AI Damage2007 Mercedes-Benz C280: common problems
Owners of the 2007 Mercedes-Benz C280 filed 56 complaints with NHTSA, most often about fuel/propulsion system and engine. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 56
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Fuel/propulsion system 29% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 18% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel system 9% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 7% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
- 6 Visibility 7% of all complaints
- 7 Air bags 5% of all complaints
- 8 Electrical system 5% of all complaints
- Fuel/propulsion system: 16 complaints (29% of all).
- Engine: 10 complaints (18% of all).
- Fuel system: 5 complaints (9% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 4 complaints (7% of all).
- Powertrain: 4 complaints (7% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 56 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel/propulsion system | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 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.
driver seat belt. seat belt did not lock during crash with airbag deployment. problem has not been confirmed. police observed the belt not locked in either extended or retracted position after collision. burn marks on belt would indicate belt was in use
We had scheduled a sunroof recall next week at Mercedes in New London, CT. I learned of this recall after my car recently past emissions. My car only had 39,000 miles. Iâm going to miss it.
My Mercedes has never been recalled for the Takata air bag recall and now I have a warning about the SRS, Supplemental Restraint System. What ever happened to vehicles having replacement air bags??
I have never been contacted about this recall either. This is the second complaint form I have filed. First one filed 12/28/2019.
Then after the car was stabilized âESP inoperableâ light came on. I had nowhere to pull off on this particular highway and had to continue to drive until I got to an exit. Took to my dealership.
Grinding nose after I did the breaks. And when I press the gas it acts like the e brake is on on
I am [XXX] and I was on the highway with my girlfriend going around 75mph and I smelled a burning smell and thought it mightâve been the truck/one of the cars in front of me. All of a sudden my power steering was gone and my car basically lost all power. Only the brakes worked.
I started noticing a clunking sound when I would brake. While driving I hit a moderate pothole and the car lurched side to side, causing me to lose control. It was fortunate that I was on a surface street, and that I was only traveling about 35 mph.
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 5,040 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 14% most complained about).
On average one model year of the C280 has 19 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 56, above average.
What to check before buying
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2007 Mercedes-Benz C280?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: fuel/propulsion system, engine, fuel system. Total complaints: 56. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: fuel system, fuel smell (20%), warning lights, check engine (13%), smoke, burning smell, fire (11%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2007 Mercedes-Benz C280?
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 2007 Mercedes-Benz C280 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 2007 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.