2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Typical pattern

5.4% of complaints about the 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2015 vehicle — around the middle of the 195 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 7.3 yr in service. The most-reported system is engine (133 complaints), typically at 8.1 yr or about 51,000 miles.

Covers 5 variants: C300 (515), C200 (35), C250 (16), C400 (13), C350 (9)

Complaints: 590
Median age at failure: 7.3 yr
Median mileage: 40,000 n=231
Crash / fire / tow: 6.1% of reports
Safety recalls: 10

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System

0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y

Engine

133 reports · 51,000 mi

8.1 yr

5.3%

Structure

74 reports · 68,000 mi

8.9 yr

5.4%

Other

74 reports · 36,000 mi

7.3 yr

Fuel / propulsion

71 reports · 47,000 mi

7.1 yr

2.8%

Electrical system

53 reports · 20,000 mi

3.5 yr

9.4%

Suspension

32 reports · 50,000 mi

10.7 yr

Steering

27 reports · 40,000 mi

6.3 yr

29.6%

Air bags

23 reports · 50,000 mi

4.8 yr

21.7%

Power train

21 reports · 17,500 mi

7.5 yr

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

23V854000 2023-12-15

Structure:body:roof and pillars

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2014-2020 C-Class, CLA, GLA, S-Class, GLC, and GLE vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle details. The front roof panel located between the windshield and the panoramic sunroof may not have been bonded correctly to the vehicle during a prior repair, allowing the front panel to detach from the vehicle.

A detached roof panel can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

21V197000 2021-03-19

Structure:body:roof and pillars

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017-2020 C300 Coupe, C43 Coupe AMG, C43 AMG, 2015-2020 C300, GLA250, 2016-2018 C350e, CLA45 Coupe AMG, 2015 C400, S65 AMG, 2015-2019 C63 AMG, 2016 C450, 2015-2016 GLA45 AMG, S600, 2016-2020 GLC300, 2017-2019 GLC43 AMG, GLE43 Coupe AMG, 2014-2019 CLA250 Coupe, 2014-2015 CLA45 AMG, 2018 GLC63 AMG, 2014-2017 S550, 2018-2020 S450, 2016-2019 GLE63 Coupe AMG, 2016 GLE450 Coupe, 2014-2020 S63 AMG, 2018-2019 S560, and 2019 GLC350e vehicles equipped with a panoramic sunroof. The front roof panel located between the windshield and the panoramic sunro

The adhesive bonding of the front panel might deteriorate, possibly causing the front panel to detach from the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

19V787000 2019-11-01

Communication

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2013-2017 vehicles due to a software fault that may cause the date and time for the emergency call system (eCall) to differ from the actual date and time, potentially relaying an inaccurate vehicle location. For a full list of the affected models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2019/RMISC-19V787-4620.pdf

An inaccurate vehicle location may delay emergency responders, increasing the risk of injury.

18V850000 2018-11-29

Steering:rack and pinion:rack

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Mercedes Benz C300, 2017-2019 C300 Cabrio, C300 Coupe, C63 Cabrio, 2015 C63S AMG, 2018-2019 C300, C350e, C63 AMG, C63S AMG Cabrio, 2018 C63 AMG Cabrio, C63 AMG Coupe, C63S AMG, C63S AMG Coupe, E300, E400 Cabrio, E400 Coupe, 2019 CLS450, E450 Cabrio, and E450 Coupe rear-wheel drive vehicles. A locknut in the steering rack may break under high load, possibly causing the steering to become stuck in one position.

A car that cannot be properly steered has an increased risk of a crash.

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.

