2018 Mercedes-Benz C 300: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2018 Mercedes-Benz C 300: 18 recalls, 99 owner complaints and up to 27 mpg combined.
Recalls
18 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Airbags Vehicle recall #17V627000 · 2017 · 495,290 vehicles
What's wrong: 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…
Why it matters: If the driver air bag inadvertently deploys, it can increase the risk of injury and a crash.
The fix: Mbusa will notify owners, and dealers will add sufficient grounding to the steering components, free of charge. The recall began in December 6, 2017.
Seats Vehicle recall #18V207000 · 2018 · 3,088 vehicles
What's wrong: The seatbacks of the front seats May not properly lock on the right side of the seat.
Why it matters: If the seatback does not properly lock, in the event of a crash, the seatbacks May fold forward, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Mbusa will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the locking of the seatbacks, replacing the seatbacks lock, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin May 25, 2018.
Body & structure Vehicle recall #18V456000 · 2018 · 10,826 vehicles
What's wrong: Due to a bonding issue introduced in the production process, the rear beltline trim May separate from the vehicle.
Why it matters: If the beltline trim were to separate from the vehicle while driving, it could become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Mbusa will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear beltline trim and replace the trim if necessary, free of charge. The recall began on September 21, 2018.
Visibility (wipers, glass) Vehicle recall #18V608000 · 2018 · 387 vehicles
What's wrong: Incorrect bonding of the rear window May cause the window to loosen and detach from the vehicle.
Why it matters: If the window detaches from the vehicle, it can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Mbusa will notify owners, and dealers will rework the rear window bonding, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin November 2, 2018.
Electrical Vehicle recall #18V725000 · 2018 · 4,073 vehicles
What's wrong: The cover for the starter battery May not cover the live positive electrical wire, and in certain crashes, the vehicle's strut brace May deform and short circuit the battery.
Why it matters: If the battery is shorted, the emergency door unlocking would be deactivated for an outside responder and the short circuit could increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: Mbusa will notify owners, and dealers will replace the positive pole cover, free of charge. The recall began November 27, 2018.
Airbags Vehicle recall #18V838000 · 2018 · 104,663 vehicles
What's wrong: The status of the passenger side air bag May not display correctly.
Why it matters: 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.
The fix: Mbusa will notify owners, and dealers will update the audio head unit software, free of charge. The recall began January 3, 2019.
Steering Vehicle recall #18V850000 · 2018 · 6,373 vehicles
What's wrong: A locknut in the steering rack May break under high load, possibly causing the steering to become stuck in one position.
Why it matters: A car that cannot be properly steered has an increased risk of a crash.
The fix: Mbusa will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering rack, free of charge. The recall began August 23, 2019.
Steering Vehicle recall #18V872000 · 2018 · 2 vehicles
What's wrong: The steering coupling May not have been correctly locked during manufacturing.
Why it matters: If the steering connection was not properly locked, the mechanical connection between the steering wheel and steering rack May come loose, reducing steering ability and increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Mbusa will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the steering coupling and lock it correctly if necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 18, 2019.
Exterior lights Vehicle recall #18V906000 · 2018 · 2,364 vehicles
What's wrong: 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."
Why it matters: If the low beam headlight is not properly adjusted, the driver May have reduced visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: 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.
Seats Vehicle recall #19V130000 · 2019 · 22,637 vehicles
What's wrong: The seatbacks of the front seats May not properly lock on the right side of the seat.
Why it matters: If the seatback does not properly lock, in the event of a crash, the seatbacks May fold forward, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Mercedes will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the locking of the seatback on the affected vehicles and replace the seatback lock, as necessary, free of charge. An interim owner letter was mailed on April 12, 2019 to notify owners. Owners will receive a second notification when the remedy is…
Electrical Vehicle recall #19V586000 · 2019 · 26,584 vehicles
What's wrong: Mercedes-benz USA, LLC. (mbusa) is recalling certain 2018-2019 c300, c300 4matic, and c43 amg 4matic vehicles. The mounting bracket for the 12-volt battery May not be secured. This May allow the battery to shift, possibly disconnecting the terminals in the event of a crash.
Why it matters: Loss of power from the battery can impair post-crash functions, such as communicating with emergency services and activating hazard lights. The battery May also detach and become a road hazard. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Mbusa will notify owners, and dealers will replace the battery mounting bracket, free of charge. The recall began October 18, 2019.
Seat belts Vehicle recall #21V032000 · 2021 · 24,550 vehicles
What's wrong: The front seat belts might not fully retract to their stowed position. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (fmvss) number 208, "occupant crash protection."
Why it matters: If the seat belt does not fully retract, the occupant May find the operation of the seat belt inconvenient and not wear it, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
The fix: Mbusa will notify owners, and dealers will check the retraction function of the front seat belts and adjust the damping foam within the b-pillars, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 26, 2021.
Communication, Electrical Vehicle recall #21V058000 · 2021 · 1,292,258 vehicles
What's wrong: Please refer to the part 573 report for specific vehicle model details. The software design of the communication module May fail to communicate the correct vehicle location for the emergency call system (ecall) in the event of a crash.
Why it matters: Failure of the ecall system May result in emergency responders being dispatched to the wrong location, increasing the risk of injury following a crash.
The fix: Mbusa will notify owners, and the communication module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (ota) update, free of charge. The recall began March 12, 2021.
Communication, Communication Vehicle recall #21V072000 · 2021 · 67 vehicles
What's wrong: On June 18, 2021, an additional 9 vehicles were added, including certain 2021 gla250, glc300, 2018 s450, e400, and 2017 cla250 vehicles. The communication module might have been inadvertently deactivated during a service visit, which could have disabled the emergency call (ecall) function.
Why it matters: A disabled ecall system would prevent a vehicle occupant from contacting emergency services through the call center in an emergency, potentially delaying emergency responders and increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Mbusa will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the communication module and activate it, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 31, 2021. Letters for the owners of the 9 additional vehicles were mailed July 9, 2021.
Body & structure Vehicle recall #21V197000 · 2021 · 15,096 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: 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.
The fix: Mercedes-benz dealer will remove the bonded panel and will install a new front panel by following the detailed repair instructions and using the approved primer, cleaner and adhesive, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021 and October 26, 2021.
Exterior lights Vehicle recall #21V509000 · 2021 · 1,467 vehicles
What's wrong: The LED headlights May have been incorrectly adjusted during a vehicle repair. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Why it matters: Incorrectly adjusted headlights May reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the LED headlights, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed August 13, 2021. A second notice will be sent once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed January 2022.
Communication, Electrical Vehicle recall #22V365000 · 2022 · 242,722 vehicles
What's wrong: Please refer to mbusa's recall report for specific vehicle model details. An error in the communication module's sim card software can cause a mobile network connection failure, disabling the emergency call (ecall) system.
Why it matters: A disabled ecall system would prevent a vehicle occupant from contacting the emergency services call center in an emergency, potentially delaying emergency responders and increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: The communication module software will be updated through an over-the-air (ota) update or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 8, 2022. Owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, on July 8, 2022, May 17, 2024, July 29, 2024, and September 27, 2024.
Body & structure Vehicle recall #23V854000 · 2023 · 2,976 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: A detached roof panel can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the front panel, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 2, 2024. Owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, on, March 22,2024, and August 2, 2024.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 0 mention a fire, 1 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Engine (34): the most common themes are warning light on (11), stalls / loses power (3), noise or vibration (2).
- Other / unknown (20): the most common themes are electrical failure (2).
- Body & structure (14): no single recurring theme in the descriptions.
- Steering (12): the most common themes are steering problems (11).
The 2018 Mercedes-Benz C 300 has 99 owner complaints, ranking #2 of 10 C 300 model years for complaints (2.0× the average C 300 year). Complaints peaked in 2023 (24 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 5 years old, at a median of 50,000 miles. Neighboring years: 2017 (216 complaints, 15 recalls), 2019 (69 complaints, 17 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 L 4-cyl turbo | Automatic 9-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 24 | 33 | 27 | Premium |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
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FAQ
Does the 2018 Mercedes-Benz C 300 have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 18 vehicle recalls for the 2018 Mercedes-Benz C 300. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2018 Mercedes-Benz C 300 problems?
Owners have filed 99 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are engine (34), other / unknown (20), body & structure (14).
What gas mileage does the 2018 Mercedes-Benz C 300 get?
EPA ratings run up to 27 mpg combined (2.0 L, Automatic 9-spd), across 1 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2018 Mercedes-Benz C 300 repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.