9.7

really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
$15,690
Average Mileage:
48,450 miles
Total Complaints:
6 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. replace engine block (4 reports)
  2. not sure (2 reports)
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problem #6

Nov 302022

C300 4matic 2.0L/4cyclinder

  • Automatic transmission
  • 51,000 miles

Went over curb, check engine sign started blinking, engine started shaking and could not drive over 50 mph. White smoke came from the exhaust and engine. Took it to the shop and they said that they did a compression check and it cylinder 1 was leaking very badly. They advised me to replace the engine which is over $14,000k. Never buying Mercedes Benz again!

They said there was oil in the spar-plugs and coil#1 was also destroyed. Additionally the oil separator was also destroyed and needed to be replaced.

- DeltaF N., Lincoln, NE, US

problem #5

Feb 212022

C300

  • Automatic transmission
  • 62,315 miles

2016 Mercedes c-300. The engine started shuddering. My mechanic diagnosed loss of combustion in Cylinder 1, possibly a cracked piston. The only fix was to replace the engine block. This cost me almost $12,000! Only 62K miles! Many similar on-line complaints. Mercedes knows it has a big problem with these engines but refuses to provide any compensation for selling a defective product. JD Power Associates reliability rating of 2.5 out of 5. Stay away from these cars.

- Sean B., San Diego, CA, US

problem #4

Dec 232021

C300 C300W 2.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 51,000 miles

2016 C300 Mercedes. Same problem everyone else runs into eventually. 51k miles and check engine light comes on and the engine goes nuts and the car is now not driveable. I had the car for 8 months, its 1k miles out of warranty, the dealers swear to god they have never heard of such a thing before and its gonna cost about $18,000.00 to repair! But not before I pay $5,100 to have it officially diagnosed.

What the hell is up with this god d** Mercedes bulls**! These dirty bastards lie, cheat and steal for years and there are no recalls? The DMV does nothing! The B.A.R. does nothing and the dealer continues to make $33 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR. This exact complaint has been written on these sites and blogs and everywhere else for over 8 years and nothing is done!

Mercedes dealer says they have never heard of the problem but when you "do it on the cheap" and try to get a refurbished engine they say things like "your new engine will come with the new linkage so you won't have the same problem again at 50K miles". How is that not an admission??! These are some dirty pigs that just keep screwing so many customers for so much money. A bad piston on cylinder 1, bad linkage (wrist pins that are too weak for the car). What on earth is Mercedes giving to the people that are supposed to protect us for them to just ignore major Mercedes problems and lies and scams that go on for years and years over many many cars and models?? What?!?

- back2z, Irvine, US

problem #3

Apr 172021

C300 Sport 2.0L Turbo 4 cyl Petrol

  • Automatic transmission
  • 53,896 miles

On April Sunday 18th of 2021 I was merging onto the highway in North Georgia when suddenly my 2016 Mercedes C300's engine threw a rod (check engine light came on after the rod was shot through my engine block and ejected onto the ground). At the time I did not know my car's engine threw a rod, there was a loud pop noise but I just thought it was exhaust backfire, I lost all power and my car was not able to keep up with traffic speed (70MPH)

I was able to safely get off of the highway and coast my car into a Shell station, I called a tow truck and my car was towed to the nearest Mercedes dealership (about 70 miles away from where the breakdown happened) given that this all happened on a Sunday I had to wait until Monday before I could have my car looked at to figure out what was going on. When I got the phone call that my engine block had a hole in it and upon further inspection the piston 1 cylinder 1 rod was broken off of the arm and ejected through the engine and that my repair bill would be $20,000USD I literally almost fainted! I understand MB are expensive cars and with that I void the right to complain about repair costs but at that time the book value of my car was barely 22K, a 20,000 dollar repair was practically the value of my car... The odometer had 53896 miles on it! There is absolutely no reason why a car with excellent service records (Mercedes Benz CPO) and oil & filter changes every 5,000 miles (using genuine MB motor oil and filter purchased from the dealership, serviced at the dealership) should have catastrophic engine failure being such a young car with such low milage. On behest of the dealership I contact MB corporate customer service to check if MB had any recalls or post warranty services, neither of which was the case, MB refused to acknowledge any fault nor would MB contribute any money to the repair cost (20,000 dollars). I did not owe anything on my car (thank God) so I decided putting another engine (which according to the service manager at the MB dealership would not even be a brand new engine it would have been a used motor) was not a sound solution as I figured " If the last engine only lasted 54,000 miles what makes me think the new be any better?" I sold the car to a junkyard (for pennies on the dollar of what I paid for it). This was the worst car I have ever had and the worst customer service!

I hate Mercedes Benz, I hate their terrible cheaply built poorly designed cars and I hate their terrible (therefor lack of) customer service! I paid almost 55,000 for a C300 only to have the engine blow up 4000 miles over warranty! Thank the Lord that my car was paid off and I did not owe anything on it. I hope Mercedes Benz goes bankrupt.

I replaced that POS Mercedes with a BMW 330i sedan and I love love love my BMW!

- vm15, Cookeville, US

problem #2

Oct 022018

C300 Sedan 2.0L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 43,004 miles

When at idle the car started to shake really violently and the check engine light came on. The vehicle then had a major lack of power. Mercedes said 20,000 to replace the engine block my car is under manufactures warranty. I bought the car used, I put about 5,000 miles on it. Mercedes did say they will not replace the block under warranty they want the service records for the car prior to me owning the car. I have no way to produce those records. So I have about a $35,000 loan on the car and the cars needs a $20,000 engine block. I guess Mercedes screwed me on buying a car from them that has a defective motor block.

- djr, Covina, US

problem #1

Aug 012018

C300 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 29,300 miles

Very disappointed about how I have been treated by Mercedes Benz. Owned the car for only 1 half year. Bought it with 10k miles on it, still with full manufacturing warranty, plus purchased $7,000 worth of Extended Warranty for NOTHING!! On 8/1/18 my engine wouldn't work! Took it to the dealer, where after 2 weeks I was told warranty wouldn't cover the damage! According to them "I drove the car without oil!" which is CRAZY. I had done the oil change 2 weeks prior! Also said computer was tampered with. I am not a mechanic, so I have no Idea how to do this! To get this fixed it will cost me $18,000! Crazy amount!!! My only mistake was not to take the car to a Mercedes for the oil change (wasn't aware, I had to) It is sad this is happening to me having so much Warranty, my car only has 29,300 miles on it now. I am going crazy out of my mind, still owe 27K to the bank! Has this happen to anyone? If so, please advise me on what to do? Thank you DS

- David S., Warwick, US