2009 Mercedes Benz C300 Steering Problems
Owners have filed 136 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2009 Mercedes Benz C300, 24% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 74,200 miles. The words owners use most often: “steering lock” (44% of reports).
- 136steering complaints
- 74,200median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $1,750typical repair cost reported by owners
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Steering lock: mentioned in 60 of 136 complaints (44%)
- Key ignition: mentioned in 24 of 136 complaints (18%)
- Wheel locked: mentioned in 15 of 136 complaints (11%)
- Won start: mentioned in 7 of 136 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical steering repair on the 2009 Mercedes Benz C300 at $1,750, and half of them between $1,650 and $1,950.
Based on 18 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2013–2025), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 113 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
None of the 136 complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Mercedes-Benz C300 steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 C300 | 1 | 4% | — |
| 2020 C300 | 2 | 6% | — |
| 2019 C300 | 5 | 7% | 30,253 |
| 2018 C300 | 12 | 12% | 57,000 |
| 2017 C300 | 13 | 6% | 25,000 |
| 2016 C300 | 13 | 5% | 54,405 |
| 2015 C300 | 23 | 6% | 40,000 |
| 2014 C300 | 13 | 14% | 47,582 |
| 2013 C300 | 26 | 10% | 68,031 |
| 2012 C300 | 8 | 3% | 92,000 |
| 2011 C300 | 34 | 7% | 82,000 |
| 2010 C300 | 71 | 16% | 71,517 |
| 2009 C300 | 136 | 24% | 74,200 |
| 2008 C300 | 136 | 20% | 90,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists steering for the 2009 Mercedes Benz C300. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The problem is that the steering wheel locking mechanism has failed. The vehicle could not be started or driven. It required a flatbed tow to an authorized Mercedes repair facility. It was diagnosed as the steering mechanism, requiring replacement. The cost for this repair is $1400.00. I researched…
I drove my car to get lunch. Came back out to go back to work and the car would not start. Would not even turn over. My Radio did not turn on and I couldn't even roll my windows back up. Luckily they were only cracked open a small amount. My steering wheel cannot be turned, it's locked in it's…
The entire rear subframe of any W205 body model including but not limited to the C class from 2009-2014, CL class, SL, class ETC. suffers admittedly from MB USA, premature rust, deterioration etc. there is an active recall for these same models in Canada and all of Europe but not the USA. My garage…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2009 Mercedes Benz C300s have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 136 owner complaints about steering for the 2009 Mercedes Benz C300 (24% of the 576 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2009 Mercedes Benz C300 steering?
No recall currently lists steering for this vehicle.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 74,200 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix steering problems on the 2009 Mercedes Benz C300?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,750 (half paid between $1,650 and $1,950), from 18 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 2009 Mercedes Benz C300?
The most frequent phrase is “steering lock”, in 60 of 136 complaints, followed by “key ignition” (24).
Other 2009 Mercedes Benz C300 problems
- Electrical System problems (198)
- Air Bags problems (182)
- Exterior Lighting problems (118)
See all 2009 Mercedes Benz C300 problems or steering problems across all C300 years.