Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electrical system7
- Exterior lighting6
- Tires3
- Air bags2
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 1 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 28 2008 C-Class vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 10 people died inside them, and 2 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class failed the safety check 1.52% of the time — 39% less often than the average 2008 passenger car (2.48%). Median odometer at inspection: 115,002 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Engines
The most common engines in 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class cars on Dutch roads are the 1.8 petrol (115 kW, 154 hp), 1.8 petrol (135 kW, 181 hp) and 2.1 diesel (100 kW, 134 hp), out of 12 versions with at least 20 cars.
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 1.8 petrol | 115 kW 154 hp | 1,507 |
| 1.8 petrol | 135 kW 181 hp | 641 |
| 2.1 diesel | 100 kW 134 hp | 387 |
| 2.1 diesel | 125 kW 168 hp | 372 |
| 3.0 petrol | 170 kW 228 hp | 339 |
| 2.5 petrol | 150 kW 201 hp | 254 |
| 3.0 diesel | 165 kW 221 hp | 164 |
| 6.2 petrol | 336 kW 451 hp | 142 |
| 1.6 petrol | 115 kW 154 hp | 140 |
| 3.5 petrol | 200 kW 268 hp | 129 |
| 2.1 diesel | 120 kW 161 hp | 50 |
| 1.8 petrol | 105 kW 141 hp | 36 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
4,210 first registered in 2008 are on Dutch roads; 45% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €52,030.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde2,199
- Band onvoldoende profiel1,623
- Remleiding door corrosie aangetast965
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm933
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld922
- Fusee(kogel) te veel speling861
- Stadslicht werkt niet (goed)755
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm661
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
11,506 cars built in 2008 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 2,427 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 332 of these cars first registered in 2008 took their annual MOT test. 68% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2008 the figure was 57%.
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
4,492 of these cars first registered in 2008 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 327,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
851 2008 cars are on the New Zealand register; 95% arrived as used imports, 0% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls in Canada
7 Transport Canada recalls for the 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
| 2022127 18 Mar 2022 | Electrical Issue: During servicing at a dealership, a small number of vehicles may have received an incorrect software update to one or more control units. As a result, … |
| 2017017 11 Jan 2017 | Airbag On certain vehicles, long-term exposure to high absolute humidity and temperature, combined with high temperature cycling, could eventually degrade the propella… |
| 2016158 13 Apr 2016 | Airbag On certain vehicles, the driver frontal airbag inflator could produce excessive internal pressure during airbag deployment. Increased pressure may cause the inf… |
| 2015505 23 Oct 2015 | Airbag On certain vehicles, a defect in the supplemental restraint system (SRS) controller could result in the inadvertent deployment of SRS components, such as airbag… |
| 2014132 14 Apr 2014 | Lights And Instruments On certain vehicles, oxidation on the ground pin connector for the rear tail lamps may cause a dimming or loss of one or more rear lamp functions (tail, brake, … |
| 2008242 9 Jul 2008 | Other Certain vehicles may have been programmed with incorrect software calibration data during the manufacturing process. This could affect various functions such a… |
| 2007332 12 Oct 2007 | Seats And Restraints Certain vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of CMVSS 208 - Occupant Restraint Systems. The rear outboard seat belt locking mechanism may not perform … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
CERTAIN VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." THE REAR OUTBOARD SEAT BELTS DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE LAP-BELT LOCKABILITY REQUIREMENT WHICH ENABLES THE LAP BELT PORTION OF THE BELT TO BE LOCKED BY THE USER TO FACILITATE THE USE OF OLDER NON-LATCH DESIGN CHILD RESTRAINT DEVICES.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Mercedes-Benz told its dealers about the 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 10136029 | SENTEX gate operator with Clik Card Remote not compatible with Homelink |
| 10135912 | COMAND: No sound, SDARS message in central display "Device Unavailable" |
| 10039256 | MERCEDES-BENZ: THE MALFUNCTION LIGHT IS ON WITH MULTIPLE POSSIBLE TROUBLE CODES STORED. THERE COULD BE A PROBLEM WITH THE CAMSHAFT AND/OR SCORING OF A PISTON. *RM |
| 10038225 | MERCEDES-BENZ: DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURES FOR THE DRIVER AUTHORIZATION SYSTEM. *RM |
| 10037408 | MERCEDES-BENZ: SHOCK ABSORBER PROCEDURE. *RM |
| 10034306 | MERCEDES: AIRBAG DURABILITY AND RELIABILITY. AIR BAG SRS CONTROL MODULE (N2/2) DOES NOT HAVE A SET SHELF LIFE AND WILL NORMALLY BE RELIABLE FOR THE LIFE OF A VEHICLE. WITH 164, 216 221, 251 AND NEWER, THE AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT CAN BE RESET FIVE TIMES. WITH MODES 202, 210 AND NEWER, THE AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT CAN BE RESET THREE TIMES. EARLIER MODELS WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THEIR AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT AND TRIGGERED RESTRAIN COMPONENTS CHANGED ONLY AFTER AN ACCIDENT. NO MODELS OR MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE |
| 10034305 | DAIMLER/XENTRY: FUEL LEVEL INDICATOR AND RADIO FREQUENCY CENTRAL LOCKING INOPERATIVE, INSTRUMENT CLUSTER REPORTS TURN SIGNALS INOPERATIVE, DIAGNOSIS OF REAR SAM NOT POSSIBLE. CONTROL MODULES. MODELS C CLASS, MODEL SERIES 204. NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE UPDATED 7/8/11. *PE |
| 10025842 | MERCEDES BENZ: MODEL 171.454, 456 (2005-2008) SLK CLASS; 204.054, 056, 081 (2008) C CLASS; 211.022, 056, 072, 087, 090 (2006-2008) E CLASS. VEHICLES PRODUCED BETWEEN 2/21/08 AND 4/3/08 WITH DIFFERENTIAL SERIAL NUMBER 1824214 TO 1865328. CLUNKING NOISE DURING LOAD CHANGE AT REAR AXLE DIFFERENTIAL. *PE |
| 10025827 | MERCEDES BENZ: MODEL 204.054, 056, 081; VEHICLE DOES NOT START, NO COMMUNICATION WITH STAR DIAGNOSIS, POWER OUTLETS NOT FUNCTIONING. *PE |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Loss of rear lighting assembly
Loss of rear tail light functionality
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation