Mercedes-Benz C-Class years to avoid
Every Mercedes-Benz C-Class model year on file (2012-2024), ranked worst to best by severity index - the share of owner complaints that report a crash, fire, injury or fatality.
2020
Worst year on file
82.8
Severity index
Engine
Most-reported system
2015
Cleanest year on file
Ranked worst to best
| # | Model year | Severity | Complaints | Most-reported system |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2020 Mercedes-Benz C-Class | 82.8 High | 46 | Engine |
| 2 | 2014 Mercedes-Benz C-Class | 78.4 Medium | 284 | Air Bags |
| 3 | 2017 Mercedes-Benz C-Class | 74.5 Medium | 253 | Engine |
| 4 | 2024 Mercedes-Benz C-Class | 66.9 Medium | 15 | Electrical System |
| 5 | 2023 Mercedes-Benz C-Class | 61.1 Medium | 26 | Forward Collision Avoidance |
| 6 | 2013 Mercedes-Benz C-Class | 58.6 Medium | 574 | Air Bags |
| 7 | 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class | 57.9 Medium | 26 | Electrical System |
| 8 | 2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class | 53.0 Medium | 15 | Engine |
| 9 | 2019 Mercedes-Benz C-Class | 45.2 Low | 79 | Engine |
| 10 | 2016 Mercedes-Benz C-Class | 43.8 Low | 318 | Engine |
| 11 | 2018 Mercedes-Benz C-Class | 42.2 Low | 130 | Engine |
| 12 | 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class | 37.1 Low | 587 | Air Bags |
| 13 | 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class | 34.8 Low | 449 | Engine |
A high rank here means a larger share of this year's complaints described a crash, fire or injury - not that the vehicle is unsafe to drive, and not a reliability or repair-cost rating. Complaint counts are not normalised by units sold.
Mercedes-Benz C-Class complaints and recalls by year
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crashes | Fires | Severity | Most-reported system |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 587 | 0 | 8 | 7 | 37.1 Low | AIR BAGS |
| 2013 | 574 | 0 | 23 | 7 | 58.6 Medium | AIR BAGS |
| 2014 | 284 | 0 | 20 | 4 | 78.4 Medium | AIR BAGS |
| 2015 | 449 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 34.8 Low | ENGINE |
| 2016 | 318 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 43.8 Low | ENGINE |
| 2017 | 253 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 74.5 Medium | ENGINE |
| 2018 | 130 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 42.2 Low | ENGINE |
| 2019 | 79 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 45.2 Low | ENGINE |
| 2020 | 46 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 82.8 High | ENGINE |
| 2021 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 53.0 Medium | ENGINE |
| 2022 | 26 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 57.9 Medium | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM |
| 2023 | 26 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 61.1 Medium | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE |
| 2024 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 66.9 Medium | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM |
Source. NHTSA public complaint and recall APIs. Complaint counts are not normalised by units sold; a high-volume seller will attract more filings than a rare trim.