Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
40–25K
925–50K
1050–75K
1375–100K
6100–150K
0150K+
42 reports with mileage · 26 unknown
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.
Electrical System. Review the 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Seats. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electronic Stability Control (esc). Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
BATTERY GOES DEAD AFTER A FEW DAYS: MAJOR CAUSE IS ELECTRICAL POWER DRAIN DUE TO FAULTY UNITS, MAJOR CAUSE BUT NOT ONLY CAUSE IS THE SEAT CONTROL MODULE UNIT. QUICK FIX IS TO DISCONNECT TO ELIMINATE POWER DRAIN BUT THIS CAUSES OTHER SAFETY FEATURES TO GO DORMANT. I HAVE READ MORE THAN 100 REPORTS ON BENZWORLD.ORG ON THE VERY SAM…
Read full complaint
BATTERY GOES DEAD AFTER A FEW DAYS: MAJOR CAUSE IS ELECTRICAL POWER DRAIN DUE TO FAULTY UNITS, MAJOR CAUSE BUT NOT ONLY CAUSE IS THE SEAT CONTROL MODULE UNIT. QUICK FIX IS TO DISCONNECT TO ELIMINATE POWER DRAIN BUT THIS CAUSES OTHER SAFETY FEATURES TO GO DORMANT. I HAVE READ MORE THAN 100 REPORTS ON BENZWORLD.ORG ON THE VERY SAME ISSUE WITH LITTLE OR NO SOLUTION FROM DEALERSHIPS. ITS A MAJOR AND COMMON PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE RECALLED BEFORE PEOPLE GET HURT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10267261
96,000 miles · Jan 11, 2009
Electrical System
2002 MERCEDES BENZ C320 STATION WAGON: FAILURE TO KEEP A CHARGE IN THE BATTERY, AND APPARENTLY THE SOLUTION IS TO DISCONNECT THE POWER SEATS AND THEN RECHARGE THE BATTERY. BUT THEN THE POWER SEATS ARE INOPERABLE, UNLESS YOU GET THESE REPLACED. APPARENTLY, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10254641
59,000 miles · May 8, 2008
Electrical System
THE BATTERY IN MY 2002 MERCEDES BENZ C320 DIED IN LATE FEBRUARY 2008. DIAGNOSTICS WERE DONE AND THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED BY BY CHANDLER MERCEDES BENZ VIA ROADSIDE SERVICE. IN LATE MARCH I GOT INTO THE CAR TO GO TO WORK AND THE BATTERY WAS DEAD; CALLED ROADSIDE SERVICE. CHANDLER MB ARRIVED AND JUMP-STARTED THE CAR. MAY 5TH I …
Read full complaint
THE BATTERY IN MY 2002 MERCEDES BENZ C320 DIED IN LATE FEBRUARY 2008. DIAGNOSTICS WERE DONE AND THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED BY BY CHANDLER MERCEDES BENZ VIA ROADSIDE SERVICE. IN LATE MARCH I GOT INTO THE CAR TO GO TO WORK AND THE BATTERY WAS DEAD; CALLED ROADSIDE SERVICE. CHANDLER MB ARRIVED AND JUMP-STARTED THE CAR. MAY 5TH I GOT IN MY CAR TO GO TO WORK AND AGAIN, THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. CHANDLER MB ROADSIDE SERVICE AGAIN JUMP-STARTED THE CAR WHICH WAS THEN DELIVERED TO THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THE BATTERY WAS CHECKED AND THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS REVEALED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE POWER SEAT MODULE WAS DRAINING THE BATTERY. I REQUESTED A BATTERY THAT COULD POWER THE CAR. WAS TOLD THERE IS NO BATTERY THAT WILL POWER THE CAR, THE POWER SEAT MODULE MUST BE REPLACED TO THE TUNE OF $398.00 PLUS LABOR. I DID FURTHER RESEARCH AND DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A