2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

CAR WOULDN'T START. LUCKILY THAT CAR WAS AT OUR HOUSE. AFTER RESEARCH FOUND THAT THE 2009 C300 HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE EIS (ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH). AFTER A 5-6 HOURS THE CARS IGNITION STARTED WORKING, BUT FROM READING OTHERS EXPERIENCE THE IGNITION COULD DISABLE FOREVER AT ANY TIME. COST TO REPAIR IS $1500 AND ONLY BE DONE AT A DEALERSHIP.

I AM ATTEMPTING TO LEAVE OFFICE DEPOT PARKING LOT AND MY CAR WILL NOT START (NO PROBLEM PRIOR TO GOING INTO THE STORE!) I PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION THE LIGHTS, RADIO, DASHBOARD ALL COME ON AND I HEAR A CLICKING SOUND. HOWEVER, THE POWER WINDOWS DON'T WORK, NOR THE SUNROOF. AFTER RESEARCHING MOST OF THE NIGHT (COULDN'T REST) AND MOST OF THE DAY, IT APPEARS TO BE THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH (EIS) WHICH IS VERY COSTLY! AND THERE ARE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS OVER THE SPAN OF YEARS!!! THE NIGHTMARE STORIES (I HAD DEJA VU...EXACTLY THE SAME ISSUE!) DEFIANTLY ENOUGH COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE THAT YOUR ORGANIZATION SHOULD OPEN AN INVESTIGATION. A DEMAND FOR A RECALL IS NEEDED ASAP!!! PRICE OF REPLACEMENT/REPAIR COULD BE FROM $1,100 TO $2,200....RIDICULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES BENZ C300. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT FAILED TO START AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

A KNOWN ISSUE WITH MERCEDES BENZ C300 CARD MODEL YEAR 2008 AND UP. THE STEERING IGNITION SWITCH FAILS. THIS IS A DEALER FIX ONLY AND COSTS APPROXIMATELY $1500-$2000 DOLLARS. WHEN YOU GO TO START YOUR CAR NOTHING COMES ON, NO LIGHTS NO NOTHING. THE CAR IS BASICALLY DISABLED AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. *TR

ELECTRONIC STEERING FAILURE. STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. GEAR SHIFT LOCKED IN PARK. CAN TURN KEY, BUT THE ONLY THE CENTRAL DASH WORKS WITH MESSAGE "TAKE KEY FROM IGNITION". NO START UP LIGHTS ON. VEHICLE LOCKS, UNLOCKS, RADIO WORKS, BUT WON'T START. LUCKILY IT HAPPENED IN THE GARAGE WHILE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND NOT IN MOTION. $800 OUT OF POCKET FOR NEW EIS AND BLUE KEY + LABOR. SEEMS TO BE VERY FREQUENT ISSUE WITH 2008/2009 C300 MODELS. RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED AND OWNERS REIMBURSED FOR EXPENSES INCURRED GIVEN THE NUMBER OF REPORTS AND SAFETY RISKS AS SOME HAVE REPORTED IT HAPPENED TO THEM WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. DON'T NEED TO WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE GETS REALLY HURT. *TR

DROVE MY C300 TO WORK IN THE MORNING. WENT TO LEAVE A FEW HOURS LATER AND THE CAR WILL NOT START. RADIO, ALARM, DASH AND LOCK/UNLOCK ALL WORK BUT YOU CAN NOT HEAR THE STEERING LOCK DISENGAGE WHEN YOU PUT THE KEY IN. FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND MERCEDES HAS DONE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO FIX IT. I HAVE ONLY OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR 6 MONTHS. IS THIS WHAT WE HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO AFTER BUYING A MERCEDES BENZ? *TR

