Consumer Safety Complaints
Search 2,215,138 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA — including 138,663 crashes, 56,255 fires, and 8,561 deaths.
What is a NHTSA consumer complaint?
A consumer complaint is a free-form report filed by a vehicle owner directly to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) describing a safety concern about their vehicle. NHTSA collects these reports through its Vehicle Owner Defect Report (VOQ) system and publishes them publicly. Each complaint includes the affected component, the date and circumstances of the incident, whether the failure caused a crash or fire, and any reported injuries or deaths. The owner's full narrative description is included verbatim — NHTSA does not edit or moderate the descriptions.
The database below contains over 2,215,138 individual complaints. NHTSA's investigators monitor it for clusters of similar reports — when enough owners describe the same failure mode on the same vehicle, NHTSA may open a Preliminary Evaluation that can lead to a recall. Many of the largest recalls in U.S. history, including the Takata airbag recall and the Hyundai/Kia engine fire recalls, started as patterns visible in this complaint database years before they became formal recalls.
How to interpret what you read
A few principles for reading consumer complaints usefully:
- One complaint is anecdote; a hundred similar complaints is data. NHTSA does not investigate the truthfulness of any individual report — that's the job of the Office of Defects Investigation, which looks at the full pattern. When evaluating a vehicle, look for whether multiple owners describe the same chain of events.
- Crash, fire, injury, and death flags are owner-set. They are not verified by NHTSA. They are still useful as a filter, because owners who tick those boxes are typically reporting more serious incidents than those who don't.
- Component categories are NHTSA-assigned, not owner-assigned. NHTSA standardizes the component field so that complaints can be aggregated. The owner narrative often goes into more detail than the component category captures.
- Complaint volume scales with sales volume. A best-selling model will accumulate more raw complaints than a niche model even at the same defect rate. To compare across vehicles, look at complaints per 100,000 units sold, not raw counts.
If you've experienced a defect
File a complaint. NHTSA's investigators rely on this database to detect emerging defects, and useful complaints — specific, concrete, with dates and mileage and clear descriptions of what happened — feed directly into the agency's pattern detection. The form takes about 10 minutes and is at nhtsa.gov/recalls under "Report a Safety Problem." Your complaint becomes part of the same public record that this page is built from. Owners filing detailed VOQs are how recalls get triggered.
Read more from our blog
Showing 33,200 complaints for MERCEDES-BENZ
MERCEDES-BENZ
C300
(2008) — STEERING
Jun 29, 2022
Incident date: Jun 19, 2022
Pulled into parking space on side of street and turned off vehicle to pick up restaurant food. Returned to vehicle within 5 minutes, turned the key, and vehicle was dead. 93 year old mother was in car which was now stuck in parking space. We had to open the doors, due to vehicle windows not functioning, to try to prevent inside of car from overheating due to outside temperature. Called AAA, who a... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
C300
(2008) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jun 29, 2022
Incident date: Jun 19, 2022
Pulled into parking space on side of street and turned off vehicle to pick up restaurant food. Returned to vehicle within 5 minutes, turned the key, and vehicle was dead. 93 year old mother was in car which was now stuck in parking space. We had to open the doors, due to vehicle windows not functioning, to try to prevent inside of car from overheating due to outside temperature. Called AAA, who a... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
C300
(2008) — UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Jun 29, 2022
Incident date: Jun 19, 2022
Pulled into parking space on side of street and turned off vehicle to pick up restaurant food. Returned to vehicle within 5 minutes, turned the key, and vehicle was dead. 93 year old mother was in car which was now stuck in parking space. We had to open the doors, due to vehicle windows not functioning, to try to prevent inside of car from overheating due to outside temperature. Called AAA, who a... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
C300
(2013) — SUSPENSION
Jun 29, 2022
Incident date: Jun 28, 2022
My Mercedes C300, 2013, 46,123 miles has 2 holes in rear sun frame, rendering it unsafe to drive. Dealership and MB will not acknowledge this is a common problem with this make/model. Recall for very same problem in Canada & other nations has been issued but not in USA. Dangerous situation!!! $5,200 to repair! On a premium brand auto with less than 50,000 miles. Please help!
MERCEDES-BENZ
C300
(2013) — STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
Jun 29, 2022
Incident date: Jun 29, 2022
The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that the vehicle had previously been serviced by an independent mechanic for brake pads and rotor replacement; however, the failure recurred with noises coming from the vehicle while driving. The vehicle was taken back to the mechanic, who diagnosed that the rear subframe was severely corroded and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
AMG GLA45
(2015) — VISIBILITY/WIPER
Jun 28, 2022
Incident date: Jun 7, 2022
2015 AMG GLA-45. Sunroof violently broke, opening from front (normal is back) and sticking up 3-4 inches. Luckily this happened in our garage not moving, while simply pushing Close Sunroof button. If this had happened on the highway, it could have ripped off and killed somebody. Dealer says common problem, as soon as I brought the car in they said “sunroof warranty job” but the car is actual... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
AMG GLA45
(2015) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Jun 28, 2022
Incident date: Jun 7, 2022
2015 AMG GLA-45. Sunroof violently broke, opening from front (normal is back) and sticking up 3-4 inches. Luckily this happened in our garage not moving, while simply pushing Close Sunroof button. If this had happened on the highway, it could have ripped off and killed somebody. Dealer says common problem, as soon as I brought the car in they said “sunroof warranty job” but the car is actual... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
SPRINTER 3500
(2013) — ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
Jun 28, 2022
Incident date: Jul 21, 2021
The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500. The contact stated while driving, the vehicle failed to exceed 20 MPH. The contact stated that the vehicle had lost motive power. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the wheel speed sensor was replaced. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V042000 (Electronic Stability Control) however, the part to do ... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
C300
(2017) — ENGINE
Jun 28, 2022
Incident date: Apr 12, 2022
Diagnosis code P052E PCV regulator valve replacement/crankcase replacement. Dealership does not want to acknowledge code while car was under warranty despite proof that it existed when check engine was diagnosed. Now code keeps coming back with check engine light on dashboard. To replace part, the engine has to be taken down since the crankcase is inside the engine. This is a malfunction during as... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
C300
(2017) — FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Jun 28, 2022
Incident date: Apr 12, 2022
Diagnosis code P052E PCV regulator valve replacement/crankcase replacement. Dealership does not want to acknowledge code while car was under warranty despite proof that it existed when check engine was diagnosed. Now code keeps coming back with check engine light on dashboard. To replace part, the engine has to be taken down since the crankcase is inside the engine. This is a malfunction during as... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
C300
(2013) — STEERING
Jun 27, 2022
Incident date: Jun 27, 2022
I needed new tires and the tire dealer reported that my subframe is rotted bilaterally. He suggested I do not invest in tires until it is replaced and to notify Mercedes as there may be a recall. This defect caused instability of the frame that secures the tires. The safety risk should go without saying. Any rotted structure that supports the car and/or secures the tires is an obvious safety ris... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
C300
(2013) — WHEELS
Jun 27, 2022
Incident date: Jun 27, 2022
I needed new tires and the tire dealer reported that my subframe is rotted bilaterally. He suggested I do not invest in tires until it is replaced and to notify Mercedes as there may be a recall. This defect caused instability of the frame that secures the tires. The safety risk should go without saying. Any rotted structure that supports the car and/or secures the tires is an obvious safety ris... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
C300
(2010) — SUSPENSION
Jun 27, 2022
Incident date: May 28, 2022
The rear suspension cross member has rusted out on both sides. The rear wheels turn during braking, causing the vehicle to swerve. This is a original materials defect or design flaw.
MERCEDES-BENZ
E350
(2007) — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Jun 27, 2022
Incident date: Apr 16, 2014
The contact owns a 2007 Mercedes-Benz E350. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated and with an abnormal sound coming from the gear shifter. The contact stated there was a failure with the transmission and the vehicle would not exceed 65 MPH. The transmission was replaced. The contact was unable to reach the manufacturer; however, several ... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
C300
(2013) — SUSPENSION
Jun 27, 2022
Incident date: Jun 27, 2022
Vehicle inspection during oil change has revealed that the vehicle has a broken rear subframe. Apparently this is a common problem in Mercedes C300 vehicles, which are subject to recall for this issue in Germany and Canada. Vehicle report here (with video of broken subframe): https://xoxocar.com/inspection.aspx?inspectionid=9e225031-77b5-4304-8ec1-a10c859b90f0&print=true
MERCEDES-BENZ
E350
(2012) — FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Jun 27, 2022
Incident date: May 2, 2022
Fuel leaking from rear passanger side tire area. Took vehicle to dealer. Dealer identified faulty fuel tank as source of fuel. This problem has been reported in other Mercedes classes, including a manufacturers recall. My vehicle is 10 years old with only 71,000 miles. Dealer wants over $7,500 to repair. This issue has occured in other Mercedes classes. This is a safety issue as driving with... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLC300
(2017) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jun 27, 2022
Incident date: Jun 7, 2022
I pressed the "Park" button, but the transmission did not go into park. When I let my foot off the break, thinking that I was in Park, the car started rolling backwards. Thank God my wife was in the car and noticed the motion and shouted to me to break the car. I was able to stop the car before hitting anybody or anything, but it was dangerously scary.
