The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz C300. While driving at approximately 15 mph, the contact observed smoke emanating from under the hood. The vehicle was driven to her work location and parked. Upon exiting the vehicle and opening the hood, she observed orange flames coming from the engine compartment. A parking attendant extinguished the fire, and a police and/or fire report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a dealer and diagnosed with a fuel line leak that caused the engine harness to come apart. The leaking fuel hose from the high-pressure fuel pump caused damage to the high-pressure pump, engine harness, vacuum transducer, and coolant feed line from the thermostat to the firewall. The following components needed replacement: high-pressure fuel pump, rubber fuel hose, engine harness, pressure transducer, and intake manifold. The vehicle was repaired. Five months later, the contact experienced another failure she believes was associated with the engine fire. While parked and attempting to start the vehicle, it did not start. The vehicle was towed to a dealer and diagnosed with a faulty starter that needed replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 65,422.
Mercedes-Benz C300 fire or smoke problems
33 of the 2,727 owner complaints about the Mercedes-Benz C300 describe fire, smoke or burning smell, most of them for the 2016 model year.
- owner complaints
- 33
- worst model year
- 2016
- typical mileage
- 61,000
By model year
- 20231
- 20191
- 20181
- 20174
- 20166
- 20154
- 20143
- 20133
- 20123
- 20114
- 20103
Often reported together
Check engine light 4Stalling 3Headlights 3Fuel smell 3Fuel pump 3Fuel leak 3Loss of power 2Door locks 2
Trouble codes mentioned
C300C 1
What owners say
fuel lines/ clamps defective causing a fuel leak. vehicle could catch on fire and fumes are extremely strong inside the cabin. issue confirmed by Mercedes dealer, mentioned there is an extended warranty up to 120,000 miles. rejected mine because i was at 120,300 miles. had to pay out of pocket. no warning lights or anything just the really strong smell of fuel and fuel range dropping. this is a very common issue thats known and should be a recall.
My car caught on fire due to AC malfunction
During cold weather there is always a gasoline smell when starting the engine that eventually goes away. On 01/20/2025 the smell was so intense that I decided to stop the engine and leave the car outside the garage just in case. Upon opening the hood, I noticed an amount of a type of liquid similar to gasoline right on the undercarriage protector covers. I could not reach with my hands but instead I used a wood stick that I had in the garage. I reached the liquid and submerged the stick for like 10 seconds and pulled it out. When I smelled it, it indeed smelled like gasoline. I took the stick to the back patio and lighted it up and as I suspected, the tip of the stick lighted up like a torch. I called a nearby mechanic and made an appointment to check it out and today (01/23/2025) I am bringing it in. I went to Youtube and found numerous videos showing this "well known issue" with some of the fuel lines in this type of vehicle which I believe is a tremendous hazard. Just imagine that when I turned the engine up on 01/20/25 the engine could had gone up in flames burning not only the vehicle, but my entire house with maybe my family inside? Please take serious note on this issue and try to come up with a mandatory solution for the problem. I will let you guys know the findings from the Mercedes mechanic once the job if completed in case you need more information. Thanks
I just purchased a 2011 Mercedes C300. I was told that for the past 2-3 years the vehicle would constantly bald out the rear 2 tires and would need replaced every 3 months. As I was driving the vehicle I noticed that the rear tires would make weird noises as if it was hutting something. Upon further investigation the rear sub frame is rotted, which based on research appears to be a very common problem with these vehicles. The rear sub frame is rotted in which caused the lower control arms to completely rot off of the frame posing as a serious safety issue for me when driving with my children and a safety issues for others when I drive on the road. On top of that due to the lower control arms completely rotting off the frame it caused the control arms to hit the gas tank which could catch the car on fire. Mercedes has refused to issue this as a recall in due part to their negligence. Customers cannot afford to pay $5000 for a rotted subframe due to negligence from Mercedes. Please research how many vehicles have had rotted subframes for this vehicle. In Germany they will repair the rotted subframe free of charge. Mercedes needs to be held accountable for risking peoples lives.
