2006 Mercedes Benz C280

While driving at approximately 70 mph on a highway, the rear subframe of the vehicle suddenly and catastrophically failed. This caused the vehicle to fishtail violently and nearly led to a serious highway accident. I was able to regain control and pull off the road safely, but the vehicle was no longer drivable and had to be towed. An inspection by a certified technician confirmed that the rear subframe rusted from the inside and experienced a complete structural failure. One of the suspension control arms even broke off of the subframe due to rust. The vehicle showed no warning lights or symptoms prior to the incident. The road was dry and free of potholes or debris, and the car had been properly maintained and garage-kept for the prior 16 years. This issue is a known defect in Mercedes-Benz vehicles of similar design. Mercedes-Benz has extended the subframe warranty for C-Class vehicles from model years 2008–2015 due to widespread internal subframe corrosion. However, this vehicle (2006 model year) is not covered, despite experiencing the same failure. The corrosion originated from inside the subframe, indicating a manufacturing or materials defect rather than environmental exposure. This failure posed a severe risk to my safety and the safety of others, especially since it occurred at highway speeds without warning. The problem has been documented in other vehicles and is the subject of a current class-action lawsuit (Case § 1:23-cv-00636 in the state of Georgia).

The balance shaft sprocket in this car needs to be recalled. It has has known issues since it came out nearly 20 years ago. It can cause your whole engine to blow if not fixed. The fix is often more than the value of the car, around $7000. It is ridiculous. The part was not properly heat treated during manufacture which causes it to fail prematurely at the expense of the owner.

Our car was recalled on 07/03/2008, recall #08V303000, for problems relating to a number of types of mechanical and electrical malfunctions. One was the "(3) OBD SYSTEM MAY CAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE INCORRECTLY; AND (4) THE SPEEDODOMETER MAY BE OUT OF TOLERANCE" This vehicle has had a malfunctioning "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT", that needs to be corrected. It prevents the car from being properly registered, and the warning being on is a distraction to drivers. It has been unresolved by Mercedes and by other mechanics who could not make the proper repair of the "Check Engine Light" issue that was listed in the recall. Mercedes has failed to make the repair, associated with this recall and states that the recall #08V303000 of 07/03/2008 is expired. The car had had recent additional recall work done, and this problem was brought up, but not addressed nor corrected by Mercedes. There has been difficulty in our obtaining Connecticut vehicle emissions approval, and Connecticut registration renewal due to the unaddressed problem by Mercedes. We cannot re-register the vehicle out of Connecticut until this issue is resolved. If we chose the sale of the vehicle, we would have to provide the purchaser a clear and registerable vehicle. Without your assistance in the resolution of this matter that would be impossible to do.

The contact owns a 2006 Mercedes-Benz C280. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH and the vehicle in front stopped as a result the contact rear-ended the vehicle. The contact stated that the front passenger and driver's side air bags were deployed with excessive force. The contact stated that the front driver's side and passenger side headrest restraint air bags were deployed. The contact stated that the driver in the vehicle in front was transported to the hospital by ambulance for a back injury. The contact stated that her son sought medical attention a month later for eye irritation. The front passenger sustained eye injuries that lead to blindness which eventually lead to his passing. The driver sustained burns on both arms and fingertips that did not require medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed from the scene. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or independent mechanic for diagnosis or repairs. The contact stated that the air bags were not replaced as she cut them out and was still driving today without air bags. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, her vehicle was not included in a recall. The contact also stated that a month later while driving the sunroof detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic that replaced the sunroof however, the failure cause was not diagnosed. The contact stated that she believed the sunroof failure was due to the excessive force of the air bag deployment. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

I have a 2006 Mercedes C280 which I purchased almost a year ago with 57,000 miles. It currently has 73,000 miles and is having major mechanical problems which have been life threatening due to when and where they occur. 1. Loss of transmission upon acceleration. If I pull over, turn it off and restart, it will shift fine until it decides it wants to do it again and I either lose the ability to shift, or it goes into limp mode without a Check engine light. This has happened on the freeway, heavy traffic, and have been several close calls. The shop said the codes were for transmission malfunction and valve body malfunction. Just out of nowhere. 2. Check engine light goes on and off repeatedly and The plastic intake manifold needs to be replaced because it is one of the defects Mercedes was sued for on this particular year, model, and engine. All of the oxygen sensors are going out as well and that is just the start. The cost for the part alone is in the $1000 range. My mechanic said the best is yet to come and explained around my current mileage on up is when most of the damage takes place with the valves and whatever else happened with this engine. I'm not sure exactly what all the problems were but he said to take it to the junkyard and was very serious which infuriates me because it's a beautiful car and I couldn't in good conscience sell it to anyone. Mercedes is fully aware of this but not a lot of people benefited from the settlement. The same problems are known by all owners and German mechanics.

We have 71,000 miles on our 2006 Mercedes Benz C280. Before Christmas, the engine light starts going on and the engine starts sounding rough and jerking. We take it into Mercedes Benz and they diagnose a cam shaft issue. It turns out all 2006 Mercedes Benz C280 have the same problem with the same mileage. This car is a safety hazard and needs to be recalled.