U.S. public vehicle records

Mercedes Benz C230K problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

7 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

100,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1999 to 1999 model years. Data updated: 2026-10-01 (October 1, 2026). 6 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 7 complaints (28.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Electrical and battery issues	2	28.6%
Engine operation	1	14.3%
Braking behavior	1	14.3%
Fuel system concerns	1	14.3%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Electrical System

Air Bags

Electrical System:Software

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Turbo/Supercharger

Exterior Lighting

Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System

Fuel/Propulsion System

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Electrical System	2
Air Bags	1
Electrical System:Software	1
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	1
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Turbo/Supercharger	1
Exterior Lighting	1
Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System	1
Fuel/Propulsion System	1

Electrical System: 2; Air Bags: 1; Electrical System:Software: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Turbo/Supercharger: 1; Exterior Lighting: 1; Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System: 1; Fuel/Propulsion System: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 3; 150,000 and above: 0

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (3). 1 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2002

2007

2008

2013

2015

2016

2002: 1; 2007: 1; 2008: 1; 2013: 1; 2015: 2; 2016: 1

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 2 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 1 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10205577 · 2007-10-13 (October 13, 2007)

MAR '07: INTERIOR DASH LIGHT WARNING "CHECK ENGINE" CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IT TO A MERCEDES-AUTHORIZED MECHANIC; COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC SAID "FUEL TRIM ERROR". MAR TO OCT '07 FOLLOWING PARTS WERE REPLACED: ALL FUEL INJECTORS, SPARK PLUGS, ENGINE WIRING, ALL ENGINE GASKETS & 2 MAF (MASS AIR FLOW) OXYGEN SENSORS; ADDITIONALLY, THE COMPRESSOR UNIT WAS TAKEN APART 7 TIMES, AND UPON EXAMINATION, A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL WOULD BE DISCOVERED - 1 TSP TO 1 TBSP EA TIME. EACH TIME, IT WAS IMPECCABLY CLEANED. TOTAL COST TO OWNER OVER 7 MONTHS…

Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10205577 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10244364 · 2008-10-04 (October 4, 2008)

1999 MERCEDES BENZ C230 INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT. I HAVE NOT HAD THIS PROBLEM REPAIRED DUE TO THE COST ESTIMATE QUOTED TO ME BY THE MB DEALERSHIP. INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WENT OUT 2 WEEKS AFTER VEHICLE WARRANTY EXPIRED. ANOTHER PROBLEM PROBABLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS THAT I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE HEADLAMPS, INTERIOR LAMPS, BACKUP LAMPS (IE LIGHT BULBS) ON A CONTINUAL BASIS. AT LEAST EVERY OTHER MONTH I HAVE A WARNING LIGHT COME ON THAT I HAVE LAMP OUT. PRESENTLY I HAVE TO REPLACE THE BACKUP LAMPS BUT HAVE NOT …

Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10244364 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 8012207 · 2002-06-20 (June 20, 2002)

ABS LIGHT WILL CONTINUEOUSLY COME ON AND STAY ON WHILE CONSUMER IS DRIVING. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 8012207 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10525034 · 2013-07-15 (July 15, 2013)

DRIVERS SIDE GAS TANK IS LEAKING WITH STRONG GAS FUMES COMING FROM UNDER CAR SITTING STILL. LEAK IS AT THE BOTTOM SENDING UNIT ON THE LEFT PLASTIC TANK UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT BEHIND THE DRIVER. I ISOLATED THE LEAK TO WHERE THE WIRES PLUG TO THE TANK GAUGE SENDING UNIT. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION THAT SHOULD NOT OCCUR EVER IN NORMAL OPERATING OF THE CAR. THIS CAR HAS NOT BEEN ABUSED OR WRECKED THAT I KNOW ABOUT SO, IT IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. IN ADDITION, RECENTLY, THERE WAS A MAJOR GASOLINE LEAK FROM A RUSTED LINE ON…

Owner-reported narrative. 120,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10525034 at NHTSA ↗

Compare model years

Recalls by model year

All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.

From yearThrough year

Recall campaigns

Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.

1999

1999: 0

First model yearSecond model year

Year-by-year records

Mercedes Benz C230K model-year comparison
Model year	Complaints	Recalls	Change in recalls
1999	7	0	Not available

Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.

