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

Hola a todos. hace 3 meses compre un mercedes benz c250 año 2012 en argentina. A eso de tener un mes el auto salí a la ruta. (Acá en argentina es muy normal que las rutas sean de un solo carril y doble mano, por lo que hacer un adelantamiento tiene que ser una maniobra muy precisa). Al querer acelerar mi auto a fondo se me cortó la aceleración bruscamente. Perdió la potencia y me encendió la luz amarilla del check engine. Por suerte pude llegar a pasar. Legué a mi casa sorprendido e investigué en las redes. Me encuentro con que la bomba de alta presion de mi vehículo tiene una falla (aparentemente le pasó a mucha gente) Espero que estas quejas lleguen a las autoridades de mercedes benz y se hagan responsables antes de que esta falla provoque un accidente mortal. ENGLISH TRANSLATION: Hello everyone. Three months ago, I bought a 2012 Mercedes-Benz C250 in Argentina. About a month after I had the car, I hit the road. (Here in Argentina, it's very common for roads to be single-lane, two-way, so overtaking requires very precise maneuvering.) When I tried to accelerate my car fully, the acceleration abruptly cut out. I lost power and the yellow check engine light came on. Luckily, I was able to get through. I arrived home, surprised, and I did some research online. I discovered that my vehicle's high-pressure pump was faulty (apparently, it's happened to a lot of people). I hope these complaints reach the Mercedes-Benz authorities and they take responsibility before this fault causes a fatal accident.

NHTSA ODI 11655843

I was told this from a BENZ dealer. There was a warranty extension on this VIN: [XXX] that ended on 03/02/2023 which, had to do with adjustment units for the camshafts. Nothing we could assist with goodwill on this due to the age of vehicle. This is NOT fair and I’m experimenting this exact process and Mercedes Benz does not want to take responsibility and get this fixed for me. Now my vehicle can not pass a smog test required. Please help INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11652445

Fuel tank is leaking at connection between fill tube and tank. Multiple recalls have been issued apparently for similar problems with cars of other years. With less than 1/2 tank, the fuel leak is not as pronounced. With the tank full, the tank drips fuel. Fire department in Riverside was called and confirmed issue. Upon bringing vehicle to Clearwater Mercedes and other mechanics, the problem was confirmed. Dealership says that Mercedes Benz denies that the problem is theirs to resolve. Dealership fixed other issue that was not producing symptoms but stated that the cost to resolve was $5000.00 (about the value of the car at this point).

NHTSA ODI 11643602

The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that the fuel tank was leaking after refueling. The fuel had leaked out to half tank. The Fire Department was called, but no assistance was provided. The contact stated that there was a puddle of fuel in the driveway. Additionally, the passenger’s air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the sensor in the module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. Additionally, the dealer confirmed that the leak was coming from the filler tube entering the fuel tank. The dealer recommended replacing the fuel tank. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that there were no recalls on the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

NHTSA ODI 11643606

HIGH pressure fuel pump malfunctions Yes it is available for inspection The car was put in limb mode when at high speed this could have caused an accident with many drivers do to the loss of power Yes it’s been re produced 3 times and others by me No it has not been inspected by a dealer or police or insurance No lamps or symptoms that may be super noticeable, but reduce power and as soon as the high pressure pump fails a check engine light goes off and car has trouble changing gears and accelerating,

NHTSA ODI 11638878

I bought this car new in 2013. I maintained it at the dealer as per MB recommendations. Last service was in August 2023. Currently had 42K miles on it. Two weeks ago 2 unknown to me lights came on and I took it to the dealer. The diagnosis was total failure due to oil leaking into the computer system. Second problem was water in the subfloor affecting sensors. Coons Mercedes in Catonsville, MD has all records. I was told that the oil leak was not detected because it was internal and due to an engine design. I was informed that there are many others stuck with this problem. I was informed that I was driving a car that could become suddenly uncontrollable. This was very scary. I was told I needed a new car. My insurance company inspected it and determined it was a total loss. I complained to MB headquarters and HQ in Stuttgart. I told them that they need to buy a new car for me. I have not heard from them. If MB know that there is an engine flaw why are they putting peoples' lives at risk?

