2018 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Reliability & Recall Report
Based on 19 NHTSA recalls and 130 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.
D
40/100
High Reported Activity — 2018 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
The 2018 Mercedes-Benz C-Class shows high recall and complaint activity in NHTSA data. Review the issues below and have a thorough pre-purchase inspection done by an independent mechanic.
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19
NHTSA Recalls
19 recalls on record
130
Owner Complaints
Filed with NHTSA
5
Crash Reports
In NHTSA complaints
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NHTSA Recalls — 2018 Mercedes-Benz C-Class (19)
All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer at no charge to the owner.
🔧 Electrical System: Software
Failure of the eCall system may result in emergency responders being dispatched to the wrong location, increasing the risk of injury following a crash.
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and the communication module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. The recall began March 12, 2021….
🔧 Electrical System: Software
A disabled eCall system would prevent a vehicle occupant from contacting the emergency services call center in an emergency, potentially delaying emergency responders and increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: The communication module software will be updated through an Over-the-Air (OTA) update or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 8, 2022. Owner notification letters…
🔧 Structure: Body: Roof And Pillars
A detached roof panel can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front panel, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 2, 2024. Owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, on, March 22,2024, and…
🔧 Seats
If the seatback does not properly lock, in the event of a crash, the seatbacks may fold forward, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the locking of the seatbacks, replacing the seatbacks lock, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin May 25,…
🔧 Air Bags: Frontal
If the driver air bag inadvertently deploys, it can increase the risk of injury and a crash.
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will add sufficient grounding to the steering components, free of charge. The recall began in December 6, 2017. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service…
🔧 Seat Belts: Front: Retractor
If the seat belt does not fully retract, the occupant may find the operation of the seat belt inconvenient and not wear it, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will check the retraction function of the front seat belts and adjust the damping foam within the B-pillars, as necessary, free of charge. The…
🔧 Communication
A disabled eCall system would prevent a vehicle occupant from contacting emergency services through the call center in an emergency, potentially delaying emergency responders and increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the communication module and activate it, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 31, 2021. Letters for the owners of…
🔧 Seats
If the seatback does not properly lock, in the event of a crash, the seatbacks may fold forward, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Mercedes will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the locking of the seatback on the affected vehicles and replace the seatback lock, as necessary, free of charge. An interim owner…
🔧 Exterior Lighting: Headlights
Incorrectly adjusted headlights may reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the LED headlights, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed August 13, 2021. A second notice will be sent once the…
🔧 Structure: Body: Roof And Pillars
The adhesive bonding of the front panel might deteriorate, possibly causing the front panel to detach from the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Mercedes-Benz dealer will remove the bonded panel and will install a new front panel by following the detailed repair instructions and using the approved primer, cleaner and adhesive, free of…
Showing 10 of 19 recalls. View all on NHTSA.gov →
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Most Common Problems — 2018 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Based on 130 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.
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Mercedes-Benz C-Class — Complaints by Year
A spike means more owner complaints were filed for that model year. The 2018 model year is highlighted.
→ Recently checked Mercedes-Benz C-Class VINs — free recall, safety and specs report for any VIN.
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⚠ Higher-complaint years: 2012, 2013, 2015 — These model years have more owner complaints in NHTSA data than the other years compared.
✅ Best model years: 2019, 2020, 2021 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.
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Frequently Asked Questions — 2018 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Is the 2018 Mercedes-Benz C-Class reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2018 Mercedes-Benz C-Class has 19 recall campaigns and 130 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated recall or complaint activity — review the details and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How many recalls does the 2018 Mercedes-Benz C-Class have?
The 2018 Mercedes-Benz C-Class has 19 NHTSA recalls. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Mercedes-Benz C-Class?
The most commonly reported problems for the 2018 Mercedes-Benz C-Class are: Engine, Unknown Or Other, Structure, Steering. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.
Is the 2018 Mercedes-Benz C-Class safe to buy?
The 2018 Mercedes-Benz C-Class has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 19 recalls are completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.
What year Mercedes-Benz C-Class should I buy?
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the Mercedes-Benz C-Class are: 2019, 2020, 2021. These show the lowest complaint rates. Years with higher complaint counts: 2012, 2013, 2015.
How we score this: The score starts at 100 and subtracts points for the number of NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints filed for this model year, and for complaints that report crashes or fires. Newer model years get a small bonus because they have had less time to collect reports. These are raw counts and are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, so popular models tend to have more recalls and complaints. Complaints are unverified owner reports. This grade is not a prediction about any individual vehicle and is not an inspection: check a specific car’s VIN for open recalls and get an independent pre-purchase inspection.
Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update.
For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit
NHTSA.gov/recalls.