Data completeness

7 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.

85.7%Usable mileage6 / 7 records

100.0%Valid incident date7 / 7 records

100.0%Valid filing date7 / 7 records

100.0%Ordered incident and filing dates7 / 7 records

Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.

Problems by model year

Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.

From model yearThrough model year

Component complaint heatmap
Component	1999
Electrical System	228.6% ODI 10244364 · 20,000 mi 1999 MERCEDES BENZ C230 INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT. I HAVE NOT HAD THIS PROBLEM REPAIRED DUE TO THE COST ESTIMATE QUOTED TO ME BY THE MB DEALERSHIP. INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WENT OUT 2 WEEKS AFTER VEHICLE WARRANTY EXPIRED. ANOTHER PROBLEM PROBABLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS THAT I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE HEADLAMPS, INTERIOR LAMPS, BACKUP LAMPS (IE LIGHT BULBS) ON A CONTINUAL BASIS. AT LEAST EVERY OTHER MONTH I HAVE A WARNING LIGHT COME ON THAT I HAVE LAMP OUT. PRESENTLY I HAVE TO REPLACE THE BACKUP LAMPS BUT HAVE NOT … Look up ODI 10244364 at NHTSA ↗
Air Bags	114.3% ODI 10820156 · 63,000 mi TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ C230K. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED CHEST AND ARM INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000. Look up ODI 10820156 at NHTSA ↗
Electrical System:Software	114.3% ODI 10205577 · 80,000 mi MAR '07: INTERIOR DASH LIGHT WARNING "CHECK ENGINE" CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IT TO A MERCEDES-AUTHORIZED MECHANIC; COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC SAID "FUEL TRIM ERROR". MAR TO OCT '07 FOLLOWING PARTS WERE REPLACED: ALL FUEL INJECTORS, SPARK PLUGS, ENGINE WIRING, ALL ENGINE GASKETS & 2 MAF (MASS AIR FLOW) OXYGEN SENSORS; ADDITIONALLY, THE COMPRESSOR UNIT WAS TAKEN APART 7 TIMES, AND UPON EXAMINATION, A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL WOULD BE DISCOVERED - 1 TSP TO 1 TBSP EA TIME. EACH TIME, IT WAS IMPECCABLY CLEANED. TOTAL COST TO OWNER OVER 7 MONTHS… Look up ODI 10205577 at NHTSA ↗
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	114.3% ODI 10205577 · 80,000 mi MAR '07: INTERIOR DASH LIGHT WARNING "CHECK ENGINE" CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IT TO A MERCEDES-AUTHORIZED MECHANIC; COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC SAID "FUEL TRIM ERROR". MAR TO OCT '07 FOLLOWING PARTS WERE REPLACED: ALL FUEL INJECTORS, SPARK PLUGS, ENGINE WIRING, ALL ENGINE GASKETS & 2 MAF (MASS AIR FLOW) OXYGEN SENSORS; ADDITIONALLY, THE COMPRESSOR UNIT WAS TAKEN APART 7 TIMES, AND UPON EXAMINATION, A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL WOULD BE DISCOVERED - 1 TSP TO 1 TBSP EA TIME. EACH TIME, IT WAS IMPECCABLY CLEANED. TOTAL COST TO OWNER OVER 7 MONTHS… Look up ODI 10205577 at NHTSA ↗
