Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
20 owner complaints analyzed
5 distinct recall campaigns
43,639 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2008 to 2010 model years. Data updated: . 13 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 7 of 20 complaints (35.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic
Matching reports
Share of complaints
Steering behavior
3
15.0%
Braking behavior
2
10.0%
Electrical and battery issues
2
10.0%
Engine operation
1
5.0%
Fuel system concerns
1
5.0%
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
7
Air Bags
5
Exterior Lighting
5
Unknown Or Other
4
Engine
3
Engine And Engine Cooling
1
Fuel/Propulsion System
1
Service Brakes
1
Component breakdown data
Category
Count
Electrical System
7
Air Bags
5
Exterior Lighting
5
Unknown Or Other
4
Engine
3
Engine And Engine Cooling
1
Fuel/Propulsion System
1
Service Brakes
1
Electrical System: 7; Air Bags: 5; Exterior Lighting: 5; Unknown Or Other: 4; Engine: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling: 1; Fuel/Propulsion System: 1; Service Brakes: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
Under 25,000
1
25,000 to 49,999
7
50,000 to 74,999
3
75,000 to 99,999
1
100,000 to 149,999
1
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
Category
Count
Under 25,000
1
25,000 to 49,999
7
50,000 to 74,999
3
75,000 to 99,999
1
100,000 to 149,999
1
150,000 and above
0
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 7; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (7). 7 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.
Electrical System leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 3 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 2 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.
MY 2008 MERCEDES AMG C63 HAD BEEN OPERATING WITHOUT FLAWS UNTIL RECENTLY, I PARKED, WENT IN THE GYM TO WORK OUT FOR 45 MINS. WHEN I CAME OUT AND TRIED TO START THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, WOULDN'T COME OUT OF PARK. LEFT ME STRANDED. I HAVE READ DOZENS OF COMPLAINTS ON THE MERCEDES-BENZ FORUMS ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE HAPPENING TO OTHER OWNERS OF 2008-2009 MERCEDES C63 SEDANS. MERCEDES HAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN LISTING THIS AS A COMMON OCCURRENCE, AND THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN LOCK HAS TO BE REPLACED(USUAL…
THE ELECTRONIC STEERING CONTROL LOCK MODULE WENT OUT ON MY CAR. THIS SEEMS TO BE A REOCCURRING ISSUE WITH ANY "W204" 2008/2009 MERCEDES BENZ MODEL CAR. I'VE DOCUMENTED OVER A FEW HUNDRED CASES ALONE ON THE FORUMS ONLINE. THIS IS A DEALERSHIP ONLY FIX AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. BASICALLY, SECURITY SYSTEM IN THE CAR THAT LETS THE KEY COMMUNICATE WITH THE IGNITION SYSTEM GOES OUT AND THE CAR WILL NOT START. IT'S A $1200 FIX MINIMUM..
THE PASSENGER TAIL LAMP BULB CARRIER, GROUND WIRE, AND CONNECTING PLASTIC HARNESS ALL MELTED CAUSING MY TAIL LAMPS TO APPEAR DIM AND EVENTUALLY MELTED TO THE POINT THE PASSENGER BRAKE LIGHTS, REAR RUNNING LAMPS, REAR PASSENGER TURN SIGNAL AND REAR FOG LAMP ALL COMPLETELY QUIT FUNCTIONING. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL MERCEDES BENZ DEALER AND THEY WOULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM UNDER WARRANTY OR GOOD WILL EVEN KNOWING IT TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. I PURCHASED THE PARTS THAT THEY CLAIMED HAVE BEEN UPDATED (ALTHOUGH THEY APPEAR TO BE EXACTLY THE SAME) AND HAD THE…
AN ALERT ON MY DASH BOARD SCREEN TELLING ME THAT MY BRAKE AND TAIL LIGHT MAY NOT BE FUNCTIONING. I HAVE READ THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF COMPLAINTS WITH MERCEDES C SERIES CARS FROM 2008, 2009, 20010, 20011 THAT HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE TAIL LIGHT GROUND, MAY HAVE EVEN CAUSED FIRES IN SOME. I'M CONCERNED THIS MAY HAPPEN. *TR
CAR DASH DISPLAY INDICATED TO CHECK RIGHT REAR TURN LAMP. WHILE CHECKING THE LAMP, THE LAMP HOLDER ASSEMBLY WAS HOT. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO UNPLUG THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR TO THE LAMP HOLDER ASSEMBLY, DISCOVERED THAT THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WAS MELTING (SPECIFICALLY AROUND THE GROUND WIRE). THERE SEEM TO BE OTHER REPORTS OF THIS ISSUE ON WEB FORUMS (E.G. MB WORLD). *TR
