2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Electrical System

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 required a jumpstart. The contact replaced the battery; however, the failure persisted. The contact disconnected the battery to prevent the battery from draining. The dealer and the manufacturer were not yet notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2008 Mercedes Benz C300. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 125,985, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 128,917.

The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that an unknown warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and drove the vehicle a short distance before the vehicle lost motive power again. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact stated while the vehicle was sitting in the driveway, the vehicle independently started and accelerated. The contact stated that the battery terminals were disconnected. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with failed wiring harness. The contact was informed that the wiring harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not assist. The failure mileage was approximately 171,846.

THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START AND DOESN'T RECOGNIZE THE KEY. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DEAD AND HAD TO JUMP START IT. I DROVE THE CAR TO HAVE THE BATTERY REPLACED THINKING THAT WAS IT. WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE GARAGE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS AS THE DEALERSHIP WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT COULD DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR.

MY CAR WOULD NOT START... NOTHING WHEN THE I TURN THE KEY INTO THE ON POSITION . THE BATTERY WAS CHECKED AND WAS GOOD. THIS HAPPED SEVERAL TIMES OVER MONTHS BUT TWICE THE CAR STARTED AFTER SITTING MAYBE 8 HOURS. THIS HAPPENED A THIRD TIME A FEW MONTHS LATER. I WAS STRANDED AND ENDED UP HAVING THE CAR TOWED HOME. I TRIED STARTING IT THE NEXT DAY ..NOTHING. MY AUTHORIZED MERCEDES REPAIR SHOP INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION MODULE. I WAITED 2 WEEKS FOR THE PART. COST WAS $1600. JUST A NOTE... I OCCASIONALLY HEARD A FAINT NOISE LIKE A MOTOR RUNNING INSIDE OF MY CAR WHENEVER I TURNED THE IGNITION OFF FOR A COUPLE YEARS BUT DID NOT THINK IT WAS ANY THING TO BE CONCERNED BUT APPARENTLY THIS MAY HAVE BEEN A SIGN OF A FAILING PART.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C350W. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO PARK, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 113,773.

ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK- CAR WAS RUNNING FINE NO ISSUES PARKED THE CAR WENT BACK OUT TO START LESS THAN AN HOUR AFTER PARKING AND GOT NOTHING DASH CAME ON NO RADIO,NO WINDOWS,NO RELEASE FROM PARK, AND STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED AND WILL NOT UNLOCK. LEFT STRANDED HAVE TO HAVE A TOW TO CLOSEST MERCEDES BENZ DEALER 45 MILES AWAY....ESTIMATED COST AFTER 310.80 TOW 1200 TO 2000

APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS AGO THE ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK MODULE (ESL MODULE) FAILED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START WHILE THE STEERING WHEEL AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTER WERE LOCKED. HAD TO TAKE TO THE DEALER TO REPLACE THE MODULE AT A COST OF $840.00. RIGHT NOW THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH MODULE (EIS MODULE) FAILED AND AGAIN THE STEERING WHEEL AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTER WERE LOCKED AND THE CAR WILL NOT START. DEALER IS ASKING FOR $1150.00 TO REPAIR. THESE ARE KNOWN DEFECTS IN MERCEDES VEHICLES. I ASKED MERCEDES BENZ USA TO COVER THE COST OF THE REPAIRS OF THE VEHICLE IN BOTH CASES AND THEY HAVE REFUSED TO ADMIT THAT THESE ARE KNOWN DEFECTS AND TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE FREE OF CHARGE.

ELECTRONIC STEERING WHEEL LOCK PREVENTS CAR FROM STARTING. CAR WAS AT A STOP AND MOTOR TURNED OFF - CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. STRANDED MILES FROM HOME. THIS HAS OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES NECESSITATING AUTO CLUB TO ATTEMPT TO START.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C300. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY INOPERABLE AND DISABLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000.

