1999 Mercedes Benz C Class

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

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7Owner complaints

Model-year median: 8.5

1Recall campaigns

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2Investigations

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Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

1999 Mercedes Benz C Class

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 7 owner complaints · 1 recall campaigns · 2 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

Electrical System: 3 reports
Air Bags: 1 reports
Engine And Engine Cooling: 1 reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 1 reports
Suspension: 1 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

01V366000 — Electrical SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V Battery

Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year

Compare all C Class years →

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

What owners reported most

Electrical System

3 Air Bags

1 Engine And Engine Cooling

1 Service Brakes, Hydraulic

1 Suspension

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 7 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.

Electrical System. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Air Bags. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. 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.

1 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

1 reports

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123,000 miles · Jul 25, 2006

Engine And Engine Cooling

Read full complaint

I OWN A 1999 MERCEDES C43, I LIKE MANY OTHERS HAVE A HIGH FAILURE RATE OF THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSORS ON OUR VEHICLES. THIS PART WHEN FAULTY WILL NOT ALLOW THE CAR TO START WHEN THE CAR IS WARM. WHEN THE CAR SITS FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME TO "COOL DOWN" THE CAR WILL START. I WAS AT THE DEALER TODAY, AND THEY ARE AWARE THIS IS A HIGH FAILURE ITEM ON THIS MODEL. AS WELL AS THE CLK430, AND S430. BUT NO RECALLS HAVE BEEN ISSUED. THERE ISN'T ANY SIGN THAT THIS PART IS FAILING, ON SOME INSTANCES THE CAR JUST STALLS WHILE DRIVING. THIS COULD POTENTIALLY BE A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS. I AM NOW AWAITING THE PART TO COME IN, AND WILL HAVE IT REPLACED ON THURSDAY THE 27TH. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10163463

Recall campaigns

01V366000 · Electrical SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V Battery

Dec 4, 2001

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HOPPECKE BATTERIES. THE BATTERY MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE COULD BE LESS THAN NEEDED TO MAINTAIN PROPER ELECTROLYTE LEVELS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE LOW ELECTROLYTE LEVELS RESULT IN ACCELERATED BATTERY GRID GROWTH, INCREASED POTENTIAL FOR INTER-CELL RUPTURE AND SPARKING, AND THE POTENTIAL FOR A BATTERY EXPLOSION.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BATTERIES, INCLUDING FLUID LEVELS. SOME BATTERIES MAY BE REPLACED IF NECESSARY, ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. IN ADDITION TO THE BATTERY INSPECTION, THE ADDITION OF LABELS IN THE VEHICLE OWNER'S MANUAL AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT WILL BE INCLUDED TO CONSPICUOUSLY REMIND OWNERS AS WELL AS DEALER AND SERVICE PERSONNEL OF THE NEED TO PERFORM BATTERY MAINTENANCE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 20, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

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

Defect investigations

PE03058 · Engine Crankshaft Pulley Failure

Opened Dec 17, 2003 · Closed Apr 22, 2004

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline:belts And Associated Pulleys

THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY HARMONIC BALANCER FAILURE THAT COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF POWER-STEERING ASSIST.ODI HAS RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 546 NON-DUPLICATIVE REPORTS THAT ALLEGE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY HARMONIC BALANCER FAILURE ON ALL MERCEDES-BENZ VEHICLES USING THE SUBJECT COMPONENT.THE SUBJECT COMPONENT FAILURES ARE PROGRESSIVE IN NATURE AND ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE COMPLAINTS AND WARRANT CLAIMS INVOLVED A FAILURE THAT HAD PROGRESSED FAR ENOUGH TO EFFECT POWER STEERING PERFORMANCE (6 OF 55 ODI COMPLAINTS REFERENCE INCREASED STEERING EFFORT).THERE HAVE BEEN NO CRASHES OR INJURIES RELATED TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.SEE SUMMARY REPORT ATTACHED FOR FURTHER DETAIL.

PE01029 · Battery Explosion

Opened Jul 31, 2001 · Closed Dec 13, 2001

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System

No summary supplied.

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.