Home · 2015 Mercedes-benz C-class Hybrid · Complaints

What 435 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Mercedes-benz C-class Hybrid

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 (435)Crash / fire / injury (13)Engine (134)Fuel system (75)Body & structure (73)Electrical system (54)Steering (28)Suspension (28)Airbags (26)Transmission & drivetrain (23)Visibility & wipers (17)Brakes (10)

Newest first · 435 complaints · page 17 of 18

Oct 29, 2016Electrical systemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Engine

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

NHTSA ODI 10920041

Oct 7, 2016Visibility & wipers

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE GLASS IN THE SUNROOF COLLAPSED WITHOUT IMPACT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE SUNROOF WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21,000.

NHTSA ODI 10914426

Oct 3, 2016Wheels

I HEARD A VERY BIG DEVASTATING NOISE WHILE DRIVING MY 2015 MERCEDES BENZ-C300 ON A LOCAL ROAD IN RALEIGH, NC AT ABOUT 40 MPH. SINCE I DID NOT SEE ANY TPMS (TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM) OR ANY OTHER KIND OF ALERT ON THE SCREEN, I CONTINUED TO DRIVE. AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 2 MORE MILES, I HEARD ANOTHER BIG POP AND THE CAR BECAME NON-DRIVABLE BY THEN. I DID NOT FEEL HITTING ANY OBJECT OR GOING THRU A POT HOLE. THAT'S WHEN I GOT DOWN THE CAR AND NOTICED THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE OUTER WALL GOT SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE AND THE THE TIRE WAS JUST FLAT TO THE GROUND. I COULD NOT, OF COURSE, DRIVE FURTHER. THIS HAPPENED ON SATURDAY (10/1/16) EVENING AND IT IS A RUN-FLAT TIRE, BUT COULD NOT DRIVE FURTHER AND THERE WAS NO SPARE IN THE CAR. SO, I HAD TO WAIT UNTIL TODAY (10/3/16) TO GET IT TOWED TO THE NEAREST BENZ DEALER IN RALEIGH TO GET THE TIRE REPLACED. IT WAS A VERY FRUSTRATING HALF A DAY ATTENDING TO THIS REPAIR. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF ISSUES HERE. (A) QUALITY ISSUE: WHY THE CONTINENTAL TIRE TIRE GAVE AWAY SO QUICKLY WITH ONLY ABOUT 23.5K MILES ON THE ODOMETER, WITHOUT HITTING ANY OBJECT? (B) SAFETY ISSUE: THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER IF I WERE ON A ROAD TRIP WITH FAMILY ON A NATIONAL HIGHWAY, ESPECIALLY, ON A SATURDAY EVENING WITHOUT A SPARE TIRE. (C). SYSTEM RESPONSE ISSUE: WHY MB SYSTEM DID NOT GIVE ANY KIND OF ALERT IN SPITE THIS MAJOR BLOW-OUT? I WOULD HESITATE TO BUY ANOTHER CAR WITHOUT A SPARE TIRE. I HOPE THE NHTSA WILL CONSIDER SERIOUSLY DISCOURAGING RUN-FLAT TIRES IN THE CARS UNLESS A SPARE TIRE IS PROVIDED, UNTIL SUCH TIME THE RUN-FLATS ARE EXTREMELY SAFE AND STURDY. THANKS.