EIS FAILURE. VEHICLE HAS 136,000 MILES. INSERTED KEY INTO IGNITION AND TRIED TO START THE VEHICLE. NOTHING HAPPENED, NO START. TRANSMISSION STUCK IN PARK. TRIED JUMP STARTING, REPLACED BATTERY EVEN THOUGH IT TESTED O.K. BUT WAS OLD ENOUGH TO MAKE ME QUESTION IT'S VIABILITY, CHECKED FUSES, ETC. ONLINE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT EIS FAILURE IS A FAIRLY COMMON ISSUE WITH MB PRODUCTS, PARTICULARLY THE C CLASS. THIS IS NOT AN OWNER REPARABLE ITEM. WILL HAVE TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP AND REPAIRED THERE AT THE USUAL INFLATED COST OF DOING SO.

STEERING COLUMN LOCK FAILURE. THIS DISABLED THE IGNITION NOT ALLOWING THE CAR TO START. FROM A LITTLE REASEARCH ON THE INTERNET I FOUND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON MANY OF THEIR VEHICLES. THIS LEFT ME COMPLETELY STRANDED AND MERCEDES DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THE ISSUE ALTHOUGH IT IS EASY TO FIND AND DIAGNOSE WITH A FEW MINUTES ON THE INTERNET. THERE IS ALSO A EIS ISSUE BUT MINE IS THE ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK MOTOR CAUSING THE PROBLEM. MERCEDES NEEDS TO RECALL THESE AND MAKE IT RIGHT. THAY COULD STRAND PEOPLE IN A BAD SITUATION. MY CAR RAN FINE BIT WOULD NOT RESTART. ALL LOCK AND UNLOCK FUNCTIONS WORKED. I HAD A MESSAGE ON THE DASH TO REMOVE KEY. IT HAD NO ACCESSORY TURN ON OR CRANK FUNCTION.

WHEN REPLACING A HEADLIGHT BULB I NOTICED THE H7 WIRE WAS COMPLETELY EXPOSED WITH NO INSULATION, AS I TRIED TO WRAPPED THEM IN ELECTRICAL TAPE TO GET A TEMPORARY FIX, THE LITTLE INSULATION STILL LEFT ON THE CABLE CRUMBLED. I ENCOURAGE TO CHECK THE CABLE INSULATION ON YOUR VEHICLE AS THIS CAN CAUSE A SHORTAGE AND FAIL HEADLIGHTS.

CAR WAS PARKED AND WENT TO DRIVE CAR. IT WILL NOT START. BOTH KEYS WILL NOT WORK. PROBLEM IS WITH ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE. NO INSTRUMENTATION DISPLAY. CAN NOT SHIFT CAR OUT OF PARK. TRIED JUMPING CAR AND IT WILL NOT START. REPLACED BATTERY AND IT WILL NOT START.

CAR WILL NOT START WHILE PARKED. BATTERY CHECKED AND TESTED GOOD BY AAA. STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. CAR WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK. TOWED TO CHRISTIAN BROTHERS AUTOMOTIVE AND PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS EIS FAILURE. WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS CAR. HOWEVER, IT IS A 'DEALER ONLY' REPAIR DUE TO MERCEDES REFUSAL TO EITHER SELL PARTS OR RELEASE CODES TO INDEPENDENT DEALERS. WAS ALSO TOLD THERE IS A LAWSUIT ATTEMPTING TO FORCE MERCEDES TO CEASE WITH THE PROPRIETARY BALONEY. THE REPAIRS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE AND THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE TO THE DEALERSHIP. THIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL OR, AT THE VERY LEAST, ALL THE NECESSARY PARTS AND CODES NEED TO BE MADE AVAILABLE TO INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITIES.

ESL FAILURE. APPARENTLY THIS IS A VERY COMMON 1200$ ISSUE WITH C-CLASS. THE KEY WOULD TURN BUT THE CAR WON'T START. HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO INSTANTLY KNEW IT WAS THE ESL. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THESE ISSUES. SO MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM!

ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK - KNOWN DEFECT - CAR DOESN'T START NO RECALL ISSUED.

KEY IS NOT RECOGNIZED WHEN INSERTED IN THE IGNITION. THEREFORE, CAR WILL NOT START. DEALERSHIP STATES THAT THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH (EIS)IS FAULTY. THIS PROBLEM IS WELL DOCUMENTED THROUGH OUT THE USA. THE REPAIR COSTS IS ESTIMATED AT $800-2,000 DOLLARS. ON JULY 19TH, 2016, I RAN SEVERAL ERRANDS. ONCE AT HOME, I TRIED TO START MY CAR. THE IGNITION DID NOT TURN BUT BATTERY LIFE WAS STRONG. DASHBOARD READ " REMOVE KEY CAR WILL NOT START..."

ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH (EIS) HAS FAILED TWICE! IN 6 WEEKS AND NOW THE ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK MUST ALSO BE REPLACED. THERE IS A CONCERN THAT THE ESL MAY MALFUNCTION AND LOCK STEERING WHILE DRIVING. THIS ISSUE APPEARS TO BE WIDE SPREAD IN 2008 AND 2009 MERCEDES C300 VEHICLES. NO SUPPORT FROM MERCEDES AFTER CALLS TO NJ HEADQUARTERS.

FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH. HUNDREDS OF FORUMS ONLINE PROVE THAT WITH THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM IN C - CLASS CARS AND OTHERS FROM MERCEDES BENZ THEIR IGNITION SWITCHES PROVE TO BE FAULTY. CAR BECAUSE AUTOMATICALLY STUCK IN PARK AND REQUIRES THOUSANDS TO FIX THE ISSUE. CAR RAN FINE TO WORK AND LEAVING WORK I WAS LEFT IN THE DARK AND LATE HOURS HAVING TO GET IT TOWED. WHICH COULD NOT BE TOWED DUE TO IT BEING STUCK IN PARK. I'VE BEEN QUOTED $1500 TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND IT APPEARS THIS IS COMMON FOR THESE VEHICLES. COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. THE NEAREST DEALER TO FIX THE ISSUE WAS OVER 20 MILES AWAY.

NAVIGATION SCREEN STARTED FLICKERING ON AND OFF AND THEN SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM IT. THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE WITH THE RADIO/ NAVIGATION. IF THERE IS SMOKE THEN THERE IS WIRES BURNING WHICH CAN CAUSE A FIRE.

VEHICLE WILL NOT START. IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND IT HAS LEFT ME STRANDED FOR SEVERAL WEEKS. I GET "REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION" WHEN EITHER KEY IS PLACED IN THE IGNITION. THIS PROBLEM IS CONSISTENT WITH OTHER C300 OWNERS AROUND THE COUNTRY. WHEN I TOLD MY SERVICE ADVISOR AT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, J WAS TOLD IT COULD RANGE FROM $475 TO OVER $2000. THE KEYS AND THE IGNITION SYSTEM ARE THE CULPRIT AND MERCEDES HAS YET TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE DRIVER DRIVING THE VEHICLE, IT WAS POWERED OFF BUT FAILED TO RESTART WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS ADVISED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH AND THE IGNITION STARTER SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,747. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRIC LOCK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN.

MY 2008 C300 WITH ONLY 68,000 DECIDED TO DIE WITH NO WARNING. I DROVE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP HAD A TAILLIGHT FIXED THEN PARKED THE CAR. THE NEXT DAY THE CAR WOULDN'T TURN ON. ALL THE LIGHTING IN THE DASH TURNS ON BUT I'M GETTING A NOTIFICATION SAYING REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION. THIS SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING! I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND AM GETTING AN IDEA THAT IS IS THE EIS. THIS SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO BE OPERATED MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY, IT SHOULDN'T BE FAILING.