IN THE MORNING, I TRIED TO START MY 2009 C300 AND THE CAR DID NOT START AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED OUT OF THE BLUE. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO A MERCEDES DEALERSHIP AT DELRAY BEACH, FL. THE PROBLEM DIAGNOSED AS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE STEERING/ELECTRICAL SYSTEM RELATED TO IGNITION SWITCH. THE FOLLOWING REPAIR STATED ON MY REPAIR REPORT: - STEERING LOCK COMPLETE REPLACEMENT - ADDITIONAL TIME TO DRILL OUT THE OLD LOCK MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP SERVICE CHARGED ME $1,464.00 FOR THE DEFECTED STEERING LOCK/IGNITION ELECTRICAL ASSEMBLY. I SEARCHED ON INTERNET AND A LOT OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM (PLEASE SEE THE LINK PROVIDED BELOW). I CALLED THE MERCEDES-BENZ USA HEADQUARTER AT NJ AND TALK TO A DISTRICT SERVICE MANAGER AND EXPLAIN TO HIM THAT MY CAR HAS ONLY 44K MILEAGE AND THE STEERING LOCK/IGNITION ELECTRONIC MALFUNCTION IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECTED AND IT IS NOT CONSIDERED NORMAL WEAR & TEAR AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. HENCE THIS SHOULD BE REPAIRED WITHOUT CHARGE AND JUSTIFY FOR RECALLS. UNFORTUNATELY IT WAS LIKE TALKING TO THE WALL AND BASICALLY MERCEDES-BENZ DOES NOT WANT TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY AND TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT AND HIT THE CUSTOMER WITH AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR COST. I AM CONCERN IF THE STEERING LOCKS/IGNITION ELECTRICAL PART MALFUNCTIONS, WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN DURING DRIVING AND OTHER CASES. THANK YOU. P.S.: PLEASE REFER TO THE FOLLOWING JUST TWO WEB SITES. THERE ARE MORE TO SEE IF YOU SEARCH: HTTP://WWW.CAR-RECALL.COM/MERCEDES-BENZ/C300/2009 HTTP://WWW.ARFC.ORG/COMPLAINTS/2009/MERCEDES/C300/STEERING/PROBLEM.ASPX HTTP://WWW.CARPROBLEMZOO.COM/MERCEDESBENZ/C300/2009/

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES BENZ C300. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOCKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

INSERTED KEY INTO IGNITION SWITCH. ABLE TO TURN KEY. BUT NO IGNITION LIGHTS COME ON IN ANY POSITION OF THE KEY. DOES NOT START. PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE INTERMITTENT, AS AFTER SEVERAL TRIES IT MAY FUNCTION CORRECTLY WITH INCREMENTAL IGNITION ON SETTINGS AND THEN STARTING. AS THIS IGNITION SWITCH ALSO CONTROLS THE STEERING LOCK, THERE EXISTS THE POSSIBILITY OF THE STEERING BECOMING LOOKED WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. HENCE, A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE EXISTS! SHOULD STEERING BECOME LOCKED WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION (AT ANY SPEED) THE CONSEQUENCES ARE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!. *TR

COMMON ISSUE ON THIS MODEL AND YEAR. ELECTRICAL IGNITION SYSTEM / ELECTRICAL STEERING LOCK UNIT AND IT'S NOT SOMEHOW A RECALL. *TR

WENT TO START MY CAR. TRIED JUMPING IT OFF THINKING IT WAS THE BATTERY CHECKED ALL THE FUSES. SPENT $70 TO HAVE TOWED TO MY MECHANIC. COME TO FIND OUT IT IS THE EIS SWITCH AND MERCEDES WILL NOT SELL HIM THE PARTS TO FIX ONLY MERCEDES CAN FIX. MY GUY SAID HE COULD FIX FOR $700, MERCEDES DEALERSHIP SAID OVER $1000. COME TO FIND OUT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. AS MY CAR WAS AT MY MECHANIC SHOP ANOTHER MERCEDES CAME IN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM ( UNBELIEVABLE ). MERCEDES TAKES PRIDE IN THE VEHICLES YET WITH A COMMON PROBLEM THEY WILL NOT FIX FOR FREE ( SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM ) THIS WILL BE MY LAST MERCEDES I OWN. AUDI WILL BE MY NEXT CAR. VERY DISAPPOINTED IN MERCEDES. *TR

