2008 Mercedes-Benz C350 Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 07/14/2026

31Steering complaints

21.5%Of all 144 complaints

#3Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How steering ranks on this vehicle

AIR BAGS52 · 36.1%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM51 · 35.4%

STEERING31 · 21.5%

EXTERIOR LIGHTING29 · 20.1%

ENGINE7 · 4.9%

Share of the 144 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2008 Mercedes-Benz C350 overview page.

What owners report

“STEERING WHEEL LOCKS WITHOUT WARNING, SHUTTING OFF CONTROL TO THE VEHICLE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE GEAR SHIFT. PROBLEM OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING AND CAN CAUSE ACCIDENTS…”NHTSA complaint 11072381 — filed 02/12/2018

“VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT START.”NHTSA complaint 11044902 — filed 11/09/2017

“VEHICLE FAILED TO START/CRANK AFTER ONLY 28,000 MILES. CAUSE WAS A FAILED ESL (ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK) PART OF THE ELECTRONIC THEFT SYSTEM THAT TIES WITH…”NHTSA complaint 11024090 — filed 09/18/2017

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2008 Mercedes-Benz C350 have steering problems?

Steering is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2008 Mercedes-Benz C350: 31 of 144 complaints on file (21.5%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2008 Mercedes-Benz C350 have in total?

144 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 3 involved a crash, 3 involved a fire, 2 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.