What 570 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Mercedes-benz C-class Hybrid

While driving normal highway speed and braking suddenly the car violently pulls to left. Same occurs when driving normal city traffic . Good afternoon I am following up on a major safety issue #11453988 concerning a 2013 C300 Mercedes. I reported this a few weeks ago as this safety defect can cause personnel injury when the defective part fails . As noted earlier during normal braking the car pulls hard to left or right . With normal highway speed driving and emergency braking the car will violently pull left or right possibility into oncoming traffic and or fixed objects . Please reply with update into this major safety defect concern . PS the part number in question has been changed from number 2043500141 with new number 2073509702. This part is not available in the US currently and has a lead time of 30 days from Germany. With the long lead time and the need to travel to work it is a major safety issue that can be avoided. Thanks George

NHTSA ODI 11458444

The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. Upon taking the vehicle to the dealer, they discovered corrosion underneath the rear subframe. The corrosion caused 2-inch sized holes to be formed on the passenger’s side of the rear subframe. The dealer also discovered corrosion on the wire of one of the seats which resulted in the air bag warning light being illuminated. The manufacturer had been notified of the failure and agreed to cover 50% of the cost for repair of the vehicle. The vehicle had yet to be repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.

NHTSA ODI 11458106

The camshaft adjuster failed on my vehicle and created start up issues and had to be replaced at 123K miles. While not an immediate safety concern, the camshaft adjuster failure could lead to engine failure and is an inherent issue in this vehicle make and model. This is a flaw in the vehicle and Mercedes did not notify me of any recall or warranty terms.The repair code was confirmed and repaired by an authorized Mercedes dealer for $2800.There were no warning lamps however I experienced engine start up issues. I contacted Mercedes as was advised they would open a case to review potentially partial warranty coverage however did not receive any type of resolution.

NHTSA ODI 11458092

I noticed that my car was pulling heavy to the left when I stop and strange noise in the rear of the car, after taking the car to the mechanic he told me that the car rear subframe on my 2013 Mercedes Benz c300 was rotted, the control arm bracket completely broke off on the left side and the right side is also cracked. it appears that this is a common issue in areas of heavy road salt usage during winter months, the dealer told me that the car has a rotted rear subframe problem and the subframe could break out in months.

NHTSA ODI 11457290

I bought my c300 Mercedes-Benz in 2013 from the Euro Motorcars dealership in Germantown, MD. On about February 15, I heard some clanking/banging in the rear of my car. I thought it was the rear driver side break. I took the car to my local mechanic and he indicated the rear sub-frame had rusted though and it was banging on the gas tank (see attachments). Very dangerous, I should not drive.

NHTSA ODI 11456581

The Rear subframe rusted and broke off, car was not stopping safely.

NHTSA ODI 11456705

Sudden steering pull when braking . Mechanic found rotten left rear suspension cross member .part number 2043500141 Mechanic reports very Common issue with this model . Mercedes Benz is aware but will not repair or supply replacement parts . Note the replacement part is not available in US currently . Stuck with unsafe auto lacking support from Mercedes Benz . Some one is going to be injured / killed as the manufacturing defect shows rust failure from inside out and not detectable during routine maintenance . Hard braking pull is first indication that the defective part failed . Should this occur at highway speed the auto can flip resulting in major injury or death .

NHTSA ODI 11453988

2013 MB C300 4matic with 63K miles. It was taken to an MB dealership for yearly maintenance (Service A). A certified maint. tech provided me with an inspection video of the underneath of the car outlining an issue with the rear subframe. The right side has a hole rusted through it and the left side is rusted, but not rusted through...yet. Replacement is recommended, as it will not pass state inspection in it's current condition because it's a safety issue. They also advised that they have seen a few instances of this problem and have contacted Corporate. This is a 8-9 yr. old vehicle with low mileage and has had consistent maintenance at an MB dealership. The car was inspected in May 2021. There was no indication given at that time, that the subframe was rusting, could be a safety issue, and result in a replacement totaling over $5K. Once the information was provided during the recent service, I did research and found that this is an issue going back a few years. Some owner's have had this part break while driving causing a dangerous and potential life threatening situation. I then contacted MB customer advocacy to go over the issue and cost involved. I was advised that MB does not assist in repairing the vehicle. However, they would investigate and get back to me. I supplied information to them on 2/9/22 and am waiting for a response. I purchased this vehicle because of the quality of the brand, MB's reputation and longevity. I will not drive the car due to its diagnosis and other owner evidence that the subframe could potentially break while I am driving. It is unacceptable that a major structural component could fail on a vehicle of this age. This requires a recall of the subframe and MB's responsibility for the cost of the repairs.