REAR TAIL LIGHT WIRING HAS BURNT UP CAUSING FAILURE OF THE TAILLIGHT. THIS HAPPENED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. THE RIGHT SIDE ACTUALLY BEGAN PUTTING OUT SMOKE WHEN THE BURNT CONNECTOR FAILED. THIS FIRE COULD HAVE SPREAD WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR. *TR
CEL ILLUMINATION, ENGINE MISFIRE, STALLING, ROUGH RUNNING, LOW COOLANT INDICATOR LIGHT UPS. NO EXTERNAL COOLANT LOSS DETECTABLE. COOLANT IN THE ENGINE OIL AND/OR IN THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER. THIS IS CAUSED BY A BROKEN CYLINDER HEAD BOLT. ENGINE COOLANT ENTERS INTO ENGINE OIL. COOLANT MIGHT BE PRESENT IN THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER. AFFECTED ENGINE NUMBER UP TO 1569XX 60 060658. NOW THE DEALERSHIP IS TRYING TO CHARGE ME $7K TO HAVE THIS FIXED WHEN IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE ON THESE VEHICLES. I RESPECTFULLY DEMAND THAT MERCEDES BENZ USA COVER THE CO…
2008 C63 AMG-EVERY TIME FILL UP TANK THERE VERY STRONG GAS SMELL EVEN OUT DOOR. I TRACKED DOWN SMELL FROM UNDER BACK SEAT WHERE GAS TANK IS. OPEN BACK SEAT YOU WILL SEE WET SPOT FROM GAS LEAK. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS THAT CAR CAN GET CAUGHT ON FIRE. I RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND MANY MERCEDES HAS SAME ISSUE AND BEEN TOLD BY DEALER THAT IT TEAR AND WEAR, AND USER RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIR. MY CAR IS 2008 C63 AMG, ONE OF TOP C CLASS MODEL, WITH 50,000 MILES. THE GAS TANK SHOULD LAST MUCH LONGER THAN 50,000 MILE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR MERCEDE…
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
20 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
65.0%Usable mileage13 / 20 records
100.0%Valid incident date20 / 20 records
100.0%Valid filing date20 / 20 records
100.0%Ordered incident and filing dates20 / 20 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.
Component complaint heatmap
Component
2008
2009
2010
Electrical System
240.0%ODI 10557594 · 31,500 mi
REAR TAILLIGHTS STARTED SMOKING. IT WAS ALL BURNED OUT CAUSING REAR RIGHT TAILLIGHT TO MALFUNCTION. *TR
CAR DASH DISPLAY INDICATED TO CHECK RIGHT REAR TURN LAMP. WHILE CHECKING THE LAMP, THE LAMP HOLDER ASSEMBLY WAS HOT. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO UNPLUG THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR TO THE LAMP HOLDER ASSEMBLY, DISCOVERED THAT THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WAS MELTING (SPECIFICALLY AROUND THE GROUND WIRE). THERE SEEM TO BE OTHER REPORTS OF THIS ISSUE ON WEB FORUMS (E.G. MB WORLD). *TR
I BOUGHT MY MERCEDES BRAND NEW, AND THERE SEEMS TO BE MULTIPLE PEOPLE WITH SAME ISSUE. I HAVE A LITTLE OVER 40000 MILES, AND MY CAR IS HAVING STARTING ISSUES. I TURN THE KEY, AND EVERYTHING COMES ON BUT THE CAR WON'T START, AND GOES INTO AN EMERGENCY COOL DOWN MODE WITH THE ENGINE FANS TURNING ON FULL BLAST. IT MAY BE THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEM (EIS) THAT A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE MENTION. MERCEDES NEEDS TO DO A RECALL, AS THIS SEEMS TO BE A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM. *TR
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ C63. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 16V081000 (AIR BAGS) AND 16V363000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MERCEDES-BENZ C63. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V363000 (AIR BAGS). THE DEALER (MERCEDES-BENZ OF SACRAMENTO, 1810 HOWE AVE, SACRAMENTO, CA 95825, [phone removed]) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. *TT CONSUMER STATED BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAGS WERE RECALLED. IT HAS BEEEN 3 YEARS THAT CONS…
REAR TAIL LIGHT WIRING HAS BURNT UP CAUSING FAILURE OF THE TAILLIGHT. THIS HAPPENED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. THE RIGHT SIDE ACTUALLY BEGAN PUTTING OUT SMOKE WHEN THE BURNT CONNECTOR FAILED. THIS FIRE COULD HAVE SPREAD WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR. *TR
AN ALERT ON MY DASH BOARD SCREEN TELLING ME THAT MY BRAKE AND TAIL LIGHT MAY NOT BE FUNCTIONING. I HAVE READ THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF COMPLAINTS WITH MERCEDES C SERIES CARS FROM 2008, 2009, 20010, 20011 THAT HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE TAIL LIGHT GROUND, MAY HAVE EVEN CAUSED FIRES IN SOME. I'M CONCERNED THIS MAY HAPPEN. *TR
