AI Damage2014 Mercedes-Benz C 300: common problems
Owners of the 2014 Mercedes-Benz C 300 filed 94 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and steering. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 94
- involving a crash
- 6
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 55% of all complaints
- 2 Steering 14% of all complaints
- 3 Suspension 12% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 10% of all complaints
- 5 Structure 10% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 3% of all complaints
- 7 Engine 2% of all complaints
- 8 Seats 2% of all complaints
- Air bags: 52 complaints (55% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Steering: 13 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Suspension: 11 complaints (12% of all).
- Electrical system: 9 complaints (10% of all).
- Structure: 9 complaints (10% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 94 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 | 52 | 3 | 0 |
| Steering | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 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 vehicle was involved in an accident on the driver's side; the airbags did not deploy. The vehicle was totaled.
Tl* the contact owned a 2014 mercedes-benz c350. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 15-30 mph, the vehicle independently accelerated. The contact stated that he was unaware of how his foot ended up under the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was then involved in a four vehicle collision.
The air bags failed to deploy. There were no injuries sustained. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The contact called an unknown dealer to notify them about the air bag failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure.
My airbags failed to deploy. My car was totaled, as was the other driver I hit. I had 2 spiral metacarpal fractures in my left hand from hitting the steering wheel that required surgical placement of two plates and 12 screws, and my knees hit the dash board, my right hip bruised from seatbelt,I sprained neck and back…
Tl* the contact owns a 2014 mercedes benz c300. When the ignition was turned to the on position and the vehicle was shifted into drive with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle accelerated without warning. The vehicle crashed into a traffic light pole.
Experiencing a failed Electronic Steering Lock (ESL). Car wonât crank or start even after verifying battery health and key fob. Symptoms point to a failed ESL, left stranded
Leaving my home from my driveway and driving about 15 feet I heard a loud pop from my backseat area and noticed my Headrest on drivers side deployed without any reason. The airbag right/left malfunction light showed on my dash saying service required. Mercedes benz Dealership said they never heard of this.
It's the esl electric steering lock this part is known to be defective and is posted online to fix and also bypass it. I am not a mechanic so I am told part alone is $570 at mercedes they have to program it. This part is know to break and only they can reprogram it. This should be a safty issue.
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 3,714 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 10% most complained about).
On average one model year of the C 300 has 199 complaints (20 years in the data). This year has 94, below average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Other years of this model
- C 300 2008672 sources
- C 300 2009576 sources
- C 300 2010453 sources
- C 300 2011480 sources
- C 300 2012267 sources
- C 300 2013262 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 2014 Mercedes-Benz C 300?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, steering, suspension. Total complaints: 94. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (12%), steering or power steering problems (7%), door locks, latches, handles (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2014 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 2014 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 2014 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.