2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Complaint Log

STILL NOT FIXED ----2 YEARS LATER THEY SAY (M/B) "THE BEST OR NOTHING " AND I HAVE NOTHING BUT UN- SAFETY AND DANGER,AND PLENTY OF LETTERS THAT DO NOTHING AGAIN, BUT THEY SAID THAT . LETS PUT A DATE TO IT.!!!!!!!!

THE REAR WIRING FOR THE TAIL LIGHT LIGHTING SPARKED. WHILE DRIVING THE CAR SMELLED STRONGLY OF BURNING PLASTIC. AFTER A QUICK LOOK OVER I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING ALARMING. THE VERY NEXT DAY ALL OF THE LIGHTING ON THE REAR RIGHT TAIL LIGHTS WENT OUT, ALL INDICATORS CAME ON IN THE DASH SHOWING THAT ALL BULBS WERE MALFUNCTIONING. AFTER PULLING THE HOUSING UNIT OUT, I FOUND THAT THE WIRE WAS BURNED AND SO WAS THE UNIT THE WIRES ATTACHED TO; MELTED AND BURNED. WIRING SHOULD NOT CATCH ON FIRE, THIS COULD HAVE EASILY SPREAD AND WHEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO FIX, THEY CUT THE WIRE TO ATTACH MORE BUT CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN. *TT

THE REAR LIGHTS CONTINUE TO FAIL - BRAKE LIGHTS, STOP LIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS AND BACKUP LIGHTS FAIL REPEATEDLY. THE DASHBOARD INDICATOR ANNOUNCES LIGHTS ARE OUT AND WHEN I CHECKED THE BULBS ARE INTACT BUT AND THE LIGHTS COME BACK ON BY JIGGLING THE WHOLE LIGHTING HOUSING. THEY GO OUT AGAIN AS SOON A TRAVEL RESUMES. *TR

I BEGAN TO GET WARNINGS THAT THE LEFT REAR TAIL LIGHT BRAKE LIGHT AND TURN SIGNAL WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THE LEFT REAR SIGNAL INDICATOR IN THE DASH BLINKED RAPIDLY, AND THE COMPUTER GAVE WARNING MESSAGE. WHEN I REMOVED THE BULB PANEL I NOTICED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS PLUG WAS BURNT AND THE PLASTIC HOUSING THAT HELD THE BULBS WAS BURNT. THE BROWN WIRE ON THE END OF THE HARNESS CONNECTOR WAS BURNT AND THE METAL TAB THAT THE CONNECTOR CONNECTED TO WAS MELTED ALONG WITH THE PLASTIC PLUG. *TR

RIGHT TAIL LIGHT WARNING SIGNALS APPEARED, UPON EXAMINING THE TAIL LIGHT CONNECTION IT APPEARED BURNED AND MELTED. ALL RIGHT TAIL LIGHTS WERE OUT INCLUDING SIGNALING. *TR

REAR PASSENGER TAIL LIGHTS IN MY 2008 C300 WERE DIM AND GOT DASH WARNING LIGHT TO CHECK REAR LIGHTS. A COUPLE BULBS WERE OUT SO WHEN I LOOKED AT THE ASSEMBLY AND PUSHED ON IT THE LIGHTS THAT WERE OUT LIT UP TEMPORARILY AND I NOTICED THE CABLE HARNESS THAT PLUGS IN IT WAS CORRODED ON THE END AND THE BROWN WIRE AT THE END WAS EXPOSED (MELTED?) AND THE BLACK PLUG LOOKS WARPED (MELTED?), LOOKS LIKE A COMMON PROBLEM BASED ON FORUM REPORTS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO FUNCTION. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE WIRES HAD MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEARER WHO STATED THAT THE HEAD LAMP BOARD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000.

DASH PANEL READ AN ERROR OF TAIL LIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS, TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS OUT ON RIGHT SIDE. DROVE HOME FROM WORK , APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES, SMELLED WIRES BURNING. WAITED TOOK CAR TO AUTOZONE TO GET BULBS REPLACED. BY THE TIME I ARRIVED, THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE COMPARTMENT. THE LIGHT ASSEMBLY HAD CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED THE PLUG AND THE BOARD. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, A BURNING ODOR EMITTED INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT LATER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE INTERIOR TRUNK AREA. THERE WERE NO FLAMES PRESENT HOWEVER, THE WIRING HARNESSES FOR BOTH TAILLIGHTS WAS FOUND TO BE BURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

RECEIVED WARNING ON DASH TO CHECK REAR DRIVER TAIL LIGHT. TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE DEALER TO GET IT CHECKED OUT AND WAS TOLD THE WIRES FROM THE TAIL LIGHT WERE MELTED FROM THE ELECTRICAL PANEL AND MY CAR IS RUNNING ON BACK UP LIGHTS. THE ONLY SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL BACK LIGHT SYSTEM SINCE THE MELTED WIRES WOULD EVENTUALLY DAMAGE THE ENTIRE BRAKE LIGHT SYSTEM. THE COST TO REPAIR $900. CAR SMELLS BURNT INSIDE, AND IN THE TRUNK. I AM AFRAID OF A FIRE, AND GETTING REAR ENDED IF MY BRAKE LIGHTS STOP WORKING. *TR

MY REAR BACK TAIL LIGHT WIRING PANEL FRIED . THE LIGHT IS NOT WORKING AT ALL AND WHEN I CALLED MANHATTAN MERCEDES DEALERSHIP THEY TOLD ME THERE IS NOT AN APPOINTMENT AVAILABLE TWO WEEKS FROM 3/7/2014 THEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP IN BROOKLYN AND THEY TOLD ME THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY APPOINTMENTS EITHER SO I JUST SHOWED UP THERE AND THEY TOLD ME THAT DUE TO MY TAIL LIGHT BEING FULLY OUT I AM NOT ALOUD TO DRIVE MY CAR SINCE ITS A SAFETY ISSUES BUT THEY DID NOTHING TO HELP ME OUT AND TOLD ME THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO ORDER THE PART EVEN THOUGH IT IS A RECALL THEN THEY TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO PAY AROUND $ 400 DOLLARS FOR THE PARTS AND LABOR BUT STILL THEY HAD NO APPOINTMENT FOR ME TO COME IN AND FIX IT IS 3/25/2014 AND I STILL HAVE A BROKEN CAR AND NO WAY OF DRIVING IT OR FIXING IT BECAUSE NO OTHER SHOP WILL TAKE MY CAR IN SINCE IT IS A DEALER ISSUE. *TR

GOOD AFTERNOON. I CURRENTLY OWN A 2008 C300. I NOTICED MY REAR TAIL LIGHT WARNING INDICATOR CAME ON ABOUT A MONTH AGO. UPON CHECKING THE BULB, I NOTICED THE JACKET ON ONE OF THE WIRES GOING INTO THE CONNECTOR WAS FRAYED. I PUT SOME ELECTRICAL TAPE ON IT HOPING THAT WOULD SOLVE THE ISSUE. 1 MONTH LATER, I AM NOW HAVING THE SAME ISSUE AGAIN. I WENT TO CHECK ON THE LIGHT AND NOTICED THE FRAYING WAS GROWING WORSE AND THE WIRE WAS SO HOT I WAS CONCERNED IT WAS GOING TO START A FIRE. I HAVE SINCE REMOVED THE BULB TO PREVENT A FIRE FROM STARTING. IN DOING SOME RESEARCH, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE ON THIS VEHICLE. BEING THAT THIS IS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD AND COULD POTENTIALLY LEAD TO A FIRE AND EVEN THE LOSS OF LIFE, I AM CURIOUS HOW AND WHY THERE IS NOT A RECALL ON THIS DEFECT. IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THIS ISSUE PLEASE LET ME KNOW. THANK YOU *TR

MY RADIO PLAYS BUT SMELL LIKE SOMETHING IS BURNING WHEN I TURN IT ON (WIRES) RADIO STILLS PLAYS BUT SCREEN GOES IN AND OUT WAS TOLD I NEED NEW RADIO BUT WAS NEVER TOLD THAT RADIO MAY CATCH ON FIRE . *JS

THE BRAKE LIGHT (DRIVER SIDE) WAS MALFUNCTIONING AND GIVING MULTIPLE INDICATOR WARNINGS ON THE DASH COMPUTER. AFTER CHECKING TO SEE IF IT WAS A FAULTY BULB... THE HARNESS CONNECTING TO THE TAILLIGHT HOUSING WAS BURNT AND MELTED. THE TAILLIGHT BULB HOUSING WAS BRITTLE AND WAS BURNT AS WELL. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY KNOW OF NO SUCH RECALLS AND ARE REPLACING THE TAILLIGHT BULB HOUSING AND REPLACING THE BURNT HARNESS. (435.00) THEY ALSO SAID THAT THE COMPUTER MODULE IS BAD BECAUSE IT IS TELLING THE BRAKE LIGHT TO STAY ON. THEY ARE NOT SURE WHICH OCCURRED FIRST. THIS IS ANOTHER 1000.00 REPAIR. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE ONLINE AND THERE ARE MANY OTHER MERCEDES C-SERIES VEHICLES HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. MOST EXPERTS THINK THE GAUGE OF THE WIRING IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO THE LOAD OF CURRENT. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND IS NOT LOOKING LIKE AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THIS MATTER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C300. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTED WHILE THERE WAS A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT. THE FAILURES RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V711000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

I WAS DRIVING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD A SNAP , AS SOON I TRY TO PULL OVER MY STEERING WHEEL BECOMES VERY STIFF, VERY HARD TO TURN. HAD TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND CALL FOR A TOW TRUCK. WHEN I OPEN THE HOOD IT SMELL LIKE SOMETHING BURNT AND I SAW THE BELT IN PIECES. I SPOKE TO MY MECHANIC AND HE CONFIRMED IT WAS THE BELT AND THE IDLE PULLEY. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND ALOT OF C CLASS CARS ARE HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE. HOPEFULLY MERCEDES BENZ CAN FIX THIS BEFORE A TRAGEDY HAPPENS. *TR

AS I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT BOTH MY WIFE, KIDS AND MYSELF SMELLED A STRONG ODOR IN THE CABIN OF THE CAR. IT WAS WORSE TOWARDS THE BACK SEAT WHERE THE KIDS WERE. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND GOT THE FAMILY OUT OF THE VEHICLE (MERCEDES BENZ C300 2008) AND SAW THAT GREY SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF THE TRUNK OF THE CAR. WHEN I OPENED THE TRUNK I NOTICED THAT THE SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF THE RIGHT TAIL LIGHT. THE CABLE THAT FEEDS ELECTRICITY TO THAT PANEL SHORTED AND CAUSED A SMALL FIRE WHICH TURNED OFF THE MINUTE I SHUT THE VEHICLE DOWN. I THEN TRIED PULLING OUT THE CABLE FROM THE LIGHT PANEL AND IT DID NOT BUDGE BECAUSE IT MELTED AND FUSED TOGETHER WITH THE LIGHT PANEL. *TR

GETTING INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MESSAGES ABOUT TAIL AND BRAKE LIGHTS TO BE CHECKED. I REPLACED BULBS AND HAVE THE SAME MESSAGES. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE SENSOR MONITORS RESISTANCE AND THE BULBS MAY BE FINE. GETTING MESSAGE FOR BOTH SIDES NOW AND I AM VERY CONCERNED READING SOME OF THE OTHER RESPONSES THAT WE HAVE A DEFECT IN THIS CAR THAT COULD CAUSE INJURIES OR FIRES, THIS SHOULD DEFINITELY BE A RECALL FROM MERCEDES. DANGER! DANGER! *TR

REAR LIGHT HOUSING ASSEMBLY WIRING SMELLING LIKE SMOKE, OPEN THE TRUCK AND PLASTICS HOUSING WAS MELTING AND VERY HOT. *TR

FROM REVIEWING THE SITE, THIS IS THE SAME COMPLAINT YOU HAVE ALREADY HAD ABOUT THESE CARS. IT APPEARS TO ALREADY BE UNDER INVESTIGATION. IN OUR CASE, A NUMBER OF THE REAR LIGHTS, INCLUDING LIGHTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CAR, WENT OUT AT ONCE. THIS MEANS TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS, SIDE LIGHTS. THE FIRST CLUE WAS THAT MULTIPLE WARNINGS CAME UP ON THE DASH. WE STOPPED CAR, AND ON INSPECTION, SEVERAL LIGHTS ALSO HAD STOPPED FUNCTIONING. THE WAS NO OBVIOUS VISUAL OR OLFACTORY SIGN OF OVERHEATING OR FIRE. *TR

RIGHT & LEFT REAR TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY WIRING HARNESS PLUGS HAVE MELTED WHERE ATTACHED TO THE TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY, CAUSING BRAKE, TURN SIGNAL, HAZARD, AND RUNNING LAMPS TO NOT WORK INTERMITTENTLY. BROWN WIRES GET TOO HOT TO TOUCH. SAFETY ISSUE WITH ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE TAIL LIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE GROUND WIRE AND THE TAIL LIGHT CONNECTORS BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,100 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 61,200.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH REAR TAIL LIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED AND A BURNING ODOR WAS EMITTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

CHECK RIGHT TAILLIGHT INDICATOR APPEARED ON DASH. REAR RIGHT LIGHTS OUT. INSPECTED TO FIND ALL BULBS WERE OPERATIONAL BUT WIRE HAD OVERHEATED AND MELTED INTO HOUSING. *TR

I WENT TO GO TURN ON MY CAR AND IT FAILED. NO SOUND OR ANYTHING. I CALLED AAA THEY CAME AND SAID THE BATTERY IS GOOD THEY JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG. I HAD TO GET MY CAR TOW WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT. I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP AND IT TOOK THEM ABOUT A WEEK TO REALIZE WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT. I CALLED MERCEDES BENZ AND THEY HAD NO EXPLANATION TO WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT OR WHY IT HAPPEN. THEY FINALLY FIGURED IT OUT AND THEY SAID IT WAS AN ELECTRIC STEERING LOCK PROBLEM AND THAT ITS FOR SECURITY REASONS AND THAT IT CAN HAPPEN ANYTIME. I ALSO HAD TO GET A PROGRAMMING KEY. THIS COST WAS VERY EXPENSIVE TO NOT HAVE AN EXPLANATION. I ALSO NOTED THAT A LOT OF C CLASS USERS HAD THIS VERY SAME ISSUE AND WE ARE NOT UNDERSTANDING WHY THERE ISN'T A RECALL. *TR

