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2001 Mercedes Benz C Class

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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

What owners reported most

All reported categories

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: 10 of 14 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 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Equipment. Review the 2 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 reports0 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

3 reports
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72,193 miles · Apr 15, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ C240. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A CRANKSHAFT CENTER AND THERMOSTAT ISSUE. THE CRANKSHAFT CENTER CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT AND IT WOULD NOT START UNTIL THE ENGINE COOLED OFF.…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ C240. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A CRANKSHAFT CENTER AND THERMOSTAT ISSUE. THE CRANKSHAFT CENTER CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT AND IT WOULD NOT START UNTIL THE ENGINE COOLED OFF. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE REPAIR WOULD COST $700. A DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED, WHICH SHOWED THAT ADDITIONAL REPAIRS WOULD ALSO BE NEEDED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO WARRANTY; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,193.

NHTSA ODI #10265511

115,000 miles · Jan 14, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling

STALLING IN TRAFFIC CAUSED BY FAILURE OF CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10214727

Mileage unknown · Jan 23, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE HAS STOPPED ON THE HIGHWAY TWICE. ONCE HE HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A GROUNDING PROBLEM. THE SECOND TIME HE HAD IT TOWED, HE WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM. THEN HE BEGUN TO HAVE PROBLEMS OPENING THE VEHICLE WITH THE KEY, THEN ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS OPEN THEN IT WOULD NOT ENTER T…

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VEHICLE HAS STOPPED ON THE HIGHWAY TWICE. ONCE HE HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A GROUNDING PROBLEM. THE SECOND TIME HE HAD IT TOWED, HE WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM. THEN HE BEGUN TO HAVE PROBLEMS OPENING THE VEHICLE WITH THE KEY, THEN ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS OPEN THEN IT WOULD NOT ENTER THE IGNITION TO START THE AUTO. HE THINKS THIS CAR IS A LEMON. VEHICLE IS A MERCEDES C20, 2001. TS

NHTSA ODI #10004536

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

2

DP05007 · Transmission Malfunction

Opened Nov 7, 2005 · Closed Mar 27, 2006

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:automatic Transmission; Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)

THE PETITIONER ALLEGES THAT COFFEE FROM A CUP, PLACED IN THE CUP HOLDER, SPILLED ONTO THE GEAR SHIFTER AND SHUT DOWN THE VEHICLE?S ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE CONCERN RAISED BY THE PETITIONER WAS INVESTIGATED (SQ01-010) AND WAS CLOSED AFTER ODI CONCLUDED THAT THE FACTS DID NOT DEMONSTRATE A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT.ODI HAS SUBSEQUENTLY RECEIVED NINE MORE COMPLAINTS ALLEGING FLUID CONTAMINATION OF THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER SINCE THE INVESTIGATION WAS CLOSED, NONE OF WHICH REPORT CRASHES OR INJURIES.THESE NINE COMPLAINANTS MAINLY EXPRESSED DISSATISFACTION WITH THE DESIGN OF THE CUP HOLDER AND THE COST OF REPLACING THE CONTAMINATED ELECTRONIC SELECTOR MODULE.SIMILARLY, IN PETITIONER?S CASE SHE WAS ABLE TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE TO A PLACE WHERE IT COULD BE SAFETY STOPPED AFTER THE LIQUID SPILLAGE.THE PETITIONER HAS NOT PROVIDED ANY EVIDENCE OF A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT.IN VIEW OF THE FOREGOING AND THE NEED TO ALLOCATE AND PRIORITIZE NHTSA'S LIMITED RESOURCES TO BEST ACCOMPLISH THE AGENCY'S SAFETY MISSION, THE PETITION IS DENIED.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)

THE PETITIONER ALLEGES THAT COFFEE FROM A CUP, PLACED IN THE CUP HOLDER, SPILLED ONTO THE GEAR SHIFTER AND SHUT DOWN THE VEHICLE?S ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE CONCERN RAISED BY THE PETITIONER WAS INVESTIGATED (SQ01-010) AND WAS CLOSED AFTER ODI CONCLUDED THAT THE FACTS DID NOT DEMONSTRATE A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT.ODI HAS SUBSEQUENTLY RECEIVED NINE MORE COMPLAINTS ALLEGING FLUID CONTAMINATION OF THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER SINCE THE INVESTIGATION WAS CLOSED, NONE OF WHICH REPORT CRASHES OR INJURIES.THESE NINE COMPLAINANTS MAINLY EXPRESSED DISSATISFACTION WITH THE DESIGN OF THE CUP HOLDER AND THE COST OF REPLACING THE CONTAMINATED ELECTRONIC SELECTOR MODULE.SIMILARLY, IN PETITIONER?S CASE SHE WAS ABLE TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE TO A PLACE WHERE IT COULD BE SAFETY STOPPED AFTER THE LIQUID SPILLAGE.THE PETITIONER HAS NOT PROVIDED ANY EVIDENCE OF A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT.IN VIEW OF THE FOREGOING AND THE NEED TO ALLOCATE AND PRIORITIZE NHTSA'S LIMITED RESOURCES TO BEST ACCOMPLISH THE AGENCY'S SAFETY MISSION, THE PETITION IS DENIED.

Power Train:automatic Transmission

THE PETITIONER ALLEGES THAT COFFEE FROM A CUP, PLACED IN THE CUP HOLDER, SPILLED ONTO THE GEAR SHIFTER AND SHUT DOWN THE VEHICLE?S ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE CONCERN RAISED BY THE PETITIONER WAS INVESTIGATED (SQ01-010) AND WAS CLOSED AFTER ODI CONCLUDED THAT THE FACTS DID NOT DEMONSTRATE A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT.ODI HAS SUBSEQUENTLY RECEIVED NINE MORE COMPLAINTS ALLEGING FLUID CONTAMINATION OF THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER SINCE THE INVESTIGATION WAS CLOSED, NONE OF WHICH REPORT CRASHES OR INJURIES.THESE NINE COMPLAINANTS MAINLY EXPRESSED DISSATISFACTION WITH THE DESIGN OF THE CUP HOLDER AND THE COST OF REPLACING THE CONTAMINATED ELECTRONIC SELECTOR MODULE.SIMILARLY, IN PETITIONER?S CASE SHE WAS ABLE TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE TO A PLACE WHERE IT COULD BE SAFETY STOPPED AFTER THE LIQUID SPILLAGE.THE PETITIONER HAS NOT PROVIDED ANY EVIDENCE OF A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT.IN VIEW OF THE FOREGOING AND THE NEED TO ALLOCATE AND PRIORITIZE NHTSA'S LIMITED RESOURCES TO BEST ACCOMPLISH THE AGENCY'S SAFETY MISSION, THE PETITION IS DENIED.

SQ01010 · Sudden Engine Shut Down

Opened Sep 25, 2001 · Closed Feb 4, 2002

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling

No summary supplied.