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Turbo/Supercharger	114.3% ODI 10205577 · 80,000 mi MAR '07: INTERIOR DASH LIGHT WARNING "CHECK ENGINE" CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IT TO A MERCEDES-AUTHORIZED MECHANIC; COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC SAID "FUEL TRIM ERROR". MAR TO OCT '07 FOLLOWING PARTS WERE REPLACED: ALL FUEL INJECTORS, SPARK PLUGS, ENGINE WIRING, ALL ENGINE GASKETS & 2 MAF (MASS AIR FLOW) OXYGEN SENSORS; ADDITIONALLY, THE COMPRESSOR UNIT WAS TAKEN APART 7 TIMES, AND UPON EXAMINATION, A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL WOULD BE DISCOVERED - 1 TSP TO 1 TBSP EA TIME. EACH TIME, IT WAS IMPECCABLY CLEANED. TOTAL COST TO OWNER OVER 7 MONTHS… Look up ODI 10205577 at NHTSA ↗
Exterior Lighting	114.3% ODI 10244364 · 20,000 mi 1999 MERCEDES BENZ C230 INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT. I HAVE NOT HAD THIS PROBLEM REPAIRED DUE TO THE COST ESTIMATE QUOTED TO ME BY THE MB DEALERSHIP. INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WENT OUT 2 WEEKS AFTER VEHICLE WARRANTY EXPIRED. ANOTHER PROBLEM PROBABLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS THAT I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE HEADLAMPS, INTERIOR LAMPS, BACKUP LAMPS (IE LIGHT BULBS) ON A CONTINUAL BASIS. AT LEAST EVERY OTHER MONTH I HAVE A WARNING LIGHT COME ON THAT I HAVE LAMP OUT. PRESENTLY I HAVE TO REPLACE THE BACKUP LAMPS BUT HAVE NOT … Look up ODI 10244364 at NHTSA ↗
Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System	114.3% ODI 10205577 · 80,000 mi MAR '07: INTERIOR DASH LIGHT WARNING "CHECK ENGINE" CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IT TO A MERCEDES-AUTHORIZED MECHANIC; COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC SAID "FUEL TRIM ERROR". MAR TO OCT '07 FOLLOWING PARTS WERE REPLACED: ALL FUEL INJECTORS, SPARK PLUGS, ENGINE WIRING, ALL ENGINE GASKETS & 2 MAF (MASS AIR FLOW) OXYGEN SENSORS; ADDITIONALLY, THE COMPRESSOR UNIT WAS TAKEN APART 7 TIMES, AND UPON EXAMINATION, A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL WOULD BE DISCOVERED - 1 TSP TO 1 TBSP EA TIME. EACH TIME, IT WAS IMPECCABLY CLEANED. TOTAL COST TO OWNER OVER 7 MONTHS… Look up ODI 10205577 at NHTSA ↗
Fuel/Propulsion System	114.3% ODI 10525034 · 120,000 mi DRIVERS SIDE GAS TANK IS LEAKING WITH STRONG GAS FUMES COMING FROM UNDER CAR SITTING STILL. LEAK IS AT THE BOTTOM SENDING UNIT ON THE LEFT PLASTIC TANK UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT BEHIND THE DRIVER. I ISOLATED THE LEAK TO WHERE THE WIRES PLUG TO THE TANK GAUGE SENDING UNIT. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION THAT SHOULD NOT OCCUR EVER IN NORMAL OPERATING OF THE CAR. THIS CAR HAS NOT BEEN ABUSED OR WRECKED THAT I KNOW ABOUT SO, IT IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. IN ADDITION, RECENTLY, THERE WAS A MAJOR GASOLINE LEAK FROM A RUSTED LINE ON… Look up ODI 10525034 at NHTSA ↗

Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.

Failure mileage by component

Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.

Component failure mileage distribution
Component	Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)	Median	Usable records	Examples
Electrical System	Too few reports for a range	72,500 mi	2 (sparse)	ODI 10244364 · 20,000 mi 1999 MERCEDES BENZ C230 INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT. I HAVE NOT HAD THIS PROBLEM REPAIRED DUE TO THE COST ESTIMATE QUOTED TO ME BY THE MB DEALERSHIP. INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WENT OUT 2 WEEKS AFTER VEHICLE WARRANTY EXPIRED. ANOTHER PROBLEM PROBABLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS THAT I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE HEADLAMPS, INTERIOR LAMPS, BACKUP LAMPS (IE LIGHT BULBS) ON A CONTINUAL BASIS. AT LEAST EVERY OTHER MONTH I HAVE A WARNING LIGHT COME ON THAT I HAVE LAMP OUT. PRESENTLY I HAVE TO REPLACE THE BACKUP LAMPS BUT HAVE NOT … Look up ODI 10244364 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 10712657 · 125,000 mi WIPER, LOCKS, TAILGATE, INSTRUMENT PANEL AND WINDOWS ALL MALFUNCTIONED AT THE SAME TIME. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN INTERMITTENT, THEREFORE, I AM AFRAID TO ROLL WINDOWS DOWN OR LOCK THE VEHICLE. *TR Look up ODI 10712657 at NHTSA ↗
Air Bags	Too few reports for a range	63,000 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 10820156 · 63,000 mi TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ C230K. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED CHEST AND ARM INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000. Look up ODI 10820156 at NHTSA ↗
Electrical System:Software	Too few reports for a range	80,000 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 10205577 · 80,000 mi MAR '07: INTERIOR DASH LIGHT WARNING "CHECK ENGINE" CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IT TO A MERCEDES-AUTHORIZED MECHANIC; COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC SAID "FUEL TRIM ERROR". MAR TO OCT '07 FOLLOWING PARTS WERE REPLACED: ALL FUEL INJECTORS, SPARK PLUGS, ENGINE WIRING, ALL ENGINE GASKETS & 2 MAF (MASS AIR FLOW) OXYGEN SENSORS; ADDITIONALLY, THE COMPRESSOR UNIT WAS TAKEN APART 7 TIMES, AND UPON EXAMINATION, A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL WOULD BE DISCOVERED - 1 TSP TO 1 TBSP EA TIME. EACH TIME, IT WAS IMPECCABLY CLEANED. TOTAL COST TO OWNER OVER 7 MONTHS… Look up ODI 10205577 at NHTSA ↗
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	Too few reports for a range	80,000 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 10205577 · 80,000 mi MAR '07: INTERIOR DASH LIGHT WARNING "CHECK ENGINE" CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IT TO A MERCEDES-AUTHORIZED MECHANIC; COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC SAID "FUEL TRIM ERROR". MAR TO OCT '07 FOLLOWING PARTS WERE REPLACED: ALL FUEL INJECTORS, SPARK PLUGS, ENGINE WIRING, ALL ENGINE GASKETS & 2 MAF (MASS AIR FLOW) OXYGEN SENSORS; ADDITIONALLY, THE COMPRESSOR UNIT WAS TAKEN APART 7 TIMES, AND UPON EXAMINATION, A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL WOULD BE DISCOVERED - 1 TSP TO 1 TBSP EA TIME. EACH TIME, IT WAS IMPECCABLY CLEANED. TOTAL COST TO OWNER OVER 7 MONTHS… Look up ODI 10205577 at NHTSA ↗