NHTSA ODI 10911393

Aug 3, 2016Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemEngine

IT HAPPENED TWO TIMES THE PAST 20 DAYS. CAR ENGINE STOPPED SUDDENLY WHILE DRIVING. FIRST TIME AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 20 MPH, SECOND TIME ON HIGHT WAY ABOUT 70 MPH. IT WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS THE SECOND TIME BECAUSE I WAS RIGHT AT THE PORT GETTING ONTO THE HIGH WAY AND I FOUND THE ENGINE WENT OFF. NO RESPONSE WHILE PUSHING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DOWN. I DID NOT HAVE TIME CHECK WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS BECAUSE TWO OTHER VEHICLES AT BACK ALMOST CRASH ON ME. I STOPPED THE VEHICLE ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGH WAY ENTRANCE IMMEDIATELY AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE (I KNEW FROM LAST TIME IT WORKED BY DOING THIS) AND GOT BACK ON THE ROAD. THIS WAS A SERIOUS/FATAL PROBLEM. I SAW OTHERS COMPLAIN ABOUT THEIR MERCEDES-BENZ C SERIES HAVING SIMILAR ENGINE SHUTTING OFF ON THE ROAD PROBLEM, TOO. THERE WAS ONE PERSON ASKED ON YAHOO ANSWERS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM, HOWEVER HE DID NOT GET A RESPONSE FROM ANYONE. HTTPS://ANSWERS.YAHOO.COM/QUESTION/INDEX?QID=20151004200837AASQX6B I'M ALSO MAKING SOME SCREEN SHOTS OF PEOPLE WITH C300 FILED COMPLAINS ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 10893012

Jul 21, 2016Electrical systemSpeed controlBrakes

COLLUSION PREVENTION SYSTEM INOPERATIVE. CAUSES CAR TO SLOW SLOW DOWN AND OR STOP WHILE ON THE ROAD. POSES A SEVERE LIFE THREATENING DRIVING CONDITION FOR ME AND OTHER DRIVERS. MANY OTHER MERCEDES BENZ OWNERS ACROSS THE USA, CANADA, AND JAPAN ARE COMPLAINING OF THE SAME ERROR MESSAGE AND ISSUES. MY MBUSA ADVISOR STATED HER VEHICLE IS DOING THE SAME THING. MY SERVICE ADVISOR AT THE DEALERSHIP STATED ITS MICE THAT ARE EATING THE WIRES. I AM TAKING MY VEHICLE TO TWO OTHER MECHANICS FOR OPINIONS ON THE CAUSE OF THE ERROR MESSAGE. I HAVE DOCUMENTS FROM OTHER MERCEDES BENZ OWNERS WHO HAVE COMPLAINED OF THE SAME ISSUE AND ERROR MESSAGE.

NHTSA ODI 10887534

Jun 15, 2016Wheels

THE MANDATORY REQUIRED TIRE PRESSURE MOTORING SYSTEM (BECAUSE IT HAS RUN FLAT TIRES) ON ONE OF THE WHEELS FAILED AND THEY CLAIMED THIS IS NOT COVERED BY EITHER THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY OR THE TIRE PROTECTION WARRANTEE. I WAS TOLD THIS ON 6/15 2015 BUT THE ORIGINAL COMPLAINT I MADE ABOUT AIR PRESSURE INT HE LEFT REAR TIRE WAS WELL WITHIN THE WARRANTEE PERIOD.

NHTSA ODI 10874382

Jun 13, 2016

MULTIPLE INCIDENTS OF 'COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS INOPERATIVE'. CAR LOSES ALL POWER UNTIL RESTARTED. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES, ONCE ON AN INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH CREATING A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I HAD TO PULL OVER SEVERAL LANES ON THE INTERSTATE WITH NO POWER WHILE OTHER CARS HAD TO AVOID ME. I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO THE DEALER AND AFTER A WEEK OF REPAIRS, THE SAME FAULT HAS OCCURRED TWICE IN THE FIRST 24 HOURS AFTER RETURN OF VEHICLE. FAULT OCCURRED AT 60 MPH DURING A PASSING MANEUVER ON A 2 LANE ROAD. AGAIN, WE WERE PUT IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THIS IS AN UNSAFE VEHICLE. ATTACHED IS A PICTURE OF THE DASHBOARD FAULT THAT I PHOTOGRAPHED AFTER THE CAR COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE UNTIL I TURNED IT OFF AND RESTARTED.

