The electronic steering wheel lock went out causing the car to not start. Upon checking the Internet to see if anyone else was having this problem I found that it was a problem many Mercedes Benz owners have had and it's an expensive one. It's not just with my particular model and it's not limited to older models of the brand either.
2011 Mercedes-Benz C300 electrical problems
43 complaints (9% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 75,000.
- owner complaints
- 43
- of this car's complaints
- 9%
- typical mileage
- 75,000
- crashes
- 0
- recalls
- 1
Which part fails
Owners did not name a specific part.
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+
Mercedes-Benz C300 electrical problems in other years
Related recalls
Electrical system: software
- What is wrong
- 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, GLK350 and SL550 vehicles, 2012 CLS550 4Matic vehicles, 2012-2016 E350 vehicles, 2016-2017 GL450 4Matic vehicles, 2012-2014 ML350 4Matic BlueTec vehicles, 2015 S550, S550 4Matic and C300 4Matic Sedan vehicles, 2015-2016 C300 Sedan vehicles, and 2017 SL63 AMG vehicles. Various control units on these vehicles may have been updated with incorrect software, potentially affecting the correct deployment of the air bags in the event of a crash.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 17V177000 · Recall details
What 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The ESL or electronic steering lock is a very common issue with this year and model at around the 70k mile mark. You cannot start the car once this goes out and it’s over $2k to fix
For the 2011 Mercedes Benz C300, the following is a general description of the issue: The component that failed is the "internally faulty" electronic steering column lock control unit which doesn't allow the car to start its ignition. The technician at the Mercedes Benz car dealership noted on the invoice "found the electronic steering lock is internally faulty." Technician provided two specific codes and recommended to replace the steering lock control unit. Yes, this car is available for inspection upon request. Car is not reliable. After running errands, car did not start. I was stranded and could not get back home. Car had to be towed to the Mercedes Benz dealer service center. Yes, problem was reproduced in another Mercedes-Benz C300 car that I own. This other vehicle is a 2010 Mercedes-Benz C300. The failure of the "internally faulty steering lock control unit resulting in a no crank/no start condition" was confirmed on the invoice from the Mercedes Benz dealer service center. The car was not inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representative. The car was inspected by the Mercedes Benz dealer service center. Prior to complete failure, car would occasionally not start. This issue first appeared on or around August 2024. This steering lock failure is a critical issue as I had the same problem with another Mercedes Benz C300 that I own. Both steering lock failures for both cars occurred around the same time period and were separately diagnosed and fixed at different Mercedes Benz dealer service centers.
I researched that the sunroofs on these models are faulty and have caused water/electrical damage under the carpeting and seats of the vehicles. That is what has happened with my 2011 C300 Sport.
my ESL (electronic steering lock. ) has went out when I did research this something that always happened please fix
The right rear tail light housing harness melted due to an electrical issue. Wire tends to heat up too much. This caused my right rear tail light, right break light and right side turn signal not to function.
The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that when starting the vehicle, the ignition was not reading the key, and the steering wheel was locked. The message to remove the key from the ignition was displayed. Additionally, the fuel gauge was inoperable and not reading the fuel level. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a locked steering wheel and the steering wheel lock needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the parts were ordered to complete the repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,100.
The sam box (electrical system fuze panel) located under the hood is in a spot where if the lid isn't on correctly water will drain from the windshield right into the sam box and cause the vehicles electrical system to deploy the steering wheel airbag. That's at least what happened to me. It was raining out that day and I guess I went over a bump that caused the lid of the sam to get out of place. I drove home and the car seat for a few hours. I went out upon unlocking the door as soon as I pulled the handle to open the driver side door the steering wheel airbag blew and the vehicle is now in srs mode. The dealership had told me that it's a design flaw but wants me to pay for the diagnostic. No lights were on and I did not file a police report.
Melted taillight socket board.
Car slow down and stop and cannot start in traffic….
Questions about the 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300 electrical
Does the 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300 have electrical problems?
Owners have filed 43 complaints about the electrical of the 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300, 9% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300 electrical problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 75,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300 electrical?
Yes, 1 recall: 17V177000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Mercedes-Benz C300 have the most electrical problems?
The Mercedes-Benz C300 model years with the most electrical complaints are 2010 (84 complaints), 2015 (50 complaints) and 2011 (43 complaints).
Other 2011 Mercedes-Benz C300 problems
Airbags 250Suspension 60Body 49Fuel system 44Steering 34Lights 20Brakes 13Engine 11Transmission 10Seats 4Acceleration 3Driver assistance 2Seat belts 2Wheels 2Tires 1Visibility 1
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