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

Vehicle Information: Year: 2013 Make: Mercedes-Benz Model: C300 (4MATIC) Approximate Mileage: 126,026 Component: Latches/Locks/Linkages – Interior Door Handle Summary of Issue: On October 10, 2025, the interior driver-side door handle on my 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300 broke, making it impossible to open the driver’s door from the inside. The handle broke through normal use upon trying to open the car door from the drivers side. The only way to exit the vehicle now is to roll down the window and reach around to use the exterior handle. On October 14, 2025, I spoke to two Mercedes-Benz dealerships in my area. They both confirmed this is a recurring problem on this model but stated there is no recall. One of them physically inspected the vehicle door problem. I believe the actual broken replacement part costs about $50. However, according to these same authorized Mercedes Benz repair shops I spoke to, Mercedes-Benz REQUIRES replacing the entire door panel assembly, which costs between $950 and $1,480 in labor and parts. This is not a reasonable or safe solution for such a critical component. This poses a serious safety hazard. In the event of a fire, collision, electrical failure, or if the windows become inoperable, the driver (myself) could become trapped inside the vehicle, leading to potential injury or death! I strongly urge the NHTSA to investigate this recurring defect, as it directly affects occupant safety and the ability to exit the vehicle in an emergency. Universal Imports, Rochester, NY – Inspected and confirmed recurring problem, no recall, verbal repair estimate $950, and Mercedes‑Benz of Rochester (West Herr Automotive), NY] – Confirmed recurring problem, verbal repair estimate $1480 Requested Action: Please investigate whether this defect warrants a safety recall or mandatory manufacturer repair campaign. The interior door handle failure on Mercedes-Benz C-Class vehicles represents a clear safety risk to occupants.

NHTSA ODI 11695491

The interior door handle of the driver's side door snapped, which does not allow the driver to open the door at all. In the event of a crash, fire, or emergency, the door can only be opened from the exterior. This is a widespread issue with this model of car, which Mercedes-Benz is very aware of. There are hundreds of videos and online discussions of this common saferty issue that Mercedes refuses to make right. This is a risk for the safety of all drivers of these vehicles. The car has been inspected and confirmed by a MB dealer. There were no warning indications before or after this happened. Mercedes Benz wants $1200 to fix this obvious defect.

NHTSA ODI 11681819

On several instances of breaking, my 2013 Mercedes Benz C300 pulls hard to the right and becomes very unstable. I assumed it was a brake problem by the way the car drove. I took it to my mechanic, who immediately identified the rear subframe had rusted so much that a control arm had broken loose from the subframe. The rear subframe acts as a foundation for the rear suspension and holds the backend together. Fortunately I was able to get this diagnosed prior to a serious accident. The car gets very unstable, especially at higher speeds, when braking. There are no warning lights that will catch this. This problem absolutely places both passengers and other cars on the road at risk of a collision when braking, especially on the highway at higher speeds. I am going to contact a local Mercedes Benz dealer to evaluate replacement of the damaged parts to ensure the car is safe to drive following repair. Based on the links below, it sounds like a known issue at Mercedes Benz. I was never notified of any issues or from prior service visits, or via mail notice from the manufacturer. My mechanic was shocked, to say the least. Hoping MB will take care of this dangerous problem without hassle. See: [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11614928

The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal sound. Additionally, while the brake pedal was depressed, the vehicle pulled to the left before coming to a stop. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was determined that the subframe was rusted and needed to be replaced; however, the Salvage Title voided the extended warranty coverage. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.

NHTSA ODI 11607610

The driver side indoor handle keeps breaking. I have repaired mine 4 times but still keep breaking. The connector attached to the handle is so fragile it cant withstand regular use. why hasnt this been recalled by mercedes? One repair costs 1400 dollars.

NHTSA ODI 11591772

rear subframe severe corrosion and cracking, have pictures of it the corrosion severity, yes available upon inspection. mechanic told me my 2 rear wheels can fall out completely and leave me with no control over the car. the car has been inspected by a certified independent service center. No. and no warning lights and no symptoms just the rear subframe cracking on the verge of falling off

NHTSA ODI 11577600

The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed, and the vehicle pulled to the left aggressively. The vehicle was driven to the residence; however, while driving, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a severely corroded rear subframe and that the rear subframe needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 134,000.

NHTSA ODI 11577135

Broke rear subframe while driving. Made it home discovered the left rear suspension is almost completely detached from the vehicle. Researched the problem and discovered it’s a known issue and a warranty extension has been provided for some vehicles including some models of my particular year and model but after contacting Mercedes is seems mine is not.

NHTSA ODI 11574281

Rear right side Subframe rusted and broke off. Vehicle pulled to the right while braking.

NHTSA ODI 11567552

Rear Control Arm Broke off of the rusted Rear Sub Frame assembly which was confirmed and inspected by my mechanic.

NHTSA ODI 11528405

The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal tapping sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the subframe was corroded. The independent mechanic replaced the subframe; however, the failure recurred with the vehicle making an abnormal sound while driving. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, where the vehicle remained but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 11525564

The car was all over the road when braking and making banging sound. Had towed to 3 repair shops and all said Subframe was rotted out beyond repair. Mercedes Benz in golden bridge will replace subframe, but my cost is towing, labor and renting a car until it’s fixed which can take up to 1 month.