MY 2008 MERCEDES AMG C63 HAD BEEN OPERATING WITHOUT FLAWS UNTIL RECENTLY, I PARKED, WENT IN THE GYM TO WORK OUT FOR 45 MINS. WHEN I CAME OUT AND TRIED TO START THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, WOULDN'T COME OUT OF PARK. LEFT ME STRANDED. I HAVE READ DOZENS OF COMPLAINTS ON THE MERCEDES-BENZ FORUMS ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE HAPPENING TO OTHER OWNERS OF 2008-2009 MERCEDES C63 SEDANS. MERCEDES HAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN LISTING THIS AS A COMMON OCCURRENCE, AND THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN LOCK HAS TO BE REPLACED(USUAL…
I BOUGHT MY MERCEDES BRAND NEW, AND THERE SEEMS TO BE MULTIPLE PEOPLE WITH SAME ISSUE. I HAVE A LITTLE OVER 40000 MILES, AND MY CAR IS HAVING STARTING ISSUES. I TURN THE KEY, AND EVERYTHING COMES ON BUT THE CAR WON'T START, AND GOES INTO AN EMERGENCY COOL DOWN MODE WITH THE ENGINE FANS TURNING ON FULL BLAST. IT MAY BE THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEM (EIS) THAT A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE MENTION. MERCEDES NEEDS TO DO A RECALL, AS THIS SEEMS TO BE A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM. *TR
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A HEADBOLT FAILURE RESULTING IN COOLANT FLOODING ONE OF THE CYLINDER, LEAKING INSIDE THE ENGINE AND CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE. I WAS LUCKY THAT I WAS DRIVING AT 20MPH AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE, OTHERWISE IT WOULD MOST LIKELY RESULT IN A CRASH. MERCEDES-BENZ USA DENIES THE WIDESPREAD NATURE OF THE PROBLEM AFFECTING ALL OF THE M156 ENGINES, EVEN THROUGH IN 2010 MERCEDES-BENZ ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN DIRECTING REPLACEMENT OF THE HEADBOLTS WITH THE NEW IMPROVED DESIGN AND I PERSONALLY KNOW 3 OTHER OWNERS WHOSE VEHICLE EXPER…
I BOUGHT MY MERCEDES BRAND NEW, AND THERE SEEMS TO BE MULTIPLE PEOPLE WITH SAME ISSUE. I HAVE A LITTLE OVER 40000 MILES, AND MY CAR IS HAVING STARTING ISSUES. I TURN THE KEY, AND EVERYTHING COMES ON BUT THE CAR WON'T START, AND GOES INTO AN EMERGENCY COOL DOWN MODE WITH THE ENGINE FANS TURNING ON FULL BLAST. IT MAY BE THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEM (EIS) THAT A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE MENTION. MERCEDES NEEDS TO DO A RECALL, AS THIS SEEMS TO BE A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM. *TR
AS I WAS DRIVING I HAD A LIGHT COME ON MY DASH TELLING ME I HAD LOW COOLANT AND THAT I NEEDED TO HAVE IT FILLED. THIS HAS HAPPENED A NUMBER OF TIMES SINCE MY SHORT OWNERSHIP OF THIS VEHICLE. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A SEALED UNIT AND SHOULD NOT BE LOSING ANTIFREEZE ANYWHERE. I HAD THE VEHICLE LOOKED AT AND I DO NOT HAVE ANY LEAKS WHATSOEVER. WHEN I ADD THE COOLANT, IT SEEMS TO BE FAIRLY LOW. I AM CONCERNED THAT I MAY HAVE SOME BIG ISSUES ON MY HANDS AND COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE A HYDRO-LOCKING OF THE ENGINE PROBLEM CREATING A MAJOR SAFETY …
2008 C63 AMG-EVERY TIME FILL UP TANK THERE VERY STRONG GAS SMELL EVEN OUT DOOR. I TRACKED DOWN SMELL FROM UNDER BACK SEAT WHERE GAS TANK IS. OPEN BACK SEAT YOU WILL SEE WET SPOT FROM GAS LEAK. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS THAT CAR CAN GET CAUGHT ON FIRE. I RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND MANY MERCEDES HAS SAME ISSUE AND BEEN TOLD BY DEALER THAT IT TEAR AND WEAR, AND USER RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIR. MY CAR IS 2008 C63 AMG, ONE OF TOP C CLASS MODEL, WITH 50,000 MILES. THE GAS TANK SHOULD LAST MUCH LONGER THAN 50,000 MILE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR MERCEDE…
REAR TAIL LIGHT WIRING HAS BURNT UP CAUSING FAILURE OF THE TAILLIGHT. THIS HAPPENED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. THE RIGHT SIDE ACTUALLY BEGAN PUTTING OUT SMOKE WHEN THE BURNT CONNECTOR FAILED. THIS FIRE COULD HAVE SPREAD WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR. *TR
THE ELECTRONIC STEERING CONTROL LOCK MODULE WENT OUT ON MY CAR. THIS SEEMS TO BE A REOCCURRING ISSUE WITH ANY "W204" 2008/2009 MERCEDES BENZ MODEL CAR. I'VE DOCUMENTED OVER A FEW HUNDRED CASES ALONE ON THE FORUMS ONLINE. THIS IS A DEALERSHIP ONLY FIX AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. BASICALLY, SECURITY SYSTEM IN THE CAR THAT LETS THE KEY COMMUNICATE WITH THE IGNITION SYSTEM GOES OUT AND THE CAR WILL NOT START. IT'S A $1200 FIX MINIMUM..
