Mercedes-Benz C300 Service Brakes Problems
Owners have filed 118 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes problems on the Mercedes-Benz C300 across 17 model years. The 2009 model year has the most (19). The words owners use most often: “brake lines” (13% of reports).
- 118service brakes complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 15mention a crash
- 6mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 30%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.
- Brake lines: mentioned in 15 of 118 complaints (13%)
- Rear subframe: mentioned in 13 of 118 complaints (11%)
At what mileage do service brakes problems happen?
Based on 52 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 118 complaints, 15 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 6 an injury.
Mercedes-Benz C300 service brakes complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 C300 | 1 | 25% | — |
| 2024 C300 | 3 | 27% | — |
| 2023 C300 | 5 | 23% | 2,000 |
| 2022 C300 | 2 | 8% | 20,000 |
| 2020 C300 | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2019 C300 | 6 | 9% | 3,525 |
| 2018 C300 | 2 | 2% | 37,518 |
| 2017 C300 | 2 | 1% | 3,000 |
| 2016 C300 | 9 | 3% | 7,000 |
| 2015 C300 | 9 | 2% | 19,000 |
| 2014 C300 | 2 | 2% | — |
| 2013 C300 | 15 | 6% | 36,500 |
| 2012 C300 | 12 | 5% | 96,000 |
| 2011 C300 | 9 | 2% | 10,000 |
| 2010 C300 | 6 | 1% | 93,000 |
| 2009 C300 | 19 | 3% | 54,000 |
| 2008 C300 | 15 | 2% | 72,500 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists service brakes for the 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 contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle felt like it had shifted sideways. The contact stated that it seemed as if the steering wheel and the front driver's seat had shifted. In addition, the contact stated that while…
The contact owns a 2015 Mercedes C300. The contact stated that the driver's side rear brakes and rotors were rusted. The contact stated that when the brakes were applied, they were slow to respond. The TPMS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a braking center, which declined the…
Vehicle is new to me as of jan 6, 2026. The brakes are spongy, but when the car shifts from d3 to d2, it releases and unless i press the brake again it would glide into an intersection or into the vehicle in front of me. This has been looked at by my selling dealer three times and another dealer…
Rear brakes backing plates rotted prematurely despite garage kept and well maintained status. While driving, noticed loud scraping and grinding noises from the rear left wheel. Took to mechanic and he found severe rust, with deep corrosion and flaking "rotted". He said I was lucky because this was…
points: ⸻ While driving, the vehicle displays the warning âActive Brake Assist Functions Limited â See Operatorâs Manual.â The message appears during normal driving and does not go away. This warning indicates that the automatic emergency braking / Active Brake Assist system is limited or…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Mercedes-Benz C300s have service brakes problems?
No. NHTSA has 118 owner complaints about service brakes for the Mercedes-Benz C300. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Mercedes-Benz C300 service brakes?
No recall currently lists service brakes for this vehicle.
What do owners say about service brakes problems on the Mercedes-Benz C300?
The most frequent phrase is “brake lines”, in 15 of 118 complaints, followed by “rear subframe” (13).
Other Mercedes-Benz C300 problems
- Air Bags problems (1,213)
- Electrical System problems (750)
- Steering problems (493)
- Engine problems (455)
- Structure problems (380)
- Exterior Lighting problems (310)
- Suspension problems (307)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (261)
See all Mercedes-Benz C300 problems.