2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Steering lock malfunction and unable to start car. Vehicle has completely shut down.

electrical ignition switch and electronic steering lock the component malfunctioned with no symptoms. i got stranded for 5 hours past midnight car has been inspected by a shop and Mb dealer no warning lights and no symptoms

CAR WAS PARKED BY SIDE WALK NEXT TO MY HOUSE. INSERTED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND TURNED IT. THE CAR DID NOT START, AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED. NO LIGHTS FLASHED ON THE DASHBOARD. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED ON TRUCK BED SINCE IT'S REAR-WHEEL DRIVE. DEALER TOLD ME IT'S THE IGNITION SWITCH LOCK CYLINDER. COST $1500 TO FIX. THIS IS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. NOT FAIR.

TURNED IGNITION KEY TO START VEHICLE. NOTHING HAPPENED. NO CRANKING OR CLICKING. COMPLETE SILENCE. STEERING WHEEL AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTER WERE BOTH LOCKED INTO POSITION AND COULD NOT BE MOVED EVEN THOUGH IGNITION WAS IN THE 'ON' POSITION. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ASSOCIATED WITH A DEFECT IN THE 'ELECTRICAL IGNITION SYSTEM/ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK (EIS/ESL)' AND IS THE SUBJECT OF A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THIS CONDITION OCCURRED ON ONE PREVIOUS OCCASION WITHIN THE LAST 45 DAYS. ON BOTH OCCASIONS VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY HOWEVER IF IT WERE OCCUR WHILE MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK AND DRIVER WOULD BE UNABLE TO AVOID A COLLISION. THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED AND WIDELY KNOWN SAFETY DEFECT FOR WHICH THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BEAR THE COST OF CORRECTING (AT THE CURRENT TIME VEHICLE OWNERS ARE CHARGED BETWEEN $1200-$1700 TO PERFORM THE DEFECT CORRECTION OUTLINED IN THE MANUFACTURER'S TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN). *TR

PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE WHOLE CAR SHUT DOWN AFTER BEING INSPECTED. IT SAID TO BE A INTERLOCK SWITCH PROBLEM I'LL HAVE TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED BECAUSE IT WILL NOT TURN ON IT IS SHUT DOWN .

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ C300. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE IGNITION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER (MERCEDES-BENZ OF LONG BEACH, 2300 EAST SPRING STREET, SIGNAL HILL, CA 90755) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING LOCK AND COLUMN FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES BENZ C350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY FAILED TO START THE VEHICLE AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS AND THE STEERING COLUMN DID NOT LOCK. IN ADDITION, CERTAIN ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS, SUCH AS THE RADIO, DOOR LOCKS, INTERIOR LIGHTS, AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS DID NOT FUNCTION. THE TAKE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT ELECTRONIC STEERING CONTROL MODULE MALFUNCTIONED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 113,000. UPDATED 04/07/16*LJ *JS

THE CAR WILL NOT START, FROM STATIONARY. IT WAS PARKED THERE 10 MINUTES AGO. TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD IT HAS A BAD ESL (ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK). THE REPAIR BILL OVER $1300.00. THE ISSUE HAS BEEN WIDELY REPORTED AND SEEMS TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. MERCEDES BENZ SHOULD COVER THIS COST.

ESI AND KEY WENT OUT AND CAR ONLY HAS A BIT OVER 100,000 MILES; LOCKS STEERING AND SHIFTER.

STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WHILE CAR WAS PARKED AND WOULD NOT UNLOCK HAD TO TOW VEHICLE TO DEALER. COST IS $1300 TO FIX NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY DEALER REDUCE PRICE TO $1100. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL AND ALSO A SAFETY CONCERN.

MY CAR WILL NO LONGER START. ALTHOUGH THE LIGHTS AND RADIO STILL WORK, THE WINDOWS AND AC DON'T, AND THE CAR WON'T START, NOR CAN I CHANGE THE GEAR. IT SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING COLUMN/ EIS. I NOW HAVE TO TAKE IT INTO THE BENZ DEALERSHIP AND PAY A HEFTY AMOUNT TO GET IT FIXED, SINCE NO OTHER MECHANIC CAN SEEM TO DO IT. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2009 C300 YET THERE'S NOT A RECALL ON IT. GO FIGURE.

