2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class problems and recalls

Owner complaints on the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class include 1 fatality report, 8 crashes and 7 fires across 586 filings.

586
Complaints
0
Recalls
8
Crash reports
7
Fire reports
10
Injuries
37.2
Severity index

Severity index 37.2 Low. The index weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints. How it is calculated.

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 37.2p25 46p75 80cleanestworst
Severity index against the quartile range for all tracked vehicles.

Ranked 125 of 130 by severity index among 2012 vehicles with at least 40 complaints, highest first. 4% of those vehicles scored lower. Full 2012 ranking.

Components cited in complaints

Air BagsAir Bags: 312 complaints (53.2%)312 53%SuspensionSuspension: 74 complaints (12.6%)74 13%EngineEngine: 69 complaints (11.8%)69 12%StructