← New search

2003 Mercedes Benz 230

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
Compare all 230 years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 3 of 5 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

What owners actually said

5 reports
30,000 miles · Feb 18, 2011
Latches/locks/linkagesInjury

MERCEDES 230 C KOMPRESSOR. LIFTED HOOD AFTER 'CHECK ENGINE' LIT UP. AS HOOD WAS BEING LIFTED THE SPRING LOADED PASSENGER SIDE HOOD LATCH RELEASE FLEW OUT WITH TREMENDOUS FORCE - STRIKING NOSE AND EYEGLASSES - DROPPED HOOD INSTANTLY - YANKING RIGHT SHOULDER CAUSING INJURY REQUIRING ONGOING MEDICAL TREATMENT ALONG WITH PERMANENT…

Read full complaint

MERCEDES 230 C KOMPRESSOR. LIFTED HOOD AFTER 'CHECK ENGINE' LIT UP. AS HOOD WAS BEING LIFTED THE SPRING LOADED PASSENGER SIDE HOOD LATCH RELEASE FLEW OUT WITH TREMENDOUS FORCE - STRIKING NOSE AND EYEGLASSES - DROPPED HOOD INSTANTLY - YANKING RIGHT SHOULDER CAUSING INJURY REQUIRING ONGOING MEDICAL TREATMENT ALONG WITH PERMANENT SCAR ON NOSE. MERCEDES INSPECTED PART BUT NEVER PROVIDED ;TECHNICAL REPORT REGARDING DEFECTIVE PART WHICH UTILIZED PLASTIC INSERT. *LN

NHTSA ODI #10383219

Mileage unknown · Dec 29, 2009
Visibility

MY 2003 MERCEDES C230 MOONROOF BROKE COMPLETELY BY SUMMER 2009. I EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE MOONROOF SQUEAKING/RATTLING FROM THE FIRST DAY I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS SERVICED A NUMBER OF TIMES AND OTHER TIMES THE MECHANIC WOULD SAY THEY COULDN'T RECREATE THE NOISE AND THEN IT FINALLY WOULDN'T OPEN ANYMORE. MERCEDES W…

Read full complaint

MY 2003 MERCEDES C230 MOONROOF BROKE COMPLETELY BY SUMMER 2009. I EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE MOONROOF SQUEAKING/RATTLING FROM THE FIRST DAY I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS SERVICED A NUMBER OF TIMES AND OTHER TIMES THE MECHANIC WOULD SAY THEY COULDN'T RECREATE THE NOISE AND THEN IT FINALLY WOULDN'T OPEN ANYMORE. MERCEDES WANTS AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT TO REPAIR IT (APPROX. $4,500). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10297349

83,000 miles · Mar 17, 2009
Air BagsElectrical System

I HAVE A 2003 MERCEDES C230 WITH 80K MILES, THE CAR WOULD STOP RUNNING EITHER WHILE IDOL OR DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, REPLACED O2 SENSOR, NEXT WEEK SAME PROBLEM, REPLACED 02 SENSOR AGAIN, IT DIED AGAIN WHILE AT THE DEALER, DEALER THEN EXPLAINED THE OIL HARNESS LEAKED INTO THE 02 SENSOR AND KNOCKED OUT THE CA…

Read full complaint

I HAVE A 2003 MERCEDES C230 WITH 80K MILES, THE CAR WOULD STOP RUNNING EITHER WHILE IDOL OR DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, REPLACED O2 SENSOR, NEXT WEEK SAME PROBLEM, REPLACED 02 SENSOR AGAIN, IT DIED AGAIN WHILE AT THE DEALER, DEALER THEN EXPLAINED THE OIL HARNESS LEAKED INTO THE 02 SENSOR AND KNOCKED OUT THE CAM SENSORS AND CRANK SENSOR AS WELL, SO THEY REPLACED THOSE PARTS PLU THE HARNESS AND SUBHARNESS. I UNDERSTAND FROM 2007-2008 MERCEDES SERVICE BLOGS THAT "SEEMS TO HAPPENING ON THE M271 MOTOR'S (2003-2005 C230); THE CAM SENSORS LEAK OIL WERE THE WIRE GOES INTO THE SENSOR, THEN THE OIL TRAVELS DOWN TO THE O2 SENSOR AND KILLS IT; IF OIL GETS IN THE HARNESS AND DAMAGES THE O2 SENSORS, NOT ONLY DO YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THE O2 SENSOR BUT THAT ENTIRE SECTION OF WIRING HARNESS; PREVENTION IS THE KEY...ALSO, MB HAS A HARNESS THAT IS SUPPOSED TO PREVENT THE OIL FROM GETTING IN THE REST OF THE HARNESS..." SO MY QUESTION IS WHY HASN'T MERCEDES (MB) BEEN REQUIRED TO RECALL THIS PART BEFORE IT CAUSES MORE SERIOUS PROBLEMS, SUCH AS AN ACCIDENT FROM STALLING OR AN AUTO FIRE? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10262164

19,139 miles · Aug 16, 2005
Fuel System, GasolineInjury

GAS CAP COVER CENTRAL SYSTEM DID NOT RELEASE ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS . THE MANUAL PROVIDES EMERGENCY TRUNK RELEASE BUT NONE EXISTS NOTWITHSTANDING GOUGING OF ARM ON EXPOSED SHARP INTERNAL FENDER-TRUNK SCREWS . MERCEDES COMPLAINT OFFICE INSISTS TRUNK RELEASE EXISTS. FINALLY NEW COUNTRY MB DEALER, HARTFORD, CT SERVICE MGR AN…

Read full complaint

GAS CAP COVER CENTRAL SYSTEM DID NOT RELEASE ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS . THE MANUAL PROVIDES EMERGENCY TRUNK RELEASE BUT NONE EXISTS NOTWITHSTANDING GOUGING OF ARM ON EXPOSED SHARP INTERNAL FENDER-TRUNK SCREWS . MERCEDES COMPLAINT OFFICE INSISTS TRUNK RELEASE EXISTS. FINALLY NEW COUNTRY MB DEALER, HARTFORD, CT SERVICE MGR AND CHIEF MECHANIC ADMIT TO ERRONEOUS INFO IN MANUAL AS DID ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE PREVIOUSLY - EVEN AFTER CONTACTING MB ENGINEERING I WAS ABLE TO PROVE THIS DEFECT EXISTS. CAUSING LIKELIHOOD OF INJURY TO ANYONE FOLLOWING MANUAL INSTRUCTION RE REACHING INTO TRUNK PANEL COVERING WHERE EXPOSED 1 INCH SCREWS EXIST IN PRECISE AREA OF INSTRUCTION INFO - WHICH CAUSED MY INJURY. THERE WAS NO EMERGENCY RELEASE PROVIDED NOR DID ONE EXIST ON A REPLACED ACTUATOR - WHICH I RETAINED . EVEN IF ONE EXISTED - THE OPERATOR MUST REACH IN ABOUT 2-3 FEET ENTIRE LENGTH OF ARM BEFORE REACHING ACTUATOR - INHERENT DANGEROUS MANUFACTURE DEFECT. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10133002

Mileage unknown · Sep 22, 2004
Air Bags

THE AIR BAGS ARE DEPLOYING. SO FAR NO INJURIES. THE AIR BAGS HAVE DEPLOYED ON TWO SERVICE TECHS. AND ONE TOW TRUCK DRIVER. DEPLOYMENT IS DO TO A DEFECT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10093016

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.