AI Damage2008 Mercedes-Benz C 300: common problems
Owners of the 2008 Mercedes-Benz C 300 filed 672 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 672
- involving a crash
- 20
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 40% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 34% of all complaints
- 3 Steering 20% of all complaints
- 4 Exterior lighting 16% of all complaints
- 5 Engine 5% of all complaints
- 6 Seat belts 3% of all complaints
- 7 Electronic stability control 3% of all complaints
- 8 Service brakes 3% of all complaints
- Air bags: 270 complaints (40% of all), 12 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 228 complaints (34% of all).
- Steering: 136 complaints (20% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 108 complaints (16% of all).
- Engine: 31 complaints (5% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 672 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 270 | 12 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 228 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 136 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 108 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 31 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 17 | 3 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 8 | 6 | 0 |
| Tires | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 4 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The check brake system warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that the brake line was corroded. The vehicle was repaired under warranty for the subframe prior to the failure; however, the brake lines were not covered and needed replacement.
Takata recall I was hit in a head-on collision wreck in october 2018 my airbags did not deploy and I've been undergoing excruciating pain physical therapy pain management and will have surgery on my spine soon
The front end of the contact's vehicle was severely damaged; however, the air bags did not deploy. The driver sustained an injured back that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed. The cause of the failure was not determined.
The contact stated that while stationary and driving various speeds, the vehicle made a series of indistinct grinding noises and the steering failed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where the serpentine hydraulic belt was replaced in february of 2018.
I had the car was starting to shift gears oddly and that it would seem like the car would rev hig rpm while my foot was off the gas pedal . I brought the car to a mercedes dealer and he said the transmission was fine .
My car suddenly surged ahead, hitting five other vehicles and a pedestrian, before smashing into a barrier that stopped it. I was pushing hard on the brake petal throughout, but it had no effect on stopping the car. It is of course possible that I stepped on the gas pedal and not the brake pedal.
Serious defect of sudden acceleration in mercedes model c300 year 2008. The consumer stated as he was about to park the vehicle, he released the brake pedal and suddenly the vehicle accelerated, went over a concrete barrier and hit the wall of the building finally coming to rest.
The contact stated while at the car wash and attempting to wash the vehicle, there was popping sound coming from the vehicle, and the contact saw smoke coming from the speakers and called the Fire Department however, no damages were found.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 483 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 1% most complained about).
On average one model year of the C 300 has 199 complaints (20 years in the data). This year has 672, above average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
Other years of this model
- C 300 2009576 sources
- C 300 2010453 sources
- C 300 2011480 sources
- C 300 2012267 sources
- C 300 2013262 sources
- C 300 201494 sources
- C 300 2015382 sources
- C 300 2016417 sources
- C 300 2017365 sources
- C 300 2018259 sources
- C 300 2019231 sources
- C 300 2020215 sources
- C 300 2021192 sources
- C 300 2022417 sources
- C 300 2023381 sources
- C 300 2024325 sources
- C 300 2025171 sources
- C 300 202689 sources
- C 300 202710 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Mercedes-Benz C 300?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, electrical system, steering. Total complaints: 672. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: won't start (18%), steering or power steering problems (15%), headlights and tail lights (12%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2008 Mercedes-Benz C 300?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2008 Mercedes-Benz C 300 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2008 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.