CAR DASH DISPLAY INDICATED TO CHECK RIGHT REAR TURN LAMP. WHILE CHECKING THE LAMP, THE LAMP HOLDER ASSEMBLY WAS HOT. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO UNPLUG THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR TO THE LAMP HOLDER ASSEMBLY, DISCOVERED THAT THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WAS MELTING (SPECIFICALLY AROUND THE GROUND WIRE). THERE SEEM TO BE OTHER REPORTS OF THIS ISSUE ON WEB FORUMS (E.G. MB WORLD). *TR
THE PASSENGER TAIL LAMP BULB CARRIER, GROUND WIRE, AND CONNECTING PLASTIC HARNESS ALL MELTED CAUSING MY TAIL LAMPS TO APPEAR DIM AND EVENTUALLY MELTED TO THE POINT THE PASSENGER BRAKE LIGHTS, REAR RUNNING LAMPS, REAR PASSENGER TURN SIGNAL AND REAR FOG LAMP ALL COMPLETELY QUIT FUNCTIONING. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL MERCEDES BENZ DEALER AND THEY WOULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM UNDER WARRANTY OR GOOD WILL EVEN KNOWING IT TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. I PURCHASED THE PARTS THAT THEY CLAIMED HAVE BEEN UPDATED (ALTHOUGH THEY APPEAR TO BE EXACTLY THE SAME) AND HAD THE…
REAR TAIL LIGHT WIRING HAS BURNT UP CAUSING FAILURE OF THE TAILLIGHT. THIS HAPPENED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. THE RIGHT SIDE ACTUALLY BEGAN PUTTING OUT SMOKE WHEN THE BURNT CONNECTOR FAILED. THIS FIRE COULD HAVE SPREAD WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR. *TR
MY 2008 MERCEDES AMG C63 HAD BEEN OPERATING WITHOUT FLAWS UNTIL RECENTLY, I PARKED, WENT IN THE GYM TO WORK OUT FOR 45 MINS. WHEN I CAME OUT AND TRIED TO START THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, WOULDN'T COME OUT OF PARK. LEFT ME STRANDED. I HAVE READ DOZENS OF COMPLAINTS ON THE MERCEDES-BENZ FORUMS ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE HAPPENING TO OTHER OWNERS OF 2008-2009 MERCEDES C63 SEDANS. MERCEDES HAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN LISTING THIS AS A COMMON OCCURRENCE, AND THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN LOCK HAS TO BE REPLACED(USUAL…
THE ELECTRONIC STEERING CONTROL LOCK MODULE WENT OUT ON MY CAR. THIS SEEMS TO BE A REOCCURRING ISSUE WITH ANY "W204" 2008/2009 MERCEDES BENZ MODEL CAR. I'VE DOCUMENTED OVER A FEW HUNDRED CASES ALONE ON THE FORUMS ONLINE. THIS IS A DEALERSHIP ONLY FIX AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. BASICALLY, SECURITY SYSTEM IN THE CAR THAT LETS THE KEY COMMUNICATE WITH THE IGNITION SYSTEM GOES OUT AND THE CAR WILL NOT START. IT'S A $1200 FIX MINIMUM..