CAR WOULD NOT START. HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER. REPAIR COST 1150 DOLLARS. ONE WEEK WITHOUT CAR. *TR

I HAD AN ISSUE WITH MY CAR 5 MONTHS AGO DUE TO THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN ON. MERCEDES TOLD ME IT WAS THE KEY AND I NEEDED TO PURCHASE A SECOND KEY. IN THE MEAN TIME, I WAS WAITING FOR THE NEW KEY MY OLD KEY WAS ABLE TO GET MY CAR START. AS TIME WENT BY, THE SAME ISSUE HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES CAUSING ME TO LOSE WORK AND LEAVING ME IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WARE. FRIDAY NOVEMBER 7 2014 WAS THE LAST INCIDENT AND I DID NOT GET HOME UNTIL 5 AM WAITING TO A SERVICE TRUCK TO PICK UP MY CAR. THIS TIME THE IGNITION SWITCH IT'S NOT WORKING WITH NONE OF THE KEYS. I HAD TO CALL A MY INSURANCE TO PICK UP THE CAR FOR THE SECOND TIME AND TAKE IT TO A CERTIFIED DEALER TO REPLACE THE IGNITION KEY AND STARING WHEEL DUE TO ITS LOCK. *TR

I WAS TURNING ON MY MERCEDES BENZ C300 2009, WHEN IT SUDDENLY STATED TAKE YOUR IGNITION, THEREFORE I MADE A PHONE CALL TO MERCEDES BENZ ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. ONCE THE TECHNICIAN ARRIVED HE CLEARLY STATED IT WAS THE STEERING HOWEVER HE STATES THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY WARNING SIGNS. I AM VERY CONFUSED BECAUSE 09 C300 DID NOT HAVE ANY PRIOR WARNINGS, IT ALWAYS TELLS ME EVERYTHING ON THE SCREEN. THIS REPAIR IS AROUND 1000 AND THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN A RECALL BUT THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED IT FROM IS FROM CHEVROLET AND THEY DO NOT ACCEPT FROING VEHICLES. I TRULY BELIEVE CONSUMERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR SOMETHING IT DOES NOT WARN YOU FOR, SPECIALLY SINCE YOU ARE PURCHASING A GERMAN CAR NOT AMERICAN. *TR

I WENT OUT TO MY CAR THIS MORNING TO DRIVE TO WORK AND MY CAR WOULD NOT START. THE LIGHTS CAME ON I COULD LOCK AND UNLOCK MY CAR HOWEVER WHEN I PUT THE KEY IN, IT TURN ALL THE WAY BUT IT WOULD NOT CRANK. I CALL MERCEDES BENZ 24 HOUR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT MY BATTERY WAS NOT THE PROBLEM. THE TECHNICIAN EVEN TOLD ME HE NOTICED THAT THIS HAPPENED TO OTHER OWNERS AND THEY DID NOT KNOW WHY IT WAS HAPPENING WITHOUT WARNING. THIS IS SO UNACCEPTABLE. *TR

