2014 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Experiencing a failed Electronic Steering Lock (ESL). Car won’t crank or start even after verifying battery health and key fob. Symptoms point to a failed ESL, left stranded

my car overheats badly and shakes and it is starting to smoke from the hood in snowy conditions

The contact owns a 2014 Mercedes-Benz C350. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the front driver’s side interior door latch detached. The contact had to reach through the front driver’s side window to open the front driver's side door using the exterior door handle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle remained at the residence. A dealer was contacted and informed the contact that there was an unknown recall related to the failure; however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

The contact owns a 2014 Mercedes-Benz C250. The contact stated that the vehicle was difficult to start. Additionally, the steering wheel was difficult to turn to the left or the right. The vehicle was eventually started and driven to a dealer; however, after the vehicle was parked and turned off, the contact attempted to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to restart. The dealer replaced the battery however, the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that the dealer then traced the failure to an anti-theft sensor that shut off the vehicle to deter vehicle theft. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.

The contact owns a 2014 Mercedes-Benz C-250. The contact stated that the driver’s side seat air bag warning light was illuminated. The air bag was visible through the seat and was able to be moved manually. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic but was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V010000 (Air Bags); however, the VIN was not included in the recall, and the recall referenced the front passenger’s seat air bag. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 111,300.

I was coming off the freeway on 9/25/25, and when I pressed on the breaks they completely locked up and would not break at all. The car turned off, no warning lights nothing, and I continued to hit the break and the car would not stop, then all of a sudden it came to a stop almost colliding within inches of hitting the Semi-Truck in front of me. This is the second time in one year that this has happened to me, I have had the car checked out the first time last year immediately, and even paid to diagnose it, nothing, I had the brakes and rotors replaced last June of 2024 when this happened. Since then the car has only been in the dealership to get the car Fully checked out mutltiple times within 2024, 2025 and repaired by Mercedes dealership. On 9/25/25 this happened to me and it was a traumatic experiance when I pressed the break and the break got super hard and in a Locked position and would not come to a stop, there was no warning lights, no engine lights, nothing. (increased braking effort, and potentially I was inches of collision risk. I had the car towed to the nearest shop and was told this is a collapsed break booster Vacuum pump, and possibly the hose and lines and possibly further problems but they would need to replace the Vacuum pump first. After I looked to see if there was a recall on the vacuum pumps in that model on google and it says the following; Google- 2014 Mercedes c250 recall on Vacuum pump A-Premium Vacuum Pump Compatible With Select Mercedes ...Yes, there was a recall on certain Mercedes-Benz vehicles, including some 2014 C250 models, related to a defective brake booster vacuum hose. The recall involves hoses that may delaminate over time, leading to a loss of vacuum, increased braking effort, and potentially a collision risk. To check if your specific 2014 C250 is affected by this recall, you should contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer or visit the Mercedes-Benz USA website to check for open recalls for your vehicle's VIN.

The "ESL Module" in this model is designed to unlock the steering and ignition when the vehicle key's passcode matches, using a small, mechanical motor with significantly poor durability. The problem is that this motor's failure is unpredictable, and many users of this model have been stranded and unable to start their vehicles due to the motor's lifespan ending. Even when the car is painstakingly brought to a dealership, repairs cost approximately $1,800 to $2,000, or owners are resorting to unofficial bypasses using a device called an ESL Emulator from the aftermarket. I'd like to request NHTSA to start a thorough investigation into this issue and a RECALL order for the affected models to be issued to MBUSA. Thank you.

Leaving my home from my driveway and driving about 15 feet I heard a loud pop from my backseat area and noticed my Headrest on drivers side deployed without any reason. The airbag right/left malfunction light showed on my dash saying service required. Mercedes benz Dealership said they never heard of this. The dealership Removed old headrest and replaced with a new one , reset malfunction light and a fuse. Price was enormous.

The contact owns a 2014 Mercedes-Benz C350. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the air bag and the driver’s side air bag malfunction service required warning light illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was determined that the air bags needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and declined to cover the cost of the repair. The approximate failure mileage was 64,000.

The contact owns a 2014 Mercedes-Benz C-250. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V252000 (STEERING). The contact stated that the recall repair was completed in 2018. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. After several attempts, the vehicle failed to start. The contact deactivated the push start button and attempted to start the vehicle with the key whoever, but the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the steering wheel had seized due to the steering coupling connecting bolt. The vehicle remained at the dealer pending the repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact stated that the manufacturer was contacted prior to the dealer repairing the vehicle in 2018. The contact was advised to take the vehicle back to the dealer, where the repair was completed in 2018, to have the vehicle inspected, and if the part that failed was the part replaced under the recall, the manufacturer would pay for the additional repair. The contact stated that the vehicle was not drivable and that the dealer was three hours away. The failure mileage was approximately 70,664.

