IllustrationENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLY HARMONIC BALANCER FAILURE
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 reportsCONSUMER STATES THAT THE DRIVEBELT CRACKED AND CAME OFF WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING FAILURE OF POWER STEERING/ ALTERNATOR, AND THE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM.*AK
THE DRIVE BELT PULLEY OF MY 1999 MERCEDES C280 BROKE. THE BATTERY CHARGE LIGHT CAME UP AND I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR BECAUSE MY STEERING BECAME STIFF. MY CAR JUST HAS 49K MILES AND I JUST USE IT AS A COMMUTE VEHICLE. THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO NHTSA RECALL NUMBER: 96V058000
THE VEHICLES FUEL TANK FILLER FAILED AND MADE IT DIFFICULT TO FILL THE TANK WITH GAS. THE GAS CAME BACK OUT THE FILLER CAP ALTHOUGH THE TANK DIDN'T HAVE A HALF A TANK OF GAS. *NLM SOMETIMES THE ENGINE DIDN'T TURN OVER, AND THE VEHICLE WAS POOR ON GAS. *SCC
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING AND SWITCH TO DIM THE HEAD LIGHTS CUTS OFF. TS
CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE FUEL PIPELINE MORE THAN 3-4 TIMES WITH THE CONSTANT ENGINE LIGHT LIGHTING UP. HE FEELS LIKE IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD WHILE DRIVING.*AK
ENGINE CABLE INSULATOR CRACK AND FELL OFF, CAUSING SHORTS AND THE ENGINE CUT OFF.
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH ON HIGHWAY AND ANOTHER VEHICLE VEERED INTO CONSUMER'S VEHICLE LANE, HITTING VEHICLE, AND DRIVER'S AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK
ON MAY 7 MY WIFE AND I TOOK A TRIP TO VISIT HER PARENTS GRAVES AND TO ENJOY A RELAXING DAY IN THE COUNTRY. AFTER FINDING THE RURAL CEMETARY AND PAYING OUR RESPECTS WE SAT DOWN FOR A LITTLE PICNIC AT THE CEMETARY. AS WE TIDIED UP WHEN FINISHED, WE BEGAN TO PUT OUR STUFF INTO THE TRUNK OF THE CAR, WHICH WE HAD LEFT OPEN WHILE WE…
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ON MAY 7 MY WIFE AND I TOOK A TRIP TO VISIT HER PARENTS GRAVES AND TO ENJOY A RELAXING DAY IN THE COUNTRY. AFTER FINDING THE RURAL CEMETARY AND PAYING OUR RESPECTS WE SAT DOWN FOR A LITTLE PICNIC AT THE CEMETARY. AS WE TIDIED UP WHEN FINISHED, WE BEGAN TO PUT OUR STUFF INTO THE TRUNK OF THE CAR, WHICH WE HAD LEFT OPEN WHILE WE PICNICKED. AS MY WIFE BEGAN TO PUT THE PICNIC BLANKET INTO THE TRUNK, THERE WAS A SMALL EXPLOSION. IT WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A PUFF OR SO OF SMOKE AND THE SMELL OF SOMETHING THAT HAD BURNED. WE DID NOT KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED. INNITIALLY THOUGHT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOME LEAKING GASOLINE, BUT THAT WAS NOT THE CASE. THE TOW TRUCK OPERATOR UPON ARRIVAL IMMEDIATELY QUESTIONED IF THE BATTERY HAD EXPLODED. SUCH AN EVENT WAS RARE TO US, BUT THAT WAS WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THE BATTERY ON THIS CAR IS IN THE TRUNK UNDER THE BOARD, UPHOLSTERY, ETC. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE BATTERY WAS SHATTERED. YES AN EXPLOSION, NOT AN IMPLOSION. THE LIQUID WE HAD SEEN LEAKING OUT FROM UNDER THE TRUNK AND THE GAS TANK WAS BATTERY ACID. MY WIFE EXPERIENCED BATTERY ACID FROM THE EXPLOSION ON HER CLOTHING, BOTH HER CAP AND HER PANTS. A JACKET OF MINE THAT WAS IN THE TRUNK WAS DESTROYED BY THE BATTERY ACID. SINCE WE WERE PUTTING THINGS INTO THE TRUNK WHEN THE EXPLOSION OCCURRED, WE FEEL MOST FORTUNATE THAT WE WERE NOT INJURED FROM THE BATTERY ACID. THE CAUSE, IN MY OPINION, OF THE EXPLOSION WAS A BUILDUP OF HYDROGEN THAT WAS SET OFF BY STATIC ELECTRICITY FROM THE BLANKET BEING SHAKEN AND PUT INTO THE TRUNK. HOW THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED IS NOT CLEAR, SINCE THE TRUNK HAD BEEN LEFT OPEN WHILE WE SNACKED, AND THERE WAS A MODEST WIND BLOWING. THE CAR WAS PARKED AT THE TIME OF THE EXPLOSION AND THE MOTOR WAS OFF. THE MOTOR HAD NOT BEEN RUN FOR AL LEAST 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE EXPLOSION.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *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.