17V177000 2017-03-14

Electrical system:software

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 AMG GT-S, GLC300, CLA250 and GLE300d 4Matic vehicles, 2013 C250, E350 BlueTec and G63 AMG vehicles, 2008-2014 C300 vehicles, 2013-2014 C300 4Matic and ML350 4Matic vehicles, 2009 C350 vehicles, 2014 CLS550, E350 4Matic, E350 Coupe 4Matic, E350 Wagon 4Matic, GLK350 and SL550 vehicles, 2012 CLS550 4Matic vehicles, 2012-2016 E350 vehicles, 2016-2017 GL450 4Matic vehicles, 2012-2014 ML350 4Matic BlueTec vehicles, 2015 S550, S550 4Matic and C300 4Matic Sedan vehicles, 2015-2016 C300 Sedan vehicles, and 2017 SL63 AMG vehicles. Various control

If the air bags do not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, there would be an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.

17V114000 2017-02-23

Electrical system:starter assembly

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2015-2017 C300 4Matic, C300, CLA250, CLA250 4Matic and CLA45 AMG vehicles, 2017 C300 4Matic Cabrio, C300 4Matic Coupe, C300 Cabrio, C300 Coupe, E300, E300 4Matic, E400 4Matic Wagon, E43 AMG 4Matic, GLA250, GLA250 4Matic and GLC300 4Matic Coupe vehicles and 2016 C350e and GLC300 vehicles and 2016-2017 C450 4Matic AMG Sport and GLC300 4Matic vehicles. In the event that the engine or transmission cannot turn over, the starting current limiter may overheat from the repeated attempts of the starter motor attempting to start the vehicle.

If the starting current limiter overheats, the surrounding components can melt, increasing the risk of a fire.

15V845000 2015-12-16

Steering:electric power assist system

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2015 C300 and C400 4matic sedans manufactured January 27, 2014, to December 1, 2014. Due to an error in the electric power steering control unit software, the affected vehicles may have a loss of electric power steering assist.

If the vehicle experiences a loss of power steering assist, extra steering effort will be required, especially at lower speeds, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

15V138000 2015-03-10

Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2015 C300 4matic and C400 4matic vehicles manufactured April 7, 2014, to July 25, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the fuel delivery module may be improperly secured to the fuel tank. Secondly, electrical wires that connect to the fuel delivery module might have been pinched between the flange of the fuel delivery module and the tank.

If the locking plate is not properly secured to the fuel delivery module it may become loose, and leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire. If the electrical wires are pinched, the fuel pump may stop working, resulting in a stall, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.

15V087000 2015-02-11

Exterior lighting:headlights

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2015 C300 and C400 vehicles manufactured from June 18, 2014, through September 5, 2014, that fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment." The affected vehicles were assembled with horizontal adjustment mechanisms that allow the owner to change the horizontal adjustment used during the manufacturing process, instead of the proper sealing caps.

If the original horizontal adjustment is used to alter the low beam aim, the misaimed headlamp may not properly illuminated the road or cause increased glare to oncoming drivers, which increases the risk of a crash.

In owners’ own words

Air bags mileage not reported 1.4 yr in service

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 (NA) MERCEDES-BENZ C200. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 16V081000 AND 16V363000 (AIR BAGS). THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED A LOCAL DEALER (HENDRICK MOTORS OF CHARLOTTE MERCEDES-BENZ, 5201 EAST INDEPENDENCE BLVD, CHARLOTTE, NC 28212) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

Air bags mileage not reported 11.4 yr in service

When buying this car from Auto Shoppers, they was an airbag light on but dealership said it was a sensor from auto detail on car or recall. Got diagnostic from Mercedes Benz, findings was there was no air bag in place on drivers side. Dealership did not tell us there was no air bag and only was a sensory/recall and are refusing to fix it.

Air bags mileage not reported 3.1 yr in service

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES-BENZ C250. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V627000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT CALLED MERCEDES-BENZ OF ANNAPOLIS AT 888-261-7620 (324 6TH ST, ANNAPOLIS, MD 21403) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

Structure mileage not reported 11.2 yr in service

My carâs rear subframe was so badly disintegrated due to severe corrosion. It made the driving so dangerous when braking and nearly caused an head-on collision. I have reported this issue under tracking number 11701609 and would like to provide pictures on the corrosion issue.

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.