Recalls: Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class sedan
Overview
Manufacturers, or importers, issue recalls for defects or faults which have the potential to cause injury. Generally, manufacturers will inform the original buyers if their vehicle is subject to a recall and of the steps required to remedy the defect or fault. Please note that the recalls below (if any) are for Australian-delivered vehicles only. Furthermore, the number of recalls should not be taken as an indication of a model’s reliability or its safety more generally.
Recalls: Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class sedan
2014 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class: potential loss of steering control
In October 2014, a recall was issued for Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class vehicles that were available for sale in Australia from 1 June 2014 to 1 September 2014. In these vehicles, the steering column coupling lock may not have been installed correctly. If present, the driver would be warned by a rattling noise from the steering column; in extreme circumstances, however, steering control of the vehicle could be affected. To remedy the defect, the steering coupling was to be replaced (PRA 2014/14366).
2014 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Diesel: oil leak from timing chain tensioner
In January 2015, a recall was issued for Mercedes-Benz vehicles with the OM651 turbo-diesel engine that were available for sale during 2014. In these vehicles, the seal ring between the timing chain tensioner and the engine may leak oil – this could result in a hazard for other road users and, in extreme cases, a fire risk (PRA 2015/14509).
2014-15 Mercedes-Benz W205 C 200 BlueDirect: engine may stall
In March 2015, a recall was issued for Mercedes-Benz W205 C 200 BlueDirect (diesel) models that were available for sale from 1 April 2014 to 1 February 2015. In these vehicles, software may cause the engine to stall during its warm-up phase, posing an accident hazard to vehicle occupants and other road users (PRA 2015/14613).
2013-14 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class: vehicle may stall
In April 2015, a recall was issued for Mercedes-Benz W205 and S205 C-Class vehicles that were available for sale from 1 December 2013 to 30 October 2014. In these vehicles, the fuel feed pump within the fuel tank may detach from its mounting – this may cause the vehicle to stall and pose an accident risk to the vehicle occupants and other road users (PRA 2015/14664).
2014 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class: fire hazard
In March 2016, a recall was issued for Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class vehicles because the threaded connection of the battery ground line may not be designed correctly due to a deviation in the tightening angle monitoring. A poor system ground of the battery line could cause a temporarily higher transition resistance and, in turn, lead to sparks and local heating that posed a fire risk. The recalled W205 C-Class vehicles were available for sale from 1 August 2014 to 31 October 2014 (PRA 2016/15250).
2014-16 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Diesel: potential fuel leak
In August 2016, a recall was issued for Mercedes-Benz C-Class vehicles that were available for sale from 1 December 2014 to 31 March 2016. In these vehicles, the high pressure fuel line may not have been manufactured to specification – this could potentially cause diesel fuel to leak onto the road surface, increasing the risk of a collision for the driver and other road users (PRA 2016/15611).
2016-17 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class: front passenger seatbelt tensioner may not deploy
In October 2017, a recall was issued for Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedans that were available for sale in Australia from 30 September 2016 to 30 January 2017. In these vehicles, the propellant mixing ratio for passenger seatbelt tensioner squibs may not satisfy design specifications. As a result, the tensioner may not deploy in the event of a collision and this would increase the risk of injury to the passenger. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2017/16342.
2016 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class: driver’s seatbelt tensioner may not deploy
In October 2017, a recall was issued for Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedans that were available for sale in Australia from 31 July 2016 to 30 November 2016. In these vehicles, the propellant mixing ratio for the front right (driver) seatbelt tensioner squibs may not meet specifications. As a result, the driver’s seatbelt tensioner may not deploy in the event of a collision and this could increase the risk of injury. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2017/16366.
2016-17 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedan: front seatbelt tensioner squibs
In February 2018, recall campaign RC2443 was issued for Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedans that were available for sale in Australia from 1 August 2016 to 27 February 2017. In these vehicles, the propellant mix for the front seatbelt tensioner squibs may not have met specifications. The front seatbelt tensioners may therefore not deploy in the event of a collision and this increased the risk of injury to the occupants. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2018/16619.
2014-17 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class: deployment of driver’s airbag
In February 2018, recall RC2437/A was issued for Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class vehicles that were available for sale in Australia prior to September 2017. If the steering column was not sufficiently grounded and the steering column switch was damaged or faulty, an electrostatic discharge could cause the driver’s airbag to deploy. If these conditions occurred, an airbag warning message in the instrument cluster display and a red airbag indicator lamp (signalling that the steering column module was damaged/faulty) would alert the driver. If the airbag deployed in the absence of a collision, it could injure and distract the driver. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2018/16572.
2018 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedan: exhaust panelling could catch fire
In August 2018, a recall (RC2536) was issued for Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedans that were available for sale in Australia from 1 May 2018 to 31 May 2018. In these vehicles, the left cut-out for the exhaust system was missing in some panelling that had been installed incorrectly. This incorrectly installed panelling could contact the exhaust system and high exhaust temperatures during full-load operation could cause the panelling to catch fire. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2018/16963.
2018 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedan: airbag housing could eject metal parts
In September 2018, recall campaign RC2520 was issued for Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedans that were available for sale in Australia from 1 March 2018 to 30 April 2018. In these vehicles, the airbag gas generator housing could eject metal parts if the airbags were deployed and these posed an injury risk to occupants of the vehicle. Despite its similarities with the Takata airbag recalls, this recall was not related to Takata airbags. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2018/17042.
2016-18 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedan: rear window trim could detach
In October 2018, recall campaign RC2556 was issued for Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedans that were available for sale in Australia from 8 May 2016 to 3 January 2018. For these vehicles, the bonding of the rear window trim strips may not have been performed correctly. The aluminium section of this trim strip could therefore become detached from the vehicle when it was being driven and this could pose a hazard to following vehicles. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2018/17078.
2014-17 Mercedes-Benz W205 C 300 Hybrid and C 350 Hybrid: short circuit hazard
In November 2018, recall campaign RC2573 was issued for Mercedes-Benz W205 C 300 Hybrid and C 350 Hybrid vehicles. In certain vehicles, an electric line in the engine compartment may have been routed incorrectly and this line could chafe on a reinforcement strut during vehicle operation. Over time, this could cause a short circuit and a possible fire. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2018/17139.
2017-18 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedan: passenger airbag may not deploy correctly
In December 2018, recall campaign RC2599 was issued for Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedans that were available for sale in Australia from 1 September 2017 to 31 December 2018. In these vehicles, software for the ‘Audio 20’ control unit could affect the occupant detection function for the front passenger seat. As a result, the airbag may not deploy correctly in the event of a collision and this increased the risk of injury for the front seat passenger. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2018/17232.
2018 model year Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class: ESP may not meet specifications
In January 2019, recall campaign RC2606 was issued for 2018 model year Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedans that were available for sale in Australia from 1 May 2018 to 30 November 2018. In these vehicles, the ESP software may not meet specifications. In certain scenarios, the brake lights may be permanently activated and a warning message about the brake light malfunction would be displayed in the instrument cluster. As a result, the ESP function would be deactivated and the parking brake could no longer be moved from its current position. If the parking brake was not applied when occupants left the vehicle, the vehicle may roll. Combined with the absence of the ESP function, these factors increased the risk of a collision and injury to other road users. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2019/17302.
2018-19 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedan: PRE-SAFE may not engage
In March 2019, recall campaign RC2636 was issued for Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedans that were available for sale in Australia from 1 August 2018 to 31 January 2019. These vehicles may mistakenly detect a correctly engaged front seatbelt as being not engaged. The driver may be alerted to this condition by a warning tone and a warning symbol in the instrument cluster. Furthermore, the vehicle’s PRE-SAFE function may not engage and this increased the risk of passenger injury in the event of a collision. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2019/17411.
2018-19 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class: engine may shutdown or not restart
In March 2019, recall campaign RC2647 was issued for Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedans that were available for sale from 22 May 2018 to 4 February 2019. Software in the powertrain control unit may not operate as intended and the engine warning light may not activate to warn the driver of the fault. As a result, the engine control unit may reset such that –
- The engine may not restart if the reset occurred during an ‘ECO’ stop; and,
- The engine may lose power and cause the vehicle to coast if the reset occurred while the vehicle was being driven.
Unexpected engine failure therefore posed a hazard to vehicle occupants and other road users. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2019/17430.
2014-15 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedan: steering may lock
In May 2019, recall campaign RC2665 was issued for Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedans that were available for sale from 1 August 2014 to 23 December 2015. Lock nuts with possible production deviations may have been installed in the steering system of certain vehicles. These particular locknuts could break and cause the steering to lock, thereby increasing the risk of a collision. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2019/17540.
