2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Electrical System

WHEN I LEFT THE GYM MY CAR WOULDN'T NOT START. I HAD TO WALK HOME AND HAVE MY CAR TOWED. BATTERY IS FINE BUT THE IGNITION WON'T TURNOVER. BAD EIS JUST LIKE THE OTHER HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT.

I WENT TO GO TURN ON MY CAR AND IT FAILED. NO SOUND OR ANYTHING. I CALLED AAA THEY CAME AND SAID THE BATTERY IS GOOD THEY JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG. I HAD TO GET MY CAR TOW WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT. I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP AND IT TOOK THEM ABOUT A WEEK TO REALIZE WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT. I CALLED MERCEDES BENZ AND THEY HAD NO EXPLANATION TO WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT OR WHY IT HAPPEN. THEY FINALLY FIGURED IT OUT AND THEY SAID IT WAS AN ELECTRIC STEERING LOCK PROBLEM AND THAT ITS FOR SECURITY REASONS AND THAT IT CAN HAPPEN ANYTIME. I ALSO HAD TO GET A PROGRAMMING KEY. THIS COST WAS VERY EXPENSIVE TO NOT HAVE AN EXPLANATION. I ALSO NOTED THAT A LOT OF C CLASS USERS HAD THIS VERY SAME ISSUE AND WE ARE NOT UNDERSTANDING WHY THERE ISN'T A RECALL. *TR

ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH AND STEERING LOCK RENDERED US COMPLETELY STRANDED IN OUR CAR. COULD NOT EVEN PUT IT IN NEUTRAL WITHOUT USING THE MANUAL OVERRIDE. AFTER RESEARCHING IN THE INTERNET IT SEEMS THIS IS SOMEWHAT COMMON IN THIS VEHICLE, AND UNFORTUNATELY IS COSTING ME $1350!! ONLY THE DEALERSHIP CAN DO THIS. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC ONLY TO HAVE IT TOWED AGAIN TO MERCEDES DEALERSHIP. *TR

11/28 : I DRIVE MY 08C350 TO 7/11 STORE CLOSE TO MY HOUSE TO PICK UP SOME FOR THE TRIP THE NEXT DAY. THE CAR WOULD NOT START (RADIO, POWER WINDOW...ARE WORKING). I CALL FLETCHER JONES MERCEDES BENZ, THEY ADVISE ME TO USE THE SPARE KEY, I WALK HOME TO GET THE SPARE KEY, SAME THING. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO FETCHER JONES FOR REPAIR, THE REPAIR COST ME $1064.78. ONE MONTH EARLIER, IT COST ME ALMOST $1800,00 TO FIX THE CAMSHAFT SENSORS AND THE INTAKE MANIFOLD SENSOR. ALL OF THESES 3 PROBLEMS ARE WELL KNOWN FOR THE C CLASS W204 (FROM 2008 TO 2011), BUT MERCEDES BENZ NEVER ACCEPT THE BAD DESIGN OR FAULT. WHETHER NHTSA CAN DO SOMETHING TO FORCE THE COMPANY ACCEPT THE FAULTY DESIGN TO HELP OUT THE CAR'S OWNER ?. THANKS. *TR

