2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Typical pattern

1.1% of complaints about the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2012 vehicle — around the middle of the 201 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 7.4 yr in service. The most-reported system is air bags (275 complaints), typically at 5.5 yr or about 55,000 miles.

Covers 4 variants: C300 (335), C250 (317), C350 (40), C204 (5)

Complaints: 666
Median age at failure: 7.4 yr
Median mileage: 75,000 n=218
Crash / fire / tow: 5.7% of reports
Safety recalls: 5

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System

0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y

Air bags

275 reports · 55,000 mi

5.5 yr

1.8%

Suspension

75 reports · 121,218 mi

11.1 yr

Engine

69 reports · 69,000 mi

7.0 yr

10.1%

Structure

62 reports · 97,000 mi

10.9 yr

3.2%

Other

35 reports · 65,000 mi

10.8 yr

Fuel / propulsion

28 reports · 56,980 mi

8.9 yr

10.7%

Electrical system

27 reports · 82,000 mi

9.1 yr

29.6%

Service brakes

21 reports · 96,000 mi

11.6 yr

9.5%

Steering

15 reports · 92,000 mi

10.9 yr

26.7%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

21V638000 2021-08-13

Air bags:frontal

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2015-2016 E400 Coupe, 2012-2015 C250 Coupe, C350 Coupe, C63 AMG Coupe, 2011-2014 E350 Coupe, and 2012-2014 E350 Cabrio vehicles. An incorrect front passenger air bag may have been installed during a prior repair.

An incorrect air bag may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

20V298000 2020-05-22

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2012 C250, C250 Coupe, C300, C350, C350 Coupe, C63 AMG, and C63 AMG Coupe vehicles equipped with a front passenger air bag assembly replaced under a prior recall. An incorrect replacement front passenger air bag may have been installed.

An incorrect passenger air bag may not provide adequate protection, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

19V010000 2019-01-09

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2014 C250, C300 4Matic, C350, C63 AMG, E350 4Matic Coupe, E350 Cabrio, E350 Coupe, SLS AMG Cabrio, SLS AMG Coupe, 2014-2015 C250 Coupe, C350 4Matic Coupe, C350 Coupe, C63 AMG Coupe, GLK 350, GLK250 BlueTec 4Matic, GLK350 RWD, 2015-2017 E400 4Matic Coupe, E400 Cabrio, E400 Coupe, 2014-2017 E550 Cabrio, and 2014-2016 E550 Coupe vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone A." Additionally, MBUSA is recalling certain 2012-2014 C250, E350 4Matic Coupe, SLS AMG Cabri

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

17V627000 2017-10-06

Air bags:frontal

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling these vehicles: 2014-2018 CLA250, CLA250 4Matic, CLA45 AMG 4Matic, 2015-2018 GLA250, GLA250 4Matic, GLA45 AMG 4Matic, C300 4Matic, C63S AMG, 2012-2014 C250, C350, C300 4Matic, E550 4Matic, 2013-2014 C63 AMG, 2012-2015 C250 Coupe, C350 Coupe, C63 AMG Coupe, 2013-2015 C350 4Matic Coupe, GLK250 4Matic BlueTec, GLK350, GLK350 4Matic, 2016-2017 C350e, C43 AMG, 2015 C400 4Matic, 2016-2018 C63 AMG, GLC300, GLC300 4Matic, 2017-2018 C300 Coupe, C300 4Matic Coupe, C43 AMG, C63 AMG Coupe, C63S AMG Coupe, C300 Cabriolet, C300 4Matic Cabriolet, C43 AMG Cabriolet

If the driver air bag inadvertently deploys, it can increase the risk of injury and a crash.

17V017000 2017-01-10

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2012 C300 4Matic, C250, C250 Coupe, C350, C350 Coupe 4Matic, C350 Coupe, C63 AMG, C63 AMG Coupe, E350 Coupe 4Matic, E350 Cabrio, E350 Coupe, E550 Cabrio, E550 Coupe, GLK350 4Matic, GLK350, SLS AMG Cabrio, and SLS AMG Coupe vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above MBUSA is recal

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

In owners’ own words

Electrical system 82,000 mi 8.3 yr in service

ESL SUDDEN FAILURE, APPARENTLY THIS IS A VERY COMMON FAILURE FOR THIS VEHICLE FOR YEARS NOW WITH NO ACTION TO RECALL OR ADDRESS THE DESIGN OF THIS PART. CAR IS IMMOBILIZED AND MUST BE TOWED, BUT ONLY TO DEALER WHO MUST PROGRAM THE PART BUT NOT SELL IT TO CUSTOMER OR OTHER SERVICE CENTER TO REPAIR OR REPLACE.

Electrical system mileage not reported 8.9 yr in service

MY VEHICLE AND MANY OTHER MERCEDES BENZ MODELS SUFFER A FAILED ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH AND ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT AMONGST MANY MODELS/YEARS OF MERCEDES BENZ VEHICLES AND ONLY A DEALER CAN REPAIR. THE COST OF REPAIR IS $1,900. THE CAUSES THE VEHICLES TO BE UNABLE TO START, AND VERY CLEARLY, A MANUFACTURER DEFECT.

Electrical system 55,000 mi 5.7 yr in service

THE BLOWER OF THE CLIMATE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED OUTSIDE IN THE SUN. AS A RESULT THE CAR AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM IS IMPACTED WITH THE RISE IN TEMPERATURE. WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED IN THE GARAGE OR IN SHADE, THE BLOWER AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM WORKS FINE. IT APPEARS THAT THERE IS A SHORT CIRCUIT AS A RESULT OF HIGH TEMPERATURE WHICH PREVENTS THE BLOWER / AIR CONDITIONER FROM OPERATING. PLEASE CHECK IF THIS IS A SAFETY RECALL ISSUE.

Air bags mileage not reported 5.3 yr in service

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES BENZ C350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 17V017000 (AIR BAGS) WAS RECEIVED. AFTER CONTACTING THE LOCAL DEALER MERCEDES BENZ OF CATONSVILLE (6631 BALTIMORE NATIONAL PIKE, CATONSVILLE MD) AND THE MANUFACTURER THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE STILL NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

Other C-Class model years

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.