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2003 Mercedes Benz C240

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 10 of 20 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports

Engine complaints

2 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jul 25, 2017
Engine

HARMONIC BALANCER /CRANK PULLEY WOBBLING VERY BAD . AFRAID IT WILL COME APART AND CAUSE CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE WHILE MY KIDS ARE DRIVING. MERCEDES COVERED THIS PART UNDER SAME ENGINE FAMILY BUT ONLY FROM MODEL YEARS 1998-2001. WOULD LIKE THEM TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SAME FAULTY PART AS THE OTHERS.

NHTSA ODI #11010613

75,263 miles · Oct 4, 2014
Engine

DEC 2013, WITH "OUR NEW" 2003 MB C240 TRAVELING 55MPH ON CRUISE, I ACCELERATED, "POOF". MY BROTHER DRIVING BEHIND US DISAPPEARED IN A CLOUD OF WHITE SMOKE FROM MY EXHAUST. HE HAD TO PULL OVER, HE COULD NOT SEE THE ROAD. THE "CLOUD OF SMOKE" APPEARS EVERY TIME I USE THE CC OR MAINTAIN A CONSTANT SPEED FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME. …

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DEC 2013, WITH "OUR NEW" 2003 MB C240 TRAVELING 55MPH ON CRUISE, I ACCELERATED, "POOF". MY BROTHER DRIVING BEHIND US DISAPPEARED IN A CLOUD OF WHITE SMOKE FROM MY EXHAUST. HE HAD TO PULL OVER, HE COULD NOT SEE THE ROAD. THE "CLOUD OF SMOKE" APPEARS EVERY TIME I USE THE CC OR MAINTAIN A CONSTANT SPEED FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME. ON A RECENT TRIP OF 2000 MILES, IT CONSUMED 7 QTS OF OIL. WITH ONLY 75K MILES, ITS HARDLY BROKEN IN. THE PROBLEM IS "SLUDGE" BUILT UP INSIDE THE ENGINE BECAUSE OF A "POOR" ENGINE DESIGN. THERE IS/WAS AN "ACTIVE CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT": IN 2003, BY "O'KEEFE", TO REPAIR/REPLACE ALL 1998-2001 MB MOTORS WITH THIS SLUDGE BUILD UP. DAIMLER CHRYSLER "DID NOT" FIX THE DEFECTS IN THE ENGINE DESIGN, THEY SIMPLY SHIFTED THE "PROBLEM" TO THE OWNERS BY TELLING THEM WHICH BRAND OF OIL TO USE. IF YOU "GOOGLE" MERCEDES WITH "SLUDGE/CONSUMPTION" OR SMOKING, YOU WILL FIND SCORES OF MB VEHICLES NEWER THAN 2001 THAT STILL EXHIBIT THESE SAME SMOKING/ SLUDGE PROBLEMS EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE COMPLIED WITH ALL OF THE NEW MB MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS. SO THE PROBLEM WAS NEVER "FIXED". IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN EXPANDED! THE PROBLEM STEMS FROM THE SLUDGE BUILT UP IN THE MOTOR (INSIDE VALVE COVERS AND OIL DRAIN GALLERY'S). IT DOES NOT ALLOW OIL PUMPED UP TO LUBRICATE THE ROCKERS/ CAMS TO RETURN BACK DOWN TO THE "SUMP". THIS "EXCESS/TRAPPED" OIL HAS NO WHERE TO GO, IT SLOWLY SEEPS INTO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WHERE IT COLLECTS, WHEN THE VACUUM IS RIGHT, GETS SUCKED INTO INTAKE RUNNERS, SENT TO THE COMBUSTION CHAMBERS, IGNITED AND EXPELLED AS EXHAUST, OVERWHELMING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS. THERE ARE 2 PROBLEMS: 1) RIDICULOUS AMOUNTS OF UNWANTED ILLEGAL/EMISSIONS 2) THE IMMEDIATE "PERIL" OF ANYONE TRAVELING BEHIND YOU BEING INSTANTLY "BLINDED" AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ALL MB VEHICLES WITH SIMILAR MOTORS SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY TESTED & REPAIRED! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10641363

Official recalls

3

24V874000 · Visibility:sun/moon Roof Assembly

Nov 19, 2024

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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 NHTSA recall number 22V-954. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2024120001/2/3.

22V954000 · Visibility:sun/moon Roof Assembly

Dec 23, 2022

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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 NHTSA recall number 19V-918. MBUSA's numbers for this recall are 2023010004, 2023010005, and 2023010006.

19V918000 · Visibility:sun/moon Roof Assembly

Dec 20, 2019

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: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2019/RMISC-19V918-4126.pdf

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.