Total Complaints
4 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ C230 · model year
2001 MERCEDES-BENZ C230
4 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2001MERCEDES-BENZC230 carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 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 2001 C230 is unknown or other with 1 filings, followed by electrical system:wiring:front underhood (1) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (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 2001 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.
4
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
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 |
|---|---|
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20150929SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ C230. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE BRAKE SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 126,000.
Mileage: 126,000
20020610ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF TRYING TO ACCELERATE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK
20020206FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
CONSUME R WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY. AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH OF HOOD. VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
20010327UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE INFORMATION SCREEN WHICH HOUSES BASIC DRIVER INFORMATION (ODOMETER, GEAR RANGE INDICATOR, TIME, TEMPERATURE) CAN NOT BE SEEN IN WHEN DRIVING ON A SUNNY DAY, THIS WASHOUT OF THE INFORMATION COULD CAUSES THE DRIVER TO CONCENTRATE ON THE SCREEN AND LOOSE FULL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. NLM
Compare 2001MERCEDES-BENZC230 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ C230 have?▼
The 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ C230 has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ C230?▼
The most-complained component for the 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ C230 is UNKNOWN OR OTHER with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE.
Is the 2001 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.