HELLO I AM A OWNER OF A 08 MERCEDES C300 THAT I BOUGHT ON 5/26/2014 WITH ABOUT 77700 MILES WHEN I BOUGHT IT AND NOW HAS ABOUT 80600 MILES TODAY 11/12/2014. ON 11/8/2014 I WAS RUNNING MY USUAL WEEKEND ERRANDS ( BUYING GROCERIES, PAYING BILLS, ETC.) WHEN I STOPPED TO BUYING SOME THINGS FROM A CORNER STORE AND WHEN I GOT BACK INTO MY VEHICLE THE CAR WOULD NOT START WHEN I PUT MY KEY IN. I NOTICE THERE WAS NOT "CLICKING NOISE" FROM WHEN I PUT MY KEY IN THE IGNITION AND I COULD NOT LOWER MY WINDOWS BUT I STILL HAD POWER NOW KNOWING THAT IT WAS NOT A POWER THING I KNOW IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE IGNITION. AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE I NOTICED HUNDREDS UPON THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE 08 C300 KNOWING AS THE EIS,ESL, OR THE IGNITION FAILURE AND REPAIRS UP TO $2000 IN SOME CASES. I GOT MY CAR TOWED TO A MB DEALERSHIP HERE WHERE I LIVE AND THEY ARE NOT LISTENING TO WHAT IAM TELLING. I ALREADY TOLD THEM WHAT IT WRONG AND THEY FORCED ME BASICALLY TO DO THE DIAGNOSTIC ($130) AND TO GET A KEY REPLACEMENT ($300) SO NOW I AM IN THE WHOLE BY A TOTAL OF $2000. I TOLD THEN THAT THESE ISSUES ARE HAPPENING WITH OTHER CUSTOMERS AND THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE AND THEY DON'T CARE AT ALL. HOW IS THERE NOT A RECALL FOR THIS? SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS CUSTOMERS CANT BE TREATED LIKE THIS ESPECIALLY IF YOU BOUGHT A CAR IN GREAT CONDITION LESS THAN 6 MONTHS AGO. MERCEDES NEEDS TO OWN UP TO THE MISTAKE AND DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FOR THIS ISSUE HOPEFULLY THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS SOON BECAUSE RIGHT NOW I HAVE TO TAKE A BUS TO WORK EVERYDAY INSTEAD OF HAVING A VEHICLE AND O YA THEY DIDN'T WANNA GIVE ME A COMPLEMENTARY VEHICLE FOR THE MEANTIME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO START. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

I WAS DRIVING LISTENING TO MY MUSIC AND ALL OF A SUDDEN SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM MY MONITOR I THEN QUICKLY TURNED MY MUSIC OFF AND PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE CAR OFF. I NOW HAVE A BLACK SCREEN AND MERCEDES SAID THE WHOLE UNIT WILL COST 2,000 DOLLARS I SAID YOU ARE CRAZY THIS SHOULD BE COVERED BY MERCEDES. *TR

WALK HOME SCENARIO DUE TO VEHICLE NOT STARTING. PARKED THE CAR AT WORK IN THE MORNING AND IN THE EVENING GOING BACK HOME THE CAR WOULD NOT START. THE IGNITION KEY TURNS BUT THERE WAS NO CRANKING. HAS AN 8 MONTH OLD BATTERY. ALL ELECTRICALS -LIKE HEAD LAMP ETC WORK. CHECKED ALL THE FUSES AND THEY WERE OK. GOOGLED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT EIS (ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH) PROBLEM IS A VERY COMMON ONE ON THE C300'S. COULD BE A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE IF THE IGNITION SWITCH DOESNT WORK WHILE THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING AND VEHICLE STALLS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C-300. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE PROBLEM RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SYSTEM WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND TURNING INTO KING SOOPERS SHOPPING MART WHEN MY CAR JUST DIED. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY AND COASTED INTO A PARKING SPOT. I THEN CHECKED MY STEREO AND INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS TO SEE IF IT WAS THE BATTERY. IT WASN'T, THEY ALL WORKED FINE. BUT TURNING THE IGNITION TO START THE CAR DID NOTHING. IT SEEMED THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED. AFTER PLAYING WITH THE STEERING WHEEL FOR A FEW MINUTES IT UNLOCKED ITSELF AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE AGAIN. I CONTINUED TO THE GROCERY STORE BUT BEFORE I GOT THERE IT DID THE SAME THING AGAIN. I DRIFTED INTO A PARKING SPOT AGAIN AND THIS TIME IT WAS DEAD FOR GOOD. I HAD TO GET MY CAR TOWED TO A MERCEDES REPAIR SHOP (SALIMS SILVER STAR). MY MECHANIC SAID IT WAS THE IGNITION SWITCH AND A KNOWN ISSUE WITH MERCEDES. AFTER $1700 ON A CAR WITH LESS THAN 50,000 IT IS FINALLY FIXED. MY LIFE WAS IN DANGER DRIVING A CAR KNOWN TO HAVE IGNITION SWITCH ISSUES. THIS IS CRIMINAL AND I'M LUCKY THE PROBLEM OCCURRED WHILE IN A PARKING LOT AND NOT ON THE HIGHWAY DOING 65. PLEASE RECALL THIS ISSUE AS MERCEDES IS MAKING A FORTUNE OFF OF IT'S CUSTOMERS CHARGING $1700 FOR AN ISSUE THEY CAUSED !!! *TR

