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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES BENZ C300. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT COASTED OVER TO AN EMERGENCY LANE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,200.

NHTSA ODI 10713916

THE STEERING MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOST POWER. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP WHERE IT BECOME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO MANEUVER THE CAR. I PUT ON MY EMERGENCY INDICATOR AND GOT THE CAR INTO A PARKING LOT AS SAFETY AS I COULD. HAD THIS OCCURRED WHILE I WAS GOING ON A ROAD WITH CURVES OR AT HIGH SPEED, I BELIEVE I COULD HAVE SUFFERED SEVERE BODILY INJURY. I CALLED MBRACE TO GET MY CAR TOWED. WHEN I TURNED MY CAR BACK ON AFTER APPROXIMATELY 5 MINS, THE ERROR WAS GONE AND IT WAS CLOSE TO 7PM AND THE SERVICE CENTER FOR THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THIS CAR FROM WAS CLOSED. I DROPPED OFF THE CAR AT THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT MORNING. TODAY IS THE SECOND DAY AND MY DEALERSHIP TELLS ME THAT THEY OPENED A CASE WITH MERCEDES AS THEIR WAS A FAULTY CODE IN THE STEERING ELECTRICAL BOX AND THEY WERE ADVISED BY MERCEDES TO SIMPLY RESET THE BOX AND DRIVE THE CAR FOR SOME TIME. HOWEVER THEY COULD NOT TELL ME WHY IT HAPPENED AND WHETHER THE RESET WILL PREVENT THE OCCURRENCE OF THE STEERING WHEEL MALFUNCTION AGAIN. I REFUSED TO TAKE A CAR BACK UNTIL ITS SAFETY IS PROVEN. THE DEALERSHIP IS KEEPING THE CAR UNTIL THEY HEAR FROM MERCEDES WHICH ACCORDING TO THEM COULD TAKE A FEW DAYS TO A WEEK+. I PURCHASED THIS CAR APPROXIMATELY 3 WEEKS AGO AND TO HAVE A MAJOR ISSUE WITH MY CAR WITH AND THE DEALERSHIP AND MERCEDES TO PROVIDE NO CONFIDENCE IN THE SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE IS EXTREMELY APPALLING. ......UPDATED 12/17/15 *BF *TR UPDATED 10/11/2017*CN

NHTSA ODI 10712765

1. WARNING LIGHT "INOPERATIVE COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS" COMES UP ON THE DISPLAY ON & OFF WHEN DRIVING. CAR WAS SENT TO SERVICE ON 4/22 BUT DIDN'T DUPLICATE THE ISSUE. CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME ON 4/23. 2. ON 4/24, WARNING LIGHT "INOPERATIVE COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS" COMES UP AGAIN PLUS THE YELLOW "ENGINE LIGHT". *TR

NHTSA ODI 10712755

VIBRATION AT HIGH SPEED AROUND 70 M/H. VIBRATION DURING WARM UP AFTER A COLD START. NOISE COMING OUT FROM UNKNOWN PARTS POSSIBLY SUSPENSION WHEN RUNNING OVER BUMPS AT LOW SPEED AROUND 7 M/H. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10705070

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES BENZ C300. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE STABILITY CONTROL INACTIVE, COLLISION PREVENTIVE ASSISTANCE INACTIVE, AND CRUISE CONTROL INACTIVE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE RADAR SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000.

NHTSA ODI 10700580

I RECEIVE WARNING AFTER I PASS 5 MPH SPEED IF ANY OF THE PASSENGER DOORS OR TRUNK IS OPEN. THE CAR NEEDS TO NOTIFY ME AS SOON AS IT GOES INTO DRIVE MODE. MANUFACTURERS RESPONSE HAS BEEN QUOTED BELOW. "WE TESTED A C300 HERE. IF THE DRIVER DOOR IS OPEN, THERE IS AN IMMEDIATE MESSAGE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PUT IN GEAR (FORWARD OR REVERSE). HOWEVER, ALL OTHER DOORS RECEIVE A MESSAGE AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH. MERCEDES-BENZ RECOMMENDS THAT THE DRIVER MAKE SURE ALL PASSENGERS ARE IN SEATBELTS AND THE DOORS ARE SECURED. " *TR

NHTSA ODI 10694600

## VIN PASSED ## MERCEDESCOLLISION AVOIDANCE DISENGAGED SCREEN POPPED UP, STOPPED VEHICLE AT STOP SIGN, THEN A DELAY IN ACCELERATION HAPPENED LEAVING US SUSPENDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WHERE WE WERE ALMOST HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. GAS WOULD ONLY ENGAGE AFTER 10 SECOND DELAY AFTER I APPLIED CONSTANT PRESSURE. AT THE SAME TIME, THE IGNITION SWITCH IS NOT ENGAGING. I HAD TO PRESS THE START BUTTON FIVE TIMES TO FINALLY START THE VEHICLE ONCE I PULLED OVER AND TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 10690164

