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What 26 owners told NHTSA about the 2022 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 (26)Crash / fire / injury (2)Fuel system (8)Electrical system (7)Driver assistance (5)Backup camera & sensors (3)Lane Departure (3)Brakes (2)Engine (2)Body & structure (1)Lights (1)Seat belts (1)

1 of 26 complaints match · Lights · clear filters

Oct 6, 2022Lights

Starting from the date I purchased the car, I realized dark shadows (always there) below the headlight line closer to the left and mid zone at the low beam. These shadows are actually formed within the illumination zone as if something is blocking them. I took it to the authorized Mercedes service (Hartford, New Country Mercedes-Benz, CT) and they confirmed the shadows. They told me that there are dust and scratches within the headlights, and they replaced the headlights (repair invoice is attached). However, the shadows are still present, and the service is now telling me that these shadows are normal and part of the light pattern and "vehicle is operating as designed and properly". To get a second opinion, I took it to another authorized Mercedes service at Springfield, MA (see attached service record), they also acknowledged the shadows, but they keep telling me that it is operating normally. These shadows are formed within the field of view and making blind spots on the road and every time I see them it feels like there is something on the road on that spot. Shadows very distracting and I am very concerned about my and others' safety while driving at night. I have driven several cars before and never experienced anything like this. My attempts to communicate with the manufacturer (Mercedes-Benz USA) also have been unsuccessful. No response to e-mails, and the person I have talked on the phone was disinterested in my concern. I have attached real-life images, a diagram showing the shadows’ locations along with repair invoices from both Hartford, CT and Springfield, MA Mercedes-Benz services. The car is available for inspection if requested.

NHTSA ODI 11488284

Working with the data? Download all 26 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 2022 Mercedes-benz C-class Hybrid verdict →