2015 Mercedes-Benz C300 problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Engine (88) · Fuel/Propulsion System (57) · Structure:body (27)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Mercedes-Benz C300 model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
164 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (11)
Structure:body:roof And Pillars 2023-12-15 · campaign 23V854000 · 2,976 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2014-2020 C-Class, CLA, GLA, S-Class, GLC, and GLE vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle details. The front roof panel located between the windshield and the panoramic sunroof may not have been bonded correctly to the vehicle during a prior repair, allowing the front panel to detach from the vehicle.
Risk: A detached roof panel can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the front panel, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 2, 2024. Owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, on, March 22,2024, and August 2, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 21V-197.
Structure:body:roof And Pillars 2021-03-19 · campaign 21V197000 · 15,096 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017-2020 C300 Coupe, C43 Coupe AMG, C43 AMG, 2015-2020 C300, GLA250, 2016-2018 C350e, CLA45 Coupe AMG, 2015 C400, S65 AMG, 2015-2019 C63 AMG, 2016 C450, 2015-2016 GLA45 AMG, S600, 2016-2020 GLC300, 2017-2019 GLC43 AMG, GLE43 Coupe AMG, 2014-2019 CLA250 Coupe, 2014-2015 CLA45 AMG, 2018 GLC63 AMG, 2014-2017 S550, 2018-2020 S450, 2016-2019 GLE63 Coupe AMG, 2016 GLE450 Coupe, 2014-2020 S63 AMG, 2018-2019 S560, and 2019 GLC350e vehicles equipped wi
Risk: The adhesive bonding of the front panel might deteriorate, possibly causing the front panel to detach from the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Mercedes-Benz dealer will remove the bonded panel and will install a new front panel by following the detailed repair instructions and using the approved primer, cleaner and adhesive, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021 and October 26, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Communication 2019-11-01 · campaign 19V787000 · 24,226 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2013-2017 vehicles due to a software fault that may cause the date and time for the emergency call system (eCall) to differ from the actual date and time, potentially relaying an inaccurate vehicle location. For a full list of the affected models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2019/RMISC-19V787-4620.pdf
Risk: An inaccurate vehicle location may delay emergency responders, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: MBUSA has initiated an Over the Air (OTA) remote update. MBUSA will also notify owners, and dealers will check software for a successful OTA or update the communication module software as needed, free of charge. The recall began December 23, 2019. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2019120008.
Steering:rack And Pinion:rack 2018-11-29 · campaign 18V850000 · 6,373 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Mercedes Benz C300, 2017-2019 C300 Cabrio, C300 Coupe, C63 Cabrio, 2015 C63S AMG, 2018-2019 C300, C350e, C63 AMG, C63S AMG Cabrio, 2018 C63 AMG Cabrio, C63 AMG Coupe, C63S AMG, C63S AMG Coupe, E300, E400 Cabrio, E400 Coupe, 2019 CLS450, E450 Cabrio, and E450 Coupe rear-wheel drive vehicles. A locknut in the steering rack may break under high load, possibly causing the steering to become stuck in one position.
Risk: A car that cannot be properly steered has an increased risk of a crash.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering rack, free of charge. The recall began August 23, 2019. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2019080012.
Air Bags:frontal 2017-10-06 · campaign 17V627000 · 495,290 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling these vehicles: 2014-2018 CLA250, CLA250 4Matic, CLA45 AMG 4Matic, 2015-2018 GLA250, GLA250 4Matic, GLA45 AMG 4Matic, C300 4Matic, C63S AMG, 2012-2014 C250, C350, C300 4Matic, E550 4Matic, 2013-2014 C63 AMG, 2012-2015 C250 Coupe, C350 Coupe, C63 AMG Coupe, 2013-2015 C350 4Matic Coupe, GLK250 4Matic BlueTec, GLK350, GLK350 4Matic, 2016-2017 C350e, C43 AMG, 2015 C400 4Matic, 2016-2018 C63 AMG, GLC300, GLC300 4Matic, 2017-2018 C300 Coupe, C300 4Matic Cou
Risk: If the driver air bag inadvertently deploys, it can increase the risk of injury and a crash.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will add sufficient grounding to the steering components, free of charge. The recall began in December 6, 2017. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-877-496-3691.
