Total Complaints
3 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ C · model year
2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C
3 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2008MERCEDES-BENZC carries 3 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2008 C is exterior lighting with 2 filings, followed by electrical system (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 15 investigation files overlapping the 2008 C. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
3
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20131119EXTERIOR LIGHTING
WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, A WARNING MSG CAME UP FOR ME TO CHECK THE LEFT TAIL AND BRAKE LIGHTS. I GOT HOME AND CHECKED THE LIGHTS ON THE LEFT SIDE AND NONE OF THEM WERE WORKING. I HAD THESE CHECKED AND WAS GOING TO REPLACE THE BULBS. WAS TOLD REPLACING THE BULBS WAS NOT GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE WIRE HARNESS HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE AND MELTED THE WIRING AND THE BOARD!!! THIS IS THE 3RD MERCEDES I HAVE HAD AND I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. MY PROBLEM IS I LIVE 1 1/2 HOURS AWAY FROM DEALERSHIP AND I DON'T HAVE THE EXTRA TIME TO TAKE OFF FROM WORK AND HAVE THIS CHECKED! AND THAN BE TOLD, I HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE IT FIXED. IF THERE ISN'T A RECALL TO FIX THIS PROBLEM, THIS WILL BE MY LAST MERCEDES! *TR
Mileage: 108,000
20130717ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAVE RECEIVED MULTIPLE WARNING SIGNALS INDICATING THAT MY TAIL LIGHTS AND TURNING LIGHTS HAVE FAILED. I INITIALLY THOUGHT MY BULBS WERE BLOWN BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS STRANGE THAT ALL OF THEM WOULD BLOW AT ONE TIME. UPON CHECKING THE PANEL IN THE TRUNK I NOTICED THAT THE WIRES LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE BURNING. I BROUGHT IT INTO THE DEALER AND THE SAID THEY HAVE NOTICED THE ISSUE BUT DO NOT KNOW THE CAUSE. I ASKED IF THIS WAS RECALLED AND THEY STATED NO, AND THAT I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. AFTER DOING FURTHER RESEARCH I NOTICED OTHERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR ISSUES. I DO NOT THINK THAT IT IS FAIR THAT THE CONSUMER SHOULD HAVE TO INCUR THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH SUBPAR MANUFACTURING. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS. *TR
Mileage: 63,000
20130717EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I HAVE RECEIVED MULTIPLE WARNING SIGNALS INDICATING THAT MY TAIL LIGHTS AND TURNING LIGHTS HAVE FAILED. I INITIALLY THOUGHT MY BULBS WERE BLOWN BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS STRANGE THAT ALL OF THEM WOULD BLOW AT ONE TIME. UPON CHECKING THE PANEL IN THE TRUNK I NOTICED THAT THE WIRES LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE BURNING. I BROUGHT IT INTO THE DEALER AND THE SAID THEY HAVE NOTICED THE ISSUE BUT DO NOT KNOW THE CAUSE. I ASKED IF THIS WAS RECALLED AND THEY STATED NO, AND THAT I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. AFTER DOING FURTHER RESEARCH I NOTICED OTHERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR ISSUES. I DO NOT THINK THAT IT IS FAIR THAT THE CONSUMER SHOULD HAVE TO INCUR THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH SUBPAR MANUFACTURING. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS. *TR
Mileage: 63,000
Compare 2008MERCEDES-BENZC to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C have?▼
The 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C?▼
The most-complained component for the 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C is EXTERIOR LIGHTING with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.