Suddenly started driving badly on the highway. It would swerve side to side after hitting a bump. The rear sits about two inches lower than the front. My trusty independent mechanic said I should check the rear subframe and refrain from driving the car. KBB lists a safety recall for this issue, stating that the rear subframe wasn't sufficiently rustproofed. Mercedes and the federal safety agency do not list this recall, and my local dealer says the repair will cost around $3,000. May have to scrap the car with 81,000 miles on it.
The worst 2002 Mercedes Benz C320 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Electrical36
- Seats23
- Driver assistance5
- Lights5
- Transmission5
- Airbags4
- Brakes3
- Engine3
- Body2
- Fuel system2
- Locks2
- Steering2
- Visibility2
- Acceleration1
- Suspension1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2002 Mercedes Benz C320
Recalls 3
Visibility: sun/moon roof assembly
- What is wrong
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2001-2011 C-Class, CLK, E-Class, and CLS vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models and model years. The glass sunroof panel may not be properly secured and can detach.
- Risk
- A detached sunroof panel can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the sunroof panel as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 10, 2025. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1‑800‑367‑6372. This recall is an expansion of previous the federal safety agency recall number 22V‑954. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2024120001/2/3.
Recall number 24V874000 · Recall details
Visibility: sun/moon roof assembly
- What is wrong
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2001-2011 C-Class, CLK, E-Class, and CLS vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. The glass sunroof panel may not be properly secured and may detach.
- Risk
- A detached sunroof panel may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the sunroof panel as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 3, 2023. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1‑800‑367‑6372. This recall expands the federal safety agency recall number 19V‑918. MBUSA's numbers for this recall are 2023010004, 2023010005, and 2023010006.
Recall number 22V954000 · Recall details
Visibility: sun/moon roof assembly
- What is wrong
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2001-2011 vehicles. The bonding between the glass panel and the sliding roof frame may deteriorate, possibly resulting in the glass panel detaching from the vehicle. For a full list of the affected models visit:
- Risk
- A detached glass panel can separate from the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the glass panel bonding and replace the sliding roof, as necessary, 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 2020040011.
Recall number 19V918000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2002 Mercedes Benz C320 48
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Repeat workshop visit for vehicle vibration while braking from 60MPH. NOTE: Although the symptom is...
- Clanking noise from the area of the speakers in the doors
- Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end)
- There are several types of complaint about noises or poor windshield wiper wiping performance: A: Wiper...
- Headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged
- Headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged
- Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end)
- Headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged
- Headlamps leaking or fogged
- Vehicle with atypical reduced heat output
2002 Mercedes Benz C320 fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.2L 6‑cyl | RWD | 17 | 23 | 19 |
What 2002 Mercedes Benz C320 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Battery drains after being parked overnight, 58,000 miles, dealer maintained since new. Driven by a little old lady until I bought it. Took it to the dealer and they replaced one of the seat modules. Soon afterward, the problem recurred. Took it back to the dealer and they said it was a defective fuse box and replaced it for $650. Went to pick up the car and the battery was dead again. After some complaining, they refunded the bill. They looked at it again and said the problem was somewhere in the dashboard and it would cost $2300 just to take it apart and look for a bad module. They offered $2300 trade in toward a new or CPO car, and said my car would be sent to the crusher. I took the car back and installed a remote operated battery cutoff, and have been driving it ever since. Other than disturbing the engine computer, it's been running well for three years and 20,000 miles. Lovely car otherwise.
While changing one of the lights in the headlight housing, I found the wiring's insulation rotting off all the wires, exposing the bare copper presenting a fire hazard.
Vehicle constantly smells like gas inside the cabin, it makes me dizzy and affects my head overall health inhaling vapors. At first I thought I could handle it, but it just gives me nonstop headaches and I'm afraid one spark will ignite/ explode my entire vehicle. This happens everytime I fill the gas tank. I heard their was a warranty extension but don't believe me vehicle was included which is unfortunate. Their is a check engine light informing of a EVAP Leak.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 mercedes benz c320. The contact stated that the battery was drained after the vehicle was parked and turned off. The vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the driver's side seat module was defective which caused the battery to drain. The module was unplugged to prevent the battery from being drained. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 114,000.
Tl* the contact owned a 2002 mercedes-benz c320. The contact called on behalf of the driver. While driving at an unknown speed, the driver lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle spun around several times and crashed into a tree. The air bags failed to deploy and the vehicle caught on fire. The driver was killed on impact. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed by the police and deemed destroyed. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The failure mileage was unknown. *dt
Battery draining
Seats control module
Was driving on highway when esp, bas and ABS lights show up, and speedometer display stops working - speed reading goes to zero, though there is no reduction in speed. Get to destination. On return it happens again. This time I go to rest area, stop the car, remove the key and restart. The car refuses to move out of park. Call roadside assistance and get instruction to override park, drive home with flashers on - very rough ride quality. Tow to dealer next day, they are not sure if new part will fix it, even if $1850 part is replaced. Lots of electrical problems over the years. Turn lights go out routinely. Changed cd changer. Seat drains battery,had to disconnect it. Poor electrical sensors all around. Now it also has rust damage, all of a sudden, at the bottom of doors.
Tl*the contact owns a 2002 mercedes c320. The contact stated that the vehicle would not start. The contact mentioned that after an hour, the vehicle was able to start. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 123,384.
Compare the 2002 Mercedes Benz C320
Other model years
Questions about the 2002 Mercedes Benz C320
Is the 2002 Mercedes Benz C320 reliable?
Owners have filed 68 complaints about the 2002 Mercedes Benz C320, 4.5 times a typical C320 model year. It is one of the years we flag to avoid.
What is the 2002 Mercedes Benz C320 year score?
The 2002 Mercedes Benz C320 scores 18 out of 100 (poor). The score compares it with the other model years of the Mercedes Benz C320: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2002 Mercedes Benz C320?
Electrical system, with 36 complaints, typically around 76,000 miles. Next is seats (23).
How many recalls does the 2002 Mercedes Benz C320 have?
3 recalls, covering visibility.
What year does the Mercedes Benz C320 have the most electrical problems?
The Mercedes Benz C320 model years with the most electrical complaints are 2002 (36 complaints) and 2001 (26 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2002 Mercedes Benz C320 get?
Official estimates for the 2002 Mercedes Benz C320 range from 19 mpg combined. The most efficient version (3.2L 6-cyl, RWD) gets 17 city and 23 highway.
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