PARKED THE CAR IN THE GARAGE AND THE NEXT MORNING, THE CAR WOULD NOT START. FIRST, I THOUGHT IT WAS A BATTERY PROBLEM. CHANGED THE BATTERY AND USED A NEW ELECTRONIC KEY BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT START. *TR

ABOUT 3 MOTHS AGO MY CAR WAS UNABLE TO START, MERCEDES BENZ (MB) TECHNICIAN CAME AND DIAGNOSE IT THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH(EIS) - THAT IT WAS NOT RECOGNIZING MY KEY. THE TECH. WIGGLE AROUND THE KEY AND WAS ABLE TO CRANK AND START MY CAR. IT NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN UNTIL LAST WEEK (AUGUST 16,2014), THE CAR WON'T START AGAIN. I CALLED MB AND THEY SEND ME A TECHNICIAN AT MY HOUSE, HIS DIAGNOSIS WAS THE EIS ISSUE AGAIN AND THIS TIME HE WAS NOT ABLE TO START MY CAR. HE SUGGESTED THAT IT SHOULD BE TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP. THIS MORNING (AUG. 18, 2014), I TRIED TO START MY CAR AND WIGGLE THE KEY ON THE IGNITION AND I WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR AGAIN. UNFORTUNATELY WHEN I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION, I WAS NOT ABLE TO START IT AGAIN. A FRIEND OF MY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A RECALL REGARDING THE EIS OF MERCEDES BENZ C 350 IN 2008. THE MB CAMPAIGN NO. IS 2008020003, MARCH 2008. I CALLED MERCEDES BENZ AND ASKED THEM IF THEY WILL COVER THE COST FOR REPLACING THE EIS. THEIR RESPONSE WAS, THEY WILL NOT BECAUSE MY CAR VIN WAS NOT ONE OF THE CARS THAT IS BEING RECALLED ABOUT THIS EIS PROBLEM. WHY IS MB IS NOT COVERING THE COST, THIS IS THE SAME ISSUE ON THE RECALL REGARDING THE EIS MALFUNCTION THAT WAS SENT IN MARCH 2008. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, WHICH STARTED FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A NEIGHBOR EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED THAT A FAILED FUSE BOX CAUSED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE BATTERY WAS REMOVED, CHARGED, AND RE-INSTALLED, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESTART. THE RADIO AND HEADLIGHTS ACTIVATED WHEN THE BATTERY WAS RE-INSTALLED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000.

PARKED THE CAR IN MY DRIVE WAY N T CAR WOULD NOT START. KEY WOULD NOT FUNCTION. *TR

PARKED MY CAR IN THE PARKING LOT OF MY JOB, CAME BACK SAND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. WE TESTED THE BATTERY AND NO RESULTS. WE EVENTUALLY TOWED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND DETERMINE IT WAS THE ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK AND THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE ADVISOR THAT THE CAR GENERALLY DOES NOT LET YOU KNOW WHEN THIS ISSUE WILL ARISE. I WAS QUOTED $2,428 TO FIX BOTH, AFTER ARGUING WITH THEM ABOUT THIS ISSUE, THEY LATER DISCOUNT IT TO $1,780. I THINK THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. I COULD HAVE BEEN ON THE FREEWAY WHEN IT STOP AND WOULD HAVE BEEN A CATASTROPHIC EVENT. ALSO, I AM CONSTANTLY REPLACING MY LIGHT BULBS. CAN YOU INVESTIGATE IF THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE WITH THESE CAR. *TR