NHTSA ODI 10873791

May 13, 2016Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemSpeed control

WAS DRIVING ON CITY STREET, AND THE COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST DISABLED WARNING SIGN CAME ON AND I LOST POWER TO THE CAR. I'M TOLD THIS IS CALLED "LIMP MODE." I TRIED TO PICK UP SPEED BY PRESSING THROTTLE TO THE FLOOR, BUT GOT NO REACTION AT ALL. THEN SOME POWER CAME BACK, BUT NOT MUCH. EACH TIME I BRAKED TO STOP FOR LIGHT OR TURN THIS WOULD HAPPEN. AFTER I GOT HOME I RESTARTED THE ENGINE AND IT SEEMED NORMAL AGAIN. HOWEVER I WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE IT, ESPECIALLY SINCE IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS MY POWER STEERING ALSO FAILED, AND HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER. THEY RAN TESTS AND NO CODE FOR FAILURE WAS FOUND. THEY SAID THEY FOUND SOME SOFTWARE UPDATES WHICH THEY DID. UNFORTUNATELY, AFTER I PICKED UP THE CAR FROM SERVICE I SAW THAT MY MAIN COMPLAINT WASN'T EVEN MENTIONED. ONLY THAT I SOMETIMES HAD PROBLEM WITH COLLISION CONTROL WARNING GOING OFF FOR NO APPARENT REASON.

NHTSA ODI 10864838

Apr 8, 2016Electrical systemEngine

WHILE DRIVING "COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS INOPERATIVE" MESSAGE APPEARS ON DASHBOARD. CAR LOSES ITS ABILITY TO ACCELERATE. OCCURRED TWICE (JANUARY 2015) ON CITY STREETS FORCING ME TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESTART MY CAR, THE ERROR DISAPPEARS AND I AM ABLE TO DRIVE NORMALLY. 4/7/16 OCCURRED WHILE TRAVELING 65MPH ON AN INTERSTATE. I LOST ABILITY TO ACCELERATE AND WAS ALMOST REAR-ENDED BY A SEMI-TRUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AT A MERCEDES DEALERSHIP ON 1/11/16 THE HIGHWAY INCIDENT OCCURRED AFTER THE "FIX". IT IS CURRENTLY BACK AT THE DEALERSHIP BEING TESTED BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. I AM TOLD THE CURRENT FIX IS TO REPLACE ALL THE SENORS. I HAVE OPENED A CASE WITH MBUSA TO REPURCHASE THE VEHICLE GIVEN THE INITIAL REPAIR DID NOT WORK AND PUT ME IN PERILOUS HIGHWAY SITUATION. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN OCTOBER OF 2015.

NHTSA ODI 10854453

Mar 1, 2016Transmission & drivetrainEngine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES-BENZ C300. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD INDEPENDENTLY DECELERATE WITH THE RPM GAUGE READING BETWEEN 4,000-5,000. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED, THE VEHICLE RETURNED TO NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000.

NHTSA ODI 10839169

Feb 10, 2016Engine

TWO ISSUES, PURCHASED A CERTIFIED PRE OWNED VEHICLE. AT 8900 MILES, WE NOTICED THE CAR WAS IDLING VERY ROUGH ON A COLD START, ALMOST THE SOUND OF A DIESEL. THE SOUND WOULD RESOLVE AFTER 10 MINUTES OF DRIVING. SERVICE INFORMED US THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE RODS AND PISTONS. WE HAD THE ENGINE REBUILT, AND THE NOISE IS THE SAME, IF NOT WORSE. THE CAR SOUNDS NOTHING LIKE LATERBUILD '15 MODELS OR '16 MODELS, NOR DOES IT RUN AS SMOOTHLY. SECONDLY, 5 OCCURRENCES INVOLVED INOPERATIVE COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST WARNINGS AND INOPERATIVE ANTI-SKID WARNINGS APPEARING ON THE DASH CAUSING THE CAR TO REDUCE OPERATING SPEED TO 20MPH MAX. CAR NEEDED TO BE SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED AFTER A 5 MINUTE PERIOD EACH TIME THESE WARNINGS APPEARED, IN ORDER TO DRIVE OVER 20MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR THESE WARNINGS TWICE. THE FIRST SERVICE DIAGNOSED THE CAR WITH A CODING ISSUE. THE SECOND, INVOLVED REPLACING MODULES. THIS ALL OCCURRED DURING THE TWO MONTHS OF OWNING THE CAR. WE NOTICES SEVERAL SIMILAR COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE EARLY BUILD 2015 C300S, AND DECIDED TO CUT OUR LOSSES AND PURCHASE ANOTHER VEHICLE. WE DID NOT FEEL SAFE IN THAT CAR.

NHTSA ODI 10825382

Jan 19, 2016

COLLISION PREVENTION ASSISTANCE FEATURE WENT ON AUTOMATICALLY ( AS WELL AS CHECK-ENGINE LIGHT) WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED IN NORMAL WEATHER. I WAS NOT IN AN ACCIDENT, NEAR ANOTHER VEHICLE AND COMPLETELY AWARE AND DRIVING NORMALLY PRIOR TO THIS OCCURRING. I HAD TO STRUGGLE WITH CAR TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDER, LOSS POWER FROM GAS PEDAL, CAR HARD TO CONTROL. I HAD TO TURN OFF THE CAR, DEACTIVATE THE FUNCTION TO DRIVE. IT HAPPENED AGAIN WHEN I DROVE THE CAR LATER THAT DAY AFTER THE CAR HAD BEEN PARKED FOR A WHILE. TOOK IT INTO SERVICE. THEY WERE ABLE TO FIND THE ERROR CODE.THEY FOUND THAT MERCEDES SENT OUT A MEMO IN SEPT. 2015 STATING THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT SERVICE IS NOT TO DO ANYTHING TO "FIX" IT! I HAVE ONLY OWNED THIS CAR FOR 6 WEEKS ,BOUGHT IT NEW AND HAVE LESS THAN 6,000 MILES ON IT. MERCEDES IS NOT OFFERING A SOLUTION BUT MORE OF A WAIT AND SEE ATTITUDE.

NHTSA ODI 10821096

Jan 13, 2016Electrical systemSpeed controlElectronic Stability Control (esc)

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH, THE CRUISE CONTROL SHUT OFF AND THE CAR BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN. I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL AND NOTICED 3 ERROR MESSAGES INCLUDING: ESC INOPERABLE, CRUISE CONTROL INOPERABLE, AND COLLISION PREVENTION PLUS INOPERABLE. I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING AND WHEN I WENT TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP LIGHT, THE ACCELERATOR WAS UNRESPONSIVE AND TOOK SEVERAL SECONDS FOR THE VEHICLE TO MOVE ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT FROM A CAR TRAVELING CLOSE BEHIND ME. ALL OF THIS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR ITS FIRST SERVICE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM AND IS INVESTIGATING THE ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 10819922

Dec 28, 2015Engine

LOUD ENGINE KNOCKING WHEN ENGINE IS COLD. DIAGNOSED AS INCORRECT/UNFAVORABLE TOLERANCES OF PISTON WRIST PINS THAT WILL ULTIMATELY LEAD TO ENGINE FAILURE. DIAGNOSIS HAPPENED WITH ODOMETER AT 2,438 MILES.

NHTSA ODI 10816443

Dec 21, 2015Tires

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES BENZ C250 EQUIPPED WITH CONTINENTAL CONTACT TIRES, SIZE: 225/45R17 (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE WAS BEGINNING TO LOSE AIR WHILE DRIVING. A COMPRESSOR WAS USED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRE BEGAN TO FLATTEN AFTER DRIVING LONG LENGTHS OF TIME AND REDUCED IN SIZE APPROXIMATELY THREE TO FIVE POUNDS PER DAY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE TIRE TO THE WARRANTY CENTER, THE DEALER, AND THE TIRE MANUFACTURER, BUT NO FAILURES WERE FOUND WITH THE TIRE. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE VEHICLE AND TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,015.

NHTSA ODI 10811410

Oct 30, 2015Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED, THE STEERING WHEEL EMITTED AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER HAD NOT YET DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V598000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000.

NHTSA ODI 10787204

Oct 29, 2015AirbagsCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS PARTIALLY DEPLOYED WITH AN UNKNOWN ERROR MESSAGE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS AWAITING A DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,500.

