2009 Mercedes Benz C300: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 842 complaints
842
Total Complaints
70,070mi
Median Mileage
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Top Issue
22
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

54,000 25th Percentile
70,070 Median Mileage
90,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
194
AIR BAGS
181
STEERING
135
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
112
SUSPENSION
35
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
31
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
20
SERVICE BRAKES
19
STRUCTURE:BODY
17
ENGINE
16

Severity Assessment

22
Crashes
30
Fires
19
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"I WAS DRIVING ON THE PARKWAY AT ~40 MPH AND ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN BY STEPPING ON THE BRAKE. THE CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN BUT ACCELERATED. AND STRUCK THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. EVERY TIME I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE, THE CAR ACCELERATED SO THAT THE CAR STRUCK THE CAR IN FRONT TWICE. I TRIED TO TURN OFF THE I..."
"I WAS DRIVING ON THE PARKWAY AT ~40 MPH AND ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN BY STEPPING ON THE BRAKE. THE CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN BUT ACCELERATED. AND STRUCK THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. EVERY TIME I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE, THE CAR ACCELERATED SO THAT THE CAR STRUCK THE CAR IN FRONT TWICE. I TRIED TO TURN OFF THE I..."
"I WAS DRIVING ON THE PARKWAY AT ~40 MPH AND ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN BY STEPPING ON THE BRAKE. THE CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN BUT ACCELERATED. AND STRUCK THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. EVERY TIME I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE, THE CAR ACCELERATED SO THAT THE CAR STRUCK THE CAR IN FRONT TWICE. I TRIED TO TURN OFF THE I..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28