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Turbo/Supercharger	Too few reports for a range	80,000 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 10205577 · 80,000 mi MAR '07: INTERIOR DASH LIGHT WARNING "CHECK ENGINE" CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IT TO A MERCEDES-AUTHORIZED MECHANIC; COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC SAID "FUEL TRIM ERROR". MAR TO OCT '07 FOLLOWING PARTS WERE REPLACED: ALL FUEL INJECTORS, SPARK PLUGS, ENGINE WIRING, ALL ENGINE GASKETS & 2 MAF (MASS AIR FLOW) OXYGEN SENSORS; ADDITIONALLY, THE COMPRESSOR UNIT WAS TAKEN APART 7 TIMES, AND UPON EXAMINATION, A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL WOULD BE DISCOVERED - 1 TSP TO 1 TBSP EA TIME. EACH TIME, IT WAS IMPECCABLY CLEANED. TOTAL COST TO OWNER OVER 7 MONTHS… Look up ODI 10205577 at NHTSA ↗
Exterior Lighting	Too few reports for a range	20,000 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 10244364 · 20,000 mi 1999 MERCEDES BENZ C230 INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT. I HAVE NOT HAD THIS PROBLEM REPAIRED DUE TO THE COST ESTIMATE QUOTED TO ME BY THE MB DEALERSHIP. INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WENT OUT 2 WEEKS AFTER VEHICLE WARRANTY EXPIRED. ANOTHER PROBLEM PROBABLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS THAT I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE HEADLAMPS, INTERIOR LAMPS, BACKUP LAMPS (IE LIGHT BULBS) ON A CONTINUAL BASIS. AT LEAST EVERY OTHER MONTH I HAVE A WARNING LIGHT COME ON THAT I HAVE LAMP OUT. PRESENTLY I HAVE TO REPLACE THE BACKUP LAMPS BUT HAVE NOT … Look up ODI 10244364 at NHTSA ↗
Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System	Too few reports for a range	80,000 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 10205577 · 80,000 mi MAR '07: INTERIOR DASH LIGHT WARNING "CHECK ENGINE" CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IT TO A MERCEDES-AUTHORIZED MECHANIC; COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC SAID "FUEL TRIM ERROR". MAR TO OCT '07 FOLLOWING PARTS WERE REPLACED: ALL FUEL INJECTORS, SPARK PLUGS, ENGINE WIRING, ALL ENGINE GASKETS & 2 MAF (MASS AIR FLOW) OXYGEN SENSORS; ADDITIONALLY, THE COMPRESSOR UNIT WAS TAKEN APART 7 TIMES, AND UPON EXAMINATION, A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL WOULD BE DISCOVERED - 1 TSP TO 1 TBSP EA TIME. EACH TIME, IT WAS IMPECCABLY CLEANED. TOTAL COST TO OWNER OVER 7 MONTHS… Look up ODI 10205577 at NHTSA ↗
Fuel/Propulsion System	Too few reports for a range	120,000 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 10525034 · 120,000 mi DRIVERS SIDE GAS TANK IS LEAKING WITH STRONG GAS FUMES COMING FROM UNDER CAR SITTING STILL. LEAK IS AT THE BOTTOM SENDING UNIT ON THE LEFT PLASTIC TANK UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT BEHIND THE DRIVER. I ISOLATED THE LEAK TO WHERE THE WIRES PLUG TO THE TANK GAUGE SENDING UNIT. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION THAT SHOULD NOT OCCUR EVER IN NORMAL OPERATING OF THE CAR. THIS CAR HAS NOT BEEN ABUSED OR WRECKED THAT I KNOW ABOUT SO, IT IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. IN ADDITION, RECENTLY, THERE WAS A MAJOR GASOLINE LEAK FROM A RUSTED LINE ON… Look up ODI 10525034 at NHTSA ↗

