2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Power Train
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
The contact owns a 2006 Mercedes-Benz C230. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate above 35 MPH with the traction control warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle started to stall while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the mechanic linked the failure to Technical Service Bulletin Number: LI03.30-P-050027. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was no longer covered under the service bulletin. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.
The contact owns a 2006 Mercedes-Benz C230. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the transmission failed to shift, and the transmission appeared to be frozen in the 2nd gear. The contact stopped and turned off the vehicle and shifted into park (P); when the vehicle was restarted and shifted into drive (D), the vehicle was lunging and jerking. The contact stated that it was difficult to shift from drive (D) to park (P) or reverse (R), because the vehicle would lunge in the direction the transmission was shifted. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact had researched online and related the failure to the transmission control module sensor. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 131,629.
WHEN DRIVING MY '06 C350 WITH 48 THOUSAND MILES, YES 48K ON IT, THE TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO GO INTO A SAFE MODE. IT NORMALLY OCCURS WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND HAVE TO SLOW DOWN GRADUALLY, THEN UPON ACCELERATION THE TRANSMISSION JUST REVS UP THE RPM WITH NO POWER. I'M AFRAID ME AND MY TWO CHILDREN WILL BE REAR-ENDED DUE TO THE LOSS OF POWER IN THE TRANSMISSION. I THEN TRY TO DRIVE IT TO THE NEXT EXIT, SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTART. THIS NORMALLY RESETS EVERYTHING TO NORMAL. BUT IT COULD OCCUR AGAIN MINUTES OR HOURS LATER WHICH IS NOW GETTING FRUSTRATING GIVEN THE CAR IS BARELY REACHING 50K MILES. SO THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY, UNEXPECTEDLY, AND WITH VARYING FREQUENCY. MERCEDES BENZ USA SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON THIS AS WHEN I CALL THE DEALERSHIP THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED AND IT'S A VERY WELL-KNOW DEFECT THAT COSTS A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT TO REPAIR. THIS CAR STARTED DOING IT AT 40K AND DOES IT OFTEN. I'VE NOTIFIED MY LAWYER BECAUSE I'M AFRAID IT COULD HAPPEN WITH A VEHICLE BEHIND ME AND THUS CAUSE AN UNEXPECTED REAR END IMPACT FROM ANOTHER DRIVER ON THE HIGHWAY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ C230. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED INDEPENDENTLY TO 10 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
WAS DRIVING AT 55MPH AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR SPEED DROPPED DOWN TO 20 MPH EVEN WITH MY GAS PEDAL PUSHED ALL THE WAY DOWN AND THE RPMS WENT BETWEEN 6000 TO 7000. I HAD TO PUT ON MY FLASHERS AND PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THEN CAR HARD SHIFTED TO PARK AND THEN AGAIN INTO DRIVE. ONCE I TURNED THE CAR COMPLETELY OFF IT RESTARTED WITH NO ISSUES AND HAD CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER. *TR
VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF 3 GEAR WHEN DRIVING 25 MILES PER HOUR. RPM'S WENT TO 4,000 AND I HAD TO STOP VEHICLE AND RESTART. RIDICULOUS BECAUSE NO PROBLEMS WERE "FOUND" WITH VEHICLE BUT SOMETHING IS OBVIOUSLY WRONG. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER MERCEDES BENZ WHAT A LEMON. *TR