NHTSA ODI 11453142

This is a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300 4matic Luxury model, with about 110K miles. It started making beating noise and pulling to the right when brakes were applied. Driving became quite dangerous especially at a higher speed, and the driver had to steer the car very carefully to compensate the fish-tailing. It also affected braking as well. There was no warnings from the car, but the noise, the fish-tailing and uneven braking were really bad. A M-B certified mechanic inspected the car, and identified the problem as the rear sub-frame that has rusted out, and lost 1 of the 4 anchors. The whole sub-frame will have to be replaced. Estimated costs will be USD4k-5k, and may take a month due to shortage of parts. For a major structural part on a premium-brand car to rust, within 10 years, to the extent that driving is rendered dangerous, it is not acceptable. A safety recall should be issued on this, and M-B should bear the costs.

NHTSA ODI 11452103

Rear Cross Member Sub frame rusted through and broke in half causing lack of control of the car when braking. It is very difficult to control the car at low speed (25mph or less) and would be virtually impossible at highway speed. Had this component failed under a highway speed situation, the loss of control could have resulted in loss of life and property. Component has been removed from vehicle and is available for inspection. Video of the removal available for review as well. Mercedes dealership was contacted. They were unwilling to discuss the failure and referred us to the corporate office who have not responded to calls. There were no indications that the part was in danger of failing. Car had passed inspection in November. After the failure we conducted research online and found that this is a common and known problem on this model car. It is time for it to be addresses. Under no circumstance should a car that is 8 years old have a structural component of that nature fail.

NHTSA ODI 11450392

I’ve had 2 c300 Mercedes models in the past 8 months both used and were driving fine until rain water and car washes caused electrical damage there is a water leaking issue that goes into the floorbeds of the vehicle that causes the car to malfunction

NHTSA ODI 11449416

COMPONENT FAILURE - Broken rear cross member driver side. Total and Complete failure and separation of rear mount from cross member due to corrosion of components. Passenger side rear cross member at same location found to be "near-failure" state at same location during replacement. (Rear cross member is physically available for inspection and photos are also available). Overall condition of the cross member is excellent other than at the TWO locations where the mounts connect to the cross member which have extensive corrosion, rust thru and failure at driver's side. SAFETY - Safety was put at risk as the car would pull to left when brakes were applied and it continued to get worse, fortunately we limped the car to a repair location before a fatal accident occurred. The worse part of this whole situation is that Mercedes has encountered this issue before (per research on web sites) and has chosen to not address in the United States. Per research, they have recalled this issue in both the UK and Canada as well as specific dealers in Germany have reimbursed owners for repairs of this issue. This vehicle had recently been to the dealer for services and Firestone for tires and alignment and nobody had noticed the severity of rust. WARNING - No warning lamps, the only advance notice was the vehicle starting to pull toward the left which is what prompted us to seek out repair service. Once, the repair service (Firestone) immediately saw the total failure of the mount disconnected from the subframe they immediately diagnosed the problem with the car pulling to the left.

NHTSA ODI 11444818

While driving at low speed, there was a sudden imbalance in the steering wheel and the car started to pull to the right. The problem was more exaggerated while breaking with significant fishtailing. I immediately took the vehicle to Mercedes-Benz dealership who diagnosed the problem as severely rusted subframe with corrosion and structural instability especially near the rear passenger side wheel. The car is Mercedes C300 4Matic 2013. The incident happened on November 24, 2021. Mileage is 77,000 miles. Should I have waited longer, there was a very high probability of complete breakdown of the subframe which would result in rollover posing high risk of injury and death to the driver and other people on the road.

NHTSA ODI 11443417

The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes Benz C300. The contact stated that while driving at highway speeds and depressing the brake pedal, the rear of the vehicle started fishtailing with extreme vibration making the vehicle very unstable. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who discovered the rear passenger’s side subframe was severely rusted causing a section near the rear passenger’s side wheel detaches. The cause of the corrosion was not determined. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 107,500.

