Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (headlights, tail lights, turn signals, interior lights).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Mercedes-Benz C350 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
After receiving several dashboard warning messages and, I went into higgenbothom Mercedes in jackson, ms on 10/12/12 my vehicle was diagnosed as needing a right rear contact plate and harness is shorted out. About a week in a half ago my lights on right side (both front and back tail lights) will flash on and off periodically when my lights are in the auto position and the engine is off. My daughter emailed me an article mentioning a posible defect so I called Mercedes and was told to contact my dealership to get an estimate and then call them back and a case manager would contact me in 24 hours. I took my vehicle in 07/24/13 they diagnosed the car with needing right tailamp bulb holder plate. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Mercedes Benz C350. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, several electrical failures had occurred and on several occasions and the vehicle would not start. The contact replaced the fuel pump however, the failure continued. It was later discovered the cause of the failure was due to a faulty fuse. No further information was available. Additionally, the passenger's side headlight and windshield wipers had stopped working and the SRS warning light was illuminated. The cause of the failures were not determined. The local dealer plaza Mercedes Benz located at 11910 olive blvd, creve coeur, mo 63141 and the manufacturer were notified of the failures. The failure mileage was 150,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Mercedes Benz C350. While the vehicle was parked in the driveway, a family member notified the contact that there was smoke coming out of the trunk. The contact opened the trunk and noticed that the passenger side was in flames around the tail light assembly. The fire department was present, but no report was filed. The tail light assemblies were replaced approximately four years ago per an unknown recall by Mercedes-Benz of south orlando in orlando, florida. However, the dealer was not contacted for the recent failure. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 113,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Mercedes Benz C350. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, a burning odor emitted inside of the vehicle. The contact later noticed smoke coming from the interior trunk area. There were no flames present however, the wiring harnesses for both taillights was found to be burned. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000.
On Tuesday, June 9, 2015, I drove my car to work and parked at approximately 7:45 am. I did not get back into the car until 4:30 pm on the same day. When I attempted to start up my vehicle, it would not start. I called a mechanic friend, and he determined that it is a faulty eis which is the same problem that other people are describing here. As it stands right now, I will never buy another Mercedes Benz!!!!
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz C350. The contact stated that the parking lamps failed to illuminate without warning. The vehicle was taken to baker motor company (1513 savannah hwy, charleston, sc) where it was diagnosed that the lamps overheated and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000. ** updated 11/1/18
Front lamps and headlight keep randomly not functioning at start or when driving. Warning light that bulb is out comes on but then goes away and the lights come back on after a little of time and a restart of engine.
I have a 2008 Mercedes Benz C350. The rear passenger taillight malfunctioned causing me to be pulled over by the police. Mercedes Benz has since recalled the faulty tail lights and is scheduled to release replacement parts to mb dealers next month. However, it seems the entire electrical system is defective. Sometimes the radio station changes when I adjust the cabin air temperature (air conditioner). The dashboard control panel constantly displays warning messages about failing headlights and side markers. Aside from the recalled passenger taillight which is visibly dimmer than the driver side taillight, the other lights appeared to be working fine. Yesterday the fuel gauge indicator and the coolant indicator on the dash came on - the antifreeze and fuel tanks are both full. …
The brake light (driver side) was malfunctioning and giving multiple indicator warnings on the dash computer. After checking to see if it was a faulty bulb... The harness connecting to the taillight housing was burnt and melted. The taillight bulb housing was brittle and was burnt as well. The dealership said they know of no such recalls and are replacing the taillight bulb housing and replacing the burnt harness. (435.00) they also said that the computer module is bad because it is telling the brake light to stay on. They are not sure which occurred first. This is another 1000.00 repair. I have researched this issue online and there are many other Mercedes c-series vehicles having the same issue. Most experts think the gauge of the wiring is not acceptable to the load of current. This is a safety hazard and is not looking like an isolated incident. …
The rear passenger tail lamps are dimming to about half the normal strength. The bulbs are all fine, but I am getting notices on the dash that the lights need to get checked. I checked the rear light harness and it appears the electrical connector has melted so that it can't be removed from the component that actually holds the bulbs. I am concerned that this might be a fire hazard. The electrical failure also seems to be affecting the horn. There are two horns on this car. One is on the drivers side and one on the passenger side. The passenger side horn is not functioning. It appears like there is weak to no electrical power on that side of the car. This is extremely dangerous too as I can't warn other cars on the road if needed.
Related recalls
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.
Headlight complaints in other C350 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are headlight problems on the 2008 Mercedes-Benz C350?
NHTSA has 31 complaints about the lights of the 2008 Mercedes-Benz C350, 22% of the model year's 144 complaints. The component named most often is headlights (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Mercedes-Benz C350 headlight problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 14V-177 (tail lights, Apr 11, 2014). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2008 Mercedes-Benz C350 headlight problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 63,000 miles, and 4% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 2 fires and 0 injuries to lights 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.