The driver's side interior door handle became disengaged as I was trying to open the door so I was momentarily trapped inside. If I had been in a situation where I had been in an accident and needed to get out quickly, or the car had been on fire, or I was stalled on the train tracks, this could have been a serious incident. When I googled this, it sounds like this is a very common occurrence in Mercedes. There was no warning that this was going to occur - everything seemed secure before this happened. I have taken it to a service center for a very expensive repair as they have to remove the door panel, replace/reattach the part and put the door panel back.
The electrical wiring harness of my vehicle completely caught fire making my vehicle stopped working. Manufacture warranty refuses to acknowledge this as an ongoning issue with this models and forcing me to pay for my own repairs this is a danger to anyone driving this vehicle as the car entirely can be caught on fire at any given time.
The intake manifold blew on my car while it was off overnight and I took it to the Mercedes dealership to have it fix and the next day I got it back after it was repaired the same problem happened again when I went to unlock my car I heard a bang and smoke coming from the engine
The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the contact noticed smoke coming from the front passenger's side wheel well. The vehicle was driven to the residence. Upon arriving at the residence, the contact raised the hood, and became that clear liquid was burning on the engine. The contact stated that after completing an investigation, it was determined that the clear liquid was the result of a leaking fuel line. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 76,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, he smelled a rubber burning odor. A message indicating that the turn signal was inoperable was displayed. The contact stated that he pulled to the side of the road and inspected the vehicle. The contact noticed that there was smoke coming from the rear passenger's side taillight. The contact stated that he opened the taillight panel and noticed that the interior and the bolt had melted. The contact was able to continue driving. The contact related the failure to Mercedes-Benz Campaign Number: 2014050001; however, the dealer informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the campaign. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.
Related recalls
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
- What is wrong
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2024-2026 AMG GT, C-Class, E-Class, SL, CLE, and GLC vehicles. The infotainment control unit may reset while the vehicle is in motion and cause the instrument panel display to go blank.
- Risk
- An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer and warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will update the infotainment control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 29, 2026. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2026050004. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1‑800‑367‑6372. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on beginning May 8, 2026.
Recall number 26V281000 · Recall details
Electrical system: wiring: fuses and circuit breakers
- What is wrong
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2023-2024 C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, SL, GLC, EQE SUV, EQE, EQS SUV, and EQS vehicles that were incorrectly repaired under recall 24V‑115. An incorrect fuse box that was not designed for the vehicle may have been installed.
- Risk
- An incorrect fuse box can result in a sudden loss of drive power or a loss of critical safety functions such as the restraint systems or instrument cluster, increasing the risk of a crash or injury. Additionally, there could be an increased risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the main fuse boxes, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 6, 2025. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1‑800‑367‑6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2025050003/4.
Recall number 25V255000 · Recall details
Electrical system: wiring: fuses and circuit breakers
- What is wrong
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2022-2023 C 300 vehicles. The bolt securing the electrical wire to the pre-fuse box could be improperly tightened, causing the wire to overheat. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2024070005.
- Risk
- An overheated wire can cause a fire and a sudden loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and rework the wiring harness, as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 2, 2024. Owner may contact MBUSA customer service at 1‑877‑496‑3691.
Recall number 24V446000 · Recall details
Electrical system: wiring: fuses and circuit breakers
- What is wrong
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2023-2024 C300, AMG C43, S580e, S580, Maybach S580, Maybach S680, AMG SL43, AMGSL63, GLC300, EQE350, EQE500, EQS450, EQS580, AMG EQS, 2023 S500, AMG SL55, AMG EQE, 2024 E350, E450, AMG C63e S, CLE300 Coupe, CLE450 Coupe, and GLC300 Coupe vehicles. The 80-Amp fuses may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can cause the fuses to fail.
