2018 Mercedes Benz C 300 4MATIC: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
12 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
54,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2018 model year. Data updated: . 2 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
Owner-reported patterns
Most common problems
Structure:Body is the most frequently named component, appearing in 3 of 12 complaints (25.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic
Matching reports
Share of complaints
Braking behavior
1
8.3%
Electrical and battery issues
1
8.3%
Steering behavior
1
8.3%
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.
Structure:Body
3
Unknown Or Other
3
Engine
2
Structure:Body:Roof And Pillars
2
Air Bags
1
Communication
1
Electrical System
1
Seat Belts
1
Component breakdown data
Category
Count
Structure:Body
3
Unknown Or Other
3
Engine
2
Structure:Body:Roof And Pillars
2
Air Bags
1
Communication
1
Electrical System
1
Seat Belts
1
Structure:Body: 3; Unknown Or Other: 3; Engine: 2; Structure:Body:Roof And Pillars: 2; Air Bags: 1; Communication: 1; Electrical System: 1; Seat Belts: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
Under 25,000
0
25,000 to 49,999
1
50,000 to 74,999
1
75,000 to 99,999
0
100,000 to 149,999
0
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
Category
Count
Under 25,000
0
25,000 to 49,999
1
50,000 to 74,999
1
75,000 to 99,999
0
100,000 to 149,999
0
150,000 and above
0
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 10 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.
Structure:Body leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 1 complaint narratives. Steering 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
APPARENTLY THERE IS A RECALL SITUATION THAT INCLUDES MY VEHICLE AND MERCEDES BENZ WASN'T ABLE TO SOLVE IT YET. I BOUGHT THE CAR AFTER THE RECALL HAS BEGAN.
The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz C300 4matic. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V058000 (Communication, Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and stated that the equipment needed to perform the repair was not available. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the repair was an over-the-air software update. The vehicle was not yet repaired, nor was there any way to confirm that the software update was completed. The …
2018 Mercedes C300. P052E check engine code. Positive Crankcase Ventilation failed with less than 28K miles. Common reported problem but not covered after warranty period, even with extended warranty addition. It's a major part of the engine function and 6 hours of labor to replace. Mercedes Benz should cover this type of fault on the design.
Very common problem on all Mercedes - code P052E - second time on this car. Engine light, 2nd time on this car. Car is 2018 and has 45k miles. First time it was at 28037 miles. This is a MAJOR issue costing consumers $1500-$2500 to repair and needs a recall from manufacturer
car has less than 34,000 miles on it. One day went to drive and the vehicle wouldn't turn and an error message popped up "power steering malfunction, check owners manual" Had it towed to dealer and they said they couldn't find anything wrong with it. According to the dealer, no sign of wear and tear, no physical damage,
The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz C300 4Matic. The contact stated that the front passenger's and driver's side seat belts had failed to retract and return to the stowed position. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V032000 (Seat Belts); however, the VIN was not included. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there would be a cost for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mil…
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., Consequence A detached roof panel can become a roao hazard, increasing the risk of a crash I went to the dealership about this complaint 2 years ago not even knowi…
3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
18V608000 · Visibility:Glass, Side/Rear
Reported: 2018-09-11 (September 11, 2018)
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2018 Mercedes-Benz C300, C300 4MATIC, C63 AMG, and C63S AMG vehicles. Incorrect bonding of the rear window may cause the window to loosen and detach from the vehicle.
Consequence: If the window detaches from the vehicle, it can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will rework the rear window bonding, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin November 2, 2018. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2018 C300 Cabriolet, C300 Coupe, C300 4Matic Cabriolet, C300, C300 4Matic Coupe, C300 4Matic, C43 AMG Cabriolet, C43 AMG Coupe, C63 S AMG Cabriolet, C350e Plug-In Hybrid, C63 AMG Cabriolet, C63 AMG Coupe, C63 S AMG Coupe, C63 AMG, C63 S AMG, 2018-2019 GLC300 4Matic Coupe, GLC300, GLC63 AMG Coupe, GLC300 4Matic, GLC350e Plug-In Hybrid, GLC43 AMG Coupe, GLC43 AMG, GLC63 S AMG Coupe, and GLC63 AMG vehicles equipped with Audio 20 head units and automatic child seat recognition. The status of the passenger side air bag may not display correctly.
Consequence: If the passenger air bag is incorrectly displayed as 'ON' when it is not, a front seat passenger may be unaware that the air bag will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will update the audio head unit software, free of charge. The recall began January 3, 2019. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2018120009.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2018 Mercedes-Benz C300 and C300 4MATIC vehicles. The headlights on these vehicles may not be properly adjusted. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Consequence: If the low beam headlight is not properly adjusted, the driver may have reduced visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: MBUSA has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the setting of the headlights and adjust them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 12, 2019. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2019020008.
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
12 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
16.7%Usable mileage2 / 12 records
100.0%Valid incident date12 / 12 records
100.0%Valid filing date12 / 12 records
100.0%Ordered incident and filing dates12 / 12 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
2018
Structure:Body
325.0%ODI 11743333
****Please force Merces to recall all VIN's!******* NHTSA ID Number: 23V854000 1) Front glass roof panel came off while driving the car on the freeway. I didn't see or hear anything. When I got out of the car, I saw the entire piece has come off. This has caused my sunroof to malfunction, and it won't close now. I garage my car and barely drive it. I bought it used in Dec. 2021. There was about 46,000 on it in Dec 2021 and now (June 2026) the mileage is 51,000. Yes, the car is available for inspection. 2) I was on the freeway, didn't see it co…
2018 Mercedes C300. P052E check engine code. Positive Crankcase Ventilation failed with less than 28K miles. Common reported problem but not covered after warranty period, even with extended warranty addition. It's a major part of the engine function and 6 hours of labor to replace. Mercedes Benz should cover this type of fault on the design.
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., Consequence A detached roof panel can become a roao hazard, increasing the risk of a crash I went to the dealership about this complaint 2 years ago not even knowi…
APPARENTLY THERE IS A RECALL SITUATION THAT INCLUDES MY VEHICLE AND MERCEDES BENZ WASN'T ABLE TO SOLVE IT YET. I BOUGHT THE CAR AFTER THE RECALL HAS BEGAN.
The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz C300 4matic. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V058000 (Communication, Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and stated that the equipment needed to perform the repair was not available. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the repair was an over-the-air software update. The vehicle was not yet repaired, nor was there any way to confirm that the software update was completed. The …
The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz C300 4matic. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V058000 (Communication, Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and stated that the equipment needed to perform the repair was not available. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the repair was an over-the-air software update. The vehicle was not yet repaired, nor was there any way to confirm that the software update was completed. The …
The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz C300 4Matic. The contact stated that the front passenger's and driver's side seat belts had failed to retract and return to the stowed position. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V032000 (Seat Belts); however, the VIN was not included. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there would be a cost for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mil…
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
Communication
Too few reports for a range
49,000 mi
1 (sparse)
ODI 11418776 · 49,000 mi
The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz C300 4matic. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V058000 (Communication, Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and stated that the equipment needed to perform the repair was not available. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the repair was an over-the-air software update. The vehicle was not yet repaired, nor was there any way to confirm that the software update was completed. The …
The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz C300 4matic. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V058000 (Communication, Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and stated that the equipment needed to perform the repair was not available. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the repair was an over-the-air software update. The vehicle was not yet repaired, nor was there any way to confirm that the software update was completed. The …
The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz C300 4Matic. The contact stated that the front passenger's and driver's side seat belts had failed to retract and return to the stowed position. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V032000 (Seat Belts); however, the VIN was not included. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there would be a cost for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mil…
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
1
None
ODI 11637991 · 59,000 mi
The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz C300 4Matic. The contact stated that the front passenger's and driver's side seat belts had failed to retract and return to the stowed position. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V032000 (Seat Belts); however, the VIN was not included. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there would be a cost for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mil…
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., Consequence A detached roof panel can become a roao hazard, increasing the risk of a crash I went to the dealership about this complaint 2 years ago not even knowi…
****Please force Merces to recall all VIN's!******* NHTSA ID Number: 23V854000 1) Front glass roof panel came off while driving the car on the freeway. I didn't see or hear anything. When I got out of the car, I saw the entire piece has come off. This has caused my sunroof to malfunction, and it won't close now. I garage my car and barely drive it. I bought it used in Dec. 2021. There was about 46,000 on it in Dec 2021 and now (June 2026) the mileage is 51,000. Yes, the car is available for inspection. 2) I was on the freeway, didn't see it co…
2018 Mercedes C300 - a hole rusted through the rear subframe causing structural safety concerns. This car has been routinely washed weekly and the frame should not have rusted through within only 8 years. This also led to a large repair bill.