NHTSA ODI 10787105

Oct 27, 2015Electrical system

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE PASSING LANE, A WARNING MESSAGE INDICATED THE ACCIDENT AVOIDANCE SYSTEM WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THIS DEACTIVATED THE ACCELERATOR, I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE CAR, SQUEEZED BETWEEN CARS AND COASTED TO A STOP. TURNED OFF CAR AND CALLED MERCEDES. CAR WAS RESTARTED WITH NO ISSUES INDICATED, DROVE THE CAR HOME. NEXT DAY ON THE HIGHWAY DID IT AGAIN, WENT DIRECTLY TO DEALERSHIP. THEY HAD THE CAR 4 DAYS, SAID IT WAS A COMPUTER CODE ISSUE AND WAS FIXED. LESS THAN A MONTH LATER IT DID IT AGAIN DRIVING 25MPH IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. CALLED MERCEDES, THEY ARE PICKING THE CAR UP. I NO LONGER TRUST THE CAR, WILL NOT LET FAMILY DRIVE IT BECAUSE IT BECOMES DISABLED....

NHTSA ODI 10786393

Oct 6, 2015Visibility & wipers

THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF IN MY CAR EXPLODED AT APPROXIMATELY 6.45AM ON MONDAY, JUNE 29TH 2015. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM MERCEDES BENZ IN PARAMUS ON SATURDAY, JUNE 27TH, 2015. THE CAR HAD 146 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. I WAS IN NJ AND I WAS TRAVELING WEST ON I-78 (EXPRESS LANES) AT APPROXIMATELY 65MPH. THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES IN CLOSE PROXIMITY, THERE WAS A VEHICLE TRAILING A FEW CAR LENGTHS BEHIND ME. THE ROAD WAS RELATIVELY SMOOTH AND THE WEATHER WAS DRY. NO PROJECTILE HIT THE GLASS PRIOR TO IT EXPLODING. WHEN THE SUNROOF EXPLODED, ALL I HEARD WAS A LARGE BANG AND THEN GLASS FALLING INTO THE CAR AND ALSO 'EXITING' THE CAR. THE GLASS DEBRIS LEFT SIGNIFICANT PITTING ON THE TRUNK OF THE CAR. I ESTIMATE 25% OF THE GLASS CAME INTO THE CAR. I SWERVED INTO TO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND STOPPED IN THE EMERGENCY LANE.

NHTSA ODI 10780092

Sep 14, 2015Brakes

I HAD TWO ISSUES WITHIN 2 MONTHS OF BUYING THE CAR EARLIER IN THIS. I PURCHASED THE CAR IN EARLY FEB 2015. I HEARD A LOUD SOUND IN THE HEATING UNIT, THEN A SMALL CLICKING SOUND ENSUED FOR OVER A WEEK. BROUGHT IT IN, THE MOTOR HAD BLOWN, SO THEY REPLACED IT WITHOUT A DIME OUT OF MY POCKET. THEN IN MARCH, I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 35 MILES PER HOUR WHEN A VERY LOUD NOISE LIKE BAD BREAKS STARTED AND WOULDN'T STOP NO MATTER WHAT I DID. WE TOWED IT USING MERCEDES, BUT HAD TO PAY FOR AN UBER TO THE DEALERSHIP. IT WAS AGAIN ANOTHER MALFUNCTION WITH THE NEW MODEL, AND THEY FIXED THE BREAKS AND ROTORS THAT SAME DAY WITHOUT A DIME OUT OF MY POCKET. I NOW HAVE 6500 MILES ON IT SINCE I GOT IT IN FEB THIS YEAR, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TRIED TO REPLACE THE FUEL CAP BUT THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT GO AWAY AND THE CAR IS DRIVING FINE. IM BRINGING IT IN LATER THIS WEEK. I SAW REPORTS THAT THERE ARE SOME CARS WITH THIS FUEL ISSUE THATS CAUSING THIS INDICATOR. OVERALL THIS ONE PARTICULAR CAR I LEASED IS A TOTAL DUD, BUT I HOPE THESE REPORTS HELP OTHERS WITH SIMILAR ISSUES.