Complaint and recall timeline

Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.

ComponentPeriod

Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.

Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples

Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month	Campaigns announced	Examples
2024-11	None	No examples available for this selection.
2024-12	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-01	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-02	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-03	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-04	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-05	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-06	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-07	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-08	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-09	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-10	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-11	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-12	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-01	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-02	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-03	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-04	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-05	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-06	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-07	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-08	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-09	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-10 (partial)	None	No examples available for this selection.

Emerging complaint spikes

Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.

This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.

No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.

Equal-age model-year comparison

Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.

Observation windowFirst model yearSecond model year

1999: 1 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model year	Through age 0	Through age 1	Through age 2
1999	0	1	1

Date coverage across each selected cohort

Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year	Incident dates used	Filing date fallbacks	Excluded dates
1999	7	0	0

Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.

Components reported together

Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.

Component co-occurrence matrix
Component	Electrical System	Air Bags	Electrical System:Software	Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Turbo/Supercharger	Exterior Lighting	Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System	Fuel/Propulsion System
Electrical System	—	0	0	0	0	1 ODI 10244364 · 20,000 mi 1999 MERCEDES BENZ C230 INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT. I HAVE NOT HAD THIS PROBLEM REPAIRED DUE TO THE COST ESTIMATE QUOTED TO ME BY THE MB DEALERSHIP. INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WENT OUT 2 WEEKS AFTER VEHICLE WARRANTY EXPIRED. ANOTHER PROBLEM PROBABLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS THAT I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE HEADLAMPS, INTERIOR LAMPS, BACKUP LAMPS (IE LIGHT BULBS) ON A CONTINUAL BASIS. AT LEAST EVERY OTHER MONTH I HAVE A WARNING LIGHT COME ON THAT I HAVE LAMP OUT. PRESENTLY I HAVE TO REPLACE THE BACKUP LAMPS BUT HAVE NOT … Look up ODI 10244364 at NHTSA ↗	0	0
Air Bags	0	—	0	0	0	0	0	0
Electrical System:Software	0	0	—	1 ODI 10205577 · 80,000 mi MAR '07: INTERIOR DASH LIGHT WARNING "CHECK ENGINE" CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IT TO A MERCEDES-AUTHORIZED MECHANIC; COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC SAID "FUEL TRIM ERROR". MAR TO OCT '07 FOLLOWING PARTS WERE REPLACED: ALL FUEL INJECTORS, SPARK PLUGS, ENGINE WIRING, ALL ENGINE GASKETS & 2 MAF (MASS AIR FLOW) OXYGEN SENSORS; ADDITIONALLY, THE COMPRESSOR UNIT WAS TAKEN APART 7 TIMES, AND UPON EXAMINATION, A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL WOULD BE DISCOVERED - 1 TSP TO 1 TBSP EA TIME. EACH TIME, IT WAS IMPECCABLY CLEANED. TOTAL COST TO OWNER OVER 7 MONTHS… Look up ODI 10205577 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 10205577 · 80,000 mi MAR '07: INTERIOR DASH LIGHT WARNING "CHECK ENGINE" CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IT TO A MERCEDES-AUTHORIZED MECHANIC; COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC SAID "FUEL TRIM ERROR". MAR TO OCT '07 FOLLOWING PARTS WERE REPLACED: ALL FUEL INJECTORS, SPARK PLUGS, ENGINE WIRING, ALL ENGINE GASKETS & 2 MAF (MASS