2018-19 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedan: steering may lock
In May 2019, recall campaign RC2654 was issued for Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedans that were available for sale from 1 March 2018 to 30 August 2019. Lock nuts with possible production deviations may have been installed in the steering system of certain vehicles. These particular locknuts could break and cause the steering to lock, thereby increasing the risk of a collision. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2019/17539.
2019 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedan: oil leak and fire hazard
In June 2019, recall campaign RC2675 was issued for Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedans that were available for sale from 4 February 2019 to 29 March 2019. In these vehicles, incorrect screws may have been used for the exhaust gas turbocharger oil return line and the crankcase. The exhaust gas turbocharger oil return feed line could therefore leak oil which, if it came into contact with hot components, posed a fire hazard. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2019/17600.
2019 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class: radar sensor control unit failure
In August 2019, recall campaign RC2707 was issued for Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class vehicles that were available for sale in Australia from 1 March 2019 to 30 July 2019. Due to an error in the active brake assist software, one of the radar sensor control units may fail. If the radar sensor control unit failed, the ‘Active Brake Assist’ function may not activate and this increased the risk of a collision and injury to both vehicle occupants and other road users. To fix, the software for the radar sensor control unit was to be updated. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2019/17768.
2019 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedan: tie rod detachment and loss of control
In October 2019, recall campaign RC 2726 was issued for Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedan vehicles that were available for sale in Australia from 1 March 2019 to 30 April 2019. During assembly, the tie rod may have been incorrectly mounted to the right front axle stub. If the tie rod detached, the vehicle may be difficult to control – this posed a collision hazard or injury risk to vehicle occupants or other road users. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2019/17874.
2016 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedan: headlamp range function may not work
In March 2020, recall campaign RC2762 was issued for Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedans that were available for sale in Australia from 14 March 2016 to 31 May 2016. In these vehicles, the software may not have been programmed to the usual specifications and this could cause the headlamp range function not to work correctly. If this occurred, the headlamps could impair the visibility of oncoming traffic and this increased the risk of a collision. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2020/18250.
2018-19 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedan: front seatbelt buckle housings
In July 2020, recall campaign RC27650 was issued for Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedans that were available for sale in Australia from 1 August 2018 to 29 March 2019. In these vehicles, the front seatbelt buckle housings may not have been correctly manufactured. As a result, a correctly-fastened seatbelt may be detected as not fastened – this would cause the seatbelt warning light to remain illuminated and a warning tone would sound when the vehicle was being driven. In the event of a collision, neither of the vehicle’s seatbelt tensioning systems would be activated – this increased the risk of injury to occupants in the event of a collision. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2020/18344.
2020 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedan: backrest lock may fail
In August 2020, recall campaign RC2797 was issued for Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedans that were available for sale in Australia from 1 March 2020 to 30 June 2020. If the cargo area was loaded and a collision occurred, the cargo could strike the backrest of the left rear seat, causing the backrest lock to fail. If this occurred, the risk of injury to vehicle occupants – particularly in the left rear seat – would be increased. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2020/18488.
2019-20 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class: incorrect tension for oil feed and oil return line screws
In August 2020, recall campaign RC2807 was issued for Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedans that were available for sale in Australia from 1 April 2019 to 31 July 2020. During the assembly process, the screws for the turbocharger oil feed and oil return lines may not have been correctly tensioned. If the screws were loose, oil could leak out at the turbocharger oil feed and/or return line. If leaking oil came into contact with hot components parts, a fire could occur – this posed a hazard to vehicle occupants and other road users. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2020/18496.
2018 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedan: incorrect headlight adjustment
In October 2020, recall campaign RC2828 was issued for Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedans that were available for sale in Australia from 1 May 2018 to 30 August 2018. In these vehicles, the headlight adjustment may not be correct. Deviation in the headlight adjustment could lead to a reduction or an enlargement of the illumination: if the headlights were adjusted too low, the visual range during driving would be reduced; if the headlights were adjusted too high, oncoming traffic could be dazzled. Incorrect adjustment of the headlights could increase the risk of a collision, increasing the risk of injury to vehicle occupants or other road users. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2020/18615.
2020 Mercedes-Benz W205 C 300e: electronics may malfunction
In December 2020, recall campaign RC2836 was issued for Mercedes-Benz W205 C 300e Sedans that were available for sale in Australia from 1 July 2020 to 18 August 2020. The shielding of the high-voltage wiring harness in these vehicles may not be able to prevent electrical overload. If a contact point of the high-voltage wiring harness to the power electronics was overloaded, the vehicle’s electronics may malfunction – this could cause the vehicle to stall, thereby increasing the risk of a collision and injury to vehicle occupants and other road users. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2020/18725.