I have begun noticing symptoms of the adhesive failing, such as excessive wind noise coming from the front roof area and visible gaps/separation between the panel and the vehicle body. This poses a severe safety risk, as the panel could completely detach while driving and become a high-speed road hazard. No warning lights have appeared. The vehicle and component are available for inspection upon request.
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.
2018: 1 complaints
Equal observation windows
Model year
Through age 0
Through age 1
Through age 2
2018
1
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
2018
12
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
Structure:Body
Unknown Or Other
Engine
Structure:Body:Roof And Pillars
Air Bags
Communication
Electrical System
Seat Belts
Structure:Body
—
1ODI 11752562
2018 Mercedes C300 - a hole rusted through the rear subframe causing structural safety concerns. This car has been routinely washed weekly and the frame should not have rusted through within only 8 years. This also led to a large repair bill.
****Please force Merces to recall all VIN's!******* NHTSA ID Number: 23V854000 1) Front glass roof panel came off while driving the car on the freeway. I didn't see or hear anything. When I got out of the car, I saw the entire piece has come off. This has caused my sunroof to malfunction, and it won't close now. I garage my car and barely drive it. I bought it used in Dec. 2021. There was about 46,000 on it in Dec 2021 and now (June 2026) the mileage is 51,000. Yes, the car is available for inspection. 2) I was on the freeway, didn't see it co…
2018 Mercedes C300 - a hole rusted through the rear subframe causing structural safety concerns. This car has been routinely washed weekly and the frame should not have rusted through within only 8 years. This also led to a large repair bill.
****Please force Merces to recall all VIN's!******* NHTSA ID Number: 23V854000 1) Front glass roof panel came off while driving the car on the freeway. I didn't see or hear anything. When I got out of the car, I saw the entire piece has come off. This has caused my sunroof to malfunction, and it won't close now. I garage my car and barely drive it. I bought it used in Dec. 2021. There was about 46,000 on it in Dec 2021 and now (June 2026) the mileage is 51,000. Yes, the car is available for inspection. 2) I was on the freeway, didn't see it co…
The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz C300 4matic. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V058000 (Communication, Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and stated that the equipment needed to perform the repair was not available. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the repair was an over-the-air software update. The vehicle was not yet repaired, nor was there any way to confirm that the software update was completed. The …
The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz C300 4matic. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V058000 (Communication, Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and stated that the equipment needed to perform the repair was not available. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the repair was an over-the-air software update. The vehicle was not yet repaired, nor was there any way to confirm that the software update was completed. The …
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.
2 patterns with matching reports.
Warning lights and dashboard alerts
3 mentions · 25.0% of complaints
Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).
ODI 11503416
2018 Mercedes C300. P052E check engine code. Positive Crankcase Ventilation failed with less than 28K miles. Common reported problem but not covered after warranty period, even with extended warranty addition. It's a major part of the engine function and 6 hours of labor to replace. Mercedes Benz should cover this type of fault on the design.
****Please force Merces to recall all VIN's!******* NHTSA ID Number: 23V854000 1) Front glass roof panel came off while driving the car on the freeway. I didn't see or hear anything. When I got out of the car, I saw the entire piece has come off. This has caused my sunroof to malfunction, and it won't close now. I garage my car and barely drive it. I bought it used in Dec. 2021. There was about 46,000 on it in Dec 2021 and now (June 2026) the mileage is 51,000. Yes, the car is available for inspection. 2) I was on the freeway, didn't see it co…
I have begun noticing symptoms of the adhesive failing, such as excessive wind noise coming from the front roof area and visible gaps/separation between the panel and the vehicle body. This poses a severe safety risk, as the panel could completely detach while driving and become a high-speed road hazard. No warning lights have appeared. The vehicle and component are available for inspection upon request.
car has less than 34,000 miles on it. One day went to drive and the vehicle wouldn't turn and an error message popped up "power steering malfunction, check owners manual" Had it towed to dealer and they said they couldn't find anything wrong with it. According to the dealer, no sign of wear and tear, no physical damage,