RIGHT REAR BRAKE LIGHT BURNED AT CONNECTOR CAUSING BRAKE LIGHT FAILURE AND POSSIBLY CAUSED SMALL FIRE. *TR

THE REAR PASSENGER TAIL LAMPS ARE DIMMING TO ABOUT HALF THE NORMAL STRENGTH. THE BULBS ARE ALL FINE, BUT I AM GETTING NOTICES ON THE DASH THAT THE LIGHTS NEED TO GET CHECKED. I CHECKED THE REAR LIGHT HARNESS AND IT APPEARS THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR HAS MELTED SO THAT IT CAN'T BE REMOVED FROM THE COMPONENT THAT ACTUALLY HOLDS THE BULBS. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS MIGHT BE A FIRE HAZARD. THE ELECTRICAL FAILURE ALSO SEEMS TO BE AFFECTING THE HORN. THERE ARE TWO HORNS ON THIS CAR. ONE IS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AND ONE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE PASSENGER SIDE HORN IS NOT FUNCTIONING. IT APPEARS LIKE THERE IS WEAK TO NO ELECTRICAL POWER ON THAT SIDE OF THE CAR. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TOO AS I CAN'T WARN OTHER CARS ON THE ROAD IF NEEDED. *TR

WHEN THE KEY WAS PLACED IN THE IGNITION, THE KEY WAS NOT RECOGNIZED. THE CAR WOULD NOT START AND THE STEERING WHEEL REMAINED LOCKED. A MESSAGE ON THE DASH ADVISED TO REMOVE THE KEY. THIS WAS NOT A BATTERY ISSUE. THE LIGHTS, RADIO AND CAR LOCKS WORKED FINE. THE CAR HAS BEEN TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND I AM WAITING FOR THE OUTCOME. IT IS INTERESTING THAT THE TOW COMPANY THAT PICKED UP MY VEHICLE ADVISED ME THAT THEY HAD TOWED APPROXIMATELY 30 MERCEDES IN THE LAST 2 WEEK AND THAT APPROXIMATELY 20 OF THEM WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME COMPLAINTS. PRIOR TO THIS OCCURRENCE, THE WEATHER HAD BEEN UNUSUALLY COLD, DOWN TO THE SINGLE DIGITS. ON THE MORNING OF THE INCIDENT, THE WEATHER HAD WARMED UP. I HAVE BEEN READING THAT THE TROUBLE MAY BE CAUSED BY THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH. *TR

WARNING MESSAGE DISPLAYED IN INSTRUMENT PANEL ADVISING TO CHECK REAR RIGHT HAND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS, ON INITIAL INSPECTION IN THE TRUCK THEIR WAS A SMELL OF BURNING PLASTIC EMIGRATING FROM THE RIGHT HAND SIDE REAR LIGHT CLUSTER ON REMOVAL OF THE FUSE PANEL COVER AND INSPECTION THE WIRES WHICH CONNECT THE WIRING HARNESS TO THE LIGHTING BACKPLATEI I WAS UNABLE TO HOLD THE CONNECTOR WITH A NAKED HAND DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE TEMPERATURE. AFTER LEAVING THINGS TO COOL DOWN FOR 60 MINUTES I WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR FROM LIGHTING CLUSTER BACK PLATE TO FIND THAT THE EARTH PIN (BROWN WIRE EXTREME RIGHT HAND SIDE ) WAS MELTED AND ALSO THE PIN TO WHICH IT MATED TOO HAD ALSO BEGAN TO MELT THE PLASTIC WHICH SUPPORTED THE PIN ON HE LIGHTING BACK PLATE. THE EARTH (BROWN WIRE) IS OF AN EXTREMELY LOW GAUGE FOR THE POTENTIAL LOAD THIS WIRE WOULD POTENTIALLY NEED TO CARRY UNDER MAXIMUM LOAD (ALL LIGHTS LIT). *TR