Electrical System:software 2017-03-14 · campaign 17V177000 · 51 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 AMG GT-S, GLC300, CLA250 and GLE300d 4Matic vehicles, 2013 C250, E350 BlueTec and G63 AMG vehicles, 2008-2014 C300 vehicles, 2013-2014 C300 4Matic and ML350 4Matic vehicles, 2009 C350 vehicles, 2014 CLS550, E350 4Matic, E350 Coupe 4Matic, E350 Wagon 4Matic, GLK350 and SL550 vehicles, 2012 CLS550 4Matic vehicles, 2012-2016 E350 vehicles, 2016-2017 GL450 4Matic vehicles, 2012-2014 ML350 4Matic BlueTec vehicles, 2015 S550, S550 4Matic and C30
Risk: If the air bags do not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, there would be an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will update software in the affected control units, free of charge. The recall began April 21, 2017. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Electrical System:starter Assembly 2017-02-23 · campaign 17V114000 · 307,629 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2015-2017 C300 4Matic, C300, CLA250, CLA250 4Matic and CLA45 AMG vehicles, 2017 C300 4Matic Cabrio, C300 4Matic Coupe, C300 Cabrio, C300 Coupe, E300, E300 4Matic, E400 4Matic Wagon, E43 AMG 4Matic, GLA250, GLA250 4Matic and GLC300 4Matic Coupe vehicles and 2016 C350e and GLC300 vehicles and 2016-2017 C450 4Matic AMG Sport and GLC300 4Matic vehicles. In the event that the engine or transmission cannot turn over, the starting current limiter ma
Risk: If the starting current limiter overheats, the surrounding components can melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional fuse in the electrical line to the starter, free of charge. The recall began August 31, 2017. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2017080002.
Steering:electric Power Assist System 2015-12-16 · campaign 15V845000 · 28,452 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2015 C300 and C400 4matic sedans manufactured January 27, 2014, to December 1, 2014. Due to an error in the electric power steering control unit software, the affected vehicles may have a loss of electric power steering assist.
Risk: If the vehicle experiences a loss of power steering assist, extra steering effort will be required, especially at lower speeds, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will update the power steering software, free of charge. The recall began in January 15, 2016. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump 2015-03-10 · campaign 15V138000 · 3,039 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2015 C300 4matic and C400 4matic vehicles manufactured April 7, 2014, to July 25, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the fuel delivery module may be improperly secured to the fuel tank. Secondly, electrical wires that connect to the fuel delivery module might have been pinched between the flange of the fuel delivery module and the tank.
Risk: If the locking plate is not properly secured to the fuel delivery module it may become loose, and leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire. If the electrical wires are pinched, the fuel pump may stop working, resulting in a stall, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles for improperly secured locking plates and pinched wires, correcting the vehicles as necessary, free of charge. The recal began on April 24, 2015. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2015030004.
Exterior Lighting:headlights 2015-02-11 · campaign 15V087000 · 9,137 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2015 C300 and C400 vehicles manufactured from June 18, 2014, through September 5, 2014, that fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment." The affected vehicles were assembled with horizontal adjustment mechanisms that allow the owner to change the horizontal adjustment used during the manufacturing process, instead of the proper seali
Risk: If the original horizontal adjustment is used to alter the low beam aim, the misaimed headlamp may not properly illuminated the road or cause increased glare to oncoming drivers, which increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Mercedes-Benz will notify owners, and dealers will replace the horizontal adjustment mechanisms on the headlamps with sealing caps on the affected vehicles. The recall began May 23, 2016. Owners may contact Mercedes at 1-800-367-6372.
Steering 2014-09-26 · campaign 14V598000 · 10,509 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2015 C300 4Matic and C400 4Matic vehicles manufactured March 28, 2014, to September 18, 2014. If the steering coupling interlock mechanism is not locked in place, the sliding shaft, which is part of the steering column, could become disengaged from the steering coupling socket due to vibrations, steering thrust, or load feedback from the road surface.
Risk: If the sliding shaft becomes disengaged from the steering coupling socket, the driver may experience noises, steering backlash, and in a worst case, loss of steering control, which may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: MBUSA has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the steering coupling interlock mechanism to verify that it is in the locked position, free of charge. The recall began on October 1, 2014. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2014090008.
