The 2012 Mercedes-Benz C300 has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 894,679 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 333 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the air bags. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
AIR BAGS20V2980002020-05-22640 affected
Defect
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2012 C250, C250 Coupe, C300, C350, C350 Coupe, C63 AMG, and C63 AMG Coupe vehicles equipped with a front passenger air bag assembly replaced under a prior recall. An incorrect replacement front passenger air bag may have been installed.
Consequence
An incorrect passenger air bag may not provide adequate protection, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy
MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag module, free of charge. The recall began July 10, 2020. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2020060011.
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy
MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began March 29, 2019. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
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 at 1-877-496-3691.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM17V1770002017-03-1451 affected
Defect
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 AMG GT-S, GLC300, CLA250 and GLE300d 4Matic vehicles, 2013 C250, E350 BlueTec and G63 AMG vehicles, 2008-2014 C300 vehicles, 2013-2014 C300 4Matic and ML350 4Matic vehicles, 2009 C350 vehicles, 2014 CLS550, E350 4Matic, E350 Coupe 4Matic, E350 Wagon 4Matic,…
Consequence
If the air bags do not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, there would be an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy
MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will update software in the affected control units, free of charge. The recall began April 21, 2017. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
AIR BAGS17V0170002017-01-10104,119 affected
Defect
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2012 C300 4Matic, C250, C250 Coupe, C350, C350 Coupe 4Matic, C350 Coupe, C63 AMG, C63 AMG Coupe, E350 Coupe 4Matic, E350 Cabrio, E350 Coupe, E550 Cabrio, E550 Coupe, GLK350 4Matic, GLK350, SLS AMG Cabrio, and SLS AMG Coupe vehicles originally sold, or ever…
Consequence
An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy
MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag modules, free of charge. Owners were sent an interim notification in March 2017. Second notices started going out in October 2018 and continue to be mailed as parts become available. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at…
Mercedes-Benz is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 S400, S550, S550 4Matic, S63 AMG, C300, C300 4Matic, E350, GLK350, GLK350 4Matic, CL550 4Matic, and CL63 AMG vehicles manufactured from April 18, 2011, through July 12, 2011. Due to an irregularity stemming from the molding process of the fuel filter flange,…
Consequence
If the fuel filter flange cracks, it will leak fuel which may lead to a fire if an external ignition source is present.
Remedy
Mercedes-Benz will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel filter, free of charge. The recall campaign is expected to begin in February 2013. Owners may contact Mercedes-Benz at 1-800-367-6372.
Complaints by component
AIR BAGS
113
3crashes4injuries1deaths
SUSPENSION
64
STRUCTURE:BODY
30
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
23
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
16
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
12
2fires
SERVICE BRAKES
12
1crashes1fires
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
8
1fires
STEERING
8
ENGINE
5
2fires
Total complaints333
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“Vehicle: 2012 mercedes-benz c300 4matic sport problem component: fuel / propulsion system safety issue description: my 2012 mercedes-benz c300 developed a serious fuel tank leak at approximately 106,460 miles which created overwhelming gasoline fumes and rendered the vehicle unsafe to operate. The…”
“I have a rust free, relatively lower mileage car I bought for my teen daughter. Despite being such a clean car the rear subframe has rusted and rear suspension has broke off while driving, hitting the fuel tank and is unstable. We avoided an accident but the car is not drivable.”
“Mercedes of danbury replaced the rear sub frame code 3441 47, since my mechanic (newtown auto repair) told me that the front subframe is in real bad shape, rotten/rusted, that it is dangerous to drive the car in this condition since the wheel and steering components are part and attached to it,…”
“Mercedes of danbury replaced the rear sub frame code 3441 47, since my mechanic (newtown auto repair) told me that the front subframe is in real bad shape, rotten/rusted, that it is dangerous to drive the car in this condition since the wheel and steering components are part and attached to it,…”
“The contact owns a 2012 mercedes-benz c300. The contact stated the fuel tank was emitting a fuel odor. The contact stated that the fuel odor was extremely strong and could be smelled inside the residence while the vehicle was parked in the garage. There were no warning lights illuminated. The…”
“Rear subframe rotted out and broke due to corrosion. Rear crossmember is broken and needs replaced. My safety as well as the safely of other was put at risk. Loss of control at high speed could have been deadly. Luckily, I wasn’t going very fast at the time of incident or else who knows what…”
“Rear subframe rotted out and broke due to corrosion. Rear crossmember is broken and needs replaced. My safety as well as the safely of other was put at risk. Loss of control at high speed could have been deadly. Luckily, I wasn’t going very fast at the time of incident or else who knows what…”
“Rear subframe crossmember rotting, needs replacement. It seems to be a common problem with this vehicle and the assumption by most professional is that it a faulty part supplied by a third party to mercedes. The rest of the cars undercarriage is pristine, making me wonder why just this one part…”
Defect investigations
InvestigationEA21002 Opened 2021-09-17 · open
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant…
InvestigationEA21002 Opened 2021-09-17 · open
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C300 as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.