I BOUGHT MY MERCEDES BRAND NEW, AND THERE SEEMS TO BE MULTIPLE PEOPLE WITH SAME ISSUE. I HAVE A LITTLE OVER 40000 MILES, AND MY CAR IS HAVING STARTING ISSUES. I TURN THE KEY, AND EVERYTHING COMES ON BUT THE CAR WON'T START, AND GOES INTO AN EMERGENCY COOL DOWN MODE WITH THE ENGINE FANS TURNING ON FULL BLAST. IT MAY BE THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEM (EIS) THAT A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE MENTION. MERCEDES NEEDS TO DO A RECALL, AS THIS SEEMS TO BE A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM. *TR
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A HEADBOLT FAILURE RESULTING IN COOLANT FLOODING ONE OF THE CYLINDER, LEAKING INSIDE THE ENGINE AND CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE. I WAS LUCKY THAT I WAS DRIVING AT 20MPH AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE, OTHERWISE IT WOULD MOST LIKELY RESULT IN A CRASH. MERCEDES-BENZ USA DENIES THE WIDESPREAD NATURE OF THE PROBLEM AFFECTING ALL OF THE M156 ENGINES, EVEN THROUGH IN 2010 MERCEDES-BENZ ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN DIRECTING REPLACEMENT OF THE HEADBOLTS WITH THE NEW IMPROVED DESIGN AND I PERSONALLY KNOW 3 OTHER OWNERS WHOSE VEHICLE EXPER…
CEL ILLUMINATION, ENGINE MISFIRE, STALLING, ROUGH RUNNING, LOW COOLANT INDICATOR LIGHT UPS. NO EXTERNAL COOLANT LOSS DETECTABLE. COOLANT IN THE ENGINE OIL AND/OR IN THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER. THIS IS CAUSED BY A BROKEN CYLINDER HEAD BOLT. ENGINE COOLANT ENTERS INTO ENGINE OIL. COOLANT MIGHT BE PRESENT IN THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER. AFFECTED ENGINE NUMBER UP TO 1569XX 60 060658. NOW THE DEALERSHIP IS TRYING TO CHARGE ME $7K TO HAVE THIS FIXED WHEN IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE ON THESE VEHICLES. I RESPECTFULLY DEMAND THAT MERCEDES BENZ USA COVER THE CO…
I BOUGHT MY MERCEDES BRAND NEW, AND THERE SEEMS TO BE MULTIPLE PEOPLE WITH SAME ISSUE. I HAVE A LITTLE OVER 40000 MILES, AND MY CAR IS HAVING STARTING ISSUES. I TURN THE KEY, AND EVERYTHING COMES ON BUT THE CAR WON'T START, AND GOES INTO AN EMERGENCY COOL DOWN MODE WITH THE ENGINE FANS TURNING ON FULL BLAST. IT MAY BE THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEM (EIS) THAT A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE MENTION. MERCEDES NEEDS TO DO A RECALL, AS THIS SEEMS TO BE A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM. *TR
AS I WAS DRIVING I HAD A LIGHT COME ON MY DASH TELLING ME I HAD LOW COOLANT AND THAT I NEEDED TO HAVE IT FILLED. THIS HAS HAPPENED A NUMBER OF TIMES SINCE MY SHORT OWNERSHIP OF THIS VEHICLE. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A SEALED UNIT AND SHOULD NOT BE LOSING ANTIFREEZE ANYWHERE. I HAD THE VEHICLE LOOKED AT AND I DO NOT HAVE ANY LEAKS WHATSOEVER. WHEN I ADD THE COOLANT, IT SEEMS TO BE FAIRLY LOW. I AM CONCERNED THAT I MAY HAVE SOME BIG ISSUES ON MY HANDS AND COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE A HYDRO-LOCKING OF THE ENGINE PROBLEM CREATING A MAJOR SAFETY …
2008 C63 AMG-EVERY TIME FILL UP TANK THERE VERY STRONG GAS SMELL EVEN OUT DOOR. I TRACKED DOWN SMELL FROM UNDER BACK SEAT WHERE GAS TANK IS. OPEN BACK SEAT YOU WILL SEE WET SPOT FROM GAS LEAK. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS THAT CAR CAN GET CAUGHT ON FIRE. I RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND MANY MERCEDES HAS SAME ISSUE AND BEEN TOLD BY DEALER THAT IT TEAR AND WEAR, AND USER RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIR. MY CAR IS 2008 C63 AMG, ONE OF TOP C CLASS MODEL, WITH 50,000 MILES. THE GAS TANK SHOULD LAST MUCH LONGER THAN 50,000 MILE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR MERCEDE…
REAR TAIL LIGHT WIRING HAS BURNT UP CAUSING FAILURE OF THE TAILLIGHT. THIS HAPPENED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. THE RIGHT SIDE ACTUALLY BEGAN PUTTING OUT SMOKE WHEN THE BURNT CONNECTOR FAILED. THIS FIRE COULD HAVE SPREAD WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR. *TR
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
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
Complaints
Campaigns announced
Examples
2024-11
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2024-12
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-01
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-02
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-03
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-04
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-05
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-06
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-07
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-08
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-09
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-10
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-11
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-12
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-01
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-02
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-03
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-04
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-05
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-06
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-07
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-08
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-09
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-10 (partial)
0
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.
