AI Damage2012 Mercedes-Benz C250: common problems
Owners of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C250 filed 272 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and engine. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 272
- involving a crash
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 62% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 22% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel/propulsion system 6% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 4% of all complaints
- 5 Electrical system 3% of all complaints
- 6 Structure 3% of all complaints
- 7 Powertrain 2% of all complaints
- 8 Steering 2% of all complaints
- Air bags: 168 complaints (62% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine: 61 complaints (22% of all).
- Fuel/propulsion system: 16 complaints (6% of all).
- Service brakes: 10 complaints (4% of all).
- Electrical system: 9 complaints (3% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 272 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 | 168 | 3 | 0 |
| Engine | 61 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 2 | 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 impact was severe and totaled my car, but the airbags did not deploy. My crashing speed was well over 45mph. I purchased a mercedes benz from the dealer for its safety and I am disappointed that mercedes benz failed to recognize the defect before selling me a car that wasn't safe.
Around 5 minutes after disabling, the car began to surge between acceleration and deceleration drastically on its own. All of the dashboard lights that come on when the key is initially inserted came on at once while engine was on/running and the car was in drive.
The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the vehicle with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle to the shoulder of the road.
The contact stated that the failure increased, causing the contact to engage the parking brake to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 96,826.
**Recommended Repairs:** - Replace the valve cover gasket (to halt the oil leak). - Replace spark plugs and ignition coil (which were contaminated/damaged by oil). **Relevance to Warranty:** The valve cover gasket is only covered if it fails as a result of an internally lubricated engine part causing damage.
The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the Check Engine and High Pressure Fuel Pump warning lights was illuminated. The failure occurred on several different occasions. The vehicle was taken back to the residence.
The car radio, blue-tooth, speakers, sound, car remote sound. Happened after a battery change by AAA - unsure if it's related. CUstomer service tried to resolve it - radio turns on, but nothing else works. 2. Doors won't unlock outside or inside - except passenegers side is open. 3.
Lost of drive power and the vehicle steering wheel locked on my mercedes from a damaged malfunctioning steering lock actuator module due to mechanical issues within the steering column such as bad steering wheel assembly, faulty steering lock module or issue with the wiring or other electrical components and the…
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 1,490 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 4% most complained about).
On average one model year of the C250 has 145 complaints (5 years in the data). This year has 272, above average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C250?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, engine, fuel/propulsion system. Total complaints: 272. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (13%), knocking, grinding or other noise (8%), stalls while driving (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C250?
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 2012 Mercedes-Benz C250 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 2012 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.