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLE 450
(2021) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jun 26, 2022
Incident date: Jun 21, 2022
Car shut itself off in rush hour traffic. Slight Smokey smell. Dash light indicating a 48 Volt problem. Got vehicle towed to dealership.
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLE 450
(2021) — ENGINE
Jun 26, 2022
Incident date: Jun 21, 2022
Car shut itself off in rush hour traffic. Slight Smokey smell. Dash light indicating a 48 Volt problem. Got vehicle towed to dealership.
MERCEDES-BENZ
E300
(2017) — ENGINE
Jun 25, 2022
Incident date: Jun 20, 2022
Piston 1 failed at 40,00 miles.
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLK350
(2014) — SERVICE BRAKES
Jun 25, 2022
Incident date: Jun 21, 2022
My concern is the repeated failure of the front wheel speed sensors rendering the ABS system and Traction Control System inoperable. The Speed Sensors failed as follows: 1.) 2015 at 9,474 Miles 2.) 2020 at 26,293 Miles 3.) 2022 at 30,281 Miles The vehicle has extremely low miles for the repeated failures to have occurred. If you research various Mercedes Benz Blogs online, you will see a trend of ... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
SPRINTER 2500
(2020) — FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Jun 25, 2022
Incident date: Jun 24, 2022
There is a problem with the engine control parameters which occurs at higher altitudes. The vehicle will not produce adequate power. This is not simply normal power loss related to density altitude. This is a malfuntion where the vehicle does not respond to the throttle, and produces only about 2psi of turbo boost even upon extended application of full throttle. This problem occurs only on sprinte... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
SPRINTER 2500
(2020) — POWER TRAIN
Jun 25, 2022
Incident date: Jun 24, 2022
There is a problem with the engine control parameters which occurs at higher altitudes. The vehicle will not produce adequate power. This is not simply normal power loss related to density altitude. This is a malfuntion where the vehicle does not respond to the throttle, and produces only about 2psi of turbo boost even upon extended application of full throttle. This problem occurs only on sprinte... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
AMG GLC43
(2018) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Jun 25, 2022
Incident date: Jun 25, 2022
Panoramic Sunroof exploded while driving out of the blue. No other cars in front of me or near me. Nothing hit it.
MERCEDES-BENZ
AMG GLC43
(2018) — UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Jun 25, 2022
Incident date: Jun 25, 2022
Panoramic Sunroof exploded while driving out of the blue. No other cars in front of me or near me. Nothing hit it.
MERCEDES-BENZ
A 220
(2019) — AIR BAGS
Jun 25, 2022
Incident date: May 1, 2021
My A220 has numerous problems starting the airbag failure light comes on very often which I took in for a repair - Mercedes of downtown stated they fixed but it still has the airbag failure light appearing every now and again. The second issue that keeps happening is what I believe is a transmission failure, the first time I bought the car I noticed it kept jolting when accelerating and or going ... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
A 220
(2019) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jun 25, 2022
Incident date: May 1, 2021
My A220 has numerous problems starting the airbag failure light comes on very often which I took in for a repair - Mercedes of downtown stated they fixed but it still has the airbag failure light appearing every now and again. The second issue that keeps happening is what I believe is a transmission failure, the first time I bought the car I noticed it kept jolting when accelerating and or going ... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLB 250
(2020) — BACK OVER PREVENTION
Jun 24, 2022
Incident date: Jan 24, 2021
The contact owns a 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLB250. The contact stated that upon purchasing the vehicle, the rearview camera failed to activate while reversing. The contact stated that whenever the rearview camera was activated a black or blank screen would be displayed; and the screen remained activated while driving. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact later received notification of NH... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
E 450
(2021) — WHEELS
Jun 23, 2022
Incident date: Feb 23, 2022
After the car sits for three or more days, brakes locks up. It takes lots of power to get the brakes to release. It’s a safety concern as the car is parked in the garage with not enough room to maneuver. We never had any car which locks the brakes in this manner. Took it to MB dealer and they say it’s the way brakes are designed. A complete nonsense.
