Most common 2009 Mercedes-Benz C63 problems
Share of the 12 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mercedes-Benz C63 complaints by model year
Best C63 years: 2011, 2010. Compare all years →
2009 Mercedes-Benz C63 recalls (5)
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.
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.
Air bags › Frontal › Sensor/control module-inactive
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2008-2009 C300 Sedan, C300 4Matic, C63 AMG, and C350 vehicles, and 2010 GLK350 and GLK350 4Matic vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the air bag control unit may corrode and cause the control unit to malfunction.
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air bag control unit and replace it, as necessary, free of charge. Mercedes-Benz issued an interim notification to owners on December 23, 2015.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2009 Mercedes-Benz C63:
Loss of rear tail light functionality
ODI initially received 21 reports of rear light assembly failure due to a melted electrical connector or housing.Since opening the initial , ODI has received a total of 114 complaints reflecting an ongoing and increasing trend.In each report, one or both rear light assemblies fail completely (i.e., all lights housed within the assembly extinguish, including the stop, tail, and turn signal functions) when the…
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 2009 Mercedes-Benz C63 owners say
Electrical system
Rear tail light wiring has burnt up causing failure of the taillight. This happened on both sides of the vehicle. The right side actually began putting out smoke when the burnt connector failed. This fire could have spread with my kids in the car.
Car dash display indicated to check right rear turn lamp. While checking the lamp, the lamp holder assembly was hot. When attempting to unplug the electrical connector to the lamp holder assembly, discovered that the electrical connector was melting (specifically around the ground wire). There seem to be other reports of this issue on web forums (e.g. Mb world).
Air bags
Tl* Takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 Mercedes-Benz C63. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign numbers: 16V363000 (air bags) and 16V081000 (air bags); however, the parts to remedy the recall were not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. Mercedes-Benz of palm beach (4000 okeechobee blvd, west palm beach, fl 33409, [phone]) was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Tl* Takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 Mercedes-Benz C63. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign numbers: 16V363000 (air bags) and 16V081000 (air bags); however, the parts needed for the repairs were not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The contact called Mercedes-Benz of buckhead at [phone] (2799 piedmont rd ne, atlanta, ga 30305) where it was confirmed that parts were not available. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine & cooling
CEL illumination, engine misfire, stalling, rough running, low coolant indicator light ups. No external coolant loss detectable. Coolant in the engine oil and/or in the combustion chamber. This is caused by a broken cylinder head bolt. Engine coolant enters into engine oil. Coolant might be present in the combustion chamber. Affected engine number up to 1569xx 60 060658. Now the dealership is trying to charge me $7K to have this fixed when it's a known issue on these vehicles. I respectfully demand that Mercedes Benz USA cover the costs and recall these affected bolts asap.
As I was driving I had a light come on my dash telling me I had low coolant and that I needed to have it filled. This has happened a number of times since my short ownership of this vehicle. From what I understand this is a sealed unit and should not be losing antifreeze anywhere. I had the vehicle looked at and I do not have any leaks whatsoever. When I add the coolant, it seems to be fairly low. I am concerned that I May have some big issues on my hands and could potentially have a hydro-locking of the engine problem creating a major safety issue leading to a crash. After a bit of research I am finding that the mb C63 has "head bolt" issues leading to the loss of coolant and engines blowing up and or hydro-locking. …
2009 Mercedes-Benz C63 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.2L 8-cyl | 7-speed automatic | RWD | 12 / 19 / 15 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2009 Mercedes-Benz C63 a good car?
Based on 12 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 C63 rates average: 2.4× as many complaints as a typical year of the C63 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 2009 Mercedes-Benz C63?
The electrical system — 4 complaints, 33% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the air bags (4) and engine & cooling (3).
How many recalls does the 2009 Mercedes-Benz C63 have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2009 Mercedes-Benz C63, the most recent from January 10, 2017 (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 C63?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2011 and 2010. See the full Mercedes-Benz C63 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2009 Mercedes-Benz C63 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 44,000 miles; 83% 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.