2009 Mercedes-Benz C300 Electrical Problems

Which parts fail

• Ignition › Switch
  2
• Ignition
  1
• Ignition › Anti-theft › Control module
  1

Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).

Mileage when the problem started

• Under 25k
  32%
• 25k–50k
  2415%
• 50k–75k
  6841%
• 75k–100k
  4427%
• 100k–150k
  2314%
• 150k+
  32%

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 Mercedes-Benz C300 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

The contact owns a 2009 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the check engine, seat belt, and air bag warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the headlights and navigation lights failed to activate for a while. There was burning odor inside the vehicle with the heat activated or turned off. The contact also stated the vehicle failed to start for three days before eventually being able to start. The contact attempted to charge the battery, which resulted in a visible spark. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with a sound module and the Signal Acquisition Module (SAM) failures. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 217,000.

The contact owns a 2009 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start after several attempts. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the ignition switch and the steering lock had failed and needed to be replaced. The local dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the parts were available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 175,000.

The contact owns a 2009 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while driving and activating the turn signals, the taillights were inoperable. Additionally, the contact stated while driving and depressing the brake pedal to come to a stop, the brake lights were significantly dimmed except for the third brake light. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with electrical failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V177000 (Exterior Lighting); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist because the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.

Check Right Tail and Brake Lamps warning light will not go off for months. They are working fine but the light won't go off. Googling on MB World, it shows Mercedes is aware of this problem and a recall is needed to get it corrected being safety issue with warning lights not working properly. See all info. below from owners, conversations and work done by dealers, etc. People note it is a middle school education problem. Please alert me when the recall is confirmed to get this important problem fixed. [redacted] Thank you, [redacted]

I drove my car to get lunch. Came back out to go back to work and the car would not start. Would not even turn over. My Radio did not turn on and I couldn't even roll my windows back up. Luckily they were only cracked open a small amount. My steering wheel cannot be turned, it's locked in it's current position. I am told the ESL (Electronic Steering Lock) and possibly the EIS is the cause of this problem. The display on the dash says "Take your key from ignition" and that is all I get. Had to have my car towed and now I have a dead car with the windows partially open that I cannot close.

While driving and when parked the headlights flicker on and off. I have no headlights while driving at night, during adverse weather conditions and during dawn hours. I could crash into other drivers, or they could crash into me because they can't see me. When a parking bulb blows it fuses and melts everything together causing the replacement of the entire headlight unit, this has happened twice.

I have messages on my instrument panel stating I have airbag malfunction going on I also have tail lights that are not working and after trying to replace the bulbs it still don't work so obviously it's the light bulb panel so I went and looked at recalls and says that these are all recalls on my car but that they were fixed. so I don't know why I have them all bad again so I need to know what to do

Rear passenger tail light housing melted together the connector/ harness to the housing. Limiting the power to the light bulbs and or blowing them before they should be burnt out or not working at all periodically. Effectively limiting the safety of having the brake light or parking lights or even the blinker work like they're supposed too

i was driving in the highway 50 mph and i was braking and my car slipped in the other line of the highway and almost had and accident !!!! and cars switched off when driving almost had incident!!!! i saw that many people have the say problem like me about rusted component please do something because people are losing their lifes.

Last week just before Thanksgiving my car of 134,000 miles wouldn't start. Had it towed to my mechanic only to find out like so many others that the Electronic Steering Module(ESL) is 1,500.00 defective. Yet with this being a common issue there is no recall. guess I'm going to a Toyota.

Related recalls

NHTSA investigations

Electrical complaints in other C300 years