NHTSA ODI 10763696

Aug 31, 2015Steering

I SAT IN THE CAR, HAD NOT STARTED IT YET, AND A "POWER STEERING MALFUNCTION, SEE OPERATORS MANUAL" WARNING IN RED WAS ON DASHBOARD SCREEN, AND ANOTHER SMALLER RED INDICATOR LIGHT OF A STEERING WHEEL WAS ON IN THE SPEEDOMETER AREA. STARTED THE CAR AND THE WARNINGS REMAINED. SHUT IT OFF AND IMMEDIATELY RESTARTED AND THE WARNINGS REMAINED. STARTING DRIVING THE CAR AND THE POWER STEERING WAS INDEED OUT. I HAD GREAT DIFFICULTY TRYING TO STEER, ESPECIALLY UNDER 5MPH. DROVE ABOUT A MILE AND THEN PARKED AND SHUT THE CAR OFF. CAME BACK ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER, RESTARTED THE CAR AND THE WARNINGS WERE GONE AND STEERING WAS BACK TO NORMAL.

NHTSA ODI 10760375

Aug 7, 2015Seats

UNABLE TO MOVE DRIVER'S POWER SEAT FORWARD INTO SAFE OPERATING POSITION. HAD TO DRIVE CAR BY SITTING ON FRONT EDGE OF THE SEAT. BROUGHT TO DEALER FOR SERVICE AND SEAT OPERATION WAS RESTORED TO NORMAL AFTER A SOFTWARE RESTORE/RESET. SERVICE CONSULTANT COULD PROVIDE NO DEFINITE INFORMATION AS TO WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THE NEXT DAY IN THE MORNING, THE PROBLEM REOCCURED. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM THAT CANNOT BE REPAIRED. IT IS A BRAND NEW VEHICLE AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT AFFECTS OTHER VEHICLES.

NHTSA ODI 10747042

Aug 4, 2015Transmission & drivetrain

I WAS DRIVING ON A RURAL BACK ROAD AT 30 MILES, THE POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING. A WARNING APPEARED SAYING "MALFUNCTION OF POWER STEERING". I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME, ABOUT ONE MILE, BUT WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY. I CALLED MERCEDES BENZ. THEY SENT A TOW TRUCK AND TOWED AUTO TO WESTWOOD MERCEDES IN WESTWOOD, MA. I WAS INFORMED IT WAS A SOFTWARE PROBLEM AND IT HAD BEEN REPROGRAMMED.

NHTSA ODI 10746018

Jul 22, 2015Body & structure

MY VEHICLE, A 2015 MERCEDES-BENZ C300 PURCHASED ON 6/6/15 WITH APPROXIMATELY 1200 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. ON MONDAY MORNING 7/20/15, AT APPROXIMATELY 5:30 AM PDT, I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THE INTERIOR LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE DRIVERS DOOR POPPED OPEN. THERE WAS NO WARNING CHIME OR INDICATOR LIGHT PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING. IT WAS VERY FRIGHTENING, AND CAUGHT ME BY SURPRISE. LUCKILY AT THE TIME THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS NEAR ME. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN AND SHUT THE DOOR. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY WERE CONCERNED AND HAD ME DROP IT OFF THAT AFTERNOON. PICKED UP ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON 7/21/15 APPROXIMATELY 5:30 PM PDT. I WAS TOLD THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE DOOR OPENING. HOWEVER, LOOKING AT FORUMS ON THE INTERNET, THIS EXACT ISSUE HAS BEEN REPORTED BY OTHERS IN THE US AND AUSTRALIA AT LEAST. SOME WERE THE DRIVERS DOOR OTHERS WERE THE PASSENGERS DOOR. ONE REPORTED IT HAPPENING A SECOND TIME AFTER THE DEALER INSPECTED. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS HAPPENING AGAIN, AND POSSIBLY TRIGGERING AN AIR BAG OR AUTO-PARK. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS CAR. I HAVE CONTACTED MERCEDES-BENZ USA VIA CHAT THIS MORNING 7/22/15 AND THEY WILL HAVE A CASE MANAGER CONTACT ME.

NHTSA ODI 10735682

Jul 15, 2015Steering

ELECTRONIC CONTROLLED STEERING FAILED. I COULD NOT STEER VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 10734153

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Working with the data? Download all 435 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 25, 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 2015 Mercedes-benz C-class Hybrid verdict →