2009: 0 complaints · 2010: 0 complaints
Equal observation windows
Model year
Through age 0
Through age 1
Through age 2
2009
0
0
0
2010
0
0
0
Date coverage across each selected cohort
Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year
Incident dates used
Filing date fallbacks
Excluded dates
2009
12
0
0
2010
3
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
Exterior Lighting
Unknown Or Other
Engine
Engine And Engine Cooling
Fuel/Propulsion System
Service Brakes
Electrical System
—
0
3ODI 10557594 · 31,500 mi
REAR TAILLIGHTS STARTED SMOKING. IT WAS ALL BURNED OUT CAUSING REAR RIGHT TAILLIGHT TO MALFUNCTION. *TR
REAR TAIL LIGHT WIRING HAS BURNT UP CAUSING FAILURE OF THE TAILLIGHT. THIS HAPPENED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. THE RIGHT SIDE ACTUALLY BEGAN PUTTING OUT SMOKE WHEN THE BURNT CONNECTOR FAILED. THIS FIRE COULD HAVE SPREAD WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR. *TR
THE ELECTRONIC STEERING CONTROL LOCK MODULE WENT OUT ON MY CAR. THIS SEEMS TO BE A REOCCURRING ISSUE WITH ANY "W204" 2008/2009 MERCEDES BENZ MODEL CAR. I'VE DOCUMENTED OVER A FEW HUNDRED CASES ALONE ON THE FORUMS ONLINE. THIS IS A DEALERSHIP ONLY FIX AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. BASICALLY, SECURITY SYSTEM IN THE CAR THAT LETS THE KEY COMMUNICATE WITH THE IGNITION SYSTEM GOES OUT AND THE CAR WILL NOT START. IT'S A $1200 FIX MINIMUM..
I BOUGHT MY MERCEDES BRAND NEW, AND THERE SEEMS TO BE MULTIPLE PEOPLE WITH SAME ISSUE. I HAVE A LITTLE OVER 40000 MILES, AND MY CAR IS HAVING STARTING ISSUES. I TURN THE KEY, AND EVERYTHING COMES ON BUT THE CAR WON'T START, AND GOES INTO AN EMERGENCY COOL DOWN MODE WITH THE ENGINE FANS TURNING ON FULL BLAST. IT MAY BE THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEM (EIS) THAT A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE MENTION. MERCEDES NEEDS TO DO A RECALL, AS THIS SEEMS TO BE A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM. *TR
I BOUGHT MY MERCEDES BRAND NEW, AND THERE SEEMS TO BE MULTIPLE PEOPLE WITH SAME ISSUE. I HAVE A LITTLE OVER 40000 MILES, AND MY CAR IS HAVING STARTING ISSUES. I TURN THE KEY, AND EVERYTHING COMES ON BUT THE CAR WON'T START, AND GOES INTO AN EMERGENCY COOL DOWN MODE WITH THE ENGINE FANS TURNING ON FULL BLAST. IT MAY BE THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEM (EIS) THAT A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE MENTION. MERCEDES NEEDS TO DO A RECALL, AS THIS SEEMS TO BE A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM. *TR
REAR TAIL LIGHT WIRING HAS BURNT UP CAUSING FAILURE OF THE TAILLIGHT. THIS HAPPENED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. THE RIGHT SIDE ACTUALLY BEGAN PUTTING OUT SMOKE WHEN THE BURNT CONNECTOR FAILED. THIS FIRE COULD HAVE SPREAD WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR. *TR
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MERCEDES-BENZ C63. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V363000 (AIR BAGS). THE DEALER (MERCEDES-BENZ OF SACRAMENTO, 1810 HOWE AVE, SACRAMENTO, CA 95825, [phone removed]) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. *TT CONSUMER STATED BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAGS WERE RECALLED. IT HAS BEEEN 3 YEARS THAT CONS…
REAR TAIL LIGHT WIRING HAS BURNT UP CAUSING FAILURE OF THE TAILLIGHT. THIS HAPPENED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. THE RIGHT SIDE ACTUALLY BEGAN PUTTING OUT SMOKE WHEN THE BURNT CONNECTOR FAILED. THIS FIRE COULD HAVE SPREAD WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR. *TR
REAR TAIL LIGHT WIRING HAS BURNT UP CAUSING FAILURE OF THE TAILLIGHT. THIS HAPPENED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. THE RIGHT SIDE ACTUALLY BEGAN PUTTING OUT SMOKE WHEN THE BURNT CONNECTOR FAILED. THIS FIRE COULD HAVE SPREAD WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR. *TR
THE ELECTRONIC STEERING CONTROL LOCK MODULE WENT OUT ON MY CAR. THIS SEEMS TO BE A REOCCURRING ISSUE WITH ANY "W204" 2008/2009 MERCEDES BENZ MODEL CAR. I'VE DOCUMENTED OVER A FEW HUNDRED CASES ALONE ON THE FORUMS ONLINE. THIS IS A DEALERSHIP ONLY FIX AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. BASICALLY, SECURITY SYSTEM IN THE CAR THAT LETS THE KEY COMMUNICATE WITH THE IGNITION SYSTEM GOES OUT AND THE CAR WILL NOT START. IT'S A $1200 FIX MINIMUM..
