Total Complaints
7 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS · model year
1999 MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS
7 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1999MERCEDES-BENZC-CLASS carries 7 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 2 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 1999 C-CLASS is electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery with 3 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components (1) and engine and engine cooling (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 1999 C-CLASS. 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.
7
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 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 |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY | 3 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20090301SUSPENSION:FRONT
SPRING PERCH (MOUNT) FOR THE FRONT SPRING ON DRIVER'S SIDE FAILED DUE TO CORROSION CAUSING SPRING TO BE EJECTED UNDER THE CAR AND FENDER TO DROP ONTO TIRE. CORROSION IS UNDETECTABLE BY NORMAL INSPECTION BECAUSE MANUFACTURER USES A HEAVY, RUBBERIZED COATING ON UNDERBODY PARTS. CAR WAS TRAVELING AT LOW SPEED SO DAMAGE WAS MINIMAL. AT HIGHER SPEEDS, CONSEQUENCES COULD BE SEVERE. INVESTIGATION REVEALS THAT THIS IS BECOMING A FAIRLY COMMON OCCURRENCE ON MERCEDES BENZ W202 AND W210 CHASSIS. FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED, BUT IS BELIEVED TO REQUIRE REMOVAL OF REMNANTS OF THE OLD PERCH, GRINDING OF THE FRAME TO REMOVE CORROSION, AND WELDING A NEW PERCH ONTO THE FRAME. THE SPINDLE ASSEMBLY AND CONTROL ARMS WILL HAVE TO BE DISASSEMBLED TO ACCOMPLISH THIS AND THEN REASSEMBLED AND THE SUSPENSION REALIGNED. *TR
Mileage: 159,400
20061231CrashAIR BAGS
MERC. BENZ 1999 C230 COMPRESSOR, THE CAR ROLLED OVER THREE TIMES BUT NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *NM
Mileage: 52,000
20060725ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I OWN A 1999 MERCEDES C43, I LIKE MANY OTHERS HAVE A HIGH FAILURE RATE OF THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSORS ON OUR VEHICLES. THIS PART WHEN FAULTY WILL NOT ALLOW THE CAR TO START WHEN THE CAR IS WARM. WHEN THE CAR SITS FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME TO "COOL DOWN" THE CAR WILL START. I WAS AT THE DEALER TODAY, AND THEY ARE AWARE THIS IS A HIGH FAILURE ITEM ON THIS MODEL. AS WELL AS THE CLK430, AND S430. BUT NO RECALLS HAVE BEEN ISSUED. THERE ISN'T ANY SIGN THAT THIS PART IS FAILING, ON SOME INSTANCES THE CAR JUST STALLS WHILE DRIVING. THIS COULD POTENTIALLY BE A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS. I AM NOW AWAITING THE PART TO COME IN, AND WILL HAVE IT REPLACED ON THURSDAY THE 27TH. *JB
Mileage: 123,000
20020502ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
MFR# 2001120004 & NHTSA# 01 V 366 000/BATTERY: CONSUMER STATES DEALER (PARK PLACE MOTORS;HOUSTON,TX; PHONE# 713/986-6400) NOT HONORING RECALL, NO PARTS AVAILABLE. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*JB
20020326ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
THE CONSUMER RECIEVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE RECALL NUMBER IS #2001120004. NLM
20020326ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
THE CONSUMER TOOK HIS VEHICLE IN FOR A RECALL# 20012004 FOR HIS BATTERY. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO BROWN MERCEDES BENZ ROUTE 250 EAST PANTOPS CHARLOTTESVILLE VIRGINIA (804 817 3380). MR JACKSON EXPERIENCE PROBLEM WITH HIS VEHICLE SHUTTING DOWN WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. NLM
19990928SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
HAD THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE WHEN BRAKES FAILED TO FUNCTION WHILE ON AN INCLINE. HAD LITTLE BRAKING POWER ON STRAIGHT AWAY. MANUFACTURER KNOWS OF BRAKE PROBLEM. THE DEALER/MECHANIC ARE AWARE OF PROBLEM, BUT NOTHING WAS BEING DONE. *AK
Compare 1999MERCEDES-BENZC-CLASS to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS have?▼
The 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS has 7 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS?▼
The most-complained component for the 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING.
Is the 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS 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.