MY 2009 C300 WAS JUST TOWED TO THE BENZ DEALER FOR THE "TECHNICAL SVS BULLETIN" KNOWN AS LI80-57-P051521. (THE KNOWN AND DOCUMENTED INTERNAL ISSUE WITH THE ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK CAUSING CRANK FAILURE THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED BY THE NHTSA.) I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY BENZ IS NOT ASSISTING WITH THIS MATTER. LAST YEAR I JUST REPLACED THE BACK LIGHTS ON THE VEHICLE THAT WAS SMOKING AND BURNING; CAUSING MY BRAKE LIGHTS TO GO OUT AND CAUSING DAMAGE TO ITEMS IN MY TRUNK. NOW FINALLY, THAT PART IS NOW BEING RECALLED! WHY IS BENZ AWAITING FOR SOMETHING BAD TO HAPPEN BEFORE THEY TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR PARTS. WITH ALL OF THE DOCUMENTED COMPLAINTS OF THE C300 CAR NOT CRANKING DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK, WHY IS BENZ BEING ALLOWED TO GO FORWARD WITHOUT A RECALL OF THIS FAULTY PART THEIR INSTALLING IN THESE CARS? IT SEEMS VERY EVIDENT THAT THOUGH BENZ HAS DOCUMENTATION OF "CONSISTENT FAILURE" OF THE EIS/ESL ON THE C300S, THEY'RE REFUSING TO RECALL THE CARS FOR THESE ISSUES IN AN ATTEMPT TO GENERATE CONSTANT BUSINESS FOR THE BENZ DEALERSHIPS. (FOR INSTANCE, WHEN I WALKED INTO THE DEALERSHIP, MY SERVICER WAS ABLE TO QUOTE ME A PRICE ON THE REPAIR OF MY CAR WITHIN SECONDS AS HE STATED THAT HE JUST COMPLETED THE SAME REPAIR ON A CAR SAME MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR AS MINE THE DAY BEFORE....UUMM...WHAT A COINCIDENCE!) THIS RACKET THAT BENZ IS RUNNING HAS COST ME $1,000.00. THIS HAS TO BE AGAINST THE LAW. I'LL HAVE TO LOOK UP THE TEXAS DECEPTIVE TRADE ACT AND/OR REPORT THIS TO THE TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL. *TR

MY CAR LEFT ME STRANDED AT WORK. WHEN I WAS LEAVING WORK MY CAR WOULD NOT START THE STEERING WAS COMPLETELY LOCKED . THE CAR WOULD NOT EVEN START THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD TURN ON WAS THE RADIO AND A MESSAGE OF NOT TO FORGET TO REMOVE YOUR KEY. I COULD NOT EVEN GET THE CAR OUT OF GEAR. I WOULD CRANK IT AND NOTHING, IT WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. I NEVER RECEIVED A MESSAGE TO WARN ME THAT SOMETHING WAS FAULTY.. BEFORE TAKING CAR INTO DEALERSHIP I DID MY RESEARCH ONLINE AND SPOKE WITH A SERVICE TECH AT MERCEDES AND SAID THAT IT WAS POSSIBLY EIS FAILURE AND STEERING LOCK. AFTER SO MANY COMPLAINS LIKE MINE ONLINE I CAN'T BELIEVE THERE IS NOT A RECALL ON THIS. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. WHAT IF THIS WOULD OF HAPPENED WHEN I WAS DRIVING AND MY STEERING LOCKED? WHO KNOWS?...IS MERCEDES WAITING FOR SERIOUS ACCIDENTS TO HAPPEN? THESE FAILURES ARE REALLY A CALL FOR A RECALL..IF THERE ARE ANYMORE MERCEDES OWNERS OUT THERE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM FILE YOUR COMPLAINTS MAYBE IF MORE OF US COMPLAIN THEY WILL DO A RECALL. THIS IS NOT CHEAP TO FIX IT COST FROM $1200 TO $1700. I BOUGHT A MERCEDES BELIEVING I WAS BUYING A DEPENDABLE VEHICLE NOW I AM HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS AFTER ALL I HAVE READ... *TR

2009 MERCEDES BENZ C300 NEEDS REPLACEMENT OF THE ELECTRIC STEERING LOCK (CODE 6180.57-P-051521), NO WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED CAR WOULD NOT TURN ON. *TR

I DROVE MY CAR TO WORK AND PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT. I EXITED THE CAR AND LOCKED THE DOORS WHEN I REMEMBERED THAT ON THIS DAY, THE TREE CUTTING CREW WILL BE SERVICING THE PARKING LOT. I RETURNED TO THE CAR TO MOVE IT BUT WHEN I TURNED THE KEY MY IGNITION WOULD NOT ENGAGE AND THE CAR WOULDN'T START. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY EVEN THOUGH ALL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE REMOTE DOOR LOCKS AND RADIO WERE WORKING FINE. I JUMP STARTED THE VEHICLE WITH ANOTHER CAR NONETHELESS TO MAKE SURE IT WASN'T A DEAD BATTERY. THE CAR WOULDN'T START. I'VE OWNED THE CAR FOR MANY YEARS BUT NOTHING LIKE THIS HAS EVER HAPPENED. TO COME OUT TO A CAR WITH A WORKING BATTERY AND NOT STARTING. I HAD TO GET MY CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO CHECKED ALL FUSES AND WIRING ONLY TO DETERMINE THAT IT WAS THE EIS OR ESL UNIT. THIS IS THE ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK MECHANISM THAT MALFUNCTIONED. I ENDED UP SPENDING OVER $1000 TO GET THIS FIXED. *TR