AFTER PARKING MY C350 I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE TRUNK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I OPENED THE TRUNK TO DISCOVER THE SOURCE OF THE SMOKE WAS THE TRUNK FUSE BOX PANEL. I REMOVED THE PANEL AND FOUND THAT THE TAILLIGHT ASSEMBLY WAS SMOKING. FOLLOWING THE REMOVAL DIRECTIONS IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL, I REMOVED THE MULTI-PIN CONNECTOR AND NOTICED THAT THE HOUSING AROUND THE BROWN CONDUCTOR WAS COMPLETELY MELTED AND CORRODED. THERE WAS A DISTINCT SMELL OF BURNING PLASTIC. I THEN DROVE HOME WITH THE PASSENGER TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY DISCONNECTED FOR FEAR OF FURTHER DAMAGE OR AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. LUCKILY I WAS NOT PULLED OVER NOR DID I CAUSE AN ACCIDENT DUE TO INACTIVE BRAKE/REVERSE LIGHTS. ONCE HOME, I DETERMINED THAT THE BURNED AND CORRODED CONDUCTOR MUST BE THE GROUND CONNECTION. I BELIEVE THAT THE GROUND CABLE IN THE TAIL LIGHT HARNESS IS NOT OF HEAVY ENOUGH GAUGE TO HANDLE THE CURRENT THAT PASSES THROUGH IT UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS. HERE IS THE MATH: EACH BULB IS 21W. IF YOU ARE AT A STOPLIGHT AT NIGHT WITH YOUR HEADLIGHTS ON AND YOU'RE TURNING RIGHT, THERE WILL BE 5 BULBS ACTIVE (PER SIDE). THIS IS A TOTAL OF 105W. AT 12V, 105W TRANSLATES TO ABOUT 9A. THE RECOMMENDED WIRE GAUGE IS 16-18 AT THIS LEVEL OF CURRENT. THE BROWN WIRE IN THE TAIL LIGHT HARNESS IS AN 18 GAUGE WIRE I BELIEVE. THIS WIRE IS RIGHT AT ITS LIMIT FOR CURRENT HANDLING. WE KNOW THAT IN THE REAL-WORLD, CURRENT CAN EASILY EXCEED THEORETICAL LIMITS, SO ENGINEERS OFTEN OVER-SPEC WIRE TO BE TOTALLY SURE THAT A CIRCUIT WILL NOT FAIL. IN THIS CASE, THE MERCEDES-BENZ ENGINEERS DID NOT OVER-SPEC THE WIRE...THEY UNDER-SPEC'D THE WIRE, AND IT FAILED! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND A RECALL, SINCE THIS IS POTENTIALLY A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. A CAR COULD EASILY GO UP IN FLAMES DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. OR AN ACCIDENT COULD HAPPEN DUE TO BRAKE/REVERSE/TURNING LIGHTS THAT HAVE BURNED UP AND FAILED. *TR

THE BROWN WIRE IN THE RIGHT HAND BRAKE LIGHT MELTED THROUGH THE WIRE HARNESS AND STARTED TO MELT THE LIGHT BOARD. THIS IS A FIRE WAITING TO HAPPEN, I SMELT BURNING IN MY CAR WHEN I WAS DRIVING. THE BREAK LIGHT NO LONGER WORKS. *TR

RIGHT TAIL LIGHT CONNECTOR, BROWN WIRE HAS MELTED AND HAS AFFECTED THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE BULBS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER'S SIDE FOG LIGHTS WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE BECAUSE THE SOCKETS HAD MELTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.

RIGHT REAR LIGHTS WENT OUT ON CAR, STARTED SMELLING MELTING PLASTIC. STOPPED AND CHECKED THE PLUG THAT WENT INTO THE LIGHTS HAS MELTED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE STEERING LOCK FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

MULTIPLE SYSTEM WARNINGS ON DASH SAYING TO CHECK RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHT, BRAKE LAMP, AND SIGNAL LIGHT. UPON REPLACEMENT OF LIGHT BULBS, NOTICED THAT THE GROUND WIRE CABLE COVERING WAS MELTED AS WELL AS BURNS AND MELTING ON THE BULB HOUSING UNIT. ALL RIGHT REAR LIGHTS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY OR DIMLY AND NOW DON'T WORK AT ALL. NOW, THERE ARE SYSTEM WARNINGS FOR LEFT REAR LIGHTS AS WELL. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS A FIRE CAN START IN THE TRUNK OF THE CAR AS WELL AS HAVING REAR LIGHTS WORKING INTERMITTENTLY OR NOT AT ALL WITH NO WARNING. VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WON'T REPAIR AT NO CHARGE UNLESS THERE IS A RECALL. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THESE VEHICLES, BY BOTH THE MANUFACTURER AND AUTHORIZED DEALERS. RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. *TR