I BOUGHT MY MERCEDES BRAND NEW, AND THERE SEEMS TO BE MULTIPLE PEOPLE WITH SAME ISSUE. I HAVE A LITTLE OVER 40000 MILES, AND MY CAR IS HAVING STARTING ISSUES. I TURN THE KEY, AND EVERYTHING COMES ON BUT THE CAR WON'T START, AND GOES INTO AN EMERGENCY COOL DOWN MODE WITH THE ENGINE FANS TURNING ON FULL BLAST. IT MAY BE THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEM (EIS) THAT A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE MENTION. MERCEDES NEEDS TO DO A RECALL, AS THIS SEEMS TO BE A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM. *TR
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MERCEDES-BENZ C63. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V363000 (AIR BAGS). THE DEALER (MERCEDES-BENZ OF SACRAMENTO, 1810 HOWE AVE, SACRAMENTO, CA 95825, [phone removed]) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. *TT CONSUMER STATED BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAGS WERE RECALLED. IT HAS BEEEN 3 YEARS THAT CONS…
I BOUGHT MY MERCEDES BRAND NEW, AND THERE SEEMS TO BE MULTIPLE PEOPLE WITH SAME ISSUE. I HAVE A LITTLE OVER 40000 MILES, AND MY CAR IS HAVING STARTING ISSUES. I TURN THE KEY, AND EVERYTHING COMES ON BUT THE CAR WON'T START, AND GOES INTO AN EMERGENCY COOL DOWN MODE WITH THE ENGINE FANS TURNING ON FULL BLAST. IT MAY BE THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEM (EIS) THAT A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE MENTION. MERCEDES NEEDS TO DO A RECALL, AS THIS SEEMS TO BE A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM. *TR
I BOUGHT MY MERCEDES BRAND NEW, AND THERE SEEMS TO BE MULTIPLE PEOPLE WITH SAME ISSUE. I HAVE A LITTLE OVER 40000 MILES, AND MY CAR IS HAVING STARTING ISSUES. I TURN THE KEY, AND EVERYTHING COMES ON BUT THE CAR WON'T START, AND GOES INTO AN EMERGENCY COOL DOWN MODE WITH THE ENGINE FANS TURNING ON FULL BLAST. IT MAY BE THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEM (EIS) THAT A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE MENTION. MERCEDES NEEDS TO DO A RECALL, AS THIS SEEMS TO BE A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM. *TR
I BOUGHT MY MERCEDES BRAND NEW, AND THERE SEEMS TO BE MULTIPLE PEOPLE WITH SAME ISSUE. I HAVE A LITTLE OVER 40000 MILES, AND MY CAR IS HAVING STARTING ISSUES. I TURN THE KEY, AND EVERYTHING COMES ON BUT THE CAR WON'T START, AND GOES INTO AN EMERGENCY COOL DOWN MODE WITH THE ENGINE FANS TURNING ON FULL BLAST. IT MAY BE THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEM (EIS) THAT A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE MENTION. MERCEDES NEEDS TO DO A RECALL, AS THIS SEEMS TO BE A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM. *TR
REAR TAIL LIGHT WIRING HAS BURNT UP CAUSING FAILURE OF THE TAILLIGHT. THIS HAPPENED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. THE RIGHT SIDE ACTUALLY BEGAN PUTTING OUT SMOKE WHEN THE BURNT CONNECTOR FAILED. THIS FIRE COULD HAVE SPREAD WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR. *TR
REAR TAIL LIGHT WIRING HAS BURNT UP CAUSING FAILURE OF THE TAILLIGHT. THIS HAPPENED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. THE RIGHT SIDE ACTUALLY BEGAN PUTTING OUT SMOKE WHEN THE BURNT CONNECTOR FAILED. THIS FIRE COULD HAVE SPREAD WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR. *TR
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.
