The car cut off and then would not star tor go into gear after that. Tried using both keys with no response from the vehicle.

- Antioch, TN, USA

The key locks and unlocks the doors the lights come on and the dash lights up. You can insert and turn the key but the car will not start. The stering wheel is locked and it is stuck in park. I tried power jumping and it did nothing, I didn't think the battery was the problem but had it checked anyways. The battery checked out fine. I check the fuses that are associated with the starter and all was fine also. Only thing left was get it towed to the Mercedes dealership, found out that the steering wheel lock issue is a common thing with my car model, eis failure seems increasingly common on 2008 models for some reason.

- Miramar, FL, USA

Parked the car and went to work. Came back and the car couldn't start. Had to tow to the dealers place last night. Today, got a call from them saying the steering got locked and said tat it is very common on these cars. It will cost about $1200 to tear up steering and change the esl. By checking online Y'day evening and today, I came to know, this is not new and most of the 2008/2009 C300 have this issue. We asked dealers not to repair it as they are waiting on our word. I am planning to contact the Benz customer service first and see what they say. Then I will go an attorney and file the complaint. I do see that customer service did not even respond to the request. So, I do not want waste my time by calling them and getting upset. They have the details and contact info if they want to contact me. We buy Benz for reliability and that very point is not true looking at this issue and checking the online complaints. Luckily we do have a 3rd car that our son uses and I can leave Benz in garage until this issue gets fixed from Benz corporation.

- Raleigh, NC, USA

Car will not start - did a search common fault steering wheel lock fail - Mercedes needs to recall fix for free

- Orlando, FL, USA

I went to a store and when a return back for my car, my Mercedes Benz C300 2088 didn't start, I though it was the key but when I use my other key didn't work ether. I towed my car and took it to the Mercedes Benz dealer. Now the told me that the problem is the steering column loo and they want me to cargo me over $1400. I don't think is fare because it is a manufacture problem, a lot O people is complaining about the same think, even the employes told me that they have one car a week for the same problem. That has to be a recall. I'm not paying for a manufacture problem. Lets do something about it!

- Downey, CA, USA

The electronic steering lock just shutoff. The car came out of comfort while I was driving, the C-in the box-just disappeared off the cluster and I knew this is what happened because it happened three times them started up two days later. This has been a common problem with Mercedes C300 as I read so many complaints and posts.

- Brooklyn, NY, USA

Was making a turn and the steering wheel locked up and gas would not work. Car slowed to the stop and I had to turn off and turn back on. 5 minutes later was driving and steering wheel locked again and car slowed to a stop. Had to get car towed when it would not turn back on.

- Sewell, NJ, USA

The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes Benz C300. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The contact mentioned that the key was stuck in the lock position and the key was not programmed to the ignition switch. In addition, the steering wheel failed. The failure recurred several times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine ignition lock fractured and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 42,000. The VIN was not available.

- Houston, TX, USA

Same as everyone else. The car would not start and we had it towed in. I researched the complaints online and saw that Mercedes has a problem with this issue (eis/sis) they sold me a new key for $547 and said that it was fixed. Picked it up on Saturday and had it towed back in on Tuesday. Now they say it's the eis to the tune of another $1500. I will not buy another Mercedes until I see how they stand behind the one I have...I hope that we do not have to call the news stations and file a class action suit to get it fixed. Mercedes needs to do the right thing and repair their defect.

- Hutto, TX, USA

The serpentine belt shredded for the third time after having it replaced twice within four weeks. As of 4/15/2015 this car will have its 4th belt installed. Clearly the tensioner and pulley(s) are majorly defected. Each time these incidents were life threatening for me and my daughters. We were simply blessed not have been hit by other drivers when the car lost total control with no steering power. Each time of the car's malfunction, I was surrounded by other drivers, moving with the steady flow of traffic.these are serious issues. I can't imagine if I had been driving on the freeway at a faster pace. Now I am facing the expense of replacing the belt for the third time(making this the 4th belt), replacing the parts, the cost of labor, and the cost for a rental during the repair time. Mercedes should be honorable and demand a recall on these parts immediately, before serious injuries or death(s) occur. This country does not need to be reminded of the senseless behaviors of the Ford pinto or the most recent, Toyota tragedies. Mercedes can control the outcome of these situations with a simple recall. The cost of the parts in bulk or wholesale would be a very small price compared to the heartache of loosing the quality of life or causing the ultimate result - death!

- Murrieta, CA, USA

My wife was going to take my daughter to school went to start the car and car won't start. The key would turn light S work but engine wouldn't turn over had it towed to gainesville Mercedes where they said the steering interlock system had to be replaced at a cost of $1200. There are lots of complaints for this same issue lucky my wife was not alone at and this happened no warning at all!!

- Keystone Heights, FL, USA

Upon entering my vehicle after pumping gas late one evening, I proceeded to turn the key in the ignition and the key would not allow the car to start. All the lights on the dash, radio and headlights were operative at that time. I attempted a jump start to no avail. I proceeded with having he vehicle towed to a local dealer where it was determined that there was an issue with the electrical steering/ignition system that was electrical in nature and "common" for the year and model of the car. If this potential defect is common then it is "known" to the manufacturer and its dealers who can be held strictly liable or any manufacturing or design defect, or inadequate warning. That being said, if the product is defective, what prevents the recurrence of the issue after replacement of the part, which would essentially be replacing it with another defective part. This matter is serious to the consumer, and the manufacture could easily reduce the risk of harm to its consumers by altering the design in a much more cost effective manner than allowing its consumers to bear the costs of its manufacturing error.

