2015 Mercedes-Benz C300 Engine Problems
Owners have filed 127 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300, 33% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 53,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “crankcase ventilation” (22% of reports).
- 127engine complaints
- 53,000median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $1,700typical repair cost reported by owners
- 47%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Crankcase ventilation: mentioned in 28 of 127 complaints (22%)
- Code P052E: mentioned in 14 of 127 complaints (11%)
- Vent valve: mentioned in 9 of 127 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300 at $1,700, and half of them between $1,250 and $2,250.
Based on 8 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2021–2025), 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 engine problems happen?
Based on 35 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 127 complaints, 1 a fire.
Mercedes-Benz C300 engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 C300 | 2 | 18% | — |
| 2023 C300 | 2 | 9% | 3,900 |
| 2022 C300 | 2 | 8% | — |
| 2021 C300 | 8 | 57% | 87,039 |
| 2020 C300 | 8 | 24% | 77,500 |
| 2019 C300 | 17 | 25% | 5,350 |
| 2018 C300 | 34 | 34% | 14,000 |
| 2017 C300 | 77 | 36% | 36,000 |
| 2016 C300 | 93 | 32% | 23,750 |
| 2015 C300 | 127 | 33% | 53,000 |
| 2014 C300 | 2 | 2% | — |
| 2013 C300 | 8 | 3% | 75,000 |
| 2012 C300 | 5 | 2% | 53,000 |
| 2011 C300 | 10 | 2% | 78,000 |
| 2010 C300 | 13 | 3% | 70,000 |
| 2009 C300 | 16 | 3% | 70,000 |
| 2008 C300 | 31 | 5% | 80,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Electrical system:starter assembly; engine and engine cooling:engine
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2015-2017 C300 4Matic, C300, CLA250, CLA250 4Matic and CLA45 AMG vehicles, 2017 C300 4Matic Cabrio, C300 4Matic Coupe, C300 Cabrio, C300 Coupe, E300, E300 4Matic, E400 4Matic Wagon, E43 AMG 4Matic, GLA250, GLA250 4Matic and GLC300 4Matic Coupe vehicles and 2016 C350e and GLC300 vehicles and 2016-2017 C450 4Matic AMG Sport and GLC300 4Matic vehicles. In the event that the engine or transmission cannot turn over, the starting current limiter may overheat from the repeated attempts of the starter motor attempting to start the vehicle.
Risk: If the starting current limiter overheats, the surrounding components can melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional fuse in the electrical line to the starter, free of charge. The recall began August 31, 2017. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2017080002.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly veered to the left. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel became inoperable, and the contact was unable to straighten the steering wheel. The…
Check Engine light came on recently, fault code P052E is identified by scanner. Car has 60,000 miles on original it. MB dealer wants to charge $300 for diagnostics, repair job (parts and labor) may cost over $2,000. Since this is critical emission compliance part/system, why is it not recalling?
The contact owns a 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that approximately every 6-8 months, the vehicle sputtered while driving at various speeds or while idling. The contact stated that a month after the first failure had occurred, the front end of the vehicle lowered as if the shocks or…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300s have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 127 owner complaints about engine for the 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300 (33% of the 381 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 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300 engine?
Yes: 1 safety recall list engine. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 53,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,700 (half paid between $1,250 and $2,250), from 8 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300?
The most frequent phrase is “crankcase ventilation”, in 28 of 127 complaints, followed by “code p052e” (14).
Other 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300 problems
See all 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300 problems or engine problems across all C300 years.