2008 Mercedes Benz C300 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other C300 years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 19 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 7 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 672 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Mercedes Benz C300. That is the most of any C300 model year in the database (19 years). The most reported problem area is air bags (270 complaints, 40%), typically at around 78,250 miles. Complaints mention 20 crashes, 16 fires, 27 injuries. There are 7 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
- 672owner complaints
- 7safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 20complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2008 Mercedes Benz C300 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags problems | 270 | 40% | 78,250 | “takata numbers” (16%) | — |
| Electrical System problems | 228 | 34% | 79,000 | “steering lock” (17%) | $2,100 |
| Steering problems | 136 | 20% | 90,000 | “steering lock” (41%) | $1,800 |
| Exterior Lighting problems | 108 | 16% | 70,500 | “rear tail” (25%) | $700 |
| Unknown or Other | 38 | 6% | 78,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 31 | 5% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 22 | 3% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 17 | 3% | 108,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 16 | 2% | 66,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 15 | 2% | 72,500 | — | — |
| Suspension | 12 | 2% | 103,839 | — | — |
| Structure | 9 | 1% | 66,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 | 1% | 16,915 | — | — |
| Tires | 5 | 1% | 3,800 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 1% | 110,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 1% | 94,549 | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 0% | 94,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 0% | 100,001 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 0% | 66,287 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 0% | 48,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 0% | 94,000 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 0% | 84,756 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 0% | 28,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 0% | 140,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2008 Mercedes Benz C300 recalls (7)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Exterior lighting:lighting control module:software; engine and engine cooling:engine:engine control module (ecu/ecm):software; electronic stability control (esc):control module:software
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2010 E350, 2014 G550, 2008-2009 C300, 2008 C350, 2009 CLK550, 2007 SL550, SLK280, and 2008 SLK350 vehicles. Various control units may have been updated with incorrect software configuration during a service repair. This can result in various system failures, such as loss of drive power, reduced exterior lighting, or loss of dynamic control functions, including stability and traction control.
Risk: Various system failures, such as loss of drive power, reduced exterior lighting, or loss of dynamic control functions including stability and traction control, can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the software configuration on the affected control units, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 3, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2022040003.
Electrical system:software; air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 AMG GT-S, GLC300, CLA250 and GLE300d 4Matic vehicles, 2013 C250, E350 BlueTec and G63 AMG vehicles, 2008-2014 C300 vehicles, 2013-2014 C300 4Matic and ML350 4Matic vehicles, 2009 C350 vehicles, 2014 CLS550, E350 4Matic, E350 Coupe 4Matic, E350 Wagon 4Matic, GLK350 and SL550 vehicles, 2012 CLS550 4Matic vehicles, 2012-2016 E350 vehicles, 2016-2017 GL450 4Matic vehicles, 2012-2014 ML350 4Matic BlueTec vehicles, 2015 S550, S550 4Matic and C300 4Matic Sedan vehicles, 2015-2016 C300 Sedan vehicles, and 2017 SL63 AMG vehicles. Various control units on these vehicles may have been updated with incorrect software, potentially affecting the correct deployment of the air bags in the event of a crash.
Risk: If the air bags do not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, there would be an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will update software in the affected control units, free of charge. The recall began April 21, 2017. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2012 C300 4Matic, C250, C250 Coupe, C350, C350 Coupe 4Matic, C350 Coupe, C63 AMG, C63 AMG Coupe, E350 Coupe 4Matic, E350 Cabrio, E350 Coupe, E550 Cabrio, E550 Coupe, GLK350 4Matic, GLK350, SLS AMG Cabrio, and SLS AMG Coupe vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above MBUSA is recalling certain 2009 C300 4Matic, C300, C350 and C63 AMG vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above MBUSA is recalling certain 2008 C300 4Matic, C300, and C350 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag modules, free of charge. Owners were sent an interim notification in March 2017. Second notices started going out in October 2018 and continue to be mailed as parts become available. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-877-496-3691
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 C300 Sedan, C300 4matic Sedan, C350 Sedan, C63 AMG Sedan vehicles, 2010-2011 GLK350, GLK350 4-Matic and E350 Coupe vehicles, 2011 SLS AMG, E350 Convertible, E550 Coupe and E550 Convertible vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, MBUSA is recalling certain model year 2008 C300 Sedan, C350 Sedan, C63 AMG Sedan and C300 4-Matic Sedan vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Vehicles not originally sold or ever registered in either Zones A or B are not subject to this safety recall. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag modules, free of charge. Owners were sent an interim notification October 2016. A second notice will be mailed when remedy parts are available. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-877-496-3691.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 ML320 BlueTec 4Matic, GL320 BlueTec 4Matic and R320 CDI 4Matic, 2011 E350 Cabriolet and E550 Cabriolet, 2009-2011 ML350, ML350 4Matic, ML550 4Matic, ML63 AMG, and C63 AMG, 2010-2011 ML450 4Matic Hybrid, E350 Coupe, E350 4Matic, E550 Coupe, E550 4Matic, and E63 AMG, 2011-2012 GL350 BlueTec 4Matic and R350 BlueTec 4Matic, 2009-2012 GL450 4Matic, GL550 4Matic and R350 4Matic, 2007-2008 SLK280, SLK350, and SLK55 AMG, 2011-2014 SLS AMG Coupe, 2012 SLS AMG Cabriolet, 2013-2014 SLS AMG GT and SLS AMG GT Cabriolet, 2005 C230 Kompressor and C320, 2006-2007 C230, 2006-2011 C350, 2008-2011 C300 and C300 4Matic, 2010-2012 GLK350 and GLK350 4Matic and 2007-2008 Chrysler Crossfire vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: MBUSA will their notify owners, and Fiat Chrysler will notify the affected Chrysler owners. Dealers for the respective brands will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. This recall began November 2016. Mercedes-Benz owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372 and Chrysler owners may contact Fiat Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.
Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2008-2009 C300 Sedan, C300 4Matic, C63 AMG, and C350 vehicles, and 2010 GLK350 and GLK350 4Matic vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the air bag control unit may corrode and cause the control unit to malfunction.
Risk: The malfunctioning air bag control unit may cause the air bags to unexpectedly deploy increasing the risk of injury and the possibility of a vehicle crash. Alternatively, the air bag control unit malfunction may cause the air bags to not deploy in the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, increasing the risk of occupant injury.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air bag control unit and replace it, as necessary, free of charge. Mercedes-Benz issued an interim notification to owners on December 23, 2015. The recall began on March 14, 2016. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Exterior lighting:tail lights
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (Mercedes) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 C300, C300 4Matic, C350, and C63 AMG vehicles manufactured January 26, 2007, through July 13, 2011. In the affected vehicles, a poor electrical ground connection may result in the dimming or failure of the tail lights.
Risk: Dimming or failure of the tail lights reduces the ability to warn other motorists of the driver's intentions of stopping or turning, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Mercedes will notify owners, and dealers will replace the bulb holders if not previously updated and replace any corroded connectors, free of charge. The recall began on August, 18, 2014. Owners may contact Mercedes at 1-800-367-6372.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture (EA21002) — opened Sep 17, 2021, still open.
- Loss of rear lighting assembly (EA13008) — opened Dec 20, 2013, closed May 12, 2014, led to recall 14V177000.
- Loss of rear tail light functionality (PE13026) — opened Jul 11, 2013, closed Dec 30, 2013.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, attempting to stop, the vehicle failed to respond as intended and causing the contact to drive through a stop sign, then merge onto the interstate independently. The driver's side rear tire was…
The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while at the car wash and attempting to wash the vehicle, there was popping sound coming from the vehicle, and the contact saw smoke coming from the speakers and called the Fire Department however, no damages were found. The vehicle was…
Certified Mercedes dealership confirmed that the subframe of my 2008 C300 is rusted and needs to be replaced which is under warranty. However, they are unwilling and do not acknowledge that the brake lines are also rusted and need to be replaced which is CAUSED by the rusted subframe. I first…
The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that upon turning off the vehicle, there was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the following day, the vehicle failed to start after several attempts and…
The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle slowed down independently and lost automotive power. The contact stated that the vehicle remained in the intersection while awaiting tow services. The contact stated…
Other Mercedes Benz C300 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 C300 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 C300 | 4 | 2 |
| 2024 C300 | 11 | 3 |
| 2023 C300 | 22 | 9 |
| 2022 C300 | 25 | 9 |
| 2021 C300 | 14 | 7 |
| 2020 C300 | 33 | 9 |
| 2019 C300 | 69 | 17 |
| 2018 C300 | 99 | 18 |
| 2017 C300 | 216 | 15 |
| 2016 C300 | 288 | 13 |
| 2015 C300 | 381 | 11 |
| 2014 C300 | 94 | 5 |
| 2013 C300 | 261 | 6 |
| 2012 C300 | 266 | 6 |
| 2011 C300 | 480 | 6 |
| 2010 C300 | 453 | 6 |
| 2009 C300 | 576 | 8 |
| 2008 | 672 | 7 |
See all Mercedes Benz C300 problems by year, every Mercedes Benz model, or the Mercedes Benz VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Mercedes Benz C300?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, steering problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 270 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Mercedes Benz C300?
Yes, 7 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2008 Mercedes Benz C300 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other C300 model years, the 2008 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.