Most common 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300 problems
Share of the 480 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mercedes-Benz C300 complaints by model year
Best C300 years: 2014, 2021, 2020. Years to avoid: 2009, 2008. Compare all years →
2011 Mercedes-Benz C300 recalls (6)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2014 C250, C300 4Matic, C350, C63 AMG, E350 4Matic Coupe, E350 Cabrio, E350 Coupe, SLS AMG Cabrio, SLS AMG Coupe, 2014-2015 C250 Coupe, C350 4Matic Coupe, C350 Coupe, C63 AMG Coupe, GLK 350, GLK250 BlueTec 4Matic, GLK350 RWD, 2015-2017 E400 4Matic Coupe, E400 Cabrio, E400…
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began March 29, 2019. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Electrical system › Software
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…
Remedy: 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.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 C300 Sedan, C300 4matic Sedan, C350 Sedan, C63 AMG Sedan vehicles, 2010-2011 GLK350, GLK350 4-Matic and E350 Coupe vehicles, 2011 SLS AMG, E350 Convertible, E550 Coupe and E550 Convertible vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama,…
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag modules, free of charge. Owners were sent an interim notification October 2016.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
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,…
Remedy: 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.
Exterior lighting › Tail lights
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (Mercedes) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 C300, C300 4Matic, C350, and C63 AMG vehicles manufactured January 26, 2007, through July 13, 2011. In the affected vehicles, a poor electrical ground connection may result in the dimming or failure of the tail lights.
Remedy: Mercedes will notify owners, and dealers will replace the bulb holders if not previously updated and replace any corroded connectors, free of charge. The recall began on August, 18, 2014.
Fuel system, gasoline
Mercedes-Benz is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 S400, S550, S550 4Matic, S63 AMG, C300, C300 4Matic, E350, GLK350, GLK350 4Matic, CL550 4Matic, and CL63 AMG vehicles manufactured from April 18, 2011, through July 12, 2011.
Remedy: Mercedes-Benz will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel filter, free of charge. The recall campaign is expected to begin in February 2013. Owners may contact Mercedes-Benz at 1-800-367-6372.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300:
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
Loss of rear lighting assembly
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened an investigation based on consumer allegations of loss of rear lighting in model year (MY) 2008-2011 Mercedes Benz C-Class vehicles.Complainants alleged that one or both rear lighting assemblies fail to illuminate (i.e., all lights housed within the assembly extinguish, including the stop, tail, and turn signal functions) or illuminate dimly.In some reports,…
What 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300 owners say
Air bags all 250 →
I was in a collision and the airbags did not deploy. There was a recall on airbags for the Mercedes C300 within the year my vehicle was made, however, the recall did not include my VIN. Also, the sunroof drain is faulty, which was also recalled on other Mercedes C300s within the same production year, again not my VIN, but upon inspection by a certified dealership, it appears to be the same issue as other recalled vehicles.
The airbags were supposed to have been fixed per recall by carriage house Mercedes in new London ct. my son was in a horrible front in collision and they did not deploy. None of them did. Accident happened 3 days ago insurance will pick up car today. I'd like this noted incase they need evidence
Suspension all 60 →
I was driving down the road when a deer ran out into the roadway ahead of me. I applied the brake firmly and hear a "pop" and the car suddenly changed lanes. I was able to recover without much of an incident but applying the brakes from that point on caused the car to "steer" into a new direction. I took the vehicle out to a friends farm and jacked it up to find that on this car with zero other corrosion issues that the mounting point for one of the rear suspension arms had rusted at the weld and broken off the sub frame. I should note that the rest of the underbody was inspected and the rear subframe is the only place that has any corrosion. Research into this issue over the past few months has lead me to countless people being affected by the same issues. …
The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the contact was going around a corner when he noticed a vehicle in front. The contact depressed on the brake pedal and the vehicle violently jerked and stop. The contact stated that the steering wheel was leaning towards the left. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to his residence. The following day the contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic who inspected the vehicle and diagnosed the failure as a fractured and detached rear control arm due to corrosion of the undercarriage and subframe. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer to be repaired however, the contact declined the repair due to cost. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.
Body & structure all 49 →
I recently noticed a noise coming from the left rear side os the car when I would go over the slightest bumps. I was scheduled to have my breaks replaced and when the auto was on the lift, the mechanic noticed that the frame was cracked. The auto has never been involved in any serious accidents. I did some searching on Mercedes Benz forums and there are several references of similar occurrences. Those reporting the issue after visiting a dealer have hinted it's a known issue and caused by Winter weather. This doesn't seem reasonable for a car that is not new, but after 11 years shouldn't be happening. I am needing to proceed w/ the repair as the car has many more years of use, but would like to report this issue and if determined to be subject to a recall, be compensated for the whole/partial cost of any reasonable repair costs. Kind regards,
The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the contact was going around a corner when he noticed a vehicle in front. The contact depressed on the brake pedal and the vehicle violently jerked and stop. The contact stated that the steering wheel was leaning towards the left. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to his residence. The following day the contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic who inspected the vehicle and diagnosed the failure as a fractured and detached rear control arm due to corrosion of the undercarriage and subframe. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer to be repaired however, the contact declined the repair due to cost. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.
2011 Mercedes-Benz C300 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 7-speed automatic | RWD | 18 / 25 / 21 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 6-speed manual | RWD | 18 / 25 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300 a good car?
Based on 480 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2011 C300 rates average: 1.2× as many complaints as a typical year of the C300 at the same age. 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 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300?
The air bags — 250 complaints, 52% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the suspension (60) and body & structure (49).
How many recalls does the 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300 have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300, the most recent from January 9, 2019 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mercedes-Benz C300?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2014, 2021 and 2020. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2009 and 2008. See the full Mercedes-Benz C300 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 79,000 miles; 24% 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.