The ESL has failed and it has happened in a lot of these cars.i was unable to move my steering wheel.

My Mercedes Benz 2014 W204 C250 initially had a noise during startup. The startup noise became louder and now my car does not start. Also, the check engine light indicate a cam shaft position sensor error. Looking online it appears that my problem is exactly like the problem described in a NHTSA report on 2012-2015 W204 and W172 vehicles(C250 and SLK250) equipped with the M271 engine. I would like NHTSA assistant in getting my Mercedes Benz W024 C250, VIN [XXX] included as part of extended recall of the same car and engine and repaired. If more information is needed, please contact me. [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The left rear subframe separated from the main frame causing the car to pull to the left when braking. I had an episode where I was stopping for a traffic light and the car started fishtailing and I almost lost control of the car. Following this episode, I took the car to a mechanic who advised me that the car was unsafe to drive. My mechanic also told me that he has repaired a number of these vehicle with the same problem, and that Mercedes Benz has extended their warranty from 4 years 50,000 miles to 20 years unlimited mileage. They did the extension after someone filed a class action suit in Georgia about the problem. The vehicle is presently at a Mercedes dealer awaiting the new subframe.

To Whom It May Concern, I am seeking assistance regarding my 2014 Mercedes-Benz C-300, VIN [XXX] . I repurchased this vehicle from the London Nissan Dealership on [XXX]. It currently has about 120,000 miles, and I have driven an additional 15,000 miles in the past two years. Less than three months after purchase, I took the car to a Mercedes-Benz dealership in Knoxville, TN, for repairs on May 16th. Now, my vehicle is at James Motor Company in Lexington, KY, where they diagnosed a faulty steering column that needs replacement at a cost of $1,630.00. I have already taken this car to the dealership twice for issues in under two years. The problems began when the vehicle wouldn’t start one morning; the steering column was locked despite a fully charged battery. This failure could have led to a serious accident, especially since I drive frequently for work and school. There were no warning signs prior to this incident. The dealership has confirmed the steering column issue and can provide inspection upon request. I also have a list of parts needed for the repair available. Given the nature of this malfunction, I believe it warrants a recall. Thank you for your attention to this serious matter. I look forward to your prompt response. Sincerely, [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

A known issue by many mB owners related to Steering Wheel Lock or ESL system. Car will not start due to a known defect related to a part installed inside the steering wheel preventing owners from starting car safely and to get to destination safely.

It's the ESL ELECTRIC STEERING LOCK THIS PART IS KNOWN TO BE DEFECTIVE AND IS POSTED ONLINE TO FIX AND ALSO BYPASS IT. I AM NOT A MECHANIC SO I AM TOLD PART ALONE IS $570 AT MERCEDES THEY HAVE TO PROGRAM IT. THIS PART IS KNOW TO BREAK AND ONLY THEY CAN REPROGRAM IT. THIS SHOULD BE A SAFTY ISSUE. THE CAR RTDOES NOT START BECAUSE OF IT AND IT LOCKS THE STEERING WHEEL IN PLACE. THE CODE FOR IT ON CAR IS A25464 code on car. This is a known problem and it makes the car undrivable. I don't have files but had car toed 2 times. I will have recept after it's fixed

The contact owns a 2014 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that an unidentified recall was previously completed on the vehicle; however, the recall remedy failed to prevent the failure from occurring. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the steering wheel locked. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the electronic steering lock and the TRP needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 158,000.

Rotted rear sub frame due to poor design retaining water

Driving on [XXX] to Atlanta GA my car would not automatically shift and began to vibrate badly. I was almost hit by other vehicles as I pulled off the highway to check car out. Car was vibrating badly in idle and when I resumed my trip back home the car would not accelerate properly and caused tremendous stress and danger. Figured out that car would not shift automatically and I was forced to shift the car manually. Car would sputter and vibrate badly and would only slightly less vibrate to where I could drive it home in gear D5 and would less vibrate at 75+ mph very dangerous, and would lose power and shake violently going up highway hills. I prayed all the way home and barely made it shaken. I called my Mercedes Benz Dealer from the highway and immediately scheduled appointment on 8/15/24. This was a major safety hazard and life threatening situation with my Mercedes Benz C250 2014 car. My car 100% serviced over the years at dealership I bought it from Rick Hendricks Mercedes Benz of Lake Norman NC. Thank you for your time! Actor & Model [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2014 Mercedes-Benz C250. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed in a rainstorm, the contact observed water entering the vehicle from underneath the driver's side footwell, causing extensive water damage. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 93,000.