2015 MERCEDES BENZ C300 — Owner-Reported Problems

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-08-22 375 complaints · 11 recalls
Most-reported system: ENGINE (99 complaints · 26.4%)
Safety signals:
  • Crashes 9
  • Fires 1
  • Injuries 7
  • Deaths 0
Compare with 2014 →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Component Problem Distribution

Share of owner complaints filed for each vehicle system (unaffected by sales volume)

Component Problem Distribution ENGINE appears in 99 of 375 owner complaints (26.4%) in this vehicle snapshot. ENGINE: 99 complaints, 26.4% of reports ENGINE 99 · 26.4% · 1 fire reports FUEL SYSTEM: 60 complaints, 16.0% of reports FUEL SYSTEM 60 · 16.0% · 1 crash reports STRUCTURE: 48 complaints, 12.8% of reports STRUCTURE 48 · 12.8% ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: 28 complaints, 7.5% of reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 28 · 7.5% · 2 crash reports STEERING: 16 complaints, 4.3% of reports STEERING 16 · 4.3% · 1 crash reports POWER TRAIN: 13 complaints, 3.5% of reports POWER TRAIN 13 · 3.5% SUSPENSION: 13 complaints, 3.5% of reports SUSPENSION 13 · 3.5% VISIBILITY: 13 complaints, 3.5% of reports VISIBILITY 13 · 3.5% FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: 7 complaints, 1.9% of reports FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 7 · 1.9% UNKNOWN OR OTHER: 111 complaints, 29.6% of reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER 111 · 29.6% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER is an NHTSA classification artifact and is always listed last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
ENGINE 99 26.4% 0 crashes · 1 fires
FUEL SYSTEM 60 16.0% 1 crashes · 0 fires
STRUCTURE 48 12.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 28 7.5% 2 crashes · 0 fires
STEERING 16 4.3% 1 crashes · 0 fires
POWER TRAIN 13 3.5% 0 crashes · 0 fires
SUSPENSION 13 3.5% 0 crashes · 0 fires
VISIBILITY 13 3.5% 0 crashes · 0 fires
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 7 1.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 111 29.6% 0 crashes · 0 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Problem & Recall Timeline

Observed complaint volume and manufacturer recall actions over time

Problem & Recall Timeline Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Oct 2014; the first recall shown was reported in Sep 2014. 2014-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2015-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2015-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2015-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2016-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2016-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2016-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2017-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2017-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2017-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2017-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2018-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 2018-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2018-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2019-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2019-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2019-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2019-Q4: 13 owner reports 13 2020-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 2020-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2020-Q3: 13 owner reports 13 2020-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2021-Q1: 16 owner reports 16 2021-Q2: 10 owner reports 10 2021-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2021-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2022-Q1: 21 owner reports 21 2022-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2022-Q3: 13 owner reports 13 2022-Q4: 16 owner reports 16 2023-Q1: 26 owner reports 26 2023-Q2: 10 owner reports 10 2023-Q3: 19 owner reports 19 2023-Q4: 11 owner reports 11 2024-Q1: 13 owner reports 13 2024-Q2: 13 owner reports 13 2024-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2024-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2025-Q1: 10 owner reports 10 2025-Q2: 14 owner reports 14 2025-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2025-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2026-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2026-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2026-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 Owner reports Sep 2014 Jul 2026 Recall campaign 14V598000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V598000 Recall campaign 15V087000 ◆ Recall campaign 15V087000 Recall campaign 15V138000 ◆ Recall campaign 15V138000 Recall campaign 15V845000 ◆ Recall campaign 15V845000 Recall campaign 17V114000 ◆ Recall campaign 17V114000 Recall campaign 17V177000 ◆ Recall campaign 17V177000 Recall campaign 17V627000 ◆ Recall campaign 17V627000 Recall campaign 18V850000 ◆ Recall campaign 18V850000 Recall campaign 19V787000 ◆ Recall campaign 19V787000 Recall campaign 21V197000 ◆ Recall campaign 21V197000 Recall campaign 23V854000 ◆ Recall campaign 23V854000 Investigation PE21001 ● Investigation PE21001 Investigation EA21002 ● Investigation EA21002 Investigation DP22002 ● Investigation DP22002
  • Campaign 15V845000 was reported 235 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 17V114000 was reported 745 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 17V177000 was reported 502 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 17V627000 was reported 708 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 18V850000 was reported 1,314 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 21V197000 was reported 2,286 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 23V854000 was reported 3,287 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2014-Q4 Owner reports 1
2015-Q1 Owner reports 5
2015-Q2 Owner reports 4
2015-Q3 Owner reports 6
2015-Q4 Owner reports 4
2016-Q1 Owner reports 3
2016-Q2 Owner reports 4
2016-Q3 Owner reports 1
2016-Q4 Owner reports 5
2017-Q1 Owner reports 5
2017-Q2 Owner reports 6
2017-Q3 Owner reports 5
2017-Q4 Owner reports 4
2018-Q1 Owner reports 9
2018-Q2 Owner reports 2
2018-Q3 Owner reports 1
2018-Q4 Owner reports 3
2019-Q1 Owner reports 8
2019-Q2 Owner reports 5
2019-Q3 Owner reports 2
2019-Q4 Owner reports 13
2020-Q1 Owner reports 11
2020-Q2 Owner reports 3
2020-Q3 Owner reports 13
2020-Q4 Owner reports 4
2021-Q1 Owner reports 16
2021-Q2 Owner reports 10
2021-Q3 Owner reports 9
2021-Q4 Owner reports 7
2022-Q1 Owner reports 21
2022-Q2 Owner reports 8
2022-Q3 Owner reports 13
2022-Q4 Owner reports 16
2023-Q1 Owner reports 26
2023-Q2 Owner reports 10
2023-Q3 Owner reports 19
2023-Q4 Owner reports 11
2024-Q1 Owner reports 13
2024-Q2 Owner reports 13
2024-Q3 Owner reports 9
2024-Q4 Owner reports 3
2025-Q1 Owner reports 10
2025-Q2 Owner reports 14
2025-Q3 Owner reports 8
2025-Q4 Owner reports 4
2026-Q1 Owner reports 2
2026-Q2 Owner reports 3
2026-Q3 Owner reports 3
Recall campaign 1 14V598000
Recall campaign 1 15V087000
Recall campaign 1 15V138000
Recall campaign 1 15V845000
Recall campaign 1 17V114000
Recall campaign 1 17V177000
Recall campaign 1 17V627000
Recall campaign 1 18V850000
Recall campaign 1 19V787000
Recall campaign 1 21V197000
Recall campaign 1 23V854000
Defect investigation 1 PE21001
Defect investigation 1 EA21002
Defect investigation 1 DP22002
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Safety Recalls (11)

