Most common 2012 Mercedes-Benz C350 problems
Share of the 35 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mercedes-Benz C350 complaints by model year
Best C350 years: 2007, 2015, 2014. Years to avoid: 2008, 2009, 2012, 2011. Compare all years →
2012 Mercedes-Benz C350 recalls (5)
Air bags › Frontal
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2015-2016 E400 Coupe, 2012-2015 C250 Coupe, C350 Coupe, C63 AMG Coupe, 2011-2014 E350 Coupe, and 2012-2014 E350 Cabrio vehicles. An incorrect front passenger air bag may have been installed during a prior repair.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag on the affected vehicles, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 10, 2021. 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 2012 C250, C250 Coupe, C300, C350, C350 Coupe, C63 AMG, and C63 AMG Coupe vehicles equipped with a front passenger air bag assembly replaced under a prior recall. An incorrect replacement front passenger air bag may have been installed.
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag module, free of charge. The recall began July 10, 2020. 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 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.
Air bags › Frontal
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling these vehicles: 2014-2018 CLA250, CLA250 4Matic, CLA45 AMG 4Matic, 2015-2018 GLA250, GLA250 4Matic, GLA45 AMG 4Matic, C300 4Matic, C63S AMG, 2012-2014 C250, C350, C300 4Matic, E550 4Matic, 2013-2014 C63 AMG, 2012-2015 C250 Coupe, C350 Coupe, C63 AMG Coupe, 2013-2015 C350 4Matic…
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will add sufficient grounding to the steering components, free of charge. The recall began in December 6, 2017. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-877-496-3691.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2012 C300 4Matic, C250, C250 Coupe, C350, C350 Coupe 4Matic, C350 Coupe, C63 AMG, C63 AMG Coupe, E350 Coupe 4Matic, E350 Cabrio, E350 Coupe, E550 Cabrio, E550 Coupe, GLK350 4Matic, GLK350, SLS AMG Cabrio, and SLS AMG Coupe vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in…
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag modules, free of charge. Owners were sent an interim notification in March 2017.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C350:
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.
What 2012 Mercedes-Benz C350 owners say
Air bags all 27 →
Takata recall (#17V017) - my issue with this recall is the unacceptable timeliness in making the necessary repair. In January 2017, I was notified via a recall letter from Mercedes that my car's front passenger-side air bag was affected by the Takata inflator recall and I would be notified when a repair was available. To date (April 2019), this has not been remedied by Mercedes and currently, per their website, there is no timeline on when this repair can be made. This is unacceptable in terms of the timeliness of completing this repair given the serious (and potentially deadly) nature of the flaw with the Takata inflators should the air bag deploy. …
Takata recall. I received the racall notice feb.2017 with notification of further notice once parts are available. First of let me address that this is a huge safety concern and it is almost 2 years ago since first notice. Second of all I am trying to sell my car but do not receive the value I should receive due to the open safety recall. My hands are tight at this point and it can't be right to lose in value of the car due to an outstanding safety call which can't be addressed at this point. What are the next steps in order to solve this problem, especially the safety of my my life and the passengers life. Who comes up with the difference in value due to not being able to repair in a timely matter. I believe almost 2 years is plenty of time to solve the issue. Regards
Fuel & propulsion system
The contact owns a 2012 Mercedes-Benz C350. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed a strong smell of fuel around the exterior of the vehicle. In addition, the contact stated that while driving the vehicle, the fuel odor was extremely strong, and the contact could not wind the windows down. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 53,000.
The steering wheel locked could not start the car. Car was driven then turned off, when you return to the vehicle, it will not turn on.everything was unresponsive,which wont turn on engine. Had to tow to dealership it cost me 1800.00. So they said the electrical for car was bad. Then my fuel tank leaked, the componets to the fuel tank all were bad, and l could smell the gas in my car and garage. Cost me 805.00 to repair. Lucky it did not blow up
2012 Mercedes-Benz C350 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 7-speed automatic | RWD | 20 / 29 / 23 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C350 a good car?
Based on 35 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2012 C350 rates avoid: 2.1× as many complaints as a typical year of the C350 at the same age. It is one of the C350 years we suggest avoiding. 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 2012 Mercedes-Benz C350?
The air bags — 27 complaints, 77% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (3) and engine & cooling (2).
How many recalls does the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C350 have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C350, the most recent from August 13, 2021 (frontal). 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 C350?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2007, 2015 and 2014. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2011. See the full Mercedes-Benz C350 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2012 Mercedes-Benz C350 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 55,000 miles; 20% 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.