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

The sunroof panel being cracked on this car is a well known and documented issue. There have been several recalls for it just not on my specific model. Yet I’m just like them, stuck with a broken in half sunroof panel that let water seep in and ruin my sunroof twice now, and the only fix is to pay $4500. This is insanely high for the small panel I’m talking about.

NHTSA ODI 11751245

Car was pulling to one side. Replaced the front routers and breaks. Problem still persisted. After more investigating the subframe was found to be rusting out, Mercedes of New London CT said it was unsafe to drive. But allowed my daughter to drive it home. This car was purchased it brand new from Mercedes=Benz of Warwick. The car was garaged all it life. This should not happen. They have had recalls and problems with this model just not this one. My concern is the safety of those driving this model clearly the problem was not solved. Please make Mercedes notify people driving this model, that there is a known subframe corrosion issue.

NHTSA ODI 11750145

My 2015 C300 W205 failed at its state inspection today due to a rusted through rear subframe. I understand that the W204 warranty on this was extended to 20 years/unlimited miles but the W205 was not. I have contacted Mercedes customer care for a potential goodwill repair since this seems to be a known issue with class actions pending. This should not be failing and it’s unclear why Mercedes did not include all models with the same design in its extended warranty. The costs could be up to $7k.

NHTSA ODI 11741830

The rear of the car would begin to slip during turns and when brakes were applied. When I had the issue checked out, my mechanic said that the rear subframe has severe corrosion, rust and holes. The subframe perforation is causing instability in the rear wheels, which is a safety issue. I took the car to Mercedes for an inspection and they confirmed the holes in the sub frame,with the inspector stating that the sub frame is "about to fall off". I believe this to be a safety issue as having the wheels or subframe fall off could cause fatalities. This appears to be a manufacturing defect given recalls for the same issue in other models of the 2015 c300. See video of the inspection of my car here: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11734329

The contact owns a 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road. The contact inspected the exterior of the vehicle and became aware that the moon roof panel had detached, and the moon roof panel flew off the vehicle. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V197000 (Structure) in 2021. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under warranty. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 62,612.

NHTSA ODI 11733048

The rear subframe completely rusted out on both sides causing the car to swerve very dangerously to the left when braking. The subframe was diagnosed by the dealer. There was a " collision prevention assist inoperative" warning a week prior the the car noticeably swerving when braking

NHTSA ODI 11724992

The contact owns a 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300. While driving approximately 15 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed, and the body of the vehicle shifted to one side. The vehicle was drivable after the failure. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the residence and parked. The contact stated that due to the failure, the vehicle was unsafe to drive. An independent mechanic was contacted, and it was determined that the rear subframe was corroded. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and it was confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was not available.

NHTSA ODI 11722220

I have been informed by my dealer's service unit that the rear subframe of my car (2015 Mercedes C class) is rusted with holes. My understanding is that this can affect the integrity of the structure and cause problems while driving. According to your website [XXX] ) , this should be covered under a warranty extension. However, Mercedes says that my car is not, and to fill out this form if I believe it should be. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11713745

I took my car for service and they found a rusted rear subframe, with a small hole in it. I was informed that the car was not safe for my annual trip from NJ to FL (about 1000 miles). I was also told that this defect was a recall for cars through 2014. My car is a 2015 and I have the same defective part - which is supposed to be manufactured with rustproof material. I am requesting that this car be recalled and the part replaced by the manufacturer.

NHTSA ODI 11702655

My car’s rear subframe was so badly disintegrated due to severe corrosion. It made the driving so dangerous when braking and nearly caused an head-on collision. I have reported this issue under tracking number 11701609 and would like to provide pictures on the corrosion issue.

NHTSA ODI 11701834

My wife first noticed loud noise from the back of the car when braking. Subsequently, when I drove it one day after, the car lost balance and nearly went into the opposite direction of the road on a two-lane street. The MB dealership later confirmed the problem was a severely corroded rear subframe that needs to be repaired at very significant expense. This is a serious safety issue that could have caused a head-on collision for me and my wife as a passenger on that occasion. I believe this issue warrants a full investigation by the NHTSA. I understand other Mercedes models such as the 2008-2015 C300 (W204) had the same corrosion issue and was under a recall but my car model (W205) was not covered by this recall. Thank you for your attention to this matter. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11701609

Rear subframe rusted out, car is not safe to drive

NHTSA ODI 11698179

I’m the owner of a Mercedes Benz C- Class Sedan 2015. My Rear Sub Frame Rusted Through at The right trailing arm - Fails state inspection. Mercedes Benz has issued a extended 20 year warranty on all vehicles from 2008 - 2015 C - Class Sedan for Rear Sub Frame that rusted out. Mercedes Benz service advisor stated that my vehicle was not under that extended warranty when he run my vehicle Vin number. My vehicle should be under that warranty, I have the same problem with the same vehicles on the list. Please help. Thank you

NHTSA ODI 11695279

The contact owns a 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle for the State Inspection, the contact was informed that the rear subframe was rusted, and there was a hole on each side of the rear subframe. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where an unknown diagnosis was made, and the dealer ordered an unknown part to repair the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but denied assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

NHTSA ODI 11681594

The contact owns a 2015 Mercedes Benz C400. The contact stated that while vehicle was inside a high-pressure car wash, water leaked from the roof panel at the front of the vehicle, nearby the front windshield. The cause of the failure was not yet determined, and the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V854000 (STRUCTURE). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 100,000.

NHTSA ODI 11679248

The contact owns a 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to an independent mechanic for a routine maintenance check, the contact was informed that there was severe corrosion on the subframe of the vehicle. The contact was informed that the vehicle was unsafe to drive and that several failures might occur due to the failure. The contact stated that recently, while depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle swerved, and the contact lost control of the vehicle. Upon investigation, the contact discovered that there was a warranty on the vehicle related to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was informed that the vehicle was no longer covered under the warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

NHTSA ODI 11671701

The contact owns a 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the roof panel detached from the vehicle and fractured. The contact stated that the roof panel had previously been replaced, but the failure occurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was determined that the front roof panel needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V854000 (Structure); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

NHTSA ODI 11669469

The contact owns a 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH and attempting to decelerate, the front end of the vehicle began to drift to the right while the rear drifted to the left. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the rear subframe. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 136,000.

NHTSA ODI 11653394

The contact owns a 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 70 MPH, there was a loud clicking sound coming from the panoramic sunroof. The contact stated that the sunroof then became inoperable. The contact became aware of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V854000 (Structure) and 21V197000 (Structure). The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recalls. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 115,000.

NHTSA ODI 11648819

I took my vehicle to an independent repair shop for routine maintenance and while there I was advised that the vehicle is suffering from the subframe corrosion issue. I called the manufacturer service center and they took my VIN and said I was not covered under the bulletin. The independent contractor gave me an estimate to get it repaired, however Mercedes doesn’t even have the parts needed in stock as they are backed ordered nation wide. This is our only car and it now I am forced to drive an unsafe vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11648255

I had the sunroof opened and it almost blew off, if I didn’t pull over it would have. I took it to the shop and was told it is a manufacturers issue.

NHTSA ODI 11646561

The contact owns a 2015 Mercedes-Benz C63S AMG. The contact stated while driving at 30MPH in a School Zone, pieces of the panoramic sunroof detached. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the panoramic rails of the sunroof needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 42,500.

NHTSA ODI 11636322

The contact owns a 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was a sound of air entering the vehicle from the sunroof. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the entire roof lining needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V854000 (STUCTURE), and 21V197000 (STRUCTURE); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.

NHTSA ODI 11629702

The contact owns a 2015 Mercedes-Benz C400. The contact stated that while the vehicle was being serviced, the contact was informed by the dealer that the rear subframe needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 112,000.

NHTSA ODI 11623121

I believe my car was missed on the panoramic roof issue. I have been hearing a lot of wind and road noise coming into my car from the roof and now my roof is having issues completely closing. A few guys with c300 I know were recalled for the same issue and they had theirs repaired from the dealer under recall and after a few trips to different dealers they told me to try and add it here through the website.

NHTSA ODI 11617653