2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Electrical System

While driving the car on [XXX] at 9pm on sunday, [XXX] in lane two during a heavy rain a audible clicking noise came from the drivers side front of the dash instrument cluster area and all of the lights on the car simultaneously turned off without ever touching the light switch i was unable to see the road in front of the vehicle also the windshield wipers quit working and the radio and navigation display went off and closed and opened and closed( turned off and then on and off again) the instrument cluster went dark as well, luckily i was able to turn the steering and apply the brakes and steer the vehicle onto the shoulder of the road and come to a complete stop after several attempts to turn the headlights back on i determined that the vehicle was not safe to drive , and had the vehicle towed to a reputable mechanic, and upon diagnosis he contacted me and stated that the drivers side front signal acquisition module A. K. A. the (sam) module had failed due to water intrusion into the fuse panel sam module area , the mechanic stated that i should file an incident /complaint form with your office , upon searching the MERCEDES BENZ forums and sites on the www i found many customers with a broad range of models (w204)approximately this same year model have identical complaints and nothing has been done by MB usa to remedy the problem, i believe this matter to be a major safety concern and i am wondering why this matter hasnt been taken into consideration by your agency and by MB usa as a safety recall to replace the failing modules and retrofit the fuse panel sam module area to prevent water intrusion thats causing the obvious safety concern and possible liability on the part of the MB/ DAIMLER corporation. it seems this is clearly a problem and it needs fixed we are terrified to drive the vehicle for fear of a repeat incident. Sincerely the [XXX] family INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Last week just before Thanksgiving my car of 134,000 miles wouldn't start. Had it towed to my mechanic only to find out like so many others that the Electronic Steering Module(ESL) is 1,500.00 defective. Yet with this being a common issue there is no recall. guess I'm going to a Toyota.

The contact owns a 2009 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start after several attempts. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the ignition switch and the steering lock had failed and needed to be replaced. The local dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the parts were available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 175,000.

Rear passenger tail light housing melted together the connector/ harness to the housing. Limiting the power to the light bulbs and or blowing them before they should be burnt out or not working at all periodically. Effectively limiting the safety of having the brake light or parking lights or even the blinker work like they're supposed too

MY EIS/ESL WENT OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE. IT'S A COMMON ISSUE FOR MERCEDES AND IT PLAGUES EVERY MERCEDES. IT'S A SAFETY HARZARD AND HAPPENS TO A LOT OF PEOPLE. MERCEDES ALSO CHARGES $1500 OUT OF WARRANTY TO GET IT FIXED WHEN IT'S A COMMON ISSUE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPAIRED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM FAILED AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO NOT BE ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF MARIETTA (810 COBB PARKWAY, MARIETTA GA 30060, (770) 783-5171) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MECHANIC LOCATED THE FAILURE CODE AT THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE 140,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE IN A PARKING LOT AND ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A MESSAGE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATED TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE KEY WAS NOT RECOGNIZED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ELECTRONIC STEERING MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000.

MY C300 STRANDED ME IN DEMING, NM. WE HAD LEFT EL PASO HEADING HOME TO PHOENIX. QUICK BIO BREAK IN DEMENT, AND THAT'S WHERE MY C300 WOULDN'T START. THE SHOP IN DEMING SAID THAT THE CAR WOULD NEED TO BE TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER IN EL PASO. TURNED OUT MY STEERING COLUMN CONTROL LOCK MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALERSHIP ORDERED THE PART AND TWO DAY AND $1,400 LATER I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE BACK TO PHOENIX. BETWEEN TOWING, LODGING IN DEMING AND EL PASO, MEALS, ETC I WAS OUT OVER 2K. THIS IS SO I CAN START MY CAR. ACCORDING TO MY LOCAL MB DEALER MY SERVICE ADVISOR SAID HE SEES ONE OR TWO A MONTH WITH THIS PROBLEM. I PICKED UP THE CAR IN 2012 WITH 50K MILES. THIS ISSUE CAME 70K TROUBLE FREE MILES LATER. AMAZED THAT ONE LITTLE PART COULD STRAND ME WITH NO WARNING.

'TAKATA RECALL ' DRIVE MY 2009 C300 TO STORE EVERYTHING WORKED PERFECTLY . CAME OUT OF STORE CAR DEAD , NOTHING . MERCEDES TECH JUMPED CAR (NOTHING) CHECKED ALL FUSES THEY ARE GREAT . LONG SHORT EIS NEEDS REPLACING . I HAVE READ BLOG AFTER BLOG ABOUT THIS VERY SAME ISSUE YET NO RECALL . I AM A FIFTY YO WOMAN STRANDED OUTSIDE PUBLIX BY MYSELF . EXTREMELY DANGEROUS !!! COST TO REPAIR 1200 . SERIOUSLY??

I PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION TURN IT TO START THE CAR AND NOTHING HAPPENS, NONE OF THE ELECTRICAL COMES ON EXCEPT FOR LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CAR DOESN'T EVEN TRY TO START. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEM.

IGNITION SWITCH FAILED AT 92,000 MILES. CAR WAS WORKING FINE AND WOULD NOT START AGAIN ONCE PARKED. DASH LIGHTS & RADIO TURNED ON, BUT CAR WOULD NOT START. HORN DID NOT WORK AND GEARS WOULD NOT SHIFT WITH KEY TURNED ON START POSITION. HAD TO GET CAR TOWED AND COST $1,400 TO FIX. ASIDE FROM THIS, I HAVE REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR, CAR COMPUTER, VALVE COVER, AND AIR FLOW SENSOR. CATALYTIC CONVERTERS ALSO WENT OUT, AL WITHIN A 4 MONTH PERIOD.

CAR WILL NOT START AND STEERING COLUMN IS LOCKED. POWER TO THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS BUT NO TURNOVER. LOCAL SHOP COULD NOT REPAIR. TOWED TO MERCEDES DEALER. LIKELY LOOKING AT A ~$2,000 REPAIR FOR EIS RELATED PROBLEM. CAR ONLY HAS ~90K. PURCHASES AS CPO AND BOUGHT EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT HAS ALREADY RUN OUT.

UNABLE TO START THE CAR. ABLE TO OPERATE LIGHTS AND RADIO, BUT NOTHING ELSE. THERE WAS NO WARNING OF AN ISSUE. BATTERY WAS GOOD. CHECKED ON LINE FOR PROBLEMS WITH STARTING FOR THIS MODEL AND NOTIFIED THE DEALER. CAR WAS IN THE GARAGE AT THE TIME. THIS COULD HAVE OCCURRED AT ANY TIME. UNABLE TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL OR TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. CAR ENDED UP BEING TOWED TO THE DEALER. THEY REPLACED THE ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK. THIS IS NOT THE TYPE OF ISSUE THAT YOU WANT TO HAPPEN TO YOU WHEN YOU ARE AWAY FROM HOME.

09 MERCEDES C300 THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AFTER 80K MILES THE SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM IS TO REPLACE CAR NEEDS A NEW ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK (ESL SO THEY MAKE A RECALL

ELS/EIS SYSYTEM. MY 2009 C300'S IGNITION/STEERING LOCKED UP. NEITHER KEY WILL WORK. CAR COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. HAVE FOUND 100'S OF THE EXACT SAME FAULTY EQUIPMENT COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS ISSUE ONLINE. ( HTTP://WWW.ARFC.ORG/COMPLAINTS/2009/MERCEDES/C300/STEERING/PROBLEM.ASPX ). THIS JUST ONE OF MANY COMPLAINT SITES LISTING THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO MY LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY. THEY INFORMED THAT (ONLY) MERCEDES DEALERS CAN REPAIR THE PROBLEM BECAUSE OF THE "CODES" REQUIRED & THAT MERCEDES WILL NOT RELEASE THESE CODES AND/OR WILL NOT SUPPLY THE REPLACEMENT PARTS TO "OTHER" GARAGES. I (NOW) HAVE TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED AGAIN TO MERCEDES BENZ. COSTS RANGE (ACROSS USA), FROM $1,100.00 UP TO $3,300.. THE CAR WAS PARKED AND THERE WAS NO "PRIOR" WARNING DISPLAYED ON THE "INSTRUMENT PANEL" WARNING SYSTEM.. WITH ALL THESE EXACT SAME COMPLAINTS, REGARDING THIS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE REPAIR IS APPARENT THAT THIS IS A "FAULTY" SYSTEM AND WHY THE NHTSA HAS NOT ISSUED A "RECALL" IS BEYOND COMPREHENSION. CONSUMERS DESERVE BETTER WHEN PURCHASING AN AUTO OF SUCH "SUPPOSED" QUALITY.

I WENT TO WORK AND MY VEHICLE WAS JUST FINE. I LEFT FOR LUNCH BREAK STOPPED AT THE GROCCERY STORE AND WENT HOME WHICH IS JUST A FEW MILES AWAY. I PARKED MY VEHICLE WENT INSIDE TO DROP MY GROCERIES OFF AND EAT LUNCH AND WHEN IT WAS TIME TO RETURN TO WORK MY CAR WOULD NOT START! I WAS SO PISSED OFF! THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN AND THE GEARS WOULD NOT SHIFT AT ALL. I ONLY HAVE 30K MILES ON MY CAR AND ONE OWNER BEFORE ME. I AM THE ONLY DRIVER AND MY CAR IS IN IMPECCABLE SHAPE! I KNOW IT IS NOT THE BATTERY BECAUSE I JUST PUT A BRANDNEW ONE IN JUST 3 MONTHS AGO. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE BECAUSE I SEE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS REPAIR SO IT IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURING ISSUE. WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT MY BENZ I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE BRAND. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A AUDI/BMW GIRL BUT VOWED I WOULD NEVER GO BACK UNTIL THIS ISSUE. MERCEDES DOES NOT TREAT IT'S CUSTOMERS RIGHT SO THIS WILL BE MY LAST BENZ! RECALL THIS ISSUE BENZ!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, IT FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,076. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK FAILURE COMMON PROBLEM

WENT TO GET IN MY CAR TO GO HOME. ONCE I PUT MY KEY IN THE IGNITION AND TURN IT, NOTHING HAPPENS. THE STEERING WHEEL REMAINS LOCKED, AND THE CAR WILL NOT START. I CAN HEAR THE STEERING LOCK CLICK, BUT NOT UNLOCK THE STEERING WHEEL AS SOON AS I PUT MY KEY IN THE IGNITION.