WENT TO START MY CAR YESTERDAY MORNING AND WOULD NOT START. VERY ODD MESSAGE ON THE DISPLAY I HAD NOT SEEN BEFORE LIKE "REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION". STEERING WHEEL LOCKED BUT SOME LIGHTS WORKED AND NEW BATTERY REPLACE LAST WEEK. TOWED IT TO "GRANNY'S GARAGE" WHO TOLD ME ONLY THE DEALER CAN REPAIR THIS. NOW BEING TOWED TO DEALER IN SANTA BARBARA. SOUNDS EXACTLY WHAT OTHER 2009 C300 OWNERS HAVE STATED ESP/EIS FAILURE. I WILL KNOW TOMORROW. THIS IS SUCH A WELL DOCUMENTED AND CONSISTENT PROBLEM WITH THE 2009 C300 AND MERCEDES REALLY SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS AND RECALL. PERFECT FOR A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT, IN MY OPINION., ESPECIALLY SINCE THE "DEALER" IS THE ONLY ONE ALLOWED TO REPAIR.

MY M.B. 2009 HAS ONLY 52690 MILES, RARELY DRIVING. ON MAY 28TH, 2016, MY WIFE DROVE THE CAR TO SEE HER COUSIN, WHEN GOT OUT AT 10:00PM, CAR WAS NOT STARTING, BATTERY WAS OK, LIGHT ON, RADIO ON, WINDOWS NOT ON. NEEDED TO WAIT UNTIL MONDAY MORNING, TOWED TO DEALER: EIS STEERING LOCK FAILED, COST $1121.88 FOR THE EIS. SERVICE CONSULTANT ADVISED MANY M.B HAS THE SAME FAILURE. GO TO NHTSA, SAW A LOT OF COMPLAINT WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THE INCIDENT AND ISSUE A RECALL WITH M.B., IT'S VERY UNSAFE FOR DRIVING BECAUSE IT CAN HAPPENED ANY TIME, MOSTLY NIGHT TIME WITH A FEMALE DRIVER. ONLY M.B. CAN REPAIR THE EIS AND IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE.

STATIONARY WHILE AT THE REST AREA DURING A HOT SUMMER DAY ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE STEERING COLUMN OR ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK (ESL) FAILED AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. THIS PARTICULAR PART IS FAULTY ON MOST 2008-2009 MERCEDES C300. SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSANDS ARE HAVING ISSUES WITH THIS PARTICULAR PART AND AT MOMENTS THEY GET IT WORKING AND AT OTHER TIMES NOT SO MUCH. THIS PART NEEDS TO BE RECALLED SINCE IT IS A DEALER ONLY REPLACEMENT PART AND NO ONE CAN TOUCH IS BESIDES THE DEALER DUE TO THEFT AND SECURITY MEASURES. MERCEDES HAS THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE CORNERED AND IS NOT DOING ANYTHING TO WORK WITH THE CUSTOMER. IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN STUCK ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY WITH CHILDREN THAT'S A SAFETY RISK AND I BELIEVE MERCEDES SHOULD RECALL THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE AND BE LOYAL TO ITS CUSTOMERS.

THE CAR WAS RUNNING FINE. IT WAS PARKED AND SHUT OFF. WHEN I RETURNED, THE CAR WOULD NOT START. IT WAS NOT THE BATTERY. THE STEERING WOULD NOT UNLOCK. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED IN FOR REPAIR. THE DEALER HAD TO MAKE THE REPAIR AS IT WAS AN ISSUE WITH EITHER THE EIS OR A STARTER ISSUE. INSKIP MERCEDES CAN IDENTIFY EXACTLY WHAT WAS WRONG AS THEY DID THE REPAIR.

THE CAR WOULD NOT START, THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENT OF THE STEERING WHEAL MALFUNCTIONED, ONLY MBZ HAS THE PART COST $1900 TO REPLACE THE ELECTRICAL PART. DEALER TOLD ME COMMON ISSUE ITS JUST MATTER OF TIME FOR THE PART TO FAIL.

IGNITION SWITCH - TRIED TO START THE CAR AND IT WOULD NOT TURN BATTERY WAS FINE AND ALL INTERIOR LIGHTS AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS APPEARED TO BE FINE. HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS FOUND TO BE A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR SAFETY REASONS.

