I have had the exact same issues like other mercedes benz owners. My car suddenly not starting and the steering wheel did not unlock. I called aaa, they sent out a battery truck. The guy tried to jump it and it did nothing. Then they towed it to the mb dealer. They called me this morning after they tested it and said the electric steering lock needs to be replaced. The dealer charged me $1212. I am really frustrated.
2009 Mercedes Benz C300 steering complaints
Page 3 of 6: complaints 41 to 70 of 136, newest first, as owners wrote them.
This car is purchased used in march of 2016 has not given me any problems starting until november 26. The car would not start or even "click" at all this day. Has to be towed to mechanic. The mechanic was unable to fix the issue and it had to be towed to the mercedes dealership. They found that the electronic steering lock needs to be fixed and possibly the electronic ignition system. These are very expensive to fix. These are also known issues with this specific model. Many other mercedes-benz's owners have had to fix the same issue and mercedes has yet to do a recall or anything to resolve the known problem. I now have a car that cannot be used. It is undriveable. It will not start.
The car will not start, from stationary. It was parked there 10 minutes ago. Towed to the dealership and was told it has a bad esl (electronic steering lock). The repair bill over $1300.00. The issue has been widely reported and seems to be a manufacturing defect. Mercedes benz should cover this cost.
On 21 oct 16 I went out of town and shopping at a local mall while there. I came out of the mall and the car would not start. I could read the time, see the mileage, and temperature on the gauge; however, the car refused to start. Aaa came and thought it was the battery but that was not the case. After 3 hours of sitting in a parking lot in atlanta a tow truck arrived. The car would not go into neutral so I had to wait another 2 hours for another type of truck. The car was towed to a local mechanic who diagnosed it as steering lock issue. I asked that the car be towed to a local mercedes benz dealership and have a diagnostic completed again. Mercedes benz of marietta "claimed" to have done a diagnostic but found nothing. I asked for a copy of the diagnostic mercedes benz of marietta had run and they were not able to assist. See attached email. To-date, mercedes benz has been nonresponsive to the steering lock issue with this year/model car; despite knowledge this issue has been going on repeatedly. Marty, at my local mercedes benz dealership states they have to replace a steering lock at least once a month with repair cost ranging from $1200-$1700 per car. This will be my first and last mercedes and because of their poor customer service and lack of responsiveness to this issue I could not even refer friends/family to them.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 mercedes-benz c300. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the steering was locked. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was determined that there were no failures with the vehicle. The manufacturer stated that there were no recalls related to the steering lock issue. The failure mileage was 141,000.
I parked the car, and turned it off completely. When I returned to the car, they key fob would only turn the dashboard lights on, but the car will not start. The steering wheel is locked, and I cannot change the gear from "p". A message would appear "remove key from ignition" whenever the door is open. I have searched and it appears to be a very common problem in these models, where the eis or esl fails for no reason. The qoutes for this repair range from $1000 to $3000. I had to tow the car to my apartment, and now I have to tow the car to the dealership because they are the only ones who can solve this issue and reprogram it after installing the new parts.
When I returned to my car in the parking lot after grocery shopping in the evening, the car would not start. The radio and lights on the dashboard worked and the seat moved, but the engine would not start. I had this car checked not too long ago and everything was fine, but the car just decided not to work suddenly. This is especially scary for a female stranded in a public parking lot at night. I did not get any warning messages before the incident. I had to call roadside assistance and try jump starting it first, which wasn't the problem as the battery was fully charged. I ended up having to tow the car early next morning because the dealer was closed and had to take a cab home. When I went to the dealer and stated all the "symptoms", mb knew right off the bat what the problem was, which to me is alarming. They told me they are 99% sure it is either electronic ignition switch or electronic steering lock problem and it would cost me $1200 to repair it. It obviously is a very common issue. They are very well aware of it, yet they are not doing nothing about it, as (they say) it is not a safety problem. How is this not a safety problem when the driver doesn't get a slightest warning or even a message that the car won't start and will leave you stranded wherever you are? As a young female living in a city without friends and family to help out, especially at night in a public space, this is quite frightening. I almost had a panic attack, because I didn't know what to do and never had to call roadside assistance. The only reason I had gotten a mercedes benz was for its safety. Mb site states: "true to their heritage, they're engineered to protect you in ways you might never have imagined. And with the hope that you'll never have to." how did mb protect me? Mb has only engineered the car to rip off customers and not live up to its brand. This is very disappointing.
Esi and key went out and car only has a bit over 100,000 miles; locks steering and shifter.
My car will no longer start. Although the lights and radio still work, the windows and AC don't, and the car won't start, nor can I change the gear. It seems to be a problem with the steering column/ eis. I now have to take it into the benz dealership and pay a hefty amount to get it fixed, since no other mechanic can seem to do it. This seems to be a common problem with the 2009 c300 yet there's not a recall on it. Go figure.
