2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class problems and complaints
Owners have filed 516 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The most-reported areas: Air Bags (269), Suspension (62), Structure (50).
Key takeaways
- 516 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 15 involve a crash, 8 a fire, 14 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 269 | 52% |
| Suspension | 62 | 12% |
| Structure | 50 | 10% |
| Electrical System | 46 | 9% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 43 | 8% |
| Unknown Or Other | 37 | 7% |
| Steering | 35 | 7% |
| Exterior Lighting | 21 | 4% |
| Service Brakes | 13 | 3% |
| Engine | 11 | 2% |
| Power Train | 10 | 2% |
| Fuel System | 8 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class 4 DR AWD | 4/5 | 3/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class 4 DR RWD | 4/5 | 3/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Fuel/Propulsion System - filed 2026-05-24
Strong fu Smell after filling tank recently. Checked under the passenger side rear seat and there is some fuel on the top of tank. Local mechanic confirmed and mentioned not to fill tank more than half. Requires replacement of fuel tank to fix it
Wheels,service Brakes - filed 2026-01-19
Rear brakes backing plates rotted prematurely despite garage kept and well maintained status. While driving, noticed loud scraping and grinding noises from the rear left wheel. Took to mechanic and he found severe rust, with deep corrosion and flaking "rotted". He said I was lucky because this was very close to causing...
Service Brakes - filed 2025-10-25
Car was Off and parked when brake line failed. Further inspection was able to identify that brake pipes was slowly corroded thought entire lower part of the brake system causing critical failure of brakes. Extreme safety issue due to the material of metal/coating and position of brake pipping. If operator was not obser...
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More for the 2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.