BE A DEFECT AS OTHER OWNERS WITH THIS MODEL HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ODI 11403697

REAR SUBFRAME HAS ROTTED THROUGH. THE CONTROL ARM CONNECTION HAS COME LOOSE. NO OTHER RUST ON THE CAR

NHTSA ODI 11394661

PROBLEM STARTED TO BECOME APPARENT WHEN THE CAR BEGINS TO MOVE FROM A STOP. A CLUNKING SOUND WAS HEARD NEAR THE REAR RIGHT WHEEL OF THE VEHICLE. ISSUE BECAME MORE PROMINENT ON THE HIGHWAY. WHEN BRAKING AT SPEEDS OVER 40MPH THE REAR END WOULD WAVER AND THE CAR WOULD START TO FISHTAIL. THE PROBLEM WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE REAR SUBFRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THE SUBFRAME WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED WHERE IT IS CONNECTED TO A TORSION LINK. RUST WAS BAD ENOUGH THAT THE PART OF THE SUBFRAME CONNECTED TO THIS SUSPENSION LINK FAILED COMPLETELY AND BROKE AWAY FROM THE REST OF THE SUBFRAME. THIS IS A 9 YEAR OLD CAR AND THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AT 73,000 MILES.

NHTSA ODI 11388175

DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, WENT TO APPLY BRAKES AND CAR SWERVED VIOLENTLY TO THE RIGHT, AND CAR BODY FELT LIKE IT WAS 'SWIMMING' AROUND ON THE FRAME. CAR FELT VERY UNSTABLE. TOOK CAR TO MERCEDES DEALERSHIP, AND CONFIRMED THAT THE REAR SUBFRAME WAS COMPLETELY CRACKED. TECHNICIAN NOTED WHAT APPEARED TO BE "RUST PROOFING SPRAY ON THE RUSTED AREA". MERCEDES DEALERSHIP QUOTED $4,000 FOR REPAIR. THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS PART IN CANADA. MERCEDES DEALERSHIP CLAIMED NO KNOWLEDGE OF CANADIAN RECALL. AM AWAITING FOLLOW UP CALL FROM MERCEDES BENZ CORPORATE.

NHTSA ODI 11377050

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2011 MERCEDES-BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HER DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING, THE VEHICLE MADE A RATTLING SOUND, WHILE TURNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR SUB FRAME WAS FRACTURED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CALLED KEMPTHORN MERCEDES-BENZ DEALER LOCATED AT 1449 CLEVELAND AVE NW, CANTON, OH 44703 AND WAS INFORMED TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE FAILURE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REPAIR PART WAS ON BACK ORDER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED NHTSA FOR ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SIMILAR VEHICLES WERE RECALLED IN CANADA BUT, NOT IN THE UNITED STATES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000.

NHTSA ODI 11360188

VEHICLE FAILED STATE SAFETY INSPECTION DUE TO CORROSION PERFORATION OF REAR SUSPENSION CROSS MEMBER, A MAJOR REAR SUSPENSION STRUCTURAL COMPONENT. ALSO REFERRED TO AS REAR SUBFRAME (PART NUMBER 207-350-97-02). THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN DEALER SERVICE BAY WHEN DISCOVERED.

NHTSA ODI 11350400

REAR SUSPENSION CONTROL ARM RUSTS OFF OF THE SUBFRAME. NO OTHER RUST ON THE CAR. DURING BRAKING THE CAR STEERS HARD TO THE RIGHT ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT

NHTSA ODI 11340814

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MERCEDES-BENZ C300. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE LEFT. THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE CONTACT DROVE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE SUBFRAME AND DRIVER'S SIDE CONTROL ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000. *AS *TR

NHTSA ODI 11234145

I HAVE A 2011 MERCEDES 80K MILES AND THE REAR CRADLE HAS RUSTED OUT , MAKING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE

NHTSA ODI 11203330

RIGHT REAR TRAILING ARM MOUNT BECAME DETACHED FROM SUB FRAME. SHEET METAL ON REAR SUSPENSION SUB FRAME RIPPED / TORE SO THAT REAR TRAILING ARM IS ONLY ATTACHED TO LOWER PART OF MOUNT, AND NOT ATTACHED TO VEHICLE. NO ACCIDENT, BUT VEHICLE IS EXTREMELY UNSTABLE TO DRIVE WHEN HEAVY BRAKING COULD OCCUR! VEHICLE VEERS SUDDENLY TO THE RIGHT! CONCERN BESIDES INSTABILITY IS THAT LOOSE TRAILING LINK COULD PUNCTURE FUEL TANK LESS THAN AN INCH AWAY. FIRST NOTICED WHILE DRIVING ON I-4 WHEN A VEHICLE CHANGED INTO MY LANE ABRUPTLY, AND I HAD TO FORCEFULLY APPLY BRAKES.

NHTSA ODI 11064613