2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Lighting Problems

The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated after the vehicle was taken to the dealer for an unknown recall repair, the air bag warning light remained illuminated. The contact also became aware that the driver’s side headlight was inoperable. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a detached headlamp wiring harness. The dealer recommended that driver’s and passenger’s side headlamps be replaced. Additionally, the taillights remained illuminated after turning off the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, WHEN "THE REAR PASSENGER BRAKE AND SIGNAL WAS FAILURE" WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND HAD THE REAR PASSENGER LIGHT PLUGS REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED A WEEK LATER THE REAR PASSENGER LIGHT PLUGS WERE MELTED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V177000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING), HOWEVER THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 212,000.

THE TAIL LIGHTS ARE SHORTING OUT. A BURNING SMELL IS EMINATING FROM THE WIRES. THE DASHBOARD MESSAGES ARE FLASHING VARIOUS PROBLEMS I.E. REAR TAIL LIGHT, BRAKE LIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, ETC. FIRST IT INDICATES LEFT SIDE THEN IT INDICATES THE RIGHT SIDE HAS THE PROBLEM. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY OR ROLLING. THE ENGINE IS ON.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PARKING LAMPS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BAKER MOTOR COMPANY (1513 SAVANNAH HWY, CHARLESTON, SC) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LAMPS OVERHEATED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000. ** UPDATED 11/1/18*JB

The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that the exterior headlights and taillights would independently illuminate while idle without warning. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic where a camera was placed on the vehicle for four days; however, the failure did not occur while in the mechanic's possession. While the contact stated that the failure was intermittent, the failure had become more frequent recently. The dealer nor the manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

THE HEADLIGHTS (LOW BEAM) FLICKER OR TURN OFF COMPLETELY WHILE DRIVING AND WHILE THE LIGHT SWITCH IS IN THE "ON" POSITION (NOT "AUTO"). THIS HAPPENS DURING THE DAY OR AT NIGHT TIME, WHICH CONSTITUTES A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. *TR

'TAKATA RECALL' I OWN THREE MERCEDES BENZ AND ALL THREE OF THEM HAVE THE AIRBAG LIGHTS ON. THEY ALSO ALL HAVE RECALLS FOR THE SAME AIRBAG ISSUE. ALSO, THE PASSENGER SIDE IN MY LATEST MODEL, MY C300, SHOWS THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT GO ON AND OFF EVEN WHEN NO ONE IS SEATING IN THE SEAT. AND OFTEN WHEN SOMEONE IS SITTING IN THE SEAT, THE AIRBAG DOESN'T EVEN COME ON AT ALL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ SPORTS VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD FAIL SPORADICALLY. THE CONTACT WOULD SHUT OFF THE HEADLIGHTS BUT THEY WOULD RE-ILLUMINATE INDEPENDENTLY WITHIN 1-2 HOURS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS 16V363000 (AIR BAGS) AND 14V177000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED BUT ADVISED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED FOR BOTH RECALL REPAIRS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO CONTACTED BUT COULD NOT ADVISE THE CONTACT WHEN THE NECESSARY PARTS WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE TO REPAIR THE DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *LN VIN UNAVAILABLE 6/26/18*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,800.

AFTER I TOOK MY 2008 MERCEDES C350 TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THEM DO THE REPAIRS FOR THE RECALL ON THE TAIL LIGHTS/BULBS. I KEEP GETTING THE "CHECK RIGHT REAR TURN SIGNAL". THE BLINKER WILL WORK FINE, THEN AFTER 10 MINUTES OF DRIVING IT BLINKS VERY FAST AND THE WARNING LIGHT COMES ON. THIS ISSUE IS GETTING WORSE. THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD AND MUST BE FIXED IMMEDIATELY. PLEASE ADVICE! EVERYTHING APPEARED TO BE WORKING FINE UNTIL I GOT MY VEHICLE BACK FROM THE SERVICE DEPT. THEY CHANGED THE BULBS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, A WARNING INDICATOR ALERTED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE DRIVER SIDE BULB, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ C 300. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V177000 (LIGHTING). HOWEVER, THE PARTS NEEDED WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE DEALER WAS NOT SURE WHEN THEY WOULD RECEIVE THE PARTS NEEDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,936.

TAIL LAMP REPLACEMENT- I GOT A RECALL LETTER 4 MONTHS AGO AND NO FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. EMAIL TO THE DEALER AND COMPANY NOT BEING SATISFACTORILY RESPONDED TO. WHAT'S THE TIMELINE ON THESE RECALLS? *TR

I WAS DRIVING AROUND 8PM HERE IN CANADA WHEN I WAS PULLED OVER FOR A FLICKERING DRIVER-SIDE TAIL LIGHT. THE OFFICER WARNED ME THAT IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE. MY WIFE TOLD ME AFTER DRIVING BESIDE ME THAT THE LIGHT FLICKERS INTERMITTENTLY, AND WHEN IT IS NOT, THE PARKING LIGHT ITSELF IS MUCH DIMMER THAN THE PASSENGER-SIDE TAIL LIGHT. I'VE TRIED REPLACING THE BULBS, BUT NOTHING CHANGES. AFTER DOING RESEARCH ONLINE, I'VE FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH 2008-2011 MERCEDES C-CLASS MODELS. I'VE FOUND THAT THE ELECTRICAL WIRING FOR THE TAILLIGHTS IS NOT SUFFICIENTLY GROUNDED, CAUSING MELTING OF THE WIRING HARNESS, AND IN SOME CASES, CAUSING A FIRE. I'VE CALLED MERCEDES DEALERSHIPS HERE IN VANCOUVER, BUT BECAUSE THE CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, IT IS AN EXPENSIVE ISSUE TO FIX. IT IS ALSO A SAFETY HAZARD TO MYSELF AND OTHER DRIVERS WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. *TR

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.