2006 Mercedes Benz C350 problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Fuel/Propulsion System (9) · Engine (5) · Fuel System, Gasoline (2)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Mercedes Benz C350 model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
Safety recalls (5)
Visibility:sun/Moon Roof Assembly 2024-11-19 · campaign 24V874000 · 33,456 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2001-2011 C-Class, CLK, E-Class, and CLS vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models and model years. The glass sunroof panel may not be properly secured and can detach.
Risk: A detached sunroof panel can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sunroof panel as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 10, 2025. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. This recall is an expansion of previous NHTSA recall number 22V-954. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2024120001/2/3.
Visibility:sun/Moon Roof Assembly 2022-12-23 · campaign 22V954000 · 131,653 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2001-2011 C-Class, CLK, E-Class, and CLS vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. The glass sunroof panel may not be properly secured and may detach.
Risk: A detached sunroof panel may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sunroof panel as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 3, 2023. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. This recall expands NHTSA recall number 19V-918. MBUSA's numbers for this recall are 2023010004, 2023010005, and 2023010006.
Visibility:sun/Moon Roof Assembly 2021-03-19 · campaign 21V196000 · 11,356 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2006-2007 C350, C230, C280, CLK350, E320CDI, E350 Wagon, E350, 2006 C55 AMG, CLK500, CLS500, CLS55 AMG, E500 Wagon, E500, E55 AMG, 2007 CLK550, CLS550, CLS63 AMG, E550, E63 AMG, and E63 Wagon AMG vehicles. The bonding between the glass panel and the sliding roof frame may deteriorate, possibly causing the glass panel to detach from the vehicle.
Risk: A detached glass panel can separate from the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the glass panel bonding and replace the sliding roof, as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 7, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. This recall is an expansion of recall number 19V-918. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2021040012.
Visibility:sun/Moon Roof Assembly 2019-12-20 · campaign 19V918000 · 747,928 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2001-2011 vehicles. The bonding between the glass panel and the sliding roof frame may deteriorate, possibly resulting in the glass panel detaching from the vehicle. For a full list of the affected models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2019/RMISC-19V918-4126.pdf
Risk: A detached glass panel can separate from the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the glass panel bonding and replace the sliding roof, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 10, 2020. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2020040011.
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module 2016-02-11 · campaign 16V081000 · 711,159 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 ML320 BlueTec 4Matic, GL320 BlueTec 4Matic and R320 CDI 4Matic, 2011 E350 Cabriolet and E550 Cabriolet, 2009-2011 ML350, ML350 4Matic, ML550 4Matic, ML63 AMG, and C63 AMG, 2010-2011 ML450 4Matic Hybrid, E350 Coupe, E350 4Matic, E550 Coupe, E550 4Matic, and E63 AMG, 2011-2012 GL350 BlueTec 4Matic and R350 BlueTec 4Matic, 2009-2012 GL450 4Matic, GL550 4Matic and R350 4Matic, 2007-2008 SLK280, SLK350, and SLK55 AMG, 2011-201
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: MBUSA will their notify owners, and Fiat Chrysler will notify the affected Chrysler owners. Dealers for the respective brands will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. This recall began November 2016. Mercedes-Benz owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372 and Chrysler owners may contact Fiat Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.