In stationary position in a parking lot steer wheel locks up when parked with wheels forward / turning key to start engine does not work
I experienced the infamous steering lock problem 5 days ago in my (now former) 2009 mercedes c300. Prior to this problem occurring my car seemed to be working fine. I've always had all of the recommended services performed on time by the dealer. Then last saturday I was running errands and after my third stop my car wouldn't start. I assumed it was the battery (even though it had been replaced less than 2 years ago) and I called mercedes roadside assistance. The roadside technician tested the battery and said it was fine and he immediately suspected it was the steering lock problem. After a bit more testing he confirmed it was and he said the car would need to be towed to the dealer on a flatbed. It was saturday and the dealer's service department was closing but I got there just in time to get a loaner car. Once I got home I started doing internet research on the problem and I found this website. I decided to go back to the dealer on sunday when the service department was closed and ask if I could trade in the car. I printed out all of the reports on this site and took them with me. The salespeople claimed they had not heard of this problem but they were not interested in learning about it. I waiting until yesterday when I had the repair quote before I traded it in. The cost would have been $1,800 but they said I could use a 15% off service coupon. I also tried to show the reports from this site to the service advisor but he wasn't interested in seeing them either. I decided I really needed a car that was still under warranty so I traded it in last night. They subtracted $1,500 off the trade in value for this repair. I tried to get them to document it so I would have some evidence if there is repair refund offered in the future but they were not willing to do so.
Takata recall.. My air bag light remains on and I fear that they are not working. Also, my car will not restart after stopping at a store. In reading the comments in a recent forum, I am not the only mercedes benz owner having this problem. Based on the comments the issue is with the steering column (eis/els) and it is a manufacturing defect. The dealer also verified that this is a common problem with mercedes and the cost to repair it is $2100.00 upward.
Stationary while at the rest area during a hot summer day on the side of the highway. The steering column or electronic steering lock (esl) failed and the car would not start. This particular part is faulty on most 2008-2009 mercedes c300. Several hundred thousands are having issues with this particular part and at moments they get it working and at other times not so much. This part needs to be recalled since it is a dealer only replacement part and no one can touch is besides the dealer due to theft and security measures. Mercedes has this particular issue cornered and is not doing anything to work with the customer. If I would have been stuck on the side of the highway with children that's a safety risk and I believe mercedes should recall this particular issue and be loyal to its customers.
Went to start my car yesterday morning and would not start. Very odd message on the display I had not seen before like "remove key from ignition". Steering wheel locked but some lights worked and new battery replace last week. Towed it to "granny's garage" who told me only the dealer can repair this. Now being towed to dealer in santa barbara. Sounds exactly what other 2009 c300 owners have stated esp/eis failure. I will know tomorrow. This is such a well documented and consistent problem with the 2009 c300 and mercedes really should take care of their customers and recall. Perfect for a class action lawsuit, in my opinion., especially since the "dealer" is the only one allowed to repair.
My m.b. 2009 has only 52690 miles, rarely driving. On may 28th, 2016, my wife drove the car to see her cousin, when got out at 10:00pm, car was not starting, battery was ok, light on, radio on, windows not on. Needed to wait until monday morning, towed to dealer: eis steering lock failed, cost $1121.88 for the eis. Service consultant advised many m.b has the same failure. Go to the federal safety agency, saw a lot of complaint with the same problem. Please investigate the incident and issue a recall with m.b., it's very unsafe for driving because it can happened any time, mostly night time with a female driver. Only m.b. Can repair the eis and it's very expensive.
Car wouldn't start. Power and battery was fine. Googled symptoms and watched a youtube video on a failed electronic steering wheel lock. Jiggled the steering wheel a few times, tapped the top and bottom of the steering wheel a few times, turned the key and it started. Apparently, this unlocks the electronic steering wheel. This is a safety issue because this can leave a person stranded in dangerous places or it could leave you stranded in an emergency situation.
When I've got to the car, put the key in the ignition, and turn the key with no crank noise in the engine. After a lot of tries I had noticed that my steering was not unlocking, windows don't work no lights on like ABS, check engine or all the lights that come on with the key on the on position, and that the car would not shift in neutral. After trying to jump the car and rearming/disarming the alarm I checked on line and found out that a lot of people have the same problem with their mercedes. Here is what I experienced 1.put key into ignition, steering wheel doesn't unlock. 2.instument cluster displays "remove key from ignition". 3.turn key to accessory, no lights on dashboard, only the radio works, windows don't work. 4.turn key all the way to start car, nothing happens.
The car was running fine. It was parked and shut off. When I returned, the car would not start. It was not the battery. The steering would not unlock. The car had to be towed in for repair. The dealer had to make the repair as it was an issue with either the eis or a starter issue. Inskip mercedes can identify exactly what was wrong as they did the repair.