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLC300
(2017) — SEAT BELTS
Jun 23, 2022
Incident date: Jun 20, 2022
WHILH E DRIVING WITH A PASSANGER IN THE FRONT SEAT, AND PROPERLY BUCKELED UP. THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT WILL RANDOMLY TIGHTEN UP AND THE SEAT BELT LIGHT WILL FLASH ON THE DASHBOARD AND THE SEAT BELT AUDIBLE BELL WILL SOUND, THIS WILL LAST FOR A FEW MINUTES AND THEN STOP FOR A FEW MINUTES THEN START AGAIN. I WENT TO THE DEALER AND GOT THE EARLIEST APPOINTMENT TO GET IT FIXED WHICH IS OVER 30 DAYS AWA... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
C300
(2008) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jun 23, 2022
Incident date: Jan 1, 2018
The tail left bulb mount carrier part Number 204-820-15-00-64, one of the terminal in the back, is corroded. Also, one of the cable is burnt. In short, the tail lamp doesn’t work. It is a hazard problem since it affects the brake signaling, turning signaling and all other tail lamps signaling. For many years, I have read many incidents like this reported from owners like me and Mercedes has d... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
C300
(2008) — EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Jun 23, 2022
Incident date: Jan 1, 2018
The tail left bulb mount carrier part Number 204-820-15-00-64, one of the terminal in the back, is corroded. Also, one of the cable is burnt. In short, the tail lamp doesn’t work. It is a hazard problem since it affects the brake signaling, turning signaling and all other tail lamps signaling. For many years, I have read many incidents like this reported from owners like me and Mercedes has d... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
E350
(2014) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jun 23, 2022
Incident date: Jun 23, 2022
My 2014 Mercedes E350 with 54k miles has a Harmon Kardon sound system. About 4 months ago there was static/popping sound from the rear deck speaker driver side. The radio was turned off but the static sound remained. The popping eventually went away. Today, the static sound came back along with plastic burning that filled the inside of the cabin. This is a safety concern that should be acknowledge... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
E350
(2013) — SUSPENSION
Jun 23, 2022
Incident date: Jun 23, 2022
My rear subframe is rotting out. This was found at a Mercedes dealer while they were performing a normal scheduled service. They quoted a price to replace the subframe at $3400. It has chewed up my right rear tire and they suggested I replace all four tires at a cost of $1275
MERCEDES-BENZ
GL550
(2015) — ENGINE
Jun 22, 2022
Incident date: Jun 16, 2022
As I was driving down the freeway the whole vehicle caught on fire and we got out of the car and within 2-3 minutes while car was burned to ashes.
Fire
MERCEDES-BENZ
GL550
(2015) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Jun 22, 2022
Incident date: Jun 16, 2022
As I was driving down the freeway the whole vehicle caught on fire and we got out of the car and within 2-3 minutes while car was burned to ashes.
Fire
MERCEDES-BENZ
GL550
(2015) — UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Jun 22, 2022
Incident date: Jun 16, 2022
As I was driving down the freeway the whole vehicle caught on fire and we got out of the car and within 2-3 minutes while car was burned to ashes.
Fire
MERCEDES-BENZ
SPRINTER 2500
(2021) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jun 22, 2022
Incident date: Jun 20, 2022
The contact owns a 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500. The contact stated while driving at an unknown speed, the air conditioning system failed to function properly. The contact pulled over and looked underneath the vehicle and noticed that the alternator belt and serpentine belts were not properly seated and were hanging down loosely. The vehicle continued to operate normally. The contact researche... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
C300
(2012) — UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Jun 22, 2022
Incident date: Jun 22, 2022
Rear Subframe Rot- this seems to be a common and known issue with Mercedes’ that should be a recall. Yet Mercedes is charging almost $6000 to get this fixed at the dealer. Plus the parts are on back order for months. This is causing cars to sway when stopping. This is definitely a hazard and should be addressed ASAP!
MERCEDES-BENZ
E350
(2014) — FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Jun 22, 2022
Incident date: Jun 22, 2022
Fuel smell really strong & a huge fuel leak started on 6/20/2022. The fuel smell was so strong inside the the car I couldn't stay in it. It started leaking before I fueled up my vehicle. Wen to the back of the car and notice a huge puddle of gas. I didn't know anything about this recall until today. I've owed the car for three years. I hope that Mercedes will fix this issue. Very dangerous.
MERCEDES-BENZ
C300
(2014) — SUSPENSION
Jun 22, 2022
Incident date: Jun 22, 2022
My 2014 Mercedes C300 4matic currently has a rusted through rear subframe. I know this has been reported to your Bureau numerous times by various people. This affects all 2008-2014 C Class and E Class Mercedes (as I used to work for a Mercedes dealer). Mercedes is trying to avoid liability at the sheer cost and man hours required to replace these parts. This is a MAJOR safety hazard, and has c... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
C230
(2005) — ENGINE
Jun 22, 2022
Incident date: Jun 22, 2022
I WAS DRIVING MY CAR TO WORK AND THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW IT SLOWED DOWN ONLY GOING 40MPH. THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND NOW IT WANT GO IN REVERSE. THE ELECTRICAL HAS WENT OUT FOR MOVING THE HEADREST UP AND DOWN, MOVING THE SEAT FORWARD N BACKWARDS. THE BATTERY KEEP DRAINING, THIS IS THE 3RD NEW BATTERY I HAD TO BUY. IT'S STILL BEGING DRAIN. THE SUNROOF WILL NOT OPEN ALL ELECTRICAL HAS WENT... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
C230
(2005) — SEATS
Jun 22, 2022
Incident date: Jun 22, 2022
I WAS DRIVING MY CAR TO WORK AND THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW IT SLOWED DOWN ONLY GOING 40MPH. THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND NOW IT WANT GO IN REVERSE. THE ELECTRICAL HAS WENT OUT FOR MOVING THE HEADREST UP AND DOWN, MOVING THE SEAT FORWARD N BACKWARDS. THE BATTERY KEEP DRAINING, THIS IS THE 3RD NEW BATTERY I HAD TO BUY. IT'S STILL BEGING DRAIN. THE SUNROOF WILL NOT OPEN ALL ELECTRICAL HAS WENT... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
C230
(2005) — VISIBILITY/WIPER
Jun 22, 2022
Incident date: Jun 22, 2022
I WAS DRIVING MY CAR TO WORK AND THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW IT SLOWED DOWN ONLY GOING 40MPH. THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND NOW IT WANT GO IN REVERSE. THE ELECTRICAL HAS WENT OUT FOR MOVING THE HEADREST UP AND DOWN, MOVING THE SEAT FORWARD N BACKWARDS. THE BATTERY KEEP DRAINING, THIS IS THE 3RD NEW BATTERY I HAD TO BUY. IT'S STILL BEGING DRAIN. THE SUNROOF WILL NOT OPEN ALL ELECTRICAL HAS WENT... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLC 300
(2019) — ENGINE
Jun 22, 2022
Incident date: Jun 12, 2022
While driving on the interstate (65mph) in traffic, there was a sudden loss of power causing deceleration and the inability to maintain speed. A collision was barely avoided both from being rear-ended and from trying to safely move to the shoulder while other traffic passed. A certified mechanic later determined the piston in cylinder 2 broke, the spark plug broke and the piston rings pulled to ... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
C300
(2009) — SUSPENSION
Jun 22, 2022
Incident date: Dec 1, 2020
Rear subframe rusted through near connection with control arm. This left the rear wheel connected to the rest of the car only through an axle and sway bar. This is a very common issue on these vehicles, and was remedied through the replacement of the subframe.
MERCEDES-BENZ
C300
(2013) — SUSPENSION
Jun 21, 2022
Incident date: Jun 13, 2022
Car with just 130,000 miles needs significant subframe and related parts replaced. There are countless discussion boards of similar failures across Mercedes Benz car lines. The estimated cost of repairs at the dealership exceeds $5000 just for subframe work. When braking the car veers to the left and the right end tries to swing around. Again, this is noted on multiple discussion board. MB has c... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
C300
(2013) — STEERING
Jun 21, 2022
Incident date: Jun 13, 2022
Car with just 130,000 miles needs significant subframe and related parts replaced. There are countless discussion boards of similar failures across Mercedes Benz car lines. The estimated cost of repairs at the dealership exceeds $5000 just for subframe work. When braking the car veers to the left and the right end tries to swing around. Again, this is noted on multiple discussion board. MB has c... Read more