2020-21 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class: loss of electric power steering
In April 2021, recall campaign RC2841 was issued for Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedans that were available for sale in Australia from 3 February 2020 to 31 July 2020. Due to a manufacturing defect, the wiring harness of the steering control unit may have been damaged. This damage could allow water or moisture to enter the wiring harness and cause a short circuit. This, in turn, could result in a loss of electric power steering. A failure of the electric power steering would be indicated by a warning message in the instrument panel. A short circuit could also cause a vehicle fire. Both the loss of electric power steering and vehicle fire increased the risk of a collision and injury to vehicle occupants, road users and bystanders. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2021/18927.
2014-15 Mercedes-Benz W205 C 200: alternator may fail and cause fire
In July 2021, recall campaign RC2906 was issued for 2014-15 Mercedes-Benz W205 C 200 vehicles and this campaign was updated in September 2021. Under specific operating and ambient conditions, the alternator in these vehicles could fail. If the vehicle’s alternator overheated, it could also cause a vehicle fire which posed a risk of injury to vehicle occupants and/or bystanders, as well as property damage. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see REC-001658.
2015-19 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedan with sunroof: panel between sunroof and windscreen may detach
In September 2021, recall campaign RC2885 was issued for 2015-19 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class vehicles with panoramic sunroofs. During a prior service repair, the panel between the windshield and the panoramic sunroof may not have been correctly bonded. The bonding may therefore deteriorate over time, such that the panel could partially or fully detach from the vehicle; this condition increased the risk of injury to vehicle occupants and other road users. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see REC-004951.
2018-20 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class: eCall system may not contact emergency services
In December 2021, recall campaign RC2932-RC2933 was issued for 2018-20 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class vehicles. Due to a software issue, the automatic network search of the emergency call system (eCall) communication module may be deactivated. If this occurred, the automatic and manual emergency call function may not be available outside of the network coverage of certain providers. If the eCall system was deactivated, it would not be possible for vehicle occupants to contact emergency services in the event of an emergency (either manually or automatically). As a consequence, emergency vehicles may not be directed to the affected vehicle or may be delayed and this could increase the risk of death if a serious injury had occurred. For this recall, no action was required by consumers since the software would be updated ‘over the air’ (i.e. without requiring a workshop visit). For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see REC-004979.
2017-20 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedan Diesel: fire hazard
In January 2022, recall campaign RC2978 was issued for 2017-20 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class vehicles that had OM654 or OM6546 diesel engines. In these vehicles, a leak could develop between the coolant pump and the vacuum circuit, such that coolant could enter the vacuum circuit. If this occurred, there would be an increase in the temperature of those components and this could result in a vehicle fire, thereby increasing the risk of injury to vehicle occupants. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see REC-005039.
2018-20 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedan: emergency call may not contact emergency services
In April 2022, recall campaign RC2957 was issued for 2018-20 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedans. Due to a software issue, the automatic network search of the emergency call system (‘eCall’) communication module may be deactivated. If the eCall system was deactivated, it would not be possible for the vehicle occupants to connect with emergency services, either manually or automatically, in the event of an emergency. As a result, emergency vehicles may not be directed to the affected vehicle or may be delayed; this could increase the risk or severity of injury. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see REC-005401.
2021 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedan: fuel delivery unit failure
In August 2023, recall campaign RC3170 was issued for 2021 Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedans. Due to a manufacturing defect, the fuel delivery unit may fail and this could cause the fuel pump to switch off. If this occurred, fuel supply to the engine would be impaired and the vehicle may experience a loss power. If this occurred while driving, there was an increased risk of a collision and injury to vehicle occupants and other road users. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see REC-005747.
Problems and faults: Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class Sedan
Overview
This section identifies potential problems, causes and fixes based on the experiences of owners and repairers, online sources and technical service bulletins. This information is provided solely for reference purposes and AustralianCar.Reviews recommends that only properly qualified persons carry out repairs or modifications. Furthermore, the number of items below should not be taken as an indicator of a model’s reliability or the frequency with which they may occur.
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Problems and faults: Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class sedan
No troubleshooting information is currently available for the Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class sedan.