NHTSA ODI 11573646

The components of the engine being the camshaft adjusters, timing guide, timing chain, valves and pistons that all work to deliver power are faulty and have failed literally mid-drive. I was on a busy interstate during rush hour and nearly lost control of the vehicle as it just powered out while driving at 70 mph then forcing a semi to nearly terminate myself and family. The dependability and safety is abruptly ripped out from underneath you. Without even being able to control the vehicle and it coming to an abrupt, unsafe hault. There were no warning signs. The vehicle has since been looked at and informed me that an extended warranty is in place for half of all the parts and labor above.all should be covered and for safety.my nerves are a wreck and without a way to afford an entirely new engine I am left to contend with car payments for an unsafe undrivable vehicle. Since then the dealership recognized my concerns but has since stated that without a modification to the extended warranty or it being made a recall that there is nothing that can be done.

NHTSA ODI 11478916

intermittently the idle will vibrate the car and acceleration will quit and sputter. Very dangerous in many conditions. cannot drive car safely.

NHTSA ODI 11477256

The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C250. The contact stated while driving 60-65 MPH, the vehicle stalled inadvertently. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and continued driving. The contact stated that the failure had occurred twice while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the high-pressure fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 143,775.

NHTSA ODI 11469245

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

High pressure fuel pump failure causes unsafe driving conditions

NHTSA ODI 11431170

I HAVE SEVERAL SAFTEY RECALLS AND PERFORMANCE RECALLS. RIGHT NOW MY CAR IS NOT OPERABLE DUE TO THESE RECALLS. THERE IS NO DEALER ON MY ISLAND. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW FROM HAWAII AND SHIPPED TO GUAM. THE DEALER IS REQUESTING US TO SHIP BACK THE VEHICLE TO FIX THESE RECALLS. WHICH WILL COST ME ABOUT 10,000.00 FOR SHIPPING. HOW DO I GO ABOUT THIS.

NHTSA ODI 11391106

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY I10 I WAS DOING 65 MPH I TRY TO PASS A CAR SO I ACCELERATED THE CAR BUT THE CAR WAS NOT GETTING THE POWER AND MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON SO I SAFELY PULL OUT OF THE FREEWAY AND INSPECTED THE CAR WITH A SCANNER AND IT SHOWED A CODE SO I SEARCH IN GOOGLE AND IT APPEARS A FAILURE OF THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP, I MANAGED TO TAKE THE CAR TO MY HOUSE DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DISAPPEARED BUT THE RPM'S WHERE IRREGULAR AND THE ACCELERATION WAS FAILING MORE OFTEN. IT APPEARS THAT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM WHILE I WAS LOOKING IN GOOGLE AND YOUTUBE MANY PEOPLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WHILE TRYING TO ACCELERATE.

NHTSA ODI 11385780

I WAS ON THE 99 FREEWAY DRIVING NORMAL SPEED AND HIT BRAKES TO TAKE THE DENAIR EXIT. THE CAR SPED UP! LIKE TURBO POWER! THE SPEEDOMETER WAS AT 90 MPH AS I FLEW THROUGH A RED LIGHT AT TOP OF THE RAMP! I HAD TO CONTINUE DOWN RAMP BACK ON FREEWAY. PUSHING AND PUSHING ON BRAKES BUT NOTHING HAPPENED! NEXT RAMP WAS A BIT STEEPER , SO TRIED AGAIN TO SLOW CAR DOWN! IT STARTED TO SLOW AND I WAS ABLE TO PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL AS IT CAME TO STOP AND I POWERED THE CAR OFF. I WAS APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES FROM HOME AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO MERCEDES OF STOCKTON. AFTER THEIR REPAIR DEPARTMENT CHECKED MY CAR, THEY FOUND THE BRAKE BOOSTER WAS BAD AND THE TURBO PIPE HOSE WAS TORN( DUE TO WEAR AND TEAR). I HAD PREVIOUSLY (2 MONTHS EARLIER)HAD MY CAR IN FOR COMPLETE CHECK UP BY THE STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA DEALERSHIP AND NOTHING WAS DETECTED. I FEEL THIS A SAFETY ISSUE! I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED! ALSO I BELIEVE THIS TO BE MANUFACTURE DEFAULT, THE COST TO FIX IS $2,400, AND I ALWAYS BRING MY CAR IN FOR REGULAR SERVING. THANK YOU