Service bulletins (73)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Service Brakes 2026-09-22 · LI42.10-P-078779 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
complaint repeat workshop visit for vehicle vibration while braking from 60mph. note: although the symptom is similar to a tire or wheel vibration, it is usually readily noticeable that it is distinctly different if it happens at all times or only while braking. cause although the cause of the vibra
Structure:body 2026-09-14 · LI82.62-P-078631 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
complaint clanking noise from the area of the speakers in the doors. cause under analysis. remedy to narrow down the cause, first of all remove the door trim. • if the noise continues to occur even with the door trim removed, then continue the diagnosis working towards the speaker and if necessary,
Structure:body 2026-08-06 · LI82.62-P-078631 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
complaint clanking noise from the area of the speakers in the doors. cause under analysis. remedy to narrow down the cause, first of all remove the door trim. • if the noise continues to occur even with the door trim removed, then continue the diagnosis working towards the speaker and if necessary,
Power Train 2026-07-14 · LI35.30-P-058566 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end). the noise is heard once in each instance when changing direction of travel. note: sound file in attachment cause if the complaint is eliminated by experimentally loosening the outboard collar n
Visibility/Wiper 2026-05-19 · LI82.30-P-059239 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
complaint there are several types of complaint about noises or poor windshield wiper wiping performance: a: wiper blades squeaking, chattering, shuddering b: the windshield is not wiped completely (streaking) c: during the downward movement water is pulled back onto the windshield from the a-pillar
Exterior Lighting 2026-04-16 · LI82.10-P-078301 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
complaint headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged. cause fogging of the headlamps is a natural phenomenon, which can occur under certain climatic conditions. it does not lead to any technical impairment of the headlamp. if a pressure compensation diaphragm is fitted in the housing cover, then the l
Showing the 6 most recent of 73 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2022-03-07 · Fuel/Propulsion System“at 9,000 miles my 2006 mercedes c350 had to have a fuel pump replaced. it was out of warranty (low miles usage for 5 year old car) so i had to pay $900 for the repair. i could smell fuel everytime i filled the tank and the mercedes dealer said the pump had to be replaced. i read about a recall of e350 models being recalled for the same reason with …”
2021-05-30 · Fuel/Propulsion System“fuel flex line from firewall to fuel rail is leaking at both connections, ie. both ends at the swaged fitting.…”
2018-11-14 · Engine“according to the mercedes-benz m272 and m273 engine class action lawsuit, these engines are equipped with defective gears in their balance shafts (in the case of the m272 engines) or with defective idle gears (in the case of the m273 engines) that wear out prematurely, excessively and without warning, causing the vehicle to malfunction, the 'check…”
2018-10-24 · Power Train · 43,100 mi“when driving my '06 c350 with 48 thousand miles, yes 48k on it, the transmission seems to go into a safe mode. it normally occurs when driving at highway speeds and have to slow down gradually, then upon acceleration the transmission just revs up the rpm with no power. i'm afraid me and my two children will be rear-ended due to the loss of power in…”
2018-10-04 · Engine“complaint summary: in this settlement the plaintiffs allege that mercedes produced certain vehicles equipped with defective gears in their balance shafts (in the event of the m272 engines) or with defective idle gears (in the case of the m273 engines). these defective gears wear out prematurely, excessively, and without warning, causing the v…”
2018-06-24 · Engine · 72,000 mi“in this settlement the plaintiffs allege that mercedes produced certain vehicles equipped with defective gears in their balance shafts (in the event of the m272 engines) or with defective idle gears (in the case of the m273 engines). these defective gears wear out prematurely, excessively, and without warning, causing the vehicle to malfunction, th…”
2018-04-18 · Service Brakes · 243,000 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2006 mercedes-benz e350. while driving 45 mph, the brake pedal was depressed, but failed to engage as it traveled to the floorboard. the contact was able to safely coast the vehicle to a gas station. the contact stated that the check engine warning indicator illuminated weeks prior to the failure. the vehicle was towed to mer…”
2018-01-30 · Electrical System · 102,000 mi“eis and esl go bad, car will not start due to steering wheel locking.…”
2017-09-15 · Engine · 76,000 mi“balance shaft engine issues, stretched timing chain, balance shaft sprockets. there was a class action lawsuit about this that no one made us aware of and the repairs had to be completed by may 13, 2015 to be part of the class action. now, because we drove it so few miles in the past, the issues have just appeared. we have just 76,000 miles on it a…”
2017-08-01 · Air Bags“takata recall no one can tell me when the airbags will be replaced. i am one of the highest risk car owner. my car was manufactured in 2006 and i live in an area that is in one of the highest risk zones..…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.