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1997 Mercedes Benz C230

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: 1 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.

  • Air Bags. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. 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.

3 crash reports0 fire reports3 injury reports

What owners actually said

7 reports
Mileage unknown · May 15, 2014
Tires

CONTI PRO CONTACT TIRES PUT ON RIMS AND BALANCED FOR SUMMER DRIVING. 195/65 R15 91H DOT#65PCAXH61610 2 MILES AWAY FROM GARAGE TIRE SUDDENLY DEFLATED. INSPECTION SHOWED BUBBLE CAUSED BY MANUFACTURING DEFECT. IN GOOGLE- SUBSTANTIAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THESE TIRES I.E. BUBBLES, BLOW OUTS ETC. -DANGEROUS! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10588527

88,000 miles · Nov 13, 2006
Suspension

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE, A LOUD CLANGING NOISE WAS HEARD. UPON INITIAL INSPECTION, IT WAS DETERMINED THE LEFT FRONT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE HAD FALLEN DOWNWARD ONTO THE LEFT FRONT TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE FACTORY WELDS OF THE STRUT FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO…

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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE, A LOUD CLANGING NOISE WAS HEARD. UPON INITIAL INSPECTION, IT WAS DETERMINED THE LEFT FRONT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE HAD FALLEN DOWNWARD ONTO THE LEFT FRONT TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE FACTORY WELDS OF THE STRUT FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 1/19/2007 -*NM

NHTSA ODI #10173365

Mileage unknown · Jan 15, 2004
Air BagsCrashInjury

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 45 MPH, WITHOUT WARNING THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT A GUARDRAIL HEAD ON. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES AS A RESULT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY OTHER DETAILS. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10054107

Mileage unknown · May 2, 2003
Visibility

WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN THE VEHICLES WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING AND AS A RESULT THE CONSUMER HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10018033

Mileage unknown · Jul 25, 2002
Air BagsCrashInjury

FRONT CRASH AT 35 MPH, NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. CONSUMER SUFFERED NECK AND ARM INJURIES, DAMAGE TO VEHICLE WAS $ 17000.00.*JB

NHTSA ODI #8014763

Mileage unknown · Oct 24, 2001
Power Train

CHILD WAS IN VEHICLE AND VEHICLE WAS PUT INTO REVERSE AND ROLLED BACKWARDS WITHOUT KEY IN IGNITION OR MOTOR RUNNING. VEHICLE ROLLED BACK, AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER HAD NO RESPONSE. STATED IT SHOULD HAVE ONLY DONE THAT IF KEY WAS IN IGNITION. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ODI #898127

Mileage unknown · Jul 24, 2001
Vehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury

THE FIRST TIME WE NOTICED A PROBLEM WAS IN MT. PLEASENT, SC. WE WERE DROPPING THE CHILDREN OFF TO VISIT THEIR DAD. AS SOON AS WE RETURNED TO THE CAR IT WOULD NOT START. WE BOUGHT A NEW BATTERY BUT THAT DID NOT DO IT EITHER. WHEN WE FINALLY GOT THE CAR TO START IT WOULD TAKE OFF AS IF IT WERE DRIVING ITSELF. SEVERAL DIFFEREN…

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THE FIRST TIME WE NOTICED A PROBLEM WAS IN MT. PLEASENT, SC. WE WERE DROPPING THE CHILDREN OFF TO VISIT THEIR DAD. AS SOON AS WE RETURNED TO THE CAR IT WOULD NOT START. WE BOUGHT A NEW BATTERY BUT THAT DID NOT DO IT EITHER. WHEN WE FINALLY GOT THE CAR TO START IT WOULD TAKE OFF AS IF IT WERE DRIVING ITSELF. SEVERAL DIFFERENT THINGS WOULD HAPPEN. EITHER IT WOULD STALL WHILE IDLING OR IT WOULD REV UP THE MOTOR TILL YOU COULD HARDLY STOP IYOU WOULD NOT EVEN HAVE TO PUT YOUR FOOT ON THE GAS. ANOTHER TIME IT DID THE SAME THING EXCEPT IT SOUNDED LIKE THERE WAS A JACK HAMMER IN THE ENGINE. THEY SAID IT WAS A BROKEN AC COMORESSOR AND ADJUSTED THE TIMING BELT AND REPLACED A AIR FLOW SENSOR. ANOTHER TIME IT HAPPENED MODERN CLASIC MOTORS (WHERE I USUALLY TAKE IT) SAID IT WAS A DEFECTIVE AIRFLOW SENSER AND REPLACED IT WITH A NEW ONE. I ALSO GOT A NEW AIRCOMPRESSOR AND FIXED THE AC. THE NEXT TIME WAS JULY 21, 2001. ON MY WAY HOME FROM COLUMBIA THE CAR STALLED IN TRAFFIC A BYSTANDER AND POLICEMAN PUSHED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #749077

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.