NHTSA ODI 11522485

The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who discovered that the rear suspension cross member was fractured due to severe rust. The vehicle was later taken to the local dealer who confirmed the failure, but no repair was performed. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 160,000.

NHTSA ODI 11507201

The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to the dealer for routine service, he was informed that the subframe was corroded. The contact also stated that while driving at highway speeds, the rear of the vehicle was shaking while depressing the brake pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 11504374

When breaking at high speeds, the car feels like I will lose control of it. Has happened a few times and I thought I was going to hit the neighboring car. Took it to a repair shop and found out that the rear driver side subframe Is completely rotted out and the rear control arm is hanging. The car only has about 97,500 miles on it, has not been driven in high salt areas, and doesn’t have any other signs of rust. Two auto body shops have told me this shouldn’t happen on a car with that low mileage, and these cars, Mercedes c300s, are known to have this defect.

NHTSA ODI 11504245

There is a defect in the subframe of the vehicle which causes it to corrode and rust out. Apparently, this is a known issue with certain years and models, and has already been recalled in Europe, but not the US.

NHTSA ODI 11502562

This 2013 Mercedes C300 with 88,xxx miles has significant subframe rust. This is unacceptable and is a safety hazard because the rust and corrosion will continue to spread and cause additional safety issues. This will cost over $4,000 to repair, but it is a manufacturer defect. There are a ton of similar complaints online, so this is clearly a systemic issue with this model that needs to be investigated.

NHTSA ODI 11502630

The subframe has rotted from insufficient protection . This car is unsafe to drive , many US consumers having same problem with this model where the subframe is rusted out. This is a major issue effecting thousands of cars of this model or maybe more

NHTSA ODI 11500968

Rear subframe rotted. Common issue, needs a recall. Control arm broke off on both sides of the rear subframe. Rear passenger lower control arm close to gas tank, can cause a fire if punctures through tank as well. Lots of swaying in rear as well

NHTSA ODI 11501164

while driving in an emergency braking situation the car went left...so much so i lost control and spun 360 degrees. i thought that wasnt rite...upon investigation it turns out the right rear torque arm was no longer connected..the cradle or sub frame. it was rotted thru causing the arm to break off !!....car is not drivable and mercedes wont repair it... someone is going to get killed if it hasnt happened already !!

NHTSA ODI 11500752

1. The component that failed was the rear subframe for the rear transaxle and wheel suspension system. It was inspected by a licensed MB service department and determined the drivers side of the rear subframe had rusted completely through and was separated from the frame. The passenger side of the rear subframe was also severely rusted and at risk of breaking. The subframe is currently being replaced. 2. The subframe to this vehicle holds the transaxle and rear wheel suspension in place, I noticed with a hard breaking the rear of the car swerved, slightly fishtailing. I immediately drove home and parked it until I could drive it to a service/repair facility. If this subframe had completely broken free the entire rear drivetrain would have been severely damaged or completely destroyed or worse, break free from the vehicle and cause a crash. 3. The problem is well known in the auto industry. My service center who inspected my vehicle described it and said it is a well known problem and they have replaced other subframes due to the same issue. I even spoke to an AUDI salesman today and they know of it and send these MB vehicles as a trade-in to auction and do not even attempt to replace the subframe. A recall for this problem of the subframe failure due to rust has already been issued for MB in Europe for quite some time but no recall in the USA. 4. This vehicle and component has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police or insurance rep. 5. no warning lamps or any other messages were illuminated to give any warning of a subframe failure due to rust. The first symptom of the problem is the loose rear end with hard breaking causing a slight fishtail of the rear of the car. I experienced this on my drive home from work and afterwards only drove it to my service center.

NHTSA ODI 11500347

The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the contact heard a loud noise coming from the vehicle and then lost control of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to pull over safety and had the vehicle towed to the dealer. The dealer stated that the rear subframe of the vehicle was corroded. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 49,000.

NHTSA ODI 11498026

Our garage housed C250 4d SDN year 2013 had its service B performed 12-5-22 and revealed rust on Chassis. Was informed that this has been seen frequently on cars of this genre. Was told deterioration could result in chassis breaking and causing an accident. A recall for this issue occurred in Europe...why not here?

NHTSA ODI 11497258

The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that upon depression of the brake pedal, the vehicle independently swayed to the left without warning. The contact notified the independent mechanic who instructed her to bring the vehicle in for an inspection. The mechanic discovered severe corrosion on the subframe; however, the part to repair the vehicle was on backorder. The contact then had the vehicle towed to a second independent mechanic who kept the vehicle for three weeks before the vehicle was repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 68,026.

NHTSA ODI 11494459

Rear sub frame failure due to corrosion. Failed part causes vehicle to lose control when applying breaks. Further broke sub frame has high risk of fire due fuel tank breach. Vehicle was inspected by Mercedes Benz technicians several times up to the point of failure, no advanced warning. Technician stated no lights, no warning signs until total failure occurs.

NHTSA ODI 11494104