IllustrationDRIVER SIDE UPPER SPRING CARRIER FAILED ALLOWING THE SPRING TO BECOME JAMBED IN THE STEERING. DUE TO FAILURE OCCURRING AT LOW SPEED (UNDER 20 MPH) LOSS IF STEERING CONTROL CAUSED ONLY MINOR DAMAGE BY COMING IN CONTACT WITH A CURB. A FAILURE OF THIS TYPE AT HIGHWAY SPEED WOULD BE CATASTROPHIC. *TR
1999 Mercedes Benz C280
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
Compare all C280 years →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: 19 of 34 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.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
2 crash reports2 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
34 reportsTHE ELECTRONIC ODOMETER NO LONGER DISPLAYS THE MILEAGE PROPERLY. THIS SEEMS VERY COMMON FOR THE MERCEDES C-CLASS BUILT BETWEEN 1994-2000. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WITHOUT WARNING, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.
MY WIPER MOTOR ON MY VEHICLE WENT OUT BECAUSE IT HAS ONE WIPER AND THE GEAR POWERING IT IS PLASTIC AND STRIPPED OUT. I KNOW TWO OTHER PEOPLE PERSONALLY THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO, AND WHILE SEARCHING FOR THIS PART USED I'VE FOUND THAT THIS PART IS SOLD OUT ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY DUE TO THESE MOTORS GOING OUT ALL THE TIME. *NM
HARMONICA BALANCER ON 1999 MERCEDES BENZ C280 V6 2.8L ENGINE. I'VE HAD SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING AND STARTING THE CAR. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT I NEVER RECEIVED ANY PAPERS FROM THE MANUFACTURER. *JB
A LEAK IN THE TRANSMISSION THAT WAS ACCUMULATING BELOW THE DRIVER FLOOR. THIS LEAK FILLED THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE WITH FLUID AND IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT I REPLACE THIS. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID HAD LEAKED INTO THE SHIFTER AND THE REVERSE BACKUP SOLENOID IN SHIFTER HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE MERCEDES SERVICE MANAGER MADE IT…
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A LEAK IN THE TRANSMISSION THAT WAS ACCUMULATING BELOW THE DRIVER FLOOR. THIS LEAK FILLED THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE WITH FLUID AND IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT I REPLACE THIS. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID HAD LEAKED INTO THE SHIFTER AND THE REVERSE BACKUP SOLENOID IN SHIFTER HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE MERCEDES SERVICE MANAGER MADE IT CLEAR THAT THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE AND I SHOULD GET THE PART REPLACED. THE SAFETY CONCERN WAS THAT IF THE SHIFTER WAS MOVED TO REVERSED WHILE THE CAR WAS MOVING THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD BE PLACED IN REVERSE. I NEVER RECEIVED AN EXPLAINATION OF HOW THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKED.
A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE THEN STALLED. THE CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BUT WAS UNABLE TO SO. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED REPLACEMENT. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.…
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A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE THEN STALLED. THE CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BUT WAS UNABLE TO SO. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED REPLACEMENT. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB
A SQUEAKING NOISE WAS COMING FROM MY WIFE'S MERCEDES BENZ C-280. ON HER WAY TO OUR MECHANIC, HER CAR DIED, CONVENIENTLY IN FRONT OF ANOTHER MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC IDENTIFIED A PROBLEM WITH THE HARMONIC BALANCER WHICH FLEW OFF ITS APPROPRIATE PLACE ON THE ENGINE. THE CAR IS BEING LOOKED AT ON 8/31/04 TO ASSESS THE AMOUNT OF DAMGE…
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A SQUEAKING NOISE WAS COMING FROM MY WIFE'S MERCEDES BENZ C-280. ON HER WAY TO OUR MECHANIC, HER CAR DIED, CONVENIENTLY IN FRONT OF ANOTHER MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC IDENTIFIED A PROBLEM WITH THE HARMONIC BALANCER WHICH FLEW OFF ITS APPROPRIATE PLACE ON THE ENGINE. THE CAR IS BEING LOOKED AT ON 8/31/04 TO ASSESS THE AMOUNT OF DAMGED CAUSED.*AK
EXPLOSION OF MERCEDES-BENZ BATTERY IN VEHICLE.*MR WHEN THE CONSUMER TURNED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION SHE HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION FOLLOWED BY SMOKE FROM THE TRUNK OF THE CAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TOT HE DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE BATTERY THE YEAR BEFORE. THE CONSUMER NEVER RECEIVED ANY RECALL NOTICE. TH…
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EXPLOSION OF MERCEDES-BENZ BATTERY IN VEHICLE.*MR WHEN THE CONSUMER TURNED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION SHE HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION FOLLOWED BY SMOKE FROM THE TRUNK OF THE CAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TOT HE DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE BATTERY THE YEAR BEFORE. THE CONSUMER NEVER RECEIVED ANY RECALL NOTICE. THE CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS. *NM
WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED. *AK
Official recalls
0No 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
1PE03058 · 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.