Total Complaints
44 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ C230 · model year
44 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2004MERCEDES-BENZC230 carries 44 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 5 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 2004 C230 is electrical system with 7 filings, followed by seat belts (5) and engine and engine cooling (4). 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 2004 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.
Total Complaints
44 filings
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 7 |
| SEAT BELTS | 5 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 4 |
| ENGINE | 4 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 3 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN | 2 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 2 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:ABS WARNING LIGHT | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
The bonding agent on my roof ( between the glass panel and frame of car) is breaking down- The other week, when I had the sun roof open in direct sun ( my car is usually parked in covered parking) the bonding was sticky to the touch, and got all over my hand when I inspected the rail. I took it to Mercedes, because I thought that it was under recall # 202004011 for this very issue, but they said it was not a covered model. They wanted to charge $300 for an inspection and diagnosis. MBUSA customer service also not interested in investigating whether this issue is affecting my model car. In the recalled models, there is a danger of the glass roof separating from the vehicle.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ C230. THE CONTACT STATED HE NOTICED THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE HEAD LIGHTS WAS MELTED. THE CONTACT STATED HE REPLACED THE BULB HIMSELF. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED AS OF YET. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 87,000.
Mileage: 87,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ C 230. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V918000 (VISIBILITY) HOWEVER, THE PARTS FOR THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUNROOF WAS INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT REACHED OUT TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF PALM SPRINGS LOCATED AT (4095 E. PALM CANYON DR, PALM SPRINGS, CA 92264, (760) 328-6525) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PART FOR THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE A TIME FRAME FOR THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
Mileage: 121,000
SUNROOF DEFECTIVE AND MERCEDES IS NOT HONORING THIS RECALL. C CLASS WAS ANNOUNCED AS PART OF RECALL, HOWEVER THEY WOULD NOT HONOR 2004 C230 DEFECTIVE SUNROOF. PLEASE HELP. I AM SURE THAT MERCEDES IS DOING THEIR BEST NOT TO REPAIR AS MANY AS POSSIBLE.
FUEL SYSTEM IS LEAKING GETTING CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAN'T PASS SMOG AND EGR HOSES THAT RUN DOWN BY THE SUPER CHARGER ARE LEAKING CAUSE THE RUBBER THEY USED KNOWING THIS WOULD HAPPEN ALL HAVE TO DO WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON
FUEL SYSTEM IS LEAKING GETTING CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAN'T PASS SMOG AND EGR HOSES THAT RUN DOWN BY THE SUPER CHARGER ARE LEAKING CAUSE THE RUBBER THEY USED KNOWING THIS WOULD HAPPEN ALL HAVE TO DO WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON
FUEL SYSTEM IS LEAKING GETTING CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAN'T PASS SMOG AND EGR HOSES THAT RUN DOWN BY THE SUPER CHARGER ARE LEAKING CAUSE THE RUBBER THEY USED KNOWING THIS WOULD HAPPEN ALL HAVE TO DO WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON
I HAVE A MERCEDES BENZ C230 THE LIGHT IS ON BUT THE SRS IS ON GIVE MESSAGE THAT SAID DRIVE TO A WORK SHOP
I HAVE A MERCEDES BENZ C230 THE LIGHT IS ON BUT THE SRS IS ON GIVE MESSAGE THAT SAID DRIVE TO A WORK SHOP
I HAVE A MERCEDES BENZ C230 THE LIGHT IS ON BUT THE SRS IS ON GIVE MESSAGE THAT SAID DRIVE TO A WORK SHOP
MY DAUGHTER IS 18. THIS WAS MY MERCEDES THAT I HANDED DOWN TO HER THAT I THOUGHT WOULD BE SAFE. HOWEVER, THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLES ARE NOT LOCKING THE SEAT BELTS PROPERLY. THIS IS PART OF A RECALL DONE BY MERCEDES. HOWEVER, WHEN I CALLED THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP AND ASKED THEM IF MY CAR WAS RECALLED, THEY SAID THAT MY VIN NUMBER WASN'T ONE OF THE CARS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND IF MY CAR IS DOING SAME THING THAT THE RECALL SAYS. THERE WILL BE A HECK OF A LAWSUIT IF MY DAUGHTER WAS TO GET IN A WRECK AND HER SEAT BELT MALFUNCTIONED. THIS IS WHAT THE RECALL SAYS AND MY DAUGHTER'S VEHICLE IS DOING THE SAME THING. ......SOME SEAT BELT BUCKLES MAY HAVE A BURR ON A METAL COMPONENT OF THE LOCKING MECHANISM. THIS COULD PREVENT THE SEAT BELT FROM LOCKING UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AFFECTED SEAT BELTS. THIS RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON DECEMBER
I WAS DRIVING ON THE I-95 AT 60 MPH AND TURNED ON MY AIR CONDITIONER WHEN SMOKE BEGAN TO COME OUT OF THE VENTS. I SHUT OFF THE AIR CONDITIONER AND THE SMOKE STOPPED. I VISITED WITH MY PARENTS AND AS I STARTED THE CAR AND IT WAS IDLING, I TURNED ON THE AIR CONDITIONER AND SMOKE BEGAN TO COME FROM THE VENTS AGAIN AND FLAMES APPEARED UNDER THE DASHBOARD. I WAS ABLE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE AND PULLED THE FUSE BOX COVER OFF AND FOUND THE FUSE BOX WAS WHERE THE FIRE HAD STARTED. THERE WAS A PAPER WITH FUSE SIZES AND LOCATIONS PUT (BY MERCEDES) IN BETWEEN THE FUSES WHICH HAD BEEN SINGED, AND PART OF THE FUSE BOX AND SOME OF THE FUSES HAD MELTED. I DID AN INTERNET SEARCH AND FOUND A COMPLAINT ON A MERCEDES FORUM WHERE THIS HAD HAPPENED TO ANOTHER 2004 MERCEDES C230.
Mileage: 127,000
I HAVE MY CAR IN THE AUTO REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC TELLS ME I NEED A PVC HOSE AND A OXYGEN SENSOR AND BOTH THOSE ITEMS ARE ON A RECALL LIST. HE ASKED ME TO CALL THE DEALER I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THOSE ARE RECALL ITEMS BUT NOT FOR MY CAR. MY COMPLAINT IS WHY IF THIS IS A RECALL ITEM IT SHOULD BE FOR ALL CARS. THOSE ARE THE ONLY 2 THINGS WRONG WITH MY CAR. I NEED HELP.
VEHICLE HAS 136,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED BY ALL OWNERS. DRIVERS BUCKLE OR LATCH NO LONGER OPERATING. PRIOR TO THIS IT WAS BECOMING HARD TO RELEASE BUCKLE AFTER USE. NOW STUCK IN CLOSED POSITION. IT INDICATES THAT THE BELT IS BUCKLED BUT IT WILL NOT CATCH. VERIFIED NOTHING IS STUCK IN MECHANISM.
Mileage: 136,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ C230. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 25-30 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. UPDATED 02/05/16*LJ UPDATED 02/11/16 *JB
Mileage: 70,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ C230. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 25-30 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. UPDATED 02/05/16*LJ UPDATED 02/11/16 *JB
Mileage: 70,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ C230. WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS A KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT IF THE SOUND BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE, THE INTAKE AND EXHAUST CAM SHAFT ADJUSTER, THE CENTER BOLTS FOR THE CAM SHAFT, AND THE CHAIN TENSIONER WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000.
Mileage: 59,000
THE FUEL TANK WILL ONLY FILL TO 3/4 AND THE VEHICLE HAS AN ODOR OF GASOLINE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO FILL THE TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO MERCEDES BENZ FOR SERVICE FOR THIS ISSUE AND THEY STATE THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX IT AND HAVING SPENT APPROXIMATELY $1.000 FOR MERCEDES TO TRY AND DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM THEY ADVISED THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX. I HAVE NOTED A RECALL FOR FUEL LEAK PROBE ON MERCEDES 2003-2008 E CLASS MODELS THAT HAS NOW BEEN CLOSED AFTER MERCEDES HAS AGREED TO FIX THE ISSUE. I CONTACTED MERCEDES NORTH AMERICA AND THEY STATE THE ISSUE ON MY C CLASS IS NOT RELATED TO THAT RECALL AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO FOR ME. THE MILEAGE ON MY VEHICLE IS VERY LOW AND THIS SEEMS TO BE THE SAME PROBLEM THAT OCCURRED IN MY C-CLASS THAT THEY REFUSE TO FIX. *TR
Mileage: 55,247
ENGINE STALLED WHILE WAITING FOR A LEFT TURN. HAVE A QUARTER TANK OF GAS. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. FAULT LIGHT DID NOT COME ON. CAR WAS PUSHED WHILE IN NEUTRAL BUT BREAKS DID NOT FUNCTION. ALMOST HIT A PARKED CAR. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME OF OCCURRENCE. REPAIR IS MORE THAN $1000. MECHANIC FOUND MOTOR OIL LEAKING ON ENGINE PARTS. IN 2003 ENGINE STALLED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A FWY. REPAIR WAS A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS. *TR
Mileage: 204,600
NUMEROUS THINGS HAVE HAPPENED. THE CAR HAS 124,000 RIGHT NOW. THIS IS THE BIGGEST LEMON EVER!! -CAR CAUGHT FIRE AT MERCEDES - A/C BLOWER SHORTED OUT, CAUSING FUSE BOX TO CATCH FIRE AND BURNT UNDERNEATH DASH. THEY INFORMED ME THE TECHNICIAN RECEIVED MINOR BURNS WHEN TRYING TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. -NEW ALARM SIREN (IT WOULD GO OFF RANDOMLY) -2 ALTERNATORS (VOLTAGE REGULATOR GOES BAD) -NEW DOOR LOCK ON DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOORS -NEW RF SENSOR ON DRIVER DOOR FOR THE KEY-LESS REMOTE -2 NEW THERMOSTATS -1 DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE -2 PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLES AND NOW BROKE FOR 3RD TIME -REAR GLASS WAS REPLACED BECAUSE WHEN REAR DEFROSTER WAS TURNED ON IT WOULD MAKE FM RADIO STATIC. IT DOES IT AGAIN NOW. -FRONT FOG LIGHT GLASS CRACKED IN HALF - BOUGHT NEW ONE AND DID IT AGAIN -CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON NOW AND O2 SENSOR BAD. -REAR SCREEN SHADE IT STUCK UP. WONT GO DOWN. -KEY-LESS REMOTE ANTENNA IS BROKE -3 BRAKE SYSTEMS IN FRONT -1 BRAKE IN REAR -SUNROOF WORKS BUT THE ARM T
Mileage: 124,000
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.