AN ERROR MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED AFTER DRIVING A SHORT DISTANCE. THE ERROR INDICATED A FAILURE IN THE LEFT TAIL LIGHT AND A BURNING SMELL. ON INVESTIGATION I FOUND A BURNED AREA OF THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY GROUND WIRE CONNECTOR. I REPLACED THE BULB HOLDER AND WIRING CONNECTOR. THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. ON FURTHER INVESTIGATION I FOUND THAT THE SAME ISSUE WAS PRESENT ON THE RIGHT SIDE TAIL LIGHT. I ALSO FOUND THAT MOST OF THE LIGHT BULBS ON EACH SIDE WERE VERY DIM. THIS CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN ITS CURRENT CONDITION. THE LOCAL MERCEDES DEALER STATED THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE TAIL LIGHTS AT THE TIME I BOUGHT THE REPLACEMENT PARTS. *TR

ON WAY HOME FROM WORK IN POURING DOWN RAIN, I STOPPED AT SUPERMARKET. WHEN I RETURNED TO VEHICLE AND TURNED THE IGNITION TO START CAR, NOTHING HAPPENED. IT WAS DEAD. AFTER TRYING FOR THIRD TIME, WARNING MESSAGE APPEARED, "REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION." WHEN TOWER ARRIVED, THE GEAR SHIFT WOULD NOT MOVE OUT OF PARK. GARAGE MECHANIC ELIMINATED BATTERY PROBLEM AND RECOMMENDED IT BE TOWED BACK TO DEALERSHIP, 50 MILES AWAY. I AM WAITING FOR THEIR MECHANIC TO DISCOVER ROOT CAUSE. I DO NOT LIKE THE UNEXPECTED PROBLEM OF BEING STRANDED. THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS OF A PRE-WARNING. IF MERCEDES-BENZ DOES NOT OWN THIS, I WILL TRADE IT SOLELY ON GROUNDS OF RELIABILITY AND WILL NOT PURCHASE A MERCEDES-BENZ AGAIN. *TR

IGNITION/ENGINE AND COMPLETE SYSTEM FAILURE. SAFETY ISSUE. THE CAR LOSES ALL CONTROL, INCLUDING BRAKES AND STEERING. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO BE INJURED OR DIE (IF IT HAS NOT ALREADY HAPPENED) BEFORE THIS ISSUE IS ADDRESSED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE STEERING LOCK/IGNITION COMPONENT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000.

PARKED CAR IN THE GARAGE FROM THE DAY BEFORE. WAS LEAVING FOR WORK THE NEXT MORNING AND IT WOULD NOT START. I CALLED FOR A TOW TRUCK. WHEN THE DRIVER ARRIVED, HE TESTED THE BATTERY AND SAID THAT ITS NOT THE PROBLEM. SO I DROVE MY OTHER CAR TO WORK. A CO WORKER HAS THE SAME MODEL CAR STATED THAT SHE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. HER CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AND SHE WAS TOLD IT WAS AN IGNITION ISSUE. WHAT A COINCIDENCE!! AFTER WORK I WENT HOME TO SEE IF THE CAR WOULD NOT START. THE FIRST ATTEMPT...NOTHING...THE SECOND ATTEMPT IT STARTED RIGHT AWAY. SOMEONE HAS TO LOOK INTO THIS. TWO SAME MODEL CARS WITH THE SAME ISSUES. HAD IT BEEN A DIRE SITUATION WHERE I NEED TO FLEE FROM INJURY, THE CAR COULD POSSIBLE NOT START. NHTSA COULD YOU PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS MORE THOROUGHLY. *TR