WHEN LEAVING TO CATCH A FLIGHT I ENTERED MY GARAGE AND UNLOCKED MY CAR LIGHTS CAME ON MY DAY WAS GOING NORMAL. WHEN I WENT TO START MY VEHICLE IT WOULD NOT START. IT SAID TO REMOVE MY KEY FROM THE IGNITION. MY CAR WOULDN'T START. MY HUSBAND AND I CONTACTED MERCEDES BENZ OF HENDERSON AND THEY HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED TO THEIR SHOP. I HAD PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WITH MY VEHICLE SO I WAS SURE I WOULD BE OK. ON MONDAY I RECEIVED AND CALL FROM MERCEDES BENZ OF HENDERSON STATING THAT THE IGNITION LOCK MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND IT WOULDN'T BE COVERED BY THE WARRANTY I PURCHASED. SINCE I AM NOT A MECHANIC I ASKED WHAT THE IGNITION LOCK MODULE WAS AND FOUND OUT IT WAS THE COMPUTER THAT READS MY KEY AND PREVENTS THEFT. BASICALLY THE COMPUTER FAILED AND THINKS THAT MY CAR IS STOLEN. THE COST TO REPAIR THIS IS OVER $1,000. THIS IS COMPLETELY UNFAIR. MERCEDES CARS ARE NOT CHEAP NOT TO MENTION PAYING MORE A MONTH TO HAVE ADDITIONAL WARRANTY COVERAGE. I AM APPALLED THAT MERCEDES HAS NOT DONE A RECALL ON THEIR VEHICLES FOR THIS ISSUE. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY RISK FOR THOSE WHO ARE TRAVELING ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE LIKE MYSELF A WOMEN TRAVELING ALONE. THANK GOD THIS HAPPENED AT HOME AND NOT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT AS I TRAVEL BACK TO CALIFORNIA OFTEN I THINK IT IS OUTRAGEOUS TO ASK CUSTOMERS TO PAY FOR A DEFAULT/GLITCH IN A VEHICLES COMPUTER. I HAVE CONTACTED MERCEDES BENZ USA TO GET HELP WITH THIS ISSUE AS THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THEIR CUSTOMERS LIKE MYSELF WHO HAVE HAD AND ARE HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE WITH THE 2009 C300.

STEERING LOCK IGNITION ASSEMBLY. THERE WERE NO SIGNS OR INDICATIONS THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS WAS GOING TO OCCUR. THANKFULLY I REACHED MY DESTINATION, BACKED UP IN MY YARD AND PARKED. I APROACHED MY VEHICLE BECAUSE I WANTED TO FILL UP FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK, I UNLOCKED MY DOOR, PLACED MY KEY IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THE RADIO WORKED AND ALSO THE INTERIOR LIGHTS. I TOOK THE KEY OUT AND WENT TO USE THE SPARE KEY, INSERTED IT AND WHILE THE DOOR WAS OPENED THE DISPLAY TOLD ME TO REMOVE THE KEY. THIS COULD PRESENT A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR A FEMALE WITH CHILDREN IN AN UNFAMILIAR SETTING. AFTER READING UP ABOUT THE PROBLEM I SEE THAT I AM NOT ALONE IN MY TROUBLES. I THINK THIS MALFUNCTION SHOULD INCLUDED IN A RECALL BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY RISKS INVOLVED BECAUSE IT COULD OCCUR AT ANY TIME. THANKFULLY I WAS AT HOME.

THE VEHICLE DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE KEY & DIDN'T TURN ON AND WAS NOT SHOWING AS PARKED. CALLED AAA TO CHECK THE BATTERY BUT WAS NOT IT. CALLED TOWING SERVICE TO GET THIS MOVED TO MY MECHANIC & TURNS OUT THIS IS DUE TO BAD ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK MECHANISM & ONLY DEALER CAN GET THIS REPLACED AND PROGRAMED WHICH COSTED ME $1200. CHECKED & TURNS OUT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 2009 C300. WHY IS IT NOT BEING RECALLED??? THIS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS WHEN ON THE ROAD!!! HAPPENED RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS SO HAD TO WAIT 2 DAYS FOR MY MECHANIC TO CHECK & TOWED AGAIN TO DEALER AND NOW I'M STILL WAITING FOR THE CAR WITHOUT A CAR FOR A WEEK. THIS IS VERY DISAPPOINTING SINCE I THOUGHT MERCEDES WAS KNOWN FOR SAFETY. HOPE THEY WILL RECALL THIS ISSUE & RE-IMBURSE THE COST. *JS