AIR FLOW) OXYGEN SENSORS; ADDITIONALLY, THE COMPRESSOR UNIT WAS TAKEN APART 7 TIMES, AND UPON EXAMINATION, A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL WOULD BE DISCOVERED - 1 TSP TO 1 TBSP EA TIME. EACH TIME, IT WAS IMPECCABLY CLEANED. TOTAL COST TO OWNER OVER 7 MONTHS… Look up ODI 10205577 at NHTSA ↗	0	1 ODI 10205577 · 80,000 mi MAR '07: INTERIOR DASH LIGHT WARNING "CHECK ENGINE" CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IT TO A MERCEDES-AUTHORIZED MECHANIC; COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC SAID "FUEL TRIM ERROR". MAR TO OCT '07 FOLLOWING PARTS WERE REPLACED: ALL FUEL INJECTORS, SPARK PLUGS, ENGINE WIRING, ALL ENGINE GASKETS & 2 MAF (MASS AIR FLOW) OXYGEN SENSORS; ADDITIONALLY, THE COMPRESSOR UNIT WAS TAKEN APART 7 TIMES, AND UPON EXAMINATION, A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL WOULD BE DISCOVERED - 1 TSP TO 1 TBSP EA TIME. EACH TIME, IT WAS IMPECCABLY CLEANED. TOTAL COST TO OWNER OVER 7 MONTHS… Look up ODI 10205577 at NHTSA ↗	0
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	0	0	1 ODI 10205577 · 80,000 mi MAR '07: INTERIOR DASH LIGHT WARNING "CHECK ENGINE" CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IT TO A MERCEDES-AUTHORIZED MECHANIC; COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC SAID "FUEL TRIM ERROR". MAR TO OCT '07 FOLLOWING PARTS WERE REPLACED: ALL FUEL INJECTORS, SPARK PLUGS, ENGINE WIRING, ALL ENGINE GASKETS & 2 MAF (MASS AIR FLOW) OXYGEN SENSORS; ADDITIONALLY, THE COMPRESSOR UNIT WAS TAKEN APART 7 TIMES, AND UPON EXAMINATION, A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL WOULD BE DISCOVERED - 1 TSP TO 1 TBSP EA TIME. EACH TIME, IT WAS IMPECCABLY CLEANED. TOTAL COST TO OWNER OVER 7 MONTHS… Look up ODI 10205577 at NHTSA ↗	—	1 ODI 10205577 · 80,000 mi MAR '07: INTERIOR DASH LIGHT WARNING "CHECK ENGINE" CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IT TO A MERCEDES-AUTHORIZED MECHANIC; COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC SAID "FUEL TRIM ERROR". MAR TO OCT '07 FOLLOWING PARTS WERE REPLACED: ALL FUEL INJECTORS, SPARK PLUGS, ENGINE WIRING, ALL ENGINE GASKETS & 2 MAF (MASS AIR FLOW) OXYGEN SENSORS; ADDITIONALLY, THE COMPRESSOR UNIT WAS TAKEN APART 7 TIMES, AND UPON EXAMINATION, A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL WOULD BE DISCOVERED - 1 TSP TO 1 TBSP EA TIME. EACH TIME, IT WAS IMPECCABLY CLEANED. TOTAL COST TO OWNER OVER 7 MONTHS… Look up ODI 10205577 at NHTSA ↗	0	1 ODI 10205577 · 80,000 mi MAR '07: INTERIOR DASH LIGHT WARNING "CHECK ENGINE" CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IT TO A MERCEDES-AUTHORIZED MECHANIC; COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC SAID "FUEL TRIM ERROR". MAR TO OCT '07 FOLLOWING PARTS WERE REPLACED: ALL FUEL INJECTORS, SPARK PLUGS, ENGINE WIRING, ALL ENGINE GASKETS & 2 MAF (MASS AIR FLOW) OXYGEN SENSORS; ADDITIONALLY, THE COMPRESSOR UNIT WAS TAKEN APART 7 TIMES, AND UPON EXAMINATION, A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL WOULD BE DISCOVERED - 1 TSP TO 1 TBSP EA TIME. EACH TIME, IT WAS IMPECCABLY CLEANED. TOTAL COST TO OWNER OVER 7 MONTHS… Look up ODI 10205577 at NHTSA ↗	0
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Turbo/Supercharger	0	0	1 ODI 10205577 · 80,000 mi MAR '07: INTERIOR DASH LIGHT WARNING "CHECK ENGINE" CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IT TO A MERCEDES-AUTHORIZED MECHANIC; COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC SAID "FUEL TRIM ERROR". MAR TO OCT '07 FOLLOWING PARTS WERE REPLACED: ALL FUEL INJECTORS, SPARK PLUGS, ENGINE WIRING, ALL ENGINE GASKETS & 2 MAF (MASS AIR FLOW) OXYGEN SENSORS; ADDITIONALLY, THE COMPRESSOR UNIT WAS TAKEN APART 7 TIMES, AND UPON EXAMINATION, A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL WOULD BE DISCOVERED - 1 TSP TO 1 TBSP EA TIME. EACH TIME, IT WAS IMPECCABLY CLEANED. TOTAL COST TO OWNER OVER 7 MONTHS… Look up ODI 10205577 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 10205577 · 80,000 mi MAR '07: INTERIOR DASH LIGHT WARNING "CHECK ENGINE" CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IT TO A MERCEDES-AUTHORIZED MECHANIC; COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC SAID "FUEL TRIM ERROR". MAR TO OCT '07 FOLLOWING PARTS WERE REPLACED: ALL FUEL INJECTORS, SPARK PLUGS, ENGINE WIRING, ALL ENGINE GASKETS & 2 MAF (MASS AIR FLOW) OXYGEN SENSORS; ADDITIONALLY, THE COMPRESSOR UNIT WAS TAKEN APART 7 TIMES, AND UPON EXAMINATION, A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL WOULD BE DISCOVERED - 1 TSP TO 1 TBSP EA TIME. EACH TIME, IT WAS IMPECCABLY CLEANED. TOTAL COST TO OWNER OVER 7 MONTHS… Look