Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while his wife was driving approximately 30 mph, she was depressing the brake pedal and the rear side of the vehicle shifted to the left independently, causing to impact with another vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The air bags did not deploy. The contact stated no one was injured nor sought medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was drivable and the driver was able to continue driving to her destination. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed the sub frame was corroded. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 mph when they attempted to apply the brake pedal but the vehicle failed to stop and emitted a rumbling noise. The contact stated the vehicle's rear end had swerved causing them to use excessive force in order to avoid a crash. The contact was able to maneuver the vehicle to the side of the road where they waited before continuing driving. There were no warning lights. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who diagnosed that the rear subframe on the driver's side had severe rust and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 118,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. Upon taking the vehicle to the dealer, they discovered corrosion underneath the rear subframe. The corrosion caused 2-inch sized holes to be formed on the passenger's side of the rear subframe. The dealer also discovered corrosion on the wire of one of the seats which resulted in the air bag warning light being illuminated. The manufacturer had been notified of the failure and agreed to cover 50% of the cost for repair of the vehicle. The vehicle had yet to be repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 35 MPH and attempting to abruptly stop the vehicle to avoid a crash, the vehicle suddenly drifted into the opposite lane while depressing the brake pedal. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the rear control arms had failed. The vehicle was driven to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the failure was due to severe subframe corrosion. The contact was informed that the rear subframe and rear control arms needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 86,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the steering wheel started shaking. The contact then depressed the brake pedal causing the vehicle to drift. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who diagnosed that the rear-subframe was severely rusted causing a control link to fracture. The contact was informed that the control link and subframe needed to be replaced on the passenger's side of the vehicle. The vehicle had not been repaired due to the parts being on backorder. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, she started to hear an abnormal sound. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact continued driving to her residence however while depressing the brake pedal the vehicle was pulling to the left. The contact continued driving to her residence. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the driver's side rear axle and brake line was corroded and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 99,800.
The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while driving at high speeds and depressing the brake pedal, the rear suspension was unstable and felt loose. The contact pulled to the side of the road before continuing to drive. The contact notified an independent mechanic of the failure and was informed that the rear subframe needed to be replaced; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The dealer was notified of the failure through voicemail. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure was approximately 80,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle started shuddering inadvertently, almost causing the contact to lose control of the steering wheel. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to a certified independent mechanic who diagnosed that the driver's side rear subframe was severely corroded and fractured. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 95,000.
The contact's daughter owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, his daughter lost control of the vehicle upon the depression of the brake pedal. The contact stated that the vehicle would veer off the road without warning. His daughter had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who informed her that the subframe had severe corrosion. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed his daughter that they could not offer any assistance. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who discovered that the rear suspension cross member was fractured due to severe rust. The vehicle was later taken to the local dealer who confirmed the failure, but no repair was performed. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 160,000.
Suspension complaints in other C300 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300?
NHTSA has 67 complaints about the suspension of the 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300, 26% of the model year's 261 complaints. The component named most often is subframe/mounting bracket (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300 suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension recall for the 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300, though it has 6 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 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300 suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 100,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to suspension 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.