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH RAPIDLY, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN EXTREMELY ROUGH, HAD LITTLE POWER, AND WAS NO LONGER DRIVABLE. LUCKILY, THIS HAPPENED ON A SURFACE STREET AND NOT ON THE FREEWAY WHERE, I BELIEVE, IT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN HARM TO ME OR OTHER DRIVERS. THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE PLASTIC BUSHING IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WHICH BROKE AND WAS SUCKED INTO VALVE #4 WHICH THEN BURNED THE VALVE. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE HAD APPROXIMATELY 84,000 MILES ON IT. I WAS INFORMED BY THE MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED THE REPAIR ON MY VEHICLE THAT THEIR MB PARTS SUPPLIER STATED THAT MB IS AWARE OF THIS DEFECTIVE PLASTIC BUSHING. HOWEVER, THE PARTS SUPPLIER WAS APPARENTLY NOT PERSONALLY AWARE OF IT CAUSING THE TYPE OF EXTENSIVE DAMAGE I EXPERIENCED. MB REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE, AT LEAST TO ME, THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF PAST INSTANCES INVOLVING THIS DEFECTIVE PLASTIC BUSHING OR TO EVEN CONSIDER THAT IT IS A PROBLEM THAT THEY SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR BEFORE IT RESULTS IN HARM. I HOPE SOMEONE WILL TAKE THIS PROBLEM SERIOUSLY AND INVESTIGATE ITS POTENTIAL FOR HARM. *TR
I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN STOP AT A LIGHT, WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE THE CAR TOOK OFF AS IT WAS AT A HIGHER GEAR. WOULD NOT PICK SPEED AND HIGH RPM. THERE WAS A PEDESTRIAN RIDING HIS BIKE AND MADE A RIGHT TURN AND BECAUSE HIS VIEW WAS BLOCK MY THE SUN HE ENDED UP REAR ENDING MY CAR AND FEEL OFF HIS BIKE. THE REASON I AM FILING THIS COMPLIANT IS IF MY CAR WAS NOT HAVING THIS ISSUE THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BC THERE WAS NO CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THANK GOD THE RIDER WAS NOT BADLY HURT AND JUST HAD A FEW SCRAPES AND MY CAR WAS OKAY SO WE WENT OUR SEPARATE WAYS. THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLIANT ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUES ABOUT THE CAR NOT ACCELERATING AND GEARS GETTING STUCK IT IS BECOMING RIDICULOUS. I AM SURE THERE HAS BEEN CASES WHERE PEOPLE ARE SEVERELY INJURED OR PASSED AWAY BC OF THIS ISSUE BUT ONES THAT DIDN'T SURVIVED ARE NOT HERE TO FILE THEIR COMPLAINTS. THIS IS A SERIOUS MATTER AND A RECALL NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE BODIES ACTUALLY START PILING UP. MERCEDES.BENZ ARE KNOWN TO BE HIGH END LUXURY CARS AND THEY NEED TO ACTUALLY DRIVE LIKE ONES.. THE MANUFACTURER NEED TO STEP UP AND ACKNOWLEDGE THIS IMPORTANT MATTER AND DO THE RECALL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ C230. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE AND NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL EVEN THOUGH THE GEAR INDICATOR DISPLAYED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT A SENSOR WHICH CONTROLLED THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT SEQUENCES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000. UPDATED 05/02/12 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT A COST OF $1200.00. UPDATED 05/04/12
2006 MERCEDES C230, LOSS OF POWER AND ACCELERATION. FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED WHEN THE MILEAGE WAS 62K. I WAS DRIVING ON SHENNANDOAH VALLEY THEN SUDDENLY THE ACCELERATION AND ENGINE POWER KEEP DECREASING THOUGH MY FOOT WAS COMPLETELY PRESSING ON GAS PEDAL. I DECIDED TO FULL-OVER TO COOL DOWN THE ENGINE. AFTER RE-STARTING IT, THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY FOR AWHILE AND BACK TO NORMAL DRIVING CONDITION. THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN WHEN MY CAR HAD 65K MILES, I EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM BUT THIS TIME FROM A COMPLETE STOP FROM TRAFFIC LIGHT, WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATES.. THE CAR WAS NO ACCELERATION AT ALL THOUGH THE PEDAL WAS COMPLETELY TO THE METAL. THIS WILL BE A VERY BAD SITUATION WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WILL NOT ACCELERATE TO NORMAL RUNNING CONDITION, WHEN I NEEDED TO ENTER THE HIGHWAY TO MERGE TO A FAST MOVING TRAFFIC. *TR