I HAVE A 2009 MERCEDES BENZ C300 4MATIC, MY VEHICLE WAS JUST SERVICED ONE MONTH AGO FOR 2 RECALLS. AIRBAG/TAIL LIGHTS. AFTER MY VEHICLE IS SERVICED I ASK THE MB TECH REGARDING THE EIS SWITCH - WHICH STARTS THE VEHICLE. I WAS CONCERNED THIS MAY HAPPEN TO MY VEHICLE AND FOR HIM TO INSPECT THE ELEMENT. TECHNICIAN SAID I AM ALL SET, AND NOW MY VEHICLE IS STRANDED JUST PICKED UP BY A FLATBED TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC. I CALLED MB THE ISSUE I WAS HAVING AND I TOLD THEM THE SITUATION. THE TECH FROM SHREWSBURY MB WILL GET BACK TO ME ON MONDAY. TODAY IS SATURDAY 09/24/16.

THE ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK SUDDENLY FAILED MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO START THE CAR. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH MERCEDES OF THIS ERA, THIS HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING, AND MERCEDES IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT CHARGES APPROX. $1,200 TO REPLACE THE LOCK. THIS LEAVES MOTORISTS STRANDED.

WITH THE VEHICLE PARKED, THE CAR WON'T START, BATTERY AND LIGHTS WORK FINE, WHEN TURNING KEY THE ENGINE DOES NOT TURN OVER. THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED AND IT WON'T SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL. SOUNDS LIKE THE SAME EIS PROBLEM THAT SO MANY OTHERS HAVE.

WITH THE VEHICLE PARKED, THE CAR WON'T START, BATTERY AND LIGHTS WORK FINE, WHEN TURNING KEY THE ENGINE DOES NOT TURN OVER. WHEN INSERTING THE KEY IT DOESN'T MAKE THE LOCKING SOUND IT USUALLY MAKES. THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED AND IT WON'T SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL. SOUNDS LIKE THE SAME EIS PROBLEM THAT SO MANY OTHERS HAVE RAN INTO.

GOT HOME FROM WORK PARKED MY CAR, I WOULD SAY MAYBE ABOUT 3 HRS LATER I GET ON MY CAR TO GO PICK UP MY SON AND I WASN'T ABLE TO TURN MY CAR ON. MY KEYFOB WORKED FINE WHEN I UNLOCKED AND LOCKED THE VEHICLE BUT WHEN I WOULD INSERT THE KEYFOB IN THE IGNITION I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE KEY ALL THE WAY TO THE ON POSITION. ALL THOUGH IT TURNED IN THE IGNITION IT WOULDN'T GIVE THE CAR A CRANK OR ANY POWER AT ALL, THE RADIO, WINDOWS DASHBOARD, HEADLIGHTS, NOTHING WORKED AT ALL, IT WOULDN'T EVEN UNLCOCK MY STEERING COLOUMN EITHER. WHICH MADE IT EVEN A BIGGER HASTLE TO TOW THE CAR WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL LUCKILY II LEFT THE WHEELS STRAIGHT WHEN I PARKED MY VEHICLE. I'VE SEEN THAT THIS ISSUE IS COMMON ON THIS MERCEDES MODEL. IF ITS A COMMON PROBLEM MERCEDES SHOULD BE ABLE TO RECALL THIS IGNITION FAULT. THERES PLENTY OF REASONS WHY IT CAN BE A STRESSING SITUATION IF IT HAPPENS TO ANYBODY, ESPECIALLY NOT BEING ABLE TO UNLOCK THJE STEERING COLUMN. THERE CAN BE PLENTY OF WHAT IF'S (WHAT IF, U HAD UR WHEELS TURNED, WHAT IF YOUR FAR FROM HOME, UR PARKED IN A TIGHT SPACE HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET THE CAR TOWED, YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY AND YOUR CAR SUDDENLY WONT START, AT A GAS STATION PUMPING GAS AND YOUR CAR WONT START, EVEN AFTER JUST HAVING DINNER AT A RESTAURANT) IMAGINE HAVING AN ISSUE LIKE THIS AND YOU ARE WITH YPUR FAMILY ITS VERY STRESSFUL OR EVERYBODY. I'M SURE ITS HAPPENED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE BUT THEY DONT FILE A COMPLAINT OR MAYBE THEY DONT KNOW THEY CAN FILE ONE. I JUST HOPE MERCEDES CAN REALLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS ISSUE SINCE IS VERY COMMON ON THIS MODEL 2009 MERCEDES C350.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES BENZ C300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER PUTTING THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION, THE SWITCH FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.