I HAVE HAD MY 2009 MERCEDES BENZ C300 FOR 5 MONTHS NOW IT WAS A BIRTHDAY PRESENT ON 7/11/15.I DROVE TO THE GAS STATION FILLED IT UP PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION IT WAS DEAD.THE LIGHTS AND INTERIOR LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE RADIO BUT THE WINDOWS WOULD NOT LET DOWN THE HORN WOULD NOT BLOW AND SUNROOF DOESN'T WORK TOWED IT TO MERCEDES BENZ ARLINGTON TEXAS IT WILL COST ME 1,386 FOR REPAIRS PLUS A 290.00 DIAGNOSTIC FEE I JUST PAID THE 575.00 CARNOT I HAVE NOT EVEN HAD A CHANCE TO HAVE FUN IN IT IS HAS 49,000 MILES ON IT AND MY WARRANTY DOESN'T COVER ANY OF THE REPAIRS I NEED MY MONEY BACK WHAT A RIP OFF I ONLY DRIVE IT ON SAT. AND SUN.MERCEDES PLEASE DO THE RECALL THIS IS BAD BUSINESS ETHICS FOR MERCEDES BENZ OWNERS ACROSS THE GLOBE HOW YOU GOING TO MAKE US FALL IN LOVE WITH OUR CARS THEN PUNISH US FOR IT IN THE END THAT'S OBSURD AND JUST DOWN RIGHT WRONG I AM OUTRAGED ABOUT THIS YEAR'S BIRTHDAY GIFT AND NOW MY CHRISTMAS IS GOING TO MERCEDES BENZ 1,386 MERRY CHRISTMAS MERCEDES BENZ I KNOW YOUR FAMILIES WILL HAVE A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS BY TAKING MY FAMILY'S CHRISTMAS MONEY AWAY FROM US NO CHRISTMAS SPECIALS ON SERVICE CHARGE FOR REPAIRS FOR NEW CUSTOMERS THIS YEAR OR NOTHING

WENT TO STORE AND WHEN I RETURNED TO THE CAR, THE TRUNK RELEASED NORMALLY AND DOORS UNLOCKED NORMALLY WITH THE KEY FOB. INSERTED THE KEY INTO IGNITION SWITCH. ABLE TO TURN KEY, BUT CAR WOULD NOT START. TRIED LOCKING AND UNLOCKING DOOR WHICH WORKED AGAIN. WAITED ANOTHER MINUTE AND CAR STILL WOULD NOT START. TRIED MOVING STEERING WHEEL, BUT IT WAS LOCKED AND COULD NOT TAKE CAR OUT OF PARK, BUT MADE SURE IT WAS ALL THE WAY INTO PARK. TRIED TO START CAR AGAIN, THIS TIME I HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A RELAY CLICKING FROM UNDER THE DASH, BUT STILL NO START. AFTER ANOTHER MINUTE, I TRIED AGAIN AND THIS TIME IT STARTED. I CAUTIOUSLY DROVE HOME AND PARKED AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR ANY LONGER AS THE IGNITION SWITCH ALSO CONTROLS THE STEERING LOCK AND THERE EXIST THE POSSIBILITY OF THE STEERING BECOMING LOCKED WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION, AS SEVERAL OTHERS HAVE POSTED AS HAPPENING TO THEM. A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE EXIST SINCE THE STEERING COULD LOCK WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION AND MERCEDES BENZ SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO RECALL THIS VEHICLE TO REPAIR THIS BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED. *TR

MY C300 WAS FUNCTIONING PERFECTLY WITH NO ISSUES. WHEN I CAME OUT TO START THE CAR, IT WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE THE KEY. I HAD IT TOWED TO A DEALER AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT'S THE ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK FAIL. I LOOKED THIS UP AND IT IS SOMETHING VERY COMMON WITH THE 2009 MODEL. THERE ARE SEVERAL POST ON THE INTERNET ASKING FOR THIS TO BE A RECALL ITEM.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES BENZ C350. WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC STEERING BOX AND THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH (EIS) NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000.

I TURNED THE KEY AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THE CAR WOULD NOT START. LIGHTS WORKED. I CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO HAVE IT JUMP STARTED, DID NOT WORK. I THEN HAD IT TOWED AND WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT A CERTIFIED MERCEDES DEALER THAT IT IS A KNOWN DEFECT CALLED ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK EIS/ESL ALSO REFERRED TO AS TECHNICAL SERVICES BULLETIN LI80-57-P051521. TOTAL COST: $1250 THIS IS MY CAR'S 3RD KNOWN DEFECT: 1) REAR TAIL LIGHTS WOULD CATCH FIRE AND FAIL (FINALLY RECALLED BY MB AND REPAIRED) 2) COMMAND KNOB FOR SATELLITE RADIO AND GPS FAILED AND NOW 3) EIS/ESL DEFECT. *TR