I TURNED ON THE COMMAND VIDEO SCREEN AND HEAVY SMOKE STATED COMING OUT OF IT. *TR

FAULT INDICATOR FOR LEFT SIDED REAR LIGHTS SPORADICALLY SHOW DEFECT LAMPS, BUT THEY ARE NOT. FINALLY A PARTLY BROKEN/CORRODED GROUND RETURN WAS DETECTED. THE SAME HAPPENED TO THE RIGHT SIDED REAR LIGHTS ABOUT 6 MONTHS LATER. DEFECT WAS FINALLY REPAIRED, EXPENSES COVERED BY MERCEDES INTERNATIONAL ADRESS COTTONWOOD ARIZONA IS INCORRECT BUT COUNTRY IS AUSTRIA, CITY VIENNA [XXX] IS INCORRECT BUT ERROR CHECKER DID NOT ACCEPT CORRECT AUSTRIAN PHONE NUMBERS PHONE NUMBER [XXX] AND [XXX] ARE CORRECT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

GETTING INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MESSAGES ABOUT TAIL AND BRAKE LIGHTS TO BE CHECKED. I REPLACED BULBS AND HAVE THE SAME MESSAGES. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE SENSOR MONITORS RESISTANCE AND THE BULBS MAY BE FINE. GETTING MESSAGE FOR BOTH SIDES NOW AND I AM VERY CONCERNED READING SOME OF THE OTHER RESPONSES THAT WE HAVE A DEFECT IN THIS CAR THAT COULD CAUSE INJURIES OR FIRES, THIS SHOULD DEFINITELY BE A RECALL FROM MERCEDES. DANGER! DANGER! *TR

ON SEPTEMBER 24, 2013, MY 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C300 WITH 32,050 MILES WOULD NOT START DESPITE MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS. EACH TIME I WOULD TRY AND START IT EVERYTHING CAME ON IN THE CABIN BUT THERE WAS A COMPLETE DISCONNECT TO THE ENGINE WHICH WOULD NOT EVEN CRANK. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE CAME OUT MY HOME AND DETERMINED THE BATTERY WAS FINE, I THEN HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED INTO THE DEALER. DURING THIS VISIT, THEY REPLACED THE ELECTRICAL CONTROL UNIT AND IT WAS THERE FOR A FULL WEEK. IN OCTOBER 2014 AND AT 39,000 MILES, THE PROBLEM BEGAN AGAIN IN THAT THE CAR WOULD NOT START INTERMITTENTLY AND I HAD TO GO BACK TO THE DEALER. THEY AGAIN REPLACED THE ELECTRICAL CONTROL UNIT WHICH TOOK ANOTHER WEEK. A FEW DAYS LATER, THE CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN FOR AN ENTIRE DAY DESPITE MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS AND I WAS STRANDED. ANOTHER TOW AND BACK TO THE DEALER AGAIN, THIS TIME THEY STATED IT WAS ALSO THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH (EIS) AND ELETRONIC STEERING LOCK (ESL) THAT WERE FAULTY AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AT AN APPROXIMATE COST OF $2000. I ARGUED WITH THEM EXTENSIVELY ON WHY ALL THESE PARTS WERE FAILING ON A VEHICLE WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON THIS MODEL YEAR. AFTER TWO ADDITIONAL WEEKS IN FOR SERVICE, THE VEHICLE WAS JUST RETURNED TO ME. BESIDES A KNOWN MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH THESE PARTS WHICH MB HAS NOT ADDRESSED, THIS ALSO REPRESENTS POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARDS FOR DRIVERS IF YOU BECOME STUCK IN A REMOTE OR DANGEROUS AREA OR IN INCLEMENT WEATHER WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND CANNOT CALL OUT FOR ASSISTANCE. BASED ON THIS EXPERIENCE AND THE MANY SIMILAR REPORTED AT THE HTTP://MBWORLD.ORG FORUM, THE NHTSA SHOULD COORDINATE A SAFETY RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES WITH MB. THERE HAS ALREADY BEEN ONE RECALL ON THIS MODEL YEAR RELATED TO ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE TAILIGHTS WHICH COULD CATCH FIRE, MY VEHICLE ALSO HAD THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU. *JS