NHTSA ODI 11365575

WHEN DRIVING UPHILL AT 30MPH THE CAR SLOWS DOWN AND TAKES A SECOND TO ACCELERATE. WHEN I PRESS ON THE GAS I HAVE TO FLOOR IT TO GET THE CAR GOING FASTER. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11324559

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CODE P0002. ACCELERATING IN ANY FORM FROM THE STREET OR ESPECIALLY THE HIGHWAY MERGING ON, THERE IS A SUPERIOR LOSS OF POWER/ACCELERATION. VERY DANGEROUS AS YOU ARE A HAZARD COMING INTO THE HIGHWAY AND DO NOT HAVE ADEQUATE ACCELERATION WHEN ON RAMPS ARE A VERY SHORT DISTANCE. I BELIEVE IT'S THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP AS COUNTLESS OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH THEIR VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 11321521

WHENEVER I WANT TO SPEED UP TO PASS A VEHICLE OR/AND TO ENJOY A RAPID ACCELARATING ENGINE LIGHT COMES UP AND IT TURNS INTO LIMP MODE.THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE

NHTSA ODI 11282594

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ C250. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH AND UP, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT GEARS AUTOMATICALLY IN ORDER TO ACCELERATE CORRECTLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF ARROWHEAD (LOCATED AT 9260 W BELL RD, PEORIA, AZ 85382, 623-806-8764) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HIGH-PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

NHTSA ODI 11259138

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ C250. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT IMMEDIATELY ACCELERATE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. AFTER TURNING THE ENGINE OFF AND BACK ON MULTIPLE TIMES, THE VEHICLE WOULD OPERATE NORMALLY. ALSO, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE LOCAL DEALER (CROWN EURO CARS, 8302 US HIGHWAY 19 N., PINELLAS PARK, FL) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. *DT

NHTSA ODI 11256709

WHEN ACCELERATING, THE CAR WILL JUST LOSE ALL POWER AND STOP ACCELERATING. THIS THROWS YOU FORWARD AND KILLS POWER TO THE ENGINE PREVENTING YOU FROM SPEEDING UP. IT THEN GOES INTO LIMP MODE AND HAVE TO RESTART THE CAR SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE EXITING LIMP MODE. WHEN TAKING THE CAR TO THE DEALER THEY SAY IT JUST DETECTS A FUEL ERROR AND STOPS THE ENGINE TO PREVENT DAMAGE. THIS HAPPENED ONCE ON A HIGHWAY AND ONCE ON A CITY STREET AS I WAS TURNING.

NHTSA ODI 11222023

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CODE, P0340, CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. PROBLEM INCLUDES DIFFICULTY STARTING CAR, ENGINE KNOCK UPON START, AND MISFIRES ACCELERATING TO PASS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.

NHTSA ODI 11220450

I HAVE A HUM DEVICE ON MY VEHICLE AND IT SHOWS THAT I HAVE A CODE P0002 FUEL VOLUME REGULATOR CONTROL CIRCUIT RANGE PERFORMANCE. MY MERCEDES BENZ C CLASS 250 HAS ONLY 44614 MILES, WHEN I BOUGHT IT HAD 36.+ MILES, IF IT WASN'T FOR THE DIVORCE THAT I HAVE ON THE VEHICLE I PROBABLY WON'T KNOW UNTIL THE CAR BRAKE DOWN. WHEN I'M DRIVING THE CAR SEEMS TO LOOSE POWER THEN IT ACCELERATES LIKE IT HIT TURBO POWER. MY MECHANIC ADVISE ME TO GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU AND SEE IF YOU CAN ADVISE ME ON WHAT TO DO WITH IT, BECAUSE IT SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING. THANK AN ADVANCE FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE. MY EMAIL ADDRESS IS [XXX], MY PHONE NUMBER IS [XXX]. AGAIN THANKS FOR YOUR HELP. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *CC *TR