STARTED TO GET THE MESSAGE TO CHECK MY REAR, RIGHT TURNINF SIGNA, FOG LAMPS, BRAKE LIGHTS. CHECKED ALL THE BULBS AND THEY ARE FINE. PUT THE HARNESS BACK AND REALIZED IT WAS A LITTLE HOT AND WHEN I LOOKED THE WIRE TO THE FAR RIGHT I THINK IS EXPOSE AND ON THE OTHER SIDE IT IS BURNT THROUGH THE PLASTIC. MESSAGE COMES OFF AND ON DURING DRIVING. *TR

APPROXIMATELY A YEAR AGO MY C300 LOCKED UP ON ME WOULD NOT START. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP AND WHEN THEY CHECK IT THEY STATED THAT EIS WAS OUT ON IT. THE COST OF THE REPAIR WAS OVER $2000.00. ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, AS I STARTED THE CAR IN THE MORNING FOR WORK I NOTICED THAT THE START WAS A LITTLE HESITANT, SO I REPLACED THE BATTERY AND THINGS GOT BACK TO NORMAL. TODAY LEAVING FOR LUNCH I PLACED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND TURNED IT TO GET THE "SLIENT CLICK" AGAIN. IT IS DOING THE SAME THING IT DID ABOUT A YEAR AGO AFTER MERCEDES "SO CALLED FIXED THE EIS". ACCORDING THE MB FORUMS THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE FOR MULTIPLE 2008 C300'S. I AM GETTING READY TO TOW THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT NOT GOING TO PAY FOR THE SAME ISSUE THAT THEY SUPPOSEDLY FIXED ABOUT A YEAR AGO. *TR

REAR TAILLIGHTS STARTED SMOKING. IT WAS ALL BURNED OUT CAUSING REAR RIGHT TAILLIGHT TO MALFUNCTION. *TR

RIGHT SIDE TAILLIGHT WIRING MELTING, LIGHTS NOT WORKING. *TR

REAR TAIL LAMPS INTERMITTENTLY INOPERATIVE/DIM. INTERMITTENT BURNING SMELL IN TRUNK AREA NEAR LAMP HOUSING.

WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, A WARNING MSG CAME UP FOR ME TO CHECK THE LEFT TAIL AND BRAKE LIGHTS. I GOT HOME AND CHECKED THE LIGHTS ON THE LEFT SIDE AND NONE OF THEM WERE WORKING. I HAD THESE CHECKED AND WAS GOING TO REPLACE THE BULBS. WAS TOLD REPLACING THE BULBS WAS NOT GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE WIRE HARNESS HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE AND MELTED THE WIRING AND THE BOARD!!! THIS IS THE 3RD MERCEDES I HAVE HAD AND I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. MY PROBLEM IS I LIVE 1 1/2 HOURS AWAY FROM DEALERSHIP AND I DON'T HAVE THE EXTRA TIME TO TAKE OFF FROM WORK AND HAVE THIS CHECKED! AND THAN BE TOLD, I HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE IT FIXED. IF THERE ISN'T A RECALL TO FIX THIS PROBLEM, THIS WILL BE MY LAST MERCEDES! *TR

THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL AND MY INSTRUMENTS INDICATED MY REAR TAIL LIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS ETC WENT OUT. I CHECKED AND SAW THE WIRE HARNESS WAS BURNT AND THE WIRES GOING INTO THE CONNECTOR WERE MELTED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BULBS WERE CHANGED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE WIRING HARNESS AND THE LIGHTING BOARD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

