Home · 2013 Mercedes-benz C-class Phev · Complaints

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

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (570)Crash / fire / injury (33)Airbags (285)Suspension (73)Body & structure (70)Engine (57)Steering (47)Electrical system (34)Fuel system (33)Brakes (19)Transmission & drivetrain (19)Speed control (12)

33 of 570 complaints match · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters · page 2 of 2

Mar 15, 2016Speed controlBrakesCrash1 injury

WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN INTO A PARKING LOT AT LOW SPEED ACCELERATOR PEDAL NOT DEPRESSED THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. WHEN BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED THEY FAILED AND DID NOT STOP NOR SLOW THE VEHICLE. CAR CRASHED INTO THE BUILDING. AIR BAGS ADDITIONALLY DID NOT DEPLOY AS CAR HIT BUILDING IN CORNER AT CENTER OF FRONT. MINOR INJURY TO DRIVER FROM SEAT BELT RESTRAINT.

NHTSA ODI 10849871

Feb 8, 2016AirbagsCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ C250. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON CRASH. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A POLICE IMPOUND. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WAS ONE INJURY THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 44,000.

NHTSA ODI 10824834

Jan 25, 2016AirbagsCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ C300. WHILE DRIVING 44 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON CRASH. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A POLICE IMPOUND. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WAS ONE INJURY THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE MEDICAL EXAMINER DIAGNOSED THAT THEY DID NOT SEE ANY BROKEN BONES; HOWEVER, THERE WERE SOME BRUISES ON THE KNEES, HIP, UPPER BACK, RIGHT SHOULDER, AND NECK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000.

NHTSA ODI 10822081

Sep 22, 2015AirbagsBody & structureCrashFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 MERCEDES BENZ C250. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE AND EXPLODED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI 10767499

Aug 20, 2015AirbagsEngineCrashFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 MERCEDES BENZ C250. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,500.

NHTSA ODI 10750015

Aug 11, 2015Airbags1 injury

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 15MPH AND THE AIRBAG IN THE DRIVERS STEERING WHEEL DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. MERCEDES DECLINES TO COMPLETE AN INSPECTION AND OFFERED TO REPLACE AND RETURN THE VEHICLE TO ME. I AM CONCERNED WITH THE DECISION TO NOT COMPLETE AN INSPECTION DUE TO THE SEVERE NATURE OF THE SITUATION. I WAS BURNED AND BRUISED ON MY LEFT ARM AND SWERVED INTO THE OTHER LANE DUE TO THE SHOCK OF THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. I AM NOT COMFORTABLE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND I DO NOT FEEL THAT IT IS SAFE.

NHTSA ODI 10747991

Aug 28, 2014AirbagsSpeed controlCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MERCEDES BENZ C300. WHILE EXITING THE GARAGE, THE VEHICLE OVER ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN WHEN THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE CONTACT CRASHED THE VEHICLE INTO A CONCRETE BUILDING AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A CONCUSSION AND BRUISING TO THE STOMACH, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND THE CONTACT WAS WAITING FOR THE MANUFACTURER TO CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,000.

NHTSA ODI 10629113

Oct 9, 2012AirbagsCrash1 injury

HEAD ON COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE FRONT END OF A BRAND NEW 2013 MERCEDES C CLASS WAS DESTROYED. VEHICLE WAS LESS THAN A MONTH OLD. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND I WONDER HOW THAT COULD BE WHEN THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS SMASHED IN. MERCEDES PRIDE THEIR VEHICLES ON SAFETY AND I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT THEIR NEW MODELS MAY NOT LIVE UP TO THAT STANDARD. AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED IN THIS ACCIDENT TO MINIMIZE INJURY OR DEATH. THESE NEW MODELS ARE SLOWLY TAKING TO THE STREETS AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED TO SEE IF THERE IS WARRANT FOR AN AIRBAG RECALL. MERCEDES NEEDS TO BE AWARE OF THIS BECAUSE THEY WILL BE DISTRIBUTING THESE VEHICLES ALL OVER THE GLOBE. NOT MUCH IS AVAILABLE ON A 2013 MODEL AND THIS IS A VITAL TIME TO INVESTIGATE BEFORE THE MASSES HAVE THESE VEHICLES WHERE MAJOR INJURIES OR DEATH MAY OCCUR. I FEEL LUCKY TO HAVE WALKED OUT WITH A CONCUSSION AND I HOPE THIS INVESTIGATION CAN PREVENT ANYONE ELSE FROM FUTURE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10479500

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Working with the data? Download all 570 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 21, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2013 Mercedes-benz C-class Phev verdict →