NHTSA ODI 11114736

GAS STATION NOZZLES REPEATEDLY GET STUCK IN CAR GAS TANK WHEN REFUELING. THE GAS STATION NOZZLE DO NOT CONTAIN THE SPRING AROUND THE NOZZLE, THEY ARE SMOOTH WITH NOTHING ON THE NOZZLE THAT COULD CATCH ON THE CAR. IT HAPPENS AT ALL GAS STATIONS FROM 76 TO COSTCO GAS. IT TAKES 5-10 MINUTES TO REMOVE IT WITH VARYING FORCE AND VARYING ANGLES. NOZZLE WILL SPIN AROUND FREELY BUT WILL NOT RELEASE . LATEST INCIDENT REQUIRED EXTREME FORCE 200LB MAN PULLING WITH ALL BODY WEIGHT. THIS ACTION CAUSED THE INTERNAL ROLLED METAL THAT HOLDS GAS CAB IN TO BEND UP AND OUT WHICH THEN PREVENTED THE GAS CAP FROM BEING SCREWED BACK ON. IT IS UNEXPLAINED HOW THE ROLLED METAL WAS ABLE TO LATCH TO THE GAS STATION NOZZLE AND THEN BEND UP AND OUT (SEE PICTURE) WHEN AGAIN THE GAS STATION NOZZLE IS SMOOTH. WHEN PLACING GAS STATION NOZZLE INTO THE CAR IT SLIDES IN VERY SMOOTHLY WITH NO HINT IT WILL NOT COME OUT. THERE IS A PLASTIC PIECE IN THE CAR WHERE THE NOZZLE SLIPS IN BETWEEN (SEE PICTURE). THIS APPEARS TO BE PREVENTING THE GAS STATION NOZZLE FROM BEING REMOVED BUT IT DOES NOT EXPLAIN THE DAMAGE CAUSED WHEN REMOVING GAS STATION NOZZLE. A HAMMER WAS USED (NOT SAFE WITH CHANCE OF SPARK BUT ONLY WAY TO BEND IT, PLIERS WILL NOT WORK) TO BEND BACK THE METAL (SEE PICTURE) SO THAT GAS CAP WOULD SEAT PROPERLY. IT IS UNCLEAR AT THIS MOMENT IF THE CAR CAN BE REFUELED OR IF DAMAGE NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED. GAS STATION ATTENDANT SAID "I SEE MANY MERCEDES HAVE THIS PROBLEM". THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO ONLY HAPPEN IN CALIFORNIA. TRAVELING ACROSS COUNTRY FROM WASHINGTON DC TO CALIFORNIA, NOT ONE TIME DID THE NOZZLE GET STUCK IN THE CAR. IT HAS BEEN SOMETHING I HAVE PREVIOUSLY JUST DEALT WITH KNOWING EACH TIME I CAN GET IT OUT BUT TAKES 2-3 MINUTES. NOTE, I DRIVE 3-5K MILES A YEAR.

NHTSA ODI 11102120

40,000 MILE VEHICLE. PROLONGED TO START WITH GRINDING NOISE FROM VALVE COVER. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. CAR WAS TAKEN TO MERCEDES BENZ OF BIRMINGHAM WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH FAULTY CAM ADJUSTERS, TIMING CHAIN, AND TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER $4,200 REPAIR ESTIMATE. COMMON PROBLEM WITH MERCEDES M271 ENGINE. CUSTOMER REFUSED REPAIR. PROBLEM OCCURRED WHILE AT A STOP AND IN MOTION.

NHTSA ODI 11084447

I WAS ON I-95 AND THE CAR JUST STARTED SHAKING AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE,VERY DANGEROUS. THE CAR ALSO HAS A DANGEROUS LAG WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE. I WAS TRYING TO ACCELERATE MAKING A U TURN TO ON COMING TRAFFIC AND THE CAR WOULDN'T ACCELERATE NEARLY CAUSING A CATASTROPHIC LIFE THREATENING ACCIDENT. I HAVE HAD MY CAR AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR 3 MONTHS TRYING TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND TO DATE EVERY TIME I GET IT BACK THE SAME THING HAPPENS. MY PAPERWORK IS WITH MY CAR THAT HAS BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP SINCE FOR 3 MONTHS.

NHTSA ODI 11076899