Most common 1999 Mercedes-Benz C280 problems
Share of the 34 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mercedes-Benz C280 complaints by model year
Best C280 years: 1995, 1997, 2006. Years to avoid: 2007, 1999. Compare all years →
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 1999 Mercedes-Benz C280:
Engine crankshaft pulley failure
The office of defects investigation (odi) opened this preliminary evaluation to investigate allegations of engine crankshaft pulley harmonic balancer failure that could result in loss of power-steering assist.odi has received a total of 546 non-duplicative reports that allege engine crankshaft pulley harmonic balancer failure on all Mercedes-Benz vehicles using the subject component.the subject component failures…
What 1999 Mercedes-Benz C280 owners say
Engine & cooling
A squeaking noise was coming from my wife's Mercedes Benz c-280. On her way to our mechanic, her car died, conveniently in front of another mechanic. The mechanic identified a problem with the harmonic balancer which flew off its appropriate place on the engine. The car is being looked at on 8/31/04 to assess the amount of damged caused.
The drive belt pulley of my 1999 Mercedes C280 broke. The battery charge light came up and I almost lost control of the car because my steering became stiff. My car just has 49K miles and I just use it as a commute vehicle. This is very similar to NHTSA recall number: 96V058000
Lights
Tl contact owns a 1999 Mercedes Benz C280. The rear tail light bulbs and plastic holder melted seven times. The dealer has not diagnosed the vehicle; however, they replaced the plastic holder and bulb under warranty. The contact filed a complaint with the manufacturer. The failure mileage was 45,000 and current mileage was 151,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Mercedes C280. The contact stated that the rear lights constantly burn out and had been replaced at least twenty times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who stated that the lights were burning out and creating a fire hazard. The cause of failure was not determined. The contact planned to take the vehicle to an authorized dealer to have the failure diagnosed. The failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 155,000. The VIN was not available.
Suspension
On July 30, 2015 around 1900 hrs. I was leaving home going to pick up my kids from around the corner. I came to a stop light (red). Begin to move forward when a loud bang happened then scraping. I got out the car to address the situation and observed that my vehicle was sagging. I retraced my tracks on foot and located my coil spring. Once I got back home, I jacked up the car and noticed my upper spring housing on my passenger side was broken.
After arriving home and driving over a speed bump in our apartment complex at a slow speed, we heard a popping noise. Then, as we were turning into a parking space, we heard a grinding or dragging noise. While looking under the front right tire to see if something had come loose, the left side of the car dropped suddenly after another loud popping noise. After looking under the car some more I saw the spring was laying on it's side behind the wheel. I jacked the car up and removed the spring which was just lying there loose and saw the upper mount/perch had a lot of rust on it and looked like it had bent upward and gave way, releasing the spring. Luckily happened just outside our apartment door, but had just driven home from a town 30 minutes away on I-75 at 70 MPH! Glad it didn't give way then!!! …
1999 Mercedes-Benz C280 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.8L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 19 / 25 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1999 Mercedes-Benz C280 a good car?
Based on 34 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1999 C280 rates avoid: 2.5× as many complaints as a typical year of the C280 at the same age. It is one of the C280 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1999 Mercedes-Benz C280?
The engine & cooling — 10 complaints, 29% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine › gasoline › belts and associated pulleys. Next are the lights (5) and suspension (5).
How many recalls does the 1999 Mercedes-Benz C280 have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 1999 Mercedes-Benz C280. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mercedes-Benz C280?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 1995, 1997 and 2006. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2007 and 1999. See the full Mercedes-Benz C280 years comparison.
At what mileage do 1999 Mercedes-Benz C280 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 76,000 miles; 42% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.