MERCEDES-BENZ C204 · model year

2013 MERCEDES-BENZ C204

6 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2013MERCEDES-BENZC204 carries 6 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 2013 C204 is air bags with 3 filings, followed by electronic stability control (esc) (1) and 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 2013 C204. 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.

6
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

6 filings

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

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS3
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
STEERING1

Recent Complaints

20200302ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

MY ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK FAILED. LUCKILY, I WAS PARKED BUT NOW THE CAR WILL NOT START, OR UNLOCK THE STEERING WHEEL. IF THIS FAILED WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT WOULD BE A DANGER. I KNOW THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, THAT MERCEDES HAS SINCE FIXED IN ITS LATER MODELS, BUT CONTINUES TO CHARGE $2000 FOR A FIX THAT IS ONLY POSSIBLE AT THE DEALERSHIP. THIS IS A BAD DESIGN ISSUE WITH THIS CAR.

Mileage: 118,000

20200302ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

MY ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK FAILED. LUCKILY, I WAS PARKED BUT NOW THE CAR WILL NOT START, OR UNLOCK THE STEERING WHEEL. IF THIS FAILED WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT WOULD BE A DANGER. I KNOW THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, THAT MERCEDES HAS SINCE FIXED IN ITS LATER MODELS, BUT CONTINUES TO CHARGE $2000 FOR A FIX THAT IS ONLY POSSIBLE AT THE DEALERSHIP. THIS IS A BAD DESIGN ISSUE WITH THIS CAR.

Mileage: 118,000

20200302STEERING

MY ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK FAILED. LUCKILY, I WAS PARKED BUT NOW THE CAR WILL NOT START, OR UNLOCK THE STEERING WHEEL. IF THIS FAILED WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT WOULD BE A DANGER. I KNOW THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, THAT MERCEDES HAS SINCE FIXED IN ITS LATER MODELS, BUT CONTINUES TO CHARGE $2000 FOR A FIX THAT IS ONLY POSSIBLE AT THE DEALERSHIP. THIS IS A BAD DESIGN ISSUE WITH THIS CAR.

Mileage: 118,000

20200217AIR BAGS

TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL NOT REPAIRED BY MANUFACTURER OR DEALER

20191204AIR BAGS

THIS RECALL HAS BEEN OPEN 11 MONTHS WITH NO REMEDY YET AVAILABLE. I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE WITH PASSENGERS IN THE FRONT SEAT DUE TO THE FAULTY AIR BAG THAT EXISTS IN MY CAR. PLEASE MAKE THE MANUFACTURER REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE AIR BAG SO THAT MY CAR IS SAFE ONCE AGAIN.

20181119AIR BAGS

MERCEDES-BENZ CONTACTED ME ABOUT THE RECALL TO FIX THE ISSUE BUT THE RECALL STATES 'RECALL INCOMPLETE REMEDY NOT YET AVAILABLE'. IF THIS IS THE CASE THEN WHY DID THEY CONTACT ME TO SUPPOSEDLY FIX THE ISSUE?

Mileage: 119,000

Compare 2013MERCEDES-BENZC204 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ C204 have?
The 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ C204 has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ C204?
The most-complained component for the 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ C204 is AIR BAGS with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ C204 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.