FOR THE THIRD TIME IN 6 MONTHS MY CAR WOULDN'T START. GOT OF WORK GETTING READY TO GO HOME AND THE CAR WOULDN'T START. TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY CHECKED IT AND COULDN'T FIND A THING. THEY ASKED ME TO BRING THE SPARE KEY AND THE CAR STARTED. FAST FORWARD THREE WEEKS LATER...SAME ISSUE. THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR 5 DAYS AND COULDN'T FIND NOTING SO THEY REPLACED THE BATTERY IN NOVEMBER. FAST FORWARD TO YESTERDAY FEB. 25TH. 2014 SAME THING HAPPENED. TOWED IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY DETERMINED IT WAS THE STEERING LOCK: EZL STEERING LOCK AND PROGRAMMING KEY. I HOPE AND PRAY MY EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERS THIS. I HAVE A 2009 C300. *TR

I WAS GETTING MY CAR DETAILED. WHILE WAITING ON ANOTHER CUSTOMER HAD CAR VACUUMED OUT. AFTER ABOUT 30 MINS, TRIED STARTING THE CAR AND THE KEY WOULD TURN WITH OUT STARTING THE CAR. HAD IT TOWED TO MERCEDES SHOP. THERE I WAS TOLD IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING COLUMN. STEERING LOCK HAS ELECTRIC FAULT IS WHAT WAS STATED TO ME FOR A PRICE OF $1700.+ TO BE REPAIRED. THIS IS THE THIRD ELECTRICAL PROBLEM SINCE PURCHASING THE CAR. I'VE HAD THE LEFT AND RIGHT WIRING REPAIRED, THE LEFT ONE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, THE RIGHT ONE WASN'T. THE WIRING WAS ACTUALLY BURNT. I FEEL AS THOUGH THIS ELECTRICAL PROBLEM IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING MERCEDES BENZ NEED TO HAVE A RECALL ON. *TR

THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCEPT THE COMPUTER CHIP KEY POD AND THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY DISABLED, STEERING LOCK ASSEMBLY HAD AN ELECTRICAL FAULT. THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY LOCKED UP, UNABLE TO TURN IGNITION ON. NO ADVANCE NOTICE THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO A MERCEDES DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR, ALMOST 50 MILES AT A COST OF $240. THE REPAIR WAS $707.00 AND INVOLVED REPLACEMENT OF STEERING COLUMN LOCK ASSEMBLY. THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BY MERCEDES AND THEY HAVE NOT ANNOUNCED A RECALL EVEN THOUGH THIS PROBLEM SEEMS PREVALENT ON THE INTERNET. THE SAFETY ISSUE IS HAVING A VEHICLE THAT CANNOT BE OPERATED, NOR REPAIRED BY ANYONE OTHER THAN AN AUTHORIZED MERCEDES DEALERSHIP. THIS PROBLEM STRANDS THE DRIVER AT A PLACE WHEREVER THE PROBLEM MAY OCCUR. I HAD THE DEALERSHIP RETURN THE FAULTY PART IF NHTSA WOULD LIKE TO INSPECT IT. THE MERCEDES BENZ STEERING COLUMN LOCK PROBLEM IS NOT FROM WEAR AND TEAR, MORE LIKELY A SOFTWARE PROBLEM BETWEEN THE IGNITION AND THE KEY. AS A CONSUMER, I FEEL RIPPED OFF TO THE TUNE OF $1,000 TO PAY FOR A PROBLEM THAT MERCEDES KNOWS ABOUT, YET HAS NOT INITIATED A RECALL TO REPAIR THE FAULT. *TR