2015 Mercedes-Benz C300

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300 has 511 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 6.4x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (25% of all complaints), specifically: 1. warning light "inoperative collision prevention assist plus" comes up on the display on & off when driving. car was sent to service on 4/22 but didn't duplicate the issue. car was returned to me on 4/23. 2. on 4/24, warning light "inoperative collision prevention assist plus" comes up again p. ⚠️ 1 fire report filed.

1 fire report 7 crash reports 4 injuries

511

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

6.4x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

129 complaints

25%

• 1. WARNING LIGHT "INOPERATIVE COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS" COMES UP ON THE DISPLAY ON & OFF WHEN DRIVING. CAR WAS SENT TO SERVICE ON 4/22 BUT DIDN'T DUPLICATE THE ISSUE. CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME ON 4/23. 2. ON 4/24, WARNING LIGHT "INOPERATIVE COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS" COMES UP AGAIN P
• LOUD ENGINE KNOCKING WHEN ENGINE IS COLD. DIAGNOSED AS INCORRECT/UNFAVORABLE TOLERANCES OF PISTON WRIST PINS THAT WILL ULTIMATELY LEAD TO ENGINE FAILURE. DIAGNOSIS HAPPENED WITH ODOMETER AT 2,438 MILES.
• TWO ISSUES, PURCHASED A CERTIFIED PRE OWNED VEHICLE. AT 8900 MILES, WE NOTICED THE CAR WAS IDLING VERY ROUGH ON A COLD START, ALMOST THE SOUND OF A DIESEL. THE SOUND WOULD RESOLVE AFTER 10 MINUTES OF DRIVING. SERVICE INFORMED US THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE RODS AND PISTONS. WE HAD THE ENGINE REB

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“1. WARNING LIGHT "INOPERATIVE COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS" COMES UP ON THE DISPLAY ON & OFF WHEN DRIVING. CAR WAS SENT TO SERVICE ON 4/22 BUT DIDN'T DUPLICATE THE ISSUE. CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME ON 4/23. 2. ON 4/24, WARNING LIGHT "INOPERATIVE COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS" COMES UP AGAIN P”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

70 complaints

14%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES-BENZ C300. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED. WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND JERKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL INJECTORS NEEDED TO BE RE
• HIGH FUMES OF GASOLINE AT START UP INSIDE CABIN AND OUTSIDE OF CABIN. SMELL IS USUALLY MORE PRESENT WHEN TANK IS FULL OR NEARLY EMPTY HOWEVER CAN BE PRESENT EVEN AT HALF A TANK. NO CODES APPEAR OR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS NOT TRIGGERED BY PROBLEM.
• LOW PRESSURE FUEL LINE LEAK COULD CAUSE FIRE, FUEL SMELLS VERY STRONG IN THE CABIN I HAVE 2 2015S BOTH HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE ONE IS FROM CALIFORNIA SO IT NOT A SALT ISSUE. HAPPENS ON COLD START

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES-BENZ C300. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED. WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND JERKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL INJECTORS NEEDED TO BE RE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

64 complaints

13%

• ## VIN PASSED ## MERCEDESCOLLISION AVOIDANCE DISENGAGED SCREEN POPPED UP, STOPPED VEHICLE AT STOP SIGN, THEN A DELAY IN ACCELERATION HAPPENED LEAVING US SUSPENDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WHERE WE WERE ALMOST HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. GAS WOULD ONLY ENGAGE AFTER 10 SECOND DELAY AFTER I APPLIED CONSTA
• I HAD TWO ISSUES WITHIN 2 MONTHS OF BUYING THE CAR EARLIER IN THIS. I PURCHASED THE CAR IN EARLY FEB 2015. I HEARD A LOUD SOUND IN THE HEATING UNIT, THEN A SMALL CLICKING SOUND ENSUED FOR OVER A WEEK. BROUGHT IT IN, THE MOTOR HAD BLOWN, SO THEY REPLACED IT WITHOUT A DIME OUT OF MY POCKET. THEN IN
• COLLISION PREVENTION ASSISTANCE FEATURE WENT ON AUTOMATICALLY ( AS WELL AS CHECK-ENGINE LIGHT) WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED IN NORMAL WEATHER. I WAS NOT IN AN ACCIDENT, NEAR ANOTHER VEHICLE AND COMPLETELY AWARE AND DRIVING NORMALLY PRIOR TO THIS OCCURRING. I HAD TO STRUGGLE WITH CAR TO PULL OVER T

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“## VIN PASSED ## MERCEDESCOLLISION AVOIDANCE DISENGAGED SCREEN POPPED UP, STOPPED VEHICLE AT STOP SIGN, THEN A DELAY IN ACCELERATION HAPPENED LEAVING US SUSPENDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WHERE WE WERE ALMOST HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. GAS WOULD ONLY ENGAGE AFTER 10 SECOND DELAY AFTER I APPLIED CONSTA”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BODY/STRUCTURE