WAS PULLED OVER BY POLICE WHO INFORMED MY TAILLIGHT WAS NOT WORKING ON MY PASSENGER SIDE. WHEN PULLED OVER, TAILLIGHT ILLUMINATED BUT VERY DIMLY. ISSUE HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE ROUGHLY JUNE 2012 WHEN PURCHASED. WAS NOT DISCLOSED THAT THIS WAS A POSSIBLE ISSUE AT TIME OF PURCHASE AND DID NOT DISCOVER THE ISSUE WITH MELTING OF WIRING HARNESS TO LIGHT PANEL UNTIL CHECKED 11-8-13. TOOK TO LOCAL DEALER WHO SOLD ME THE VEHICLE, AND MERCEDES IS PLANNING ON CHARGING ME $305 FOR REPAIR (PARTS ROUGHLY $50). THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR A KNOWN DEFICIENCY WITH THE VEHICLE. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM WITHOUT A DOUBT. I WILL BE MENTIONING THIS ONGOING INVESTIGATION TO THE MERCEDES SERVICE PEOPLE (AS IF THEY DON'T ALREADY KNOW) AND ATTEMPT TO GET THEM TO FIX AT NO COST. *TR

IN THE C300 AND C350 MODELS, THERE HAS BEEN AN ON-GOING ISSUE WITH STEERING WHEEL LOCKS. MERCEDES BENZ HAS DONE NOTHING TO CORRECT THIS OR CHANGE THE PART THAT HAVE BEEN FAULTY, DUE TO THIS PROBLEM THIS CAN LEAVE AN INDIVIDUAL STRANDED WITH OUT ANY WARNING AS IT JUST HAPPENS OUT OF NO WHERE. MY VEHICLE IS UP TO DATE ON ALL IT'S MAINTENANCE, AND OUT OF NO WHERE IT JUST WOULDN'T START AND IT WASN'T THE BATTERY IT WAS THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK (PART #2019005912). THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AS IT'S BEEN A PROBLEM FOR MANY YEARS ONT EH C300 AND C350 MODELS. *TR

STARTED GETTING NOTIFICATIONS ON DASH THAT A LIGHT BULB WAS OUT IN THE LEFT TAIL LIGHT. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE BROWN GROUND WIRE HAS MELTED PLASTIC AROUND IT ON BOTH THE MALE AND FEMALE SIDE OF THE CONNECTOR AND ALL OF THE BULBS HAVE CORROSION FROM A BAD CONNECTION OR ARCHING ON THE CONNECTORS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C CLASS. THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH CONTINENTAL SPORT TIRES, TIRES SIZE 255/35/ZR18. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE TIRE PRESSURE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE DRIVER PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE WAS COMPLETELY DEFLATED. THE DEFECTIVE TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH A SPARE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE A NEW TIRE WAS INSTALLED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000. UPDATED 3/5/14*CN

REAR LIGHTING FAILURE (TAILLIGHT). FAILURE CAUSING MY VEHICLE LIGHTS TO VERY DIM AND SOME BULBS ARE NOT ILLUMINATE AT ALL. OCCURS WITH LEFT TAILLIGHT (BRAKE LIGHT). I SEE SOME BURNING ON PLASTIC PANEL THAT BULBS GOES IN. *TR

REAR TAIL LIGHTS MALFUNCTION. GROUND WIRE IN THE TAIL LIGHT HARNESS GETS VERY HOT TO THE POINT OF MELTING THE INSULATOR ON THE WIRE AND REAR LIGHT CONNECTOR (WHICH PROVIDES POWER TO THE TAIL LIGHT). THIS RESULTED IN THE REAR TAIL LIGHTS TO STOP WORKING. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. MERCEDES WILL REPLACE THE PARTS IF THE CAR IS UNDER WARRANTY BUT WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIR OUT OF WARRANTY. FURTHERMORE, THE REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE THE SAME AND THIS ISSUE WILL REOCCUR. *TR