5 patterns with matching reports.
Steering assistance concerns
2 mentions · 10.0% of complaints
Median mileage: 94,000 mi (1 usable records).
ODI 10874900 · 94,000 mi
MY 2008 MERCEDES AMG C63 HAD BEEN OPERATING WITHOUT FLAWS UNTIL RECENTLY, I PARKED, WENT IN THE GYM TO WORK OUT FOR 45 MINS. WHEN I CAME OUT AND TRIED TO START THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, WOULDN'T COME OUT OF PARK. LEFT ME STRANDED. I HAVE READ DOZENS OF COMPLAINTS ON THE MERCEDES-BENZ FORUMS ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE HAPPENING TO OTHER OWNERS OF 2008-2009 MERCEDES C63 SEDANS. MERCEDES HAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN LISTING THIS AS A COMMON OCCURRENCE, AND THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN LOCK HAS TO BE REPLACED(USUAL…
I BOUGHT MY MERCEDES BRAND NEW, AND THERE SEEMS TO BE MULTIPLE PEOPLE WITH SAME ISSUE. I HAVE A LITTLE OVER 40000 MILES, AND MY CAR IS HAVING STARTING ISSUES. I TURN THE KEY, AND EVERYTHING COMES ON BUT THE CAR WON'T START, AND GOES INTO AN EMERGENCY COOL DOWN MODE WITH THE ENGINE FANS TURNING ON FULL BLAST. IT MAY BE THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEM (EIS) THAT A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE MENTION. MERCEDES NEEDS TO DO A RECALL, AS THIS SEEMS TO BE A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM. *TR
Matching rule\b(parasitic drain|battery drain\w*|dead battery|won.t start|would not start|no.start)\b
Fuel smell or leak mentions
1 mentions · 5.0% of complaints
Median mileage: 50,000 mi (1 usable records).
ODI 10497765 · 50,000 mi
2008 C63 AMG-EVERY TIME FILL UP TANK THERE VERY STRONG GAS SMELL EVEN OUT DOOR. I TRACKED DOWN SMELL FROM UNDER BACK SEAT WHERE GAS TANK IS. OPEN BACK SEAT YOU WILL SEE WET SPOT FROM GAS LEAK. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS THAT CAR CAN GET CAUGHT ON FIRE. I RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND MANY MERCEDES HAS SAME ISSUE AND BEEN TOLD BY DEALER THAT IT TEAR AND WEAR, AND USER RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIR. MY CAR IS 2008 C63 AMG, ONE OF TOP C CLASS MODEL, WITH 50,000 MILES. THE GAS TANK SHOULD LAST MUCH LONGER THAN 50,000 MILE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR MERCEDE…
CEL ILLUMINATION, ENGINE MISFIRE, STALLING, ROUGH RUNNING, LOW COOLANT INDICATOR LIGHT UPS. NO EXTERNAL COOLANT LOSS DETECTABLE. COOLANT IN THE ENGINE OIL AND/OR IN THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER. THIS IS CAUSED BY A BROKEN CYLINDER HEAD BOLT. ENGINE COOLANT ENTERS INTO ENGINE OIL. COOLANT MIGHT BE PRESENT IN THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER. AFFECTED ENGINE NUMBER UP TO 1569XX 60 060658. NOW THE DEALERSHIP IS TRYING TO CHARGE ME $7K TO HAVE THIS FIXED WHEN IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE ON THESE VEHICLES. I RESPECTFULLY DEMAND THAT MERCEDES BENZ USA COVER THE CO…
Matching rule\b(stall\w*|loss of power|lost power|engine shut\w* off)\b
Warning lights and dashboard alerts
1 mentions · 5.0% of complaints
Median mileage: 94,000 mi (1 usable records).
ODI 10874900 · 94,000 mi
MY 2008 MERCEDES AMG C63 HAD BEEN OPERATING WITHOUT FLAWS UNTIL RECENTLY, I PARKED, WENT IN THE GYM TO WORK OUT FOR 45 MINS. WHEN I CAME OUT AND TRIED TO START THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, WOULDN'T COME OUT OF PARK. LEFT ME STRANDED. I HAVE READ DOZENS OF COMPLAINTS ON THE MERCEDES-BENZ FORUMS ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE HAPPENING TO OTHER OWNERS OF 2008-2009 MERCEDES C63 SEDANS. MERCEDES HAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN LISTING THIS AS A COMMON OCCURRENCE, AND THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN LOCK HAS TO BE REPLACED(USUAL…