AI Damage2005 Mercedes-Benz C240: common problems
Owners of the 2005 Mercedes-Benz C240 filed 30 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and fuel/propulsion system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 30
- involving a crash
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 27% of all complaints
- 2 Fuel/propulsion system 10% of all complaints
- 3 Seat belts 10% of all complaints
- 4 Seats 10% of all complaints
- 5 Steering 10% of all complaints
- 6 Suspension 10% of all complaints
- 7 Electrical system 7% of all complaints
- 8 Engine 7% of all complaints
- Air bags: 8 complaints (27% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Fuel/propulsion system: 3 complaints (10% of all).
- Seat belts: 3 complaints (10% of all).
- Seats: 3 complaints (10% of all).
- Steering: 3 complaints (10% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 30 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 | 8 | 2 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 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 contact stated that rainwater had entered the vehicle through the sunroof and damaged the computer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V918000 (Visibility) after the failure occurred. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who declined the repairs.
"takata recall" the car has a gas smell especially when we turn the heaters on/ it is very strong fumes & the windows have to be rolled down when driving/ has a gas leak
While operating the vehicle, the steering column moved up and down as well as vibrated. The failure was not diagnosed or repaired. The local dealer (car city in louisa, ky) and the manufacturer were both notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 149,000.
The contact stated that the air bag warning indicator illuminated. The contact called mercedes-benz of charleston (5 dudley farms lane, charleston, wv) and was informed that the parts were not available. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 144,503.
The contact stated that the air bag warning indicator remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer for diagnostic testing, which located a failure code at the air bag actuator. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 100,000.
A moderate gas smell comes from driver side rear wheel. Hesitation upon start up. The result is due to a faulty fuel pump that causes a leak through crack lines in the fuel pump. The smell occurs when stationary and on the street which the fuel smell is also apparent inside the cabin.
When using my car seat heat it burned a big hole in my seat and melted my jacket. I'm afraid I can't use my car seat heat any so no fire will happen
The gear shift does not stay mounted in the car. It constantly comes out of the board. It comes up when I am changing gears.
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 6,848 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 19% most complained about).
On average one model year of the C240 has 15 complaints (6 years in the data). This year has 30, above average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Seats. Occupant sensor, power adjustment, seat mounts.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Mercedes-Benz C240?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, fuel/propulsion system, seat belts. Total complaints: 30. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbag warning light (17%), smoke, burning smell, fire (10%), fuel system, fuel smell (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2005 Mercedes-Benz C240?
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 2005 Mercedes-Benz C240 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 2005 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.