VERY WIDESPREAD PROBLEM IN THE MERCEDES C320, IN FACT MERCEDES BENZ IS NOW INSTALLING A DIFFERENT MODULE IN THE 2002 C320'S DUE TO THE EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WHEN I BUY A MERCEDES BENZ WITH A MERCEDES BENZ BATTERY AND A MERCEDES BENZ INSTALLED POWER SEAT MODULE, THERE SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT POWER TO DRIVE MY CAR. ASKING ME TO PAY OVER $400 TO REPLACE THEIR OWN PART BECAUSE IT DRAWS TOO MUCH POWER FROM THEIR OWN BATTERY AND THEN NOT MANUFACTURING A BATTERY THAT WILL PROVIDE THE REQUIRED POWER, IS VERY CONVENIENT FOR MERCEDES BENZ AND A GREAT WAY TO MAKE SOME VERY EASY MONEY, BUT WHEN I PAY $35,000 IN CONSIDERATION FOR A CAR AND THEY PROVIDE ME A CAR THAT DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO RUN, I BELIEVE THERE IS SOME FRAUD GOING ON AND FROM MY RESEARCH IT APPEARS THAT IT IS ON A VERY WIDESPREAD BASIS. JUST THE FACT THAT MERCEDES HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM BY SWITCHING TO A DIFFERENT MODULE, INDICATES THEY ARE AWARE THAT THEIR ORIGINAL PART IS DEFECTIVE AND I BELIEVE IT'S THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO BEAR THE COST TO REPLACE IT WITH THEIR REPLACEMENT MODULE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10227041
78,000 miles · Mar 25, 2008
Electrical System
2002 MERCEDES C320 BATTERY DIES EVERY 2-3 DAYS. NEEDS JUMP START EVERY 2-3 DAYS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10222229
82,200 miles · Feb 9, 2008
Electrical SystemSeats
I OWN A MERCEDES BENZ C320 AND LATELY I'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING SOME PROBLEMS, FEW WEEKS AGO, MY CAR WOULDN'T START ALL OF A SUDDEN. I JUMP STARTED AND I NOTICED 2 FAULTS .. ESP WARNING LIGHT AND LIGHT SENSOR ,FOR SOME REASONS SOMETHING WAS DRAINING MY BATTERY, I WENT AND PURCHASED A BRAND NEW BATTERY AND 2 DAYS LATER IT DID THE SA…
Read full complaint
I OWN A MERCEDES BENZ C320 AND LATELY I'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING SOME PROBLEMS, FEW WEEKS AGO, MY CAR WOULDN'T START ALL OF A SUDDEN. I JUMP STARTED AND I NOTICED 2 FAULTS .. ESP WARNING LIGHT AND LIGHT SENSOR ,FOR SOME REASONS SOMETHING WAS DRAINING MY BATTERY, I WENT AND PURCHASED A BRAND NEW BATTERY AND 2 DAYS LATER IT DID THE SAME THING AGAIN, I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A SEAT SENSOR THAT CAUSED IT,S O WE UNPLUGGED THE SEATS, EVERYTING SEAMED FINE FOR LIKE 4 TO 5 DAYS,WHILE I WAS DRIVING,THE CAR JUST CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP WOULD NOT MOVE,THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, I'VE COME TO REALIZE THAT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM, I HOPE THE GOVERNMENT WOULD DO THE RIGHT THING BY RECALLING THOSE VEHICLES. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10217517
Mileage unknown · Jan 13, 2008
Electrical System
ON MY MERCEDES BENZ C320, IF THE CAR IS NOT STARTED AT LEAST EVERY 12 HOURS, THE CAR WILL NOT START AND IT NEEDS A JUMP. THE CAR IS A 2002 AND HAS 51K MILES. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10214667
75,000 miles · Oct 31, 2007
Electrical System