NHTSA ODI 11442065

MB have 51 000 miles at 1300 rpm acceleration getting rattling noise, just started two week.

NHTSA ODI 11440386

The subframe rotted out causing the lower control arm bracket to detach from the frame. This has caused loss of control of the back left wheel and causes the car to shake and swerve when braking. This exact issue has led to recall in Canada. First noticed due to a squeaking and clunking sound. Later on the same day, I pressed the brakes on the highway and felt the described shaking/swerving. My mechanic has let me know that the car is now un-drivable due to the safety issue this causes. One of the rear subframe’s main purposes is to absorb and disperse impact. Not only have I entirely lost control of the rear left, but any crash that this could have led to could have been significantly more dangerous due to the failed subframe. As stated prior, this exact issue has led to recall in Canada and I believe that it should lead to recall in the USA as well.

NHTSA ODI 11440327

over the last week I noticed a strong gas smell outside the car as I walk around in the back I check the gas cap and it seals normally and stronger than the smell that comes out of the gas cap

NHTSA ODI 11440097

Vehicle subframe has rusted through and parts of left rear suspension components are free, and one is about to poke a hole in the fuel tank. The right side is about to do the same. Everyone’s safety is at high risk with this problem. The car abruptly pulls to the left when applying the brakes as well as causing the car to shimmy on the interstate. I took it to my mechanic who to.d me what has happened, and I had it towed to the Mercedes dealership who confirmed the problem. When you search the internet you find a highly alarming number of people who have this same problem on 2009-2014 C300 models please do something before someone gets killed.

NHTSA ODI 11440058

Mercedes C300 2013, bought used in 2014 at approximately 7300 miles on the odometer, have always done the repairs and maintenances at Mercedes dealerships. In either late 2019 or early 2020 at around $50,000 miles on the odometer, the dealer informed me that the "rear sub frame is rusted and has hole in it" and recommend for the replacement of the rear sub frame, they even refused to pass my state safety inspection because of it. In October 2021 at approximately 67,000 miles on the odometer, it was determined that it was the time for the sub frame to get replaced at a price tag of more than $8000. Upon calling Mercedes corporate customer service and complaining to the dealership, Mercedes is willing to offer so called "Good Will Assistance" but I am still responsible for more than 50% of the cost. Mercedes dealership advised me this is a common issue for this type of vehicle and my case is not a single case. This is a great safety concern and driving this vehicle has been a uncomfortable experience. I strongly believe the sub frame issue is a manufacturer defect and there should be recall issued on it. Thanks.

NHTSA ODI 11439364

The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, she started to hear an abnormal sound. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact continued driving to her residence however while depressing the brake pedal the vehicle was pulling to the left. The contact continued driving to her residence. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the driver’s side rear axle and brake line was corroded and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 99,800.

NHTSA ODI 11438638

During a routine maintenance inspection at the Mercedes dealer, the mechanic found the rear subframe on the left and right sides of the car is rusting. Eventually it will rust through and possibly causing the loss of the control arms and wheels. At that point the car could become uncontrollable. The issue was discussed with Mercedes Benz USA Customer Advocacy. They informed me the once a vehicle falls outside warranty repairs are at the owners expense. Although the car is 8 years old it has only 51,000 miles. This is a known issue with my model year and in fact there is a recall in Canada for this issue.

NHTSA ODI 11437263

The contact's daughter owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, his daughter lost control of the vehicle upon the depression of the brake pedal. The contact stated that the vehicle would veer off the road without warning. His daughter had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who informed her that the subframe had severe corrosion. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed his daughter that they could not offer any assistance. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

NHTSA ODI 11434672

High pressure fuel pump failure causes unsafe driving conditions

NHTSA ODI 11431170

As I sat in my vehicle waiting for the traffic light. I felt a sudden hit on my head. At that moment I was confused, and thought someone had rear ended me. So like anybody would, I pulled over only to find out that the headrest on my 2013 Mercedes Benz C250 had came apart. It seems like the plastic inside tore apart from the springs causing pressure for it to deploy.

NHTSA ODI 11430950

Vehicle completely shut down while traveling on interstate. Ignition switch malfunction and went dead, also steering column locked causing me to lose control of steering functions.

NHTSA ODI 11428131