- Orlando, FL, USA

I entered my 2008 Mercedes Benz C300 after work, and it would not start. I was stranded for 2 and 1/2 hours waiting for the complimentary tow truck Mercedes Benz was sending. I had it towed to the Mercedes Benz dealership at 7pm where it sat all weekend until they checked it on Monday 3/9/15. They called on 3/9/15 and stated it was the electrical steering device and would cost $950. This is a common malfunction in the 2008 C300 that Mercedes is not taking ownership of. There are numerous individuals who have faced this problem, and are charged extreme amounts to have it fixed. (see mbworld) this is not a defect due to wear and tear, this is a problem with manufacturing, a defect which is unfair to the consumer. There needs to be a recall on the electronic steering device and electronic ignition system on this make and model of car. Campaign number 2008020003 (NJ) to: All Mercedes Benz centers, model 204, model year 2008, replace electronic ignition switch was published in March 2008 noting "daimier ag has determined that the eis may malfunction preventing the electric steering lock and the central locking from functioning. Dealers will replace the eis on the affected vehicles during the next workshop visit." Consumers are left shouldering the cost of a problem Mercedes Benz is aware of, yet will not do a recall.

- Grayson, GA, USA

The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes C class. The contact stated that while stopped, the steering wheel seized without warning. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that the steering system seized and needed to be repaired. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

- Autaugaville, AL, USA

I drove to work on the 29th, and to and back an appointment, I went to leave work that evening and my car would not start. The was no indication that there was a problem. And we were in the middle of an ice storm, I called Mercedes road side assistance and I guess my assistance expired so they told me it would be $175 to tow my car, so I used my verizon roadside assistance to pick up and take to a friends shop to fix but because of the storm I was not able to get my car picked up for 25 hours and since it was Friday night by that time my car didn't get looked at by my friends repair shop until Monday 4 days later I find out that the vehicle cant be fixed by anyone else but Mercedes, because everything in the car is seized up and no one knew how to get it unseized. So Monday at noon I called Mercedes roadsideagain to get the car towed again. Because of the wonderful customer service from the roadside assistance team at Mercedes they ended up sending 3 tow trucks over to pick my car up, the first one showed up after my first shop closed, the second tow truck was unable to pick up the car because they didn't know it wouldn't go into gear so finally another 24 hours had past before they got my car which is 1/4 of a mile away from the repair shop where it was. My car has been broke for almost a whole week know and still know one knows what is wrong with the car in the mean time the dealership has no loaner car for me to use and I spent 3 hours sitiing in a disabled car in an ice storm waiting for someone to come and get me. It really sounds like the same problem everyone else on this site has experienced who knows how long it will take them to kfigure it out at this pace, I will update this if I ever find out.

- Akron, OH, USA

I drove car to work in the a.M. when I got ready to leave for the day the car would not start. The lights and locks and radio worked, but the engine wouldn't turn over. It was towed to the dealership and has been there for a few days. Just got a call that they think it is both the eis and esl, but they need my second key to be sure. After reading multiple forums with this problem, and calling another dealership, it seems the real issue my only be the esl. I say only because it cuts my cost in half, but it really sucks that this is obviously a very common problem and Mercedes has yet to do anything about it.

- Richmond, TX, USA

My car would not start, but the key turned over. I had it towed and was told it was the electronic steering lock, and Mercedes Benz dealership was the only one that can repair it. I was told that a technical service bulletin was issued for this part. I had the car towed to the dealership. I did research and saw that hundreds of cars of the same model had a problem with this part. I informed the dealer that I was amazed that there is not a recall because it is evident that there is a defect with this product and Mercedes needs to address it, and I don't feel I should be responsible for the repair. My service advisor admitted that there was a problem with this part but no recall has been issued. The general manager forwarded my concerns to Mercedes. They called me back and said there was nothing they could do. It is between the dealer and me, so as of now, I am probably gonna end up paying nearly a $1000 for a part that is clearly defective. There needs to be a recall on this. It is unacceptable that there is not one!

- Nashville, TN, USA

The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes Benz C300. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to a dealer who diagnosed that the steering lock needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.

- Hesperia, CA, USA

Car won't start. Key will turn but nothing happens. Tried jump starting the car but did not work. Brought to the dealership and was told that the steering lock is the problem and needs to be replaced.

- Milpitas, CA, USA

My car was parked in my garage when I turned the key in the ignition and tried to start the car. There was nothing. I tried several times, turning the key back and forth, taking it out, turning it. Still nothing. I called aaa. They tested the battery. It was functioning. The aaa technician noted that the door locks and audio locking signals were working. I called, bill, my service tech at the mbz dealership and left a message for him to phone me. In the meantime, I called a local mechanic that had repaired other family vehicles. He said he would take a look at it. So I had it towed to his shop. Bill called me back late afternoon and asked me to try the spare key to see if it would start. I had my neighbor drive me to the shop where my car was and tried the spare key. Still nothing. I spoke with the family mechanic. He was not able to start the vehicle, nor had he serviced it. He believed that it was a problem with the eis and said the dealer needed to do the repair. I called bill back. Let him know the spare did not work and arranged to have my car towed to the dealership the next day. Later the next day, bill called me and stated that the issue was with the electronic ignition system. I needed to replace the steering lock. He could order the part. The cost would be $1,100. I asked what would cause the part to fail. He said that electronic systems, like his tv, just fail over time. I authorized the repair. I have always taken my car into this dealership for its regularly scheduled maintenance and was surprised that it would need such a critical and costly repair. I checked online and noted that this is a common problem with the 2008 mbz C300. I am surprised that the manufacturer has not notified vehicles owners and taken responsibility for this apparent defect.

- Gold Canyon, AZ, USA