- Risk
- An 80-Amp fuse that fails can result in a sudden loss of drive power or a loss of critical safety functions such as the restraint systems or instrument cluster, increasing the risk of a crash or injury. Additionally, there could be an increased risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the main fuse boxes, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 5, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1‑800‑367‑6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2024030008.
Recall number 24V115000 · Recall details
Electrical system: wiring
- What is wrong
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2022-2023 C300 and 2023 AMG C43 vehicles. The ground connections for the electrical wiring harness may not be secured properly, which can result in the electrical wiring harness overheating.
- Risk
- An overheated wiring harness can increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and repair the ground connections for the electrical wiring harness, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2023. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1‑800‑367‑6373. MBUSA's numbers for this recall are 2023070016, 2023070017, 2023070018, and 2024070016.
Recall number 23V463000 · Recall details
Electrical system: wiring
- What is wrong
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2022-2023 C300 and 2023 AMG C43 vehicles. The transmission wiring harness may be the incorrect length, which can result in harness damage and a loss of drive power.
- Risk
- A loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and repair the transmission wiring harness routing, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 18, 2023. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1‑800‑367‑6373. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2023070015.
Recall number 23V462000 · Recall details
Electrical system: wiring: rear compartment/trunk
- What is wrong
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2022 C300 vehicles. Moisture accumulation in the trunk may leak into the signal acquisition module (SAM), causing an electrical short circuit.
- Risk
- An electrical short circuit in the SAM could lead to various malfunctions, such as rear exterior lighting failure, unintentional rear seat folding, and rearview camera failure, increasing the risk of a crash or injury. In addition, an electrical short circuit might increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a cover for the SAM, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 2, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1‑800‑367‑6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2022090011.
Recall number 22V678000 · Recall details
Electrical system: software
- What is wrong
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017-2022 CLA-Class, GLA-Class, GLE-Class, GLS-Class, SLC-Class, A-Class, AMG GT-Class, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, SL-Class, GLC-Class, CLS-Class, GLB-Class, and G-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. An error in the communication module's SIM card software can cause a mobile network connection failure, disabling the emergency call (eCall) system.
- Risk
- 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 will be mailed in phases, on July 8, 2022, May 17, 2024, July 29, 2024, and September 27, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1‑800‑367‑6372. MBUSA's numbers are for this recall is 2022060005 and 2023110006.
Recall number 22V365000 · Recall details
Communication
- What is wrong
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017-2019 C300, E300, 2018-2020 CLA250, 2020 CLS450, AMG E53, AMG GT53, GLE450, 2018 AMG E63, AMG GTA, 2017-2020 GLA250, GLC300, 2019 GLC350, AMG GLC43, 2017-2018 GLE350, 2019 AMG GLC 43, GLC350, GLE400, 2017 GLS450, S550, C300 Cabrio, and 2018-2019 S560 vehicles. On June 18, 2021, an additional 9 vehicles were added, including certain 2021 GLA250, GLC300, 2018 S450, E400, and 2017 CLA250 vehicles. The communication module might have been inadvertently deactivated during a service visit, which could have disabled the Emergency Call (eCall) function.
- Risk
- 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 the 9 additional vehicles were mailed July 9, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1‑800‑367‑6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2021030005.
Recall number 21V072000 · Recall details
Electrical system: software
- What is wrong
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 - 2021 CLA-Class, GLA-Class, GLE-Class, GLS-Class, SLC-Class, A-Class, GT-Class, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, CLS-Class, SL-Class, B-Class, GLB-Class, GLC-Class, and G-Class vehicles. Please refer to the Part 573 report for specific vehicle model details. The software design of the communication module may fail to communicate the correct vehicle location for the emergency call system (eCall) in the event of a crash.
- Risk
- 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. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1‑877‑762‑8267. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2021020025.
Recall number 21V058000 · Recall details
Questions about the Mercedes-Benz C300 fire or smoke
Which Mercedes-Benz C300 years have fire, smoke or burning smell problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2016 (6 complaints), 2011 (4 complaints) and 2015 (4 complaints).
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