Service bulletins (136)
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,
Steering 2026-08-28 · LI46.35-P-067339 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
complaint during part of the steering movement, it feels heavier or more difficult to steer in the same spot every time. or rattling, humming, dry sliding/gravel noise from the electric steering system when steering (see attachment). complaint does not impact the ability to safely steer or control
Structure:body 2026-08-24 · LI72.20-P-075746 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
complaint tailgate opens unintentionally. cause accidental or unnoticed activation of the button to open the tailgate on the vehicle key. example: when stored in trouser pocket, handbag etc. remedy as of the 6th generation, the vehicle key can be recoded so that the tailgate no longer opens as a res
Electrical System 2026-08-12 · LI54.65-P-080132 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
complaint 1. general diagnostic tips 2. one or more park sensor activations 3. red ring around vehicle 4. "active parking and parking assist inoperative" on instrument cluster 5. cameras 6. other park topics. cause various root causes remedy see attached diagnostic guide.
Electrical System 2026-08-06 · LI82.85-P-079087 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
complaint a popup is seen on the hu with the message "data connection temporarily not available". potentially affected functionalities in ntg4.5, ntg5 1.weather 2.local search 3.ip radio 4.send2car 5.speech detection service 6.navigation 7.iheartradio 8.traffic cams cause mb apps is sundowned for al
Showing the 6 most recent of 136 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-09-23 · Structure · 120,000 mi“the contact owns a 2015 mercedes-benz c300. the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle and the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. the failure had occurred on several occasions. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that there was two large h…”
2026-09-01 · Structure · 110,000 mi“the contact owns a 2015 mercedes-benz c300. while the contact’s son was driving approximately 20 mph, the vehicle veered to the left and into the next lane when the brake pedal was depressed. the vehicle was cautiously driven back to the residence and parked. the vehicle was later towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed, and it was determined tha…”
2026-08-05 · Structure · 120,000 mi“the contact owns a 2015 mercedes-benz c300. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle fishtailed on several occasions. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was raised on a lift, and the mechanic discovered that the rear subframe was severely corroded. the mechanic deter…”
2026-07-30 · Visibility:sun/Moon Roof Assembly · 110,000 mi“the contact owns a 2015 mercedes-benz c300. the contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact became aware that the panoramic roof failed to close as intended. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was determined that the panoramic roof guide rails had failed. the contact was informed that the panoramic roof guide rails need…”
2026-07-30 · Suspension“rear subframe rust has deemed the car unsafe to drive. hitting a pot hole at high speed or any sudden stop could cause the subframe to collapse causing loss of control of car. car is available for inspection upon request. car was taken in for regular oil change and multi-point inspection when rust was noticed by mechanic at the dealership. car is l…”
2026-05-28 · Tires:pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems · 176,000 mi“the contact owns a 2015 mercedes c300. the contact stated that the driver's side rear brakes and rotors were rusted. the contact stated that when the brakes were applied, they were slow to respond. the tpms warning light was illuminated. the vehicle was taken to a braking center, which declined the warranty for the aftermarket parts. the local dea…”
2026-05-07 · Steering · 💥 crash“i was driving my car was sputtering or trying to shut off while i press the gas and i let go of the gas and it catches and stayed on. i took it to the dealership and they said they found nothing wrong. may 3rd around 12pm im driving on the freeway and as im getting on the express lane going 60 it dies and i couldn't move the steering wheel and i sl…”
2026-04-22 · Structure · 62,612 mi“the contact owns a 2015 mercedes-benz c300. the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. the vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road. the contact inspected the exterior of the vehicle and became aware that the moon roof panel had detached, and the moon roof panel flew off…”
2026-03-05 · Structure:body“the contact owns a 2015 mercedes-benz c300. while driving approximately 15 mph, the brake pedal was depressed, and the body of the vehicle shifted to one side. the vehicle was drivable after the failure. there was no warning light illuminated. the vehicle was driven to the residence and parked. the contact stated that due to the failure, the vehicl…”
2026-01-20 · Unknown Or Other“failed/malfunctioned component: rear subframe (structural/chassis component) exhibited advanced corrosion (perforation/rust-through), compromising structural integrity and alignment/handling. availability for inspection: yes. the vehicle and the subframe are available for inspection upon request. i can provide photos, videos, and repair estimates i…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.