THE LIGHTS ON MY DASH BOARD FLICKER AND DIM , MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE THE SPEEDOMETER AND OTHER INSTRUMENTS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10207557
Mileage unknown · Aug 29, 2007
Electrical SystemSeats
I HAVE A 2002 MERCEDES C320 AND THE CAR'S BATTERY KEEP DYING AND I HAVE TO JUMP START MY CAR EVERY DAY. BATTERY WAS REPLACED AND SAME PROBLEM HAPPENS AGAIN AND AGAIN. I WENT ONLINE AND FOUND OUT THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON WHO HAS THE PROBLEM. IT HAPPENS TO MANY MANY MANY PEOPLE - SEE ATTACHED LINK HTTP://WWW.BENZWORLD.OR…
Read full complaint
I HAVE A 2002 MERCEDES C320 AND THE CAR'S BATTERY KEEP DYING AND I HAVE TO JUMP START MY CAR EVERY DAY. BATTERY WAS REPLACED AND SAME PROBLEM HAPPENS AGAIN AND AGAIN. I WENT ONLINE AND FOUND OUT THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON WHO HAS THE PROBLEM. IT HAPPENS TO MANY MANY MANY PEOPLE - SEE ATTACHED LINK HTTP://WWW.BENZWORLD.ORG/FORUMS/W203-C-CLASS/1196568-MERCEDES-C320-BATTERY-DRAIN-4.HTML I HAVE PAID THE DEALER $375 JUST FOR THE DIAGNOSES WITH NOTHING FIXED AND ACCORDING TO THESE COMPLAINTS, EVEN AFTER THEY HAVE THE RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT, THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. IT SEEMS LIKE THEY SHOULD HAVE ALL THESE CARS RECALLED AND HAVE THE PROBLEM FIXED WHEN IT'S THEIR PRODUCTION/COMPONENT PROBLEM.
NHTSA ODI #10201076
45,800 miles · Feb 2, 2007
Electrical SystemSeats
BOTH INTERNAL SEAT CONTROL MODULES HAVE ELECTRICAL FAULT. TEST CODE 8E3L-K8NNQ. FOUND 1.66 AMP OF DRAW (OUT OF SPEC. RANGE) AMP DROP WHEN DISCONNECTED: PASSENGER SIDE TO: .1114 AND DRIVER SIDE: 0.59 MILLIAMPS. 1/13 ALARM SOUNDS AND BATTERY DIES. TECHNICIAN REPLACES BATTERY, BUT WARNS LIKELY TO HAPPEN AGAIN-MANY CASES. 1/16 SAME …
Read full complaint
BOTH INTERNAL SEAT CONTROL MODULES HAVE ELECTRICAL FAULT. TEST CODE 8E3L-K8NNQ. FOUND 1.66 AMP OF DRAW (OUT OF SPEC. RANGE) AMP DROP WHEN DISCONNECTED: PASSENGER SIDE TO: .1114 AND DRIVER SIDE: 0.59 MILLIAMPS. 1/13 ALARM SOUNDS AND BATTERY DIES. TECHNICIAN REPLACES BATTERY, BUT WARNS LIKELY TO HAPPEN AGAIN-MANY CASES. 1/16 SAME PROBLEM. CAR TAKEN TO OTHER M-B DEALERSHIP. DIAGNOSED AS ABOVE. REPLACED BOTH MODULES 1/25. DEALERSHIP HAD TROUBLE GETTING PART DUE TO UNUSUALLY HIGH VOLUME FOR THIS REPAIR. 18 MODULES GONE OR ON RESERVE IN ONE WEEK IN SANTA MONICA ALONE. MERCEDES CORPORATE OFFICE UNRESPONSIVE. CARMAX DENIES KNOWN FAULT, BUT REPORTS CUSTOMER WITH SAME COMPLAINT PREVIOUS WEEK. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10181428
55,000 miles · Dec 13, 2006
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling
2002 C320 MERCEDES BENZ WAGON CAR STALLED IN TRAFFIC WITHOUT WARNING IN CENTER LANE ON BUSY STREET -- AND WOULD NOT RESTART LEAVING CAR AND OCCUPANT VULNERABLE TO CRASH-- DUE TO FAILURE OF CRANK POSITION SENSOR. *JB
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.
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.
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.
2002 Mercedes Benz C320 Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year