57 complaints

11%

• SOON AFTER PURCHASING MERCEDES, DISCOVERED THE FOLLOWING POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SAFETY ISSUES (ALL OF THESE FEATURES ARE STANDARD): 1) NEW "KEYLESS-GO LOCKING SYSTEM IS FACTORY PROGRAMMED TO UNLOCK ALL DOORS WHEN KEY IS IN OWNER'S POSSESSION & REAR DRIVER'S DOOR HANDLE IS TOUCHED, ALLOWING INTRUDER(
• I RECEIVE WARNING AFTER I PASS 5 MPH SPEED IF ANY OF THE PASSENGER DOORS OR TRUNK IS OPEN. THE CAR NEEDS TO NOTIFY ME AS SOON AS IT GOES INTO DRIVE MODE. MANUFACTURERS RESPONSE HAS BEEN QUOTED BELOW. "WE TESTED A C300 HERE. IF THE DRIVER DOOR IS OPEN, THERE IS AN IMMEDIATE MESSAGE WHEN THE VEHI
• MY VEHICLE, A 2015 MERCEDES-BENZ C300 PURCHASED ON 6/6/15 WITH APPROXIMATELY 1200 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. ON MONDAY MORNING 7/20/15, AT APPROXIMATELY 5:30 AM PDT, I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THE INTERIOR LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE DRIVERS DOOR POPPED OPEN. THERE WAS NO WARNING CHIME OR INDICATOR LI

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“SOON AFTER PURCHASING MERCEDES, DISCOVERED THE FOLLOWING POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SAFETY ISSUES (ALL OF THESE FEATURES ARE STANDARD): 1) NEW "KEYLESS-GO LOCKING SYSTEM IS FACTORY PROGRAMMED TO UNLOCK ALL DOORS WHEN KEY IS IN OWNER'S POSSESSION & REAR DRIVER'S DOOR HANDLE IS TOUCHED, ALLOWING INTRUDER(”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

50 complaints

10%

• SOON AFTER PURCHASING MERCEDES, DISCOVERED THE FOLLOWING POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SAFETY ISSUES (ALL OF THESE FEATURES ARE STANDARD): 1) NEW "KEYLESS-GO LOCKING SYSTEM IS FACTORY PROGRAMMED TO UNLOCK ALL DOORS WHEN KEY IS IN OWNER'S POSSESSION & REAR DRIVER'S DOOR HANDLE IS TOUCHED, ALLOWING INTRUDER(
• ON 11/1/14 I FILED A COMPLAINT ABOUT SAFETY ISSUES WITH MY NEW 2015 MERCEDES, C300 (ODI # 10664470) THAT PERTAINED TO DEBRIS ENTERING THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FROM THE TOP, NEAR THE WINDSHIELD, AND OTHER ISSUES WITH THE COMMAND "RADIO", "TOUCH PAD" & KEYLESS ENTRY LOCKING SYSTEMS. I UNDERSTAND THESE
• ## VIN PASSED ## MERCEDESCOLLISION AVOIDANCE DISENGAGED SCREEN POPPED UP, STOPPED VEHICLE AT STOP SIGN, THEN A DELAY IN ACCELERATION HAPPENED LEAVING US SUSPENDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WHERE WE WERE ALMOST HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. GAS WOULD ONLY ENGAGE AFTER 10 SECOND DELAY AFTER I APPLIED CONSTA

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 3 crashes

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 511 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: 1. WARNING LIGHT "INOPERATIVE COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS" COMES UP ON THE DISPLAY ON & OFF WHEN DRIVING. CAR WAS SENT TO SERVICE ON 4/22 BUT DIDN'T DUPLICATE THE ISSUE. CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME ON 4/23. 2. ON 4/24, WARNING LIGHT "INOPERATIVE COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS" COMES UP AGAIN P
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
FUEL SYSTEM: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES-BENZ C300. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED. WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND JERKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL INJECTORS NEEDED TO BE RE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: ## VIN PASSED ## MERCEDESCOLLISION AVOIDANCE DISENGAGED SCREEN POPPED UP, STOPPED VEHICLE AT STOP SIGN, THEN A DELAY IN ACCELERATION HAPPENED LEAVING US SUSPENDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WHERE WE WERE ALMOST HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. GAS WOULD ONLY ENGAGE AFTER 10 SECOND DELAY AFTER I APPLIED CONSTA
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BODY/STRUCTURE: SOON AFTER PURCHASING MERCEDES, DISCOVERED THE FOLLOWING POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SAFETY ISSUES (ALL OF THESE FEATURES ARE STANDARD): 1) NEW "KEYLESS-GO LOCKING SYSTEM IS FACTORY PROGRAMMED TO UNLOCK ALL DOORS WHEN KEY IS IN OWNER'S POSSESSION & REAR DRIVER'S DOOR HANDLE IS TOUCHED, ALLOWING INTRUDER(
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)