ON 11/1/14 I FILED A COMPLAINT ABOUT SAFETY ISSUES WITH MY NEW 2015 MERCEDES, C300 (ODI # 10664470) THAT PERTAINED TO DEBRIS ENTERING THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FROM THE TOP, NEAR THE WINDSHIELD, AND OTHER ISSUES WITH THE COMMAND "RADIO", "TOUCH PAD" & KEYLESS ENTRY LOCKING SYSTEMS. I UNDERSTAND THESE SYSTEMS ARE NOT PROPRIETARY TO MERCEDES AND SO ARE IN MANY OTHER LUXURY MODELS. I'VE REC'D NO FEEDBACK FROM THE DAIMLER CORP OR FROM YOUR OFFICE. NOW A NEW ISSUE DEVELOPED WHERE THE KEYLESS GO WOULDN'T ALLOW ME TO EITHER ENTER THE VEHICLE OR SOUND THE "PANIC" ALARM. THE COMPANY DOESN'T KNOW HOW OR WHY THIS COULD HAPPEN OR HOW TO FIX IT. I'M ESPECIALLY CONCERNED WITH THE INABILITY TO USE THE PANIC BUTTON, WHICH IS THERE IN CASE OF A CRIMINAL OR MEDICAL EMERGENCY. WHAT A SURPRISE WHEN YOU GO FOR IT AND IT DOESN'T WORK. THERE IS NO BACK UP SHOULD THE BATTERY FAIL TO WORK. I BELIEVE THIS IS ANOTHER SAFETY ISSUE WITH THIS CAR AND WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOUR OFFICE WOULD TAKE ME SERIOUSLY AND CONTACT ME BEFORE SOMEONE IS INJURED OR KILLED.. THANK YOU.. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10682327

I STARTED THE ENGINE AND THE POWER STEERING FAILURE WARNING CAME ON. TRUE ENOUGH, IT WAS A STRUGGLE TO STEER MY CAR BACK HOME - I WAS JUST 3 MINUTES AWAY FROM HOME. THE CAR WAS TOWED THE NEXT MORNING TO AUTOHAUS ON EDENS IN NORTHBROOK, IL. I DID A GOOGLE SEARCH AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM IN EUROPE SINCE DEC 2014. I WAS SHOCKED THAT OWNERS IN THE US WERE NOT WARNED OF THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM AND THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL ISSUED. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY, IT LIKELY WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND MY SAFETY COULD HAVE BEEN JEOPARDIZED. I WOULD LIKE OTHER OWNERS OF THE 2015 MERCEDES BENZ C CLASS TO BE ALERTED TO THIS POTENTIALLY SERIOUS MECHANICAL PROBLEM AND THE NHSTA TO INVESTIGATE WHY THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL ISSUED IN THE US......UPDATED 12/17/15 *BF BOTH AXLES FRONT AXLES HAD TO REPLACED.

NHTSA ODI 10679748

SOON AFTER PURCHASING MERCEDES, DISCOVERED THE FOLLOWING POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SAFETY ISSUES (ALL OF THESE FEATURES ARE STANDARD): 1) NEW "KEYLESS-GO LOCKING SYSTEM IS FACTORY PROGRAMMED TO UNLOCK ALL DOORS WHEN KEY IS IN OWNER'S POSSESSION & REAR DRIVER'S DOOR HANDLE IS TOUCHED, ALLOWING INTRUDER(S) TO EASILY ENTER OTHER SIDE OF VEHICLE. 2) NEW COMMAND/COMPUTER/TOUCH PAD SYSTEM, CONTROLS VARIOUS OPERATIONAL FUNCTIONS, LIKE RADIO, ENCOURAGING DRIVER TO TAKE EYES OFF THE ROAD TO OPERATE. TOUCHPAD REQUIRES DRIVER TO MAKE "MOUSE-LIKE" ACTIONS ON COMPUTER PAD (LOCATED ON CONSOLE) WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY DRIVING. 3) NEW AIR FLOW & VENT SYSTEM, CIRCULATES AIR FROM GRILL TO WINDSHIELD, ALLOWING LEAVES & OTHER DEBRIS, INCL. WATER, TO ENTER ENGINE COMPARTMENT AT THE TOP OF HOOD. DEBRIS LODGED HERE COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN OVERHEATING & CAUSE FIRE OR RESULT IN DAMAGE TO WIRING AND/OR OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE ENGINE. 4) LETTERS (W/PICTURES) SENT TO MBUSA, CEO, RESULTED IN PHONE CALLS FROM SUBORDINATE STAFF, REJECTING OUTRIGHT EACH COMPLAINT BUT ADVISING THAT DEBRIS IN ENGINE AREA IS "NORMAL" & CUSTOMER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO REMOVE. LETTER TO DAIMLER'S CEO IN GERMANY WAS REFERRED BACK TO MBUSA. 5) ASKING FOR YOUR INTERVENTION BEFORE THESE PROBLEMS POTENTIALLY RESULT IN INJURY OR FATALITY. IF THIS IS NOT THE OFFICE TO INVESTIGATE & INTERVENE, PLEASE FORWARD TO THE CORRECT AGENCY & ADVISE ACCORDINGLY. CAN PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFO. ON REQUEST. THANK YOU... *TR

NHTSA ODI 10664470