Total Complaints
7 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ C230 · model year
1997 MERCEDES-BENZ C230
7 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997MERCEDES-BENZC230 carries 7 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 0 fires, 4 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 1997 C230 is air bags:frontal with 2 filings, followed by vehicle speed control (1) and power train:automatic transmission:park/neutral start interlock switch (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 1997 C230. 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
3
Crashes
0
Fires
4
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
3 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 |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20140515TIRES
CONTI PRO CONTACT TIRES PUT ON RIMS AND BALANCED FOR SUMMER DRIVING. 195/65 R15 91H DOT#65PCAXH61610 2 MILES AWAY FROM GARAGE TIRE SUDDENLY DEFLATED. INSPECTION SHOWED BUBBLE CAUSED BY MANUFACTURING DEFECT. IN GOOGLE- SUBSTANTIAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THESE TIRES I.E. BUBBLES, BLOW OUTS ETC. -DANGEROUS! *TR
20061113SUSPENSION:FRONT
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE, A LOUD CLANGING NOISE WAS HEARD. UPON INITIAL INSPECTION, IT WAS DETERMINED THE LEFT FRONT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE HAD FALLEN DOWNWARD ONTO THE LEFT FRONT TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE FACTORY WELDS OF THE STRUT FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 1/19/2007 -*NM
Mileage: 88,000
20040115CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 45 MPH, WITHOUT WARNING THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT A GUARDRAIL HEAD ON. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES AS A RESULT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY OTHER DETAILS. *JB
20030502VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN THE VEHICLES WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING AND AS A RESULT THE CONSUMER HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. *NLM
20020725CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
FRONT CRASH AT 35 MPH, NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. CONSUMER SUFFERED NECK AND ARM INJURIES, DAMAGE TO VEHICLE WAS $ 17000.00.*JB
20011024POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
CHILD WAS IN VEHICLE AND VEHICLE WAS PUT INTO REVERSE AND ROLLED BACKWARDS WITHOUT KEY IN IGNITION OR MOTOR RUNNING. VEHICLE ROLLED BACK, AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER HAD NO RESPONSE. STATED IT SHOULD HAVE ONLY DONE THAT IF KEY WAS IN IGNITION. *AK *SLC
20010802CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THE FIRST TIME WE NOTICED A PROBLEM WAS IN MT. PLEASENT, SC. WE WERE DROPPING THE CHILDREN OFF TO VISIT THEIR DAD. AS SOON AS WE RETURNED TO THE CAR IT WOULD NOT START. WE BOUGHT A NEW BATTERY BUT THAT DID NOT DO IT EITHER. WHEN WE FINALLY GOT THE CAR TO START IT WOULD TAKE OFF AS IF IT WERE DRIVING ITSELF. SEVERAL DIFFERENT THINGS WOULD HAPPEN. EITHER IT WOULD STALL WHILE IDLING OR IT WOULD REV UP THE MOTOR TILL YOU COULD HARDLY STOP IYOU WOULD NOT EVEN HAVE TO PUT YOUR FOOT ON THE GAS. ANOTHER TIME IT DID THE SAME THING EXCEPT IT SOUNDED LIKE THERE WAS A JACK HAMMER IN THE ENGINE. THEY SAID IT WAS A BROKEN AC COMORESSOR AND ADJUSTED THE TIMING BELT AND REPLACED A AIR FLOW SENSOR. ANOTHER TIME IT HAPPENED MODERN CLASIC MOTORS (WHERE I USUALLY TAKE IT) SAID IT WAS A DEFECTIVE AIRFLOW SENSER AND REPLACED IT WITH A NEW ONE. I ALSO GOT A NEW AIRCOMPRESSOR AND FIXED THE AC. THE NEXT TIME WAS JULY 21, 2001. ON MY WAY HOME FROM COLUMBIA THE CAR STALLED IN TRAFFIC A BYSTANDER AND
Compare 1997MERCEDES-BENZC230 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ C230 have?▼
The 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ C230 has 7 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ C230?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ C230 is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL and POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH.
Is the 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ C230 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.