Official safety recall campaigns filed with NHTSA

  1. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 14V598000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    If the sliding shaft becomes disengaged from the steering coupling socket, the driver may experience noises, steering backlash, and in a worst case, loss of steering control, which may increase the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    MBUSA has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the steering coupling interlock mechanism to verify that it is in the locked position, free of charge. The recall began on October 1, 2014. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2014090008.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 15V087000

    Report date
    Component:
    EXTERIOR LIGHTING
    Consequence:
    If the original horizontal adjustment is used to alter the low beam aim, the misaimed headlamp may not properly illuminated the road or cause increased glare to oncoming drivers, which increases the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Mercedes-Benz will notify owners, and dealers will replace the horizontal adjustment mechanisms on the headlamps with sealing caps on the affected vehicles. The recall began May 23, 2016. Owners may contact Mercedes at 1-800-367-6372.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 15V138000

    Report date
    Component:
    FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
    Consequence:
    If the locking plate is not properly secured to the fuel delivery module it may become loose, and leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire. If the electrical wires are pinched, the fuel pump may stop working, resulting in a stall, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles for improperly secured locking plates and pinched wires, correcting the vehicles as necessary, free of charge. The recal began on April 24, 2015. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2015030004.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 15V845000

    Report date
    Component:
    STEERING
    Consequence:
    If the vehicle experiences a loss of power steering assist, extra steering effort will be required, especially at lower speeds, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
    Remedy:
    MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will update the power steering software, free of charge. The recall began in January 15, 2016. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 17V114000

    Report date
    Component:
    ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
    Consequence:
    If the starting current limiter overheats, the surrounding components can melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
    Remedy:
    MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional fuse in the electrical line to the starter, free of charge. The recall began August 31, 2017. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2017080002.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  6. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 17V177000

    Report date
    Component:
    AIR BAGS
    Consequence:
    If the air bags do not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, there would be an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
    Remedy:
    MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will update software in the affected control units, free of charge. The recall began April 21, 2017. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  7. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 17V627000

    Report date
    Component:
    AIR BAGS
    Consequence:
    If the driver air bag inadvertently deploys, it can increase the risk of injury and a crash.
    Remedy:
    MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will add sufficient grounding to the steering components, free of charge. The recall began in December 6, 2017. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-877-496-3691.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  8. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 18V850000

    Report date
    Component:
    STEERING
    Consequence:
    A car that cannot be properly steered has an increased risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering rack, free of charge. The recall began August 23, 2019. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2019080012.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  9. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 19V787000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    An inaccurate vehicle location may delay emergency responders, increasing the risk of injury.
    Remedy:
    MBUSA has initiated an Over the Air (OTA) remote update. MBUSA will also notify owners, and dealers will check software for a successful OTA or update the communication module software as needed, free of charge. The recall began December 23, 2019. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2019120008.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  10. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 21V197000

    Report date
    Component:
    STRUCTURE
    Consequence:
    The adhesive bonding of the front panel might deteriorate, possibly causing the front panel to detach from the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Mercedes-Benz dealer will remove the bonded panel and will install a new front panel by following the detailed repair instructions and using the approved primer, cleaner and adhesive, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021 and October 26, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  11. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 23V854000

    Report date
    Component:
    STRUCTURE
    Consequence:
    A detached roof panel can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will replace the front panel, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 2, 2024. Owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, on, March 22,2024, and August 2, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 21V-197.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Complaint Narrative Explorer

Verbatim owner-reported defect narratives from NHTSA public records

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-08-21
Safety incident filters
Showing 0 of 375 complaints · page 1 of 15

No complaints match the current filters.
EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Data sourced from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Snapshot date: 2026-08-21.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources