Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. The contact stated that a message to remove the ignition key was displayed. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The contact stated that later, while starting the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start as intended. In addition, the contact stated the steering wheel had seized. The contact inspected the battery and determined there was no failure with the battery. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was requested to pay a diagnostic fee and declined. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. …
On [redacted] the car refused to start due to the electronic steering lock failure. The car was towed to the nearest Mercedes Benz Dealer at Stevens Creek Blvd, San Jose CA 95129. An inspection was done and Mercedes Benz wanted $3457.66 to replace the Steering Lock. This item is a recall item in other years of the C300 Mercedes Benz. Google shows: Mercedes-Benz has issued a recall for the Mercedes- Benz C-Class models, including the C300, due to potential steering lock issues. The recall specifically affects 2015- 2016 C300 models, as well as other C-Class variations like the 2017-2019 C300 Cabrio and Coupe. The recall is due to a potential problem with the Electronic Steering Lock (ESL) module, which is responsible for locking and unlocking the steering wheel. A faulty ESL module can prevent the steering wheel from unlocking, causing the vehicle to be unable to start. …
Car worked fine, all the sudden it wouldn't turn over, I would put the key in and turn it and nothing would happen, I was stuck and had to catch a ride, lucky that I was able, a car company that is supposedly reliable shouldn't allow there cars to completely give out on people during the middle of winter storms and not take ownership, when the customer has taken good care of the car. Talked to several mechanics and turned out it was the Electronic Steering Lock (ESL) module that had malfunctioned probably due to the software and electrical. Due to this only the Benz dealerships can repair, I had to tow it to a dealership and was charged around $2000 after haggling over the price. Terrible experience and should be recalled by MB, I have seen many complaints about this online and was very disappointed there wasn't a cheaper solution. Was both a safety issue, inconvenient and very costly.
After repair done on the confirmed recall airbag computer/module my vehicle became immobile, malfuctioned. The vehicle warning lamps alerted the airbag malfunctioned, srs malfunction. I seeked service for repair of this recall by experts. This safety issue is still ongoing and urgency is needed for this to be resolved.
Pulled into parking space on side of street and turned off vehicle to pick up restaurant food. Returned to vehicle within 5 minutes, turned the key, and vehicle was dead. 93 year old mother was in car which was now stuck in parking space. We had to open the doors, due to vehicle windows not functioning, to try to prevent inside of car from overheating due to outside temperature. Called AAA, who arrived after about 45 minutes, tried to jump start car, indicated appeared battery was fine. Had to re-contact AAA to get car towed. Waited another 45 minutes for tow truck to arrive. Again checked battery and ignition, battery fine, car was locked in park and steering wheel was locked,. Towing technician had to lift up center console to reach underneath to switch to neutral. Technician had great difficulty getting car onto flatbed of tow truck because it kept slipping back into park. …
I entered my 2008 Mercedes Benz C300 after work, and it would not start. I was stranded for 2 and 1/2 hours waiting for the complimentary tow truck Mercedes Benz was sending. I had it towed to the Mercedes Benz dealership at 7 pm where it sat all weekend until they checked it on Monday 3/9/15. They called on 3/9/15 and stated it was the electrical steering device and would cost $950. This is a common malfunction in the 2008 C300 that Mercedes is not taking ownership of. There are numerous individuals who have faced this problem, and are charged extreme amounts to have it fixed. (see mbworld) this is not a defect due to wear and tear, this is a problem with manufacturing, a defect which is unfair to the consumer. There needs to be a recall on the electronic steering device and electronic ignition system on this make and model of car. …
The serpentine belt shredded for the third time after having it replaced twice within four weeks. As of 4/15/2015 this car will have its 4th belt installed. Clearly the tensioner and pulley(s) are majorly defected. Each time these incidents were life threatening for me and my daughters. We were simply blessed not have been hit by other drivers when the car lost total control with no steering power. Each time of the car's malfunction, I was surrounded by other drivers, moving with the steady flow of traffic.these are serious issues. I can't imagine if I had been driving on the freeway at a faster pace. Now I am facing the expense of replacing the belt for the third time(making this the 4th belt), replacing the parts, the cost of labor, and the cost for a rental during the repair time. …
Last week 8/11/2015 I drove to the lumbar store, parked the car and upon returning to the car, the key turned completely to the right, the dash lights came on, the ringing noise sounded, but the car did not turn over, nothing happened. The dash read remove the key from ignition. I called my mechanic with the issue and he said use your key fob to lock and unlock the car; that did not work, still nothing. I called the tow company the battery was fully charged ( I purchased it last year 2014). The tow company disabled the cable to the battery waited 30 seconds and reconnected the battery, still the key would not turn the engine over. Because the lumber yard locked their gate at 5 pm the car was scheduled to be towed the next morning. The car started the next morning, I allowed the tow company to tow it anyway and have their mechanic assess the problem. …
I stopped at a kwik trip (2006 n spring st, beaver dam, wi 53916) to put gas in my 2008 Mercedes C300. Car would not start after filling up. My steering was locked and so was my shifting as I was stuck in park. After troubleshooting things such as the battery, fuses, etc I looked online and found out many people have been in the same situation. There are videos on youtube and forums with tens of thousands of views and numerous posts describing what seems to be a electronic steering lock (esl) or electronic ignition system (eis). I know Mercedes has acknowledged the problem and they have argued it is not a safety hazard but there are many instances where it can be a big safety hazard. Luckily it was summer here in wisconsin where I was stuck at that gas station from 7:30 pm - 1:00 am. So essentially the problem has nothing to do with filling up with gasoline. …
Cars steering column locked up while car was parked several times and after numerous attempts with the keys it eventually started up. But one day I parked it and it would not start up at all. Had to have the car towed to Mercedes service department and was informed that it was the eis and that it would cost 1300 dollars to repair. Did research online and noticed that this is a common occurrence for this vehicle years 2008-2009 and that this is more a manufacturing defect that should be covered under a Mercedes Benz recall rather than passing this cost off to the consumer. I talked this over with the service tech and he stated that he gets numerous vehicles in for this service and that he anticipates that this will eventually be a recall in the future but presently I would need to pay up front and wait for the recall to be generated by Mercedes. …
Steering complaints in other C300 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300?
NHTSA has 136 complaints about the steering of the 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300, 20% of the model year's 672 complaints. The component named most often is column (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300, though it has 7 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 90,000 miles, and 2% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 0 fires and 5 injuries to steering problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.