up ODI 10205577 at NHTSA ↗	—	0	1 ODI 10205577 · 80,000 mi MAR '07: INTERIOR DASH LIGHT WARNING "CHECK ENGINE" CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IT TO A MERCEDES-AUTHORIZED MECHANIC; COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC SAID "FUEL TRIM ERROR". MAR TO OCT '07 FOLLOWING PARTS WERE REPLACED: ALL FUEL INJECTORS, SPARK PLUGS, ENGINE WIRING, ALL ENGINE GASKETS & 2 MAF (MASS AIR FLOW) OXYGEN SENSORS; ADDITIONALLY, THE COMPRESSOR UNIT WAS TAKEN APART 7 TIMES, AND UPON EXAMINATION, A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL WOULD BE DISCOVERED - 1 TSP TO 1 TBSP EA TIME. EACH TIME, IT WAS IMPECCABLY CLEANED. TOTAL COST TO OWNER OVER 7 MONTHS… Look up ODI 10205577 at NHTSA ↗	0
Exterior Lighting	1 ODI 10244364 · 20,000 mi 1999 MERCEDES BENZ C230 INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT. I HAVE NOT HAD THIS PROBLEM REPAIRED DUE TO THE COST ESTIMATE QUOTED TO ME BY THE MB DEALERSHIP. INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WENT OUT 2 WEEKS AFTER VEHICLE WARRANTY EXPIRED. ANOTHER PROBLEM PROBABLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS THAT I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE HEADLAMPS, INTERIOR LAMPS, BACKUP LAMPS (IE LIGHT BULBS) ON A CONTINUAL BASIS. AT LEAST EVERY OTHER MONTH I HAVE A WARNING LIGHT COME ON THAT I HAVE LAMP OUT. PRESENTLY I HAVE TO REPLACE THE BACKUP LAMPS BUT HAVE NOT … Look up ODI 10244364 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	0	0	—	0	0
Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System	0	0	1 ODI 10205577 · 80,000 mi MAR '07: INTERIOR DASH LIGHT WARNING "CHECK ENGINE" CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IT TO A MERCEDES-AUTHORIZED MECHANIC; COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC SAID "FUEL TRIM ERROR". MAR TO OCT '07 FOLLOWING PARTS WERE REPLACED: ALL FUEL INJECTORS, SPARK PLUGS, ENGINE WIRING, ALL ENGINE GASKETS & 2 MAF (MASS AIR FLOW) OXYGEN SENSORS; ADDITIONALLY, THE COMPRESSOR UNIT WAS TAKEN APART 7 TIMES, AND UPON EXAMINATION, A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL WOULD BE DISCOVERED - 1 TSP TO 1 TBSP EA TIME. EACH TIME, IT WAS IMPECCABLY CLEANED. TOTAL COST TO OWNER OVER 7 MONTHS… Look up ODI 10205577 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 10205577 · 80,000 mi MAR '07: INTERIOR DASH LIGHT WARNING "CHECK ENGINE" CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IT TO A MERCEDES-AUTHORIZED MECHANIC; COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC SAID "FUEL TRIM ERROR". MAR TO OCT '07 FOLLOWING PARTS WERE REPLACED: ALL FUEL INJECTORS, SPARK PLUGS, ENGINE WIRING, ALL ENGINE GASKETS & 2 MAF (MASS AIR FLOW) OXYGEN SENSORS; ADDITIONALLY, THE COMPRESSOR UNIT WAS TAKEN APART 7 TIMES, AND UPON EXAMINATION, A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL WOULD BE DISCOVERED - 1 TSP TO 1 TBSP EA TIME. EACH TIME, IT WAS IMPECCABLY CLEANED. TOTAL COST TO OWNER OVER 7 MONTHS… Look up ODI 10205577 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 10205577 · 80,000 mi MAR '07: INTERIOR DASH LIGHT WARNING "CHECK ENGINE" CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IT TO A MERCEDES-AUTHORIZED MECHANIC; COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC SAID "FUEL TRIM ERROR". MAR TO OCT '07 FOLLOWING PARTS WERE REPLACED: ALL FUEL INJECTORS, SPARK PLUGS, ENGINE WIRING, ALL ENGINE GASKETS & 2 MAF (MASS AIR FLOW) OXYGEN SENSORS; ADDITIONALLY, THE COMPRESSOR UNIT WAS TAKEN APART 7 TIMES, AND UPON EXAMINATION, A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL WOULD BE DISCOVERED - 1 TSP TO 1 TBSP EA TIME. EACH TIME, IT WAS IMPECCABLY CLEANED. TOTAL COST TO OWNER OVER 7 MONTHS… Look up ODI 10205577 at NHTSA ↗	0	—	0
Fuel/Propulsion System	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	—

Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.

Recurring narrative patterns

Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.

Search patterns

2 patterns with matching reports.

Warning lights and dashboard alerts

2 mentions · 28.6% of complaints

Median mileage: 50,000 mi (2 usable records).

ODI 10205577 · 80,000 mi

Look up ODI 10205577 at NHTSA ↗

ODI 10244364 · 20,000 mi

Look up ODI 10244364 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule

\b(warning light\w*|check engine|dashboard warning\w*|malfunction indicator)\b

Stalling or loss of power

1 mentions · 14.3% of complaints

Median mileage: 80,000 mi (1 usable records).

ODI 10205577 · 80,000 mi

Look up ODI 10205577 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule

\b(stall\w*|loss of power|lost power|engine shut\w* off)\b