The car would not start, the electrical component of the steering wheal malfunctioned, only mbz has the part cost $1900 to replace the electrical part. Dealer told me common issue its just matter of time for the part to fail.
Ignition switch. Very late at night leaving work-put key in -car is totally dead- no click heard when I put in the key. Had to have it towed. Turned out to be ignition control switch. This has happened to so many other owners. Should be a recall. Repair cost was $987.00 and only mercedes can work on the steering due to security issues. Very unfair. Expected more from mercedes. They need to recall or reimburse.
Ignition switch - tried to start the car and it would not turn battery was fine and all interior lights and electrical systems appeared to be fine. Had to have the car towed to the dealership where it was found to be a faulty ignition switch. This should be recalled for safety reasons.
My car was parked and I try to started and would not start no ignition no power the steering tower would not move. Check the battery and it was fully charged try to put the car into neutral and I could not the steering well was lock.
When leaving to catch a flight I entered my garage and unlocked my car lights came on my day was going normal. When I went to start my vehicle it would not start. It said to remove my key from the ignition. My car wouldn't start. My husband and I contacted mercedes benz of henderson and they had my vehicle towed to their shop. I had purchased an extended warranty with my vehicle so I was sure I would be ok. On monday I received and call from mercedes benz of henderson stating that the ignition lock module needed to be replaced and it wouldn't be covered by the warranty I purchased. Since I am not a mechanic I asked what the ignition lock module was and found out it was the computer that reads my key and prevents theft. Basically the computer failed and thinks that my car is stolen. The cost to repair this is over $1,000. This is completely unfair. Mercedes cars are not cheap not to mention paying more a month to have additional warranty coverage. I am appalled that mercedes has not done a recall on their vehicles for this issue. This is a huge safety risk for those who are traveling especially for those like myself a women traveling alone. Thank god this happened at home and not in the middle of the desert as I travel back to california often I think it is outrageous to ask customers to pay for a default/glitch in a vehicles computer. I have contacted mercedes benz USA to get help with this issue as there are hundreds of their customers like myself who have had and are having this same issue with the 2009 c300.
Steering lock ignition assembly. There were no signs or indications that something like this was going to occur. Thankfully I reached my destination, backed up in my yard and parked. I aproached my vehicle because I wanted to fill up for the remainder of the week, I unlocked my door, placed my key in the ignition switch, and nothing happened. The radio worked and also the interior lights. I took the key out and went to use the spare key, inserted it and while the door was opened the display told me to remove the key. This could present a very dangerous situation for a female with children in an unfamiliar setting. After reading up about the problem I see that I am not alone in my troubles. I think this malfunction should included in a recall because of the safety risks involved because it could occur at any time. Thankfully I was at home.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 mercedes benz c300. The contact stated when attempting to start the vehicle, the steering wheel failed to unlock without warning. The failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the ignition needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 37,000. The VIN was not available.
Steering wheel locked while car was parked and would not unlock had to tow vehicle to dealer. Cost is $1300 to fix not covered under warranty dealer reduce price to $1100. This should be a recall and also a safety concern.
Steering lock assembly. This issue can be a safety problem due to certain circumstances for example leaving women and children stranded in parts or areas where is not populated or in areas where criminal activity is high. Without any warning this problem has presented and still presenting causing mercedes benz costumers to be in a real bad situation safe wise and economic wise. Therefore I feel mercedes benz manufacturer should be held responsible for this issue.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 mercedes-benz c300. While driving at various speeds, the steering column locked up without warning. The contact also stated that the vehicle was not able to shift into gear. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the vehicle had a faulty steering lock. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 41,348.
The vehicle did not recognize the key & didn't turn on and was not showing as parked. Called aaa to check the battery but was not it. Called towing service to get this moved to my mechanic & turns out this is due to bad electronic steering lock mechanism & only dealer can get this replaced and programed which costed me $1200. Checked & turns out this is a common problem with 2009 c300. Why is it not being recalled??? This can be very dangerous when on the road!!! Happened right before christmas so had to wait 2 days for my mechanic to check & towed again to dealer and now I'm still waiting for the car without a car for a week. This is very disappointing since I thought mercedes was known for safety. Hope they will recall this issue & re-imburse the cost.
Vehicle not starting. Not turning over. Parked the car for about 20 min in my moms driveway. When we came out to leave. The vehicle will not start. The radio will turn on. The lights will turn on. When I open the door the odometer area tells me to remove my key. Tried to get a jump from aaa. When they arrived they said it wasn't the battery. Now I look on youtube and other mb blogs. And they say the fix is 1000$$$$$ to 3000$$$$$$ and this is a known problem with this model. I will update this when I know more.
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