What 125 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Mercedes-benz C-class

In August 2024, a Mercedes-Benz dealership in Salisbury, MD installed the wrong type of rear tires on my vehicle. I was not informed they were mismatched or inappropriate for my vehicle. I later drove across the country with my infant child in the backseat, believing the tires were new and safe. On April 17, 2025, a certified tire shop in Texas (Discount Tire) inspected the tires and told me they were not suitable for my car and were already too old to be considered new — despite having been installed just 8 months earlier. They refused to buy them back or reinstall them due to the age and mismatch. Additionally, the dealership had earlier failed to correctly diagnose my ABS system, citing water damage but doing no further inspection. They also missed a major coolant leak and water pump failure, despite charging me for multiple diagnostics. Their negligence in both diagnosis and tire installation directly put me and my child at serious safety risk, especially while traveling long distance at highway speeds.

NHTSA ODI 11663518

I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 1, AT ABOUT 45 MPH, ON MY WAY TO WORK IN A LIGHT RAIN. I MAY HAVE JUST TRANSITIONED INTO THE #1 LANE OF TRAFFIC AS I WAS ABOUT 500 FEET FROM THE RED LEFT TURN SIGNAL LIGHT WHERE I MAKE MY NORMAL TURN. I JUST REMEMBER MY CAR SUDDENLY HYDROPLANED ACROSS THE DOUBLE YELLOW LINE INTO THE ONCOMING LANES OF TRAFFIC AND HITTING THE OPPOSITE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. MY CAR ENDED UP IN A DITCH. LUCKILY IT HAPPENED AT ABOUT 0630 IN THE MORNING AND NO ONE WAS INJURED AS THIS IS A BUSY ROADWAY. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE CENTER TREAD AREA OF MY TIRES WAS BALD, BUT THE OUTER TREAD STILL HAD TREAD ON IT. I BOUGHT MY CAR BRAND NEW 14 MONTHS AGO FROM MERCEDES. ONLY MY WIFE AND I HAVE DRIVEN IT. THE CAR ONLY HAS 16,000 MILES AND THE TIRES SHOULD NOT BE IN THIS CONDITION. I BROUGHT IT BACK TO MERCEDES AND THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THEY SEE THIS A LOT WITH THESE TIRES, WHICH SHOULD ONLY LAST 12,000 MILES! THIS IS ABSOLUTE NONSENSE. AND IT DOES NOT MATCH THE TIRE MANUFACTURERS CLAIM ON THEIR WEBSITE. IN THE MERCEDES SERVICE AREA IS A 3D DISPLAY SHOWING HOW LOW TREAD CAUSES HYDROPLANING! I CONTINUE TO DRIVE THIS SAME STRETCH OF ROAD TO WORK. I NOW NOTICED IT IS ACTUALLY ON A SLIGHT INCLINE, AND THERE IS NO AREA WHERE WATER WOULD POOL, CAUSING ME TO HYDROPLANE. I BELIEVE THERE IS A SERIOUS DEFECT IN THESE TIRES. HAD CIRCUMSTANCES BEEN SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT (CLOSER TO BIG TREES, HAD I BEEN GOING FASTER, HAD THERE BEEN PEDESTRIANS, HAD THERE BEEN OTHER CARS ON THE ROADWAY) THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A FATAL OR VERY SERIOUS INJURY COLLISION. CHP & FIRE ARRIVED ON SCENE, BUT I DID NOT REQUEST A POLICE REPORT. THERE IS A RECORD IN THEIR DISPATCH CALL.

NHTSA ODI 11291914

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 MERCEDES-BENZ C63S EQUIPPED WITH MICHELIN PILOT SPORT TIRES, SIZE: 285/30/ZR19 (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE IT WAS TOWED TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF CHANTILLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TIRE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 16,077 AND THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000. THE DOT NUMBER WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11268993

CONTINENTAL CONTISPORTCONTACT SSR TIRES SIDE WALL RIP/TEAR (MERCEDES BENZ), THIS IS THE FORTH REPLACED TIRES, COMPLAINED SEVERAL TIMES AND FALLS ON DEATHS EARS. MY CONCERN IF A MAJOR CRASH DO TO THE TIRES THEN WHO IS AT FAULT. REPLACING IT SEVERAL TIMES IS NOT THE ANSWER. TAKING THESE TIRES OFF THE ROAD WILL SAVES LIVES. CAR ONLY HAS 6000 MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ODI 11202678

2 BLOWOUTS, 1 TIRE SHREDDED, 1 VALVE STEM LEAK. BLOW OUT AT 11, 800 MILES.

NHTSA ODI 11196193