ON OR ABOUT MAY 17, 2011 MY 2006 C230 AT THE TIME WITH 83,312, YOU DRIVE NORMALLY, MAKE A STOP ON A TRAFFIC LIGHT FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN IT'S TIME TO GO, YOU RELEASE THE BRAKE, ACCELERATE, AND NOTHING HAPPENS EXCEPT FOR RPMS REVVING UP. THE GEAR SHIFTER IS IN "D" DRIVE, GAUGE BETWEEN THE ODOMETER/TACHOMETER SHOWS "D" DRIVE AS WELL, HOWEVER THE CAR ACTS AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL!!! SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL, REVERSE, OR PARK, OR BACK INTO DRIVE - DOESN'T HELP! IT'S LIKE A TRANSMISSION IS STUCK IN NEUTRAL!!! ALSO, SHIFTING INTO D+/- TO ENGAGE MANUAL SHIFTING DOESN'T WORK! AND AS FAR AS YOU KEEP MOVING THE SHIFTER INTO REVERSE, NEUTRAL, MANUAL SHIFT, DRIVE - THE CAR ELECTRONIC GEAR DISPLAY ON THE DASHBOARD STILL SHOWS THAT THE CAR IS IN "D" DRIVE REGARDLESS OF WHAT POSITION YOU MOVE THE SHIFTER; AND THE CAR BEHAVES AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL ALL THIS TIME (YOU ACCELERATE, RPMS GOES UP, REMOVE THE FOOT FROM THE PEDAL - ENGINE IDLES). THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE THE TRANSMISSION WORK AGAIN IS TO SHIFT IT INTO PARK "P", AND THEN TURN OFF THE ENGINE, AND THEN TURN THE ENGINE BACK ON, AND THEN TRANSMISSION WORKS WELL AGAIN FOR TENS OR HUNDREDS OF MILES BEFORE IT GETS "NEUTRALIZED" PARALYZED AGAIN. THIS ALSO HAPPENED TO ME WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE I-5 IN CALIFORNIA AROUND 70 MPH'S AND I HAD TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURN THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON, IN ORDER FOR IT TO START WORKING NORMAL. THAT IS DANGEROUS, WHAT IF I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *JB
2006 MERCEDES BENZ C280. CONSUMER STATES TRANSMISSION FREEZES AT 20 MPH WHILE THE RPM GOES INTO THE DANGER ZONE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE WHEN IT FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE SEALS FAILED AND TRANSMISSION FLUID IN THE MODULE. *JB
I OWN A 2006 MERCEDES C230 WITH A BALANCE SHAFT GEAR PROBLEM. THE GEARS ARE RETARDING AND THE PROBLEM WILL CAUSE ENGINE FAILURE. A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT HAS BEEN FILED AGAINST MERCEDES BENZ FOR THE BALANCE SHAFT GEAR FAILURE. A RECALL NEEDS TO BE ISSUED FOR ALL 2006 BALANCE SHAFT GEARS ON ALL MERCEDES BENZ MODELS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ C230. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE ENGINE STARTED SPUTTERING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE THE MECHANIC CONFIRMED THAT THE BALANCE SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,300.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES C230. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 65 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE LANES. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED A SLIGHT JERKING MOTION BEFORE STALLING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO RESTART, BUT THE VEHICLE MOVED VERY SLUGGISH. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED. THE CONTACT THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED THE VALVE BODY, K1 CLUTCH AND THE TRANSMISSION. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED BECAUSE THE HYDRAULIC SEAL FOR THE COMPONENTS FAILED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40,000. UPDATED 06/01/11*LJ UPDATED 1/18/2012 *LN *TR
WE OWN A MERCEDES BENZ C230. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A BALANCE SHAFT ERROR. IT TURNS OUT THE BALANCE SHAFT IS BROKEN. THE PART COST ONLY ABOUT $400. BUT SINCE REPLACING IT REQUIRES PULLING OUT AND TAKING A PART THE ENGINE, THE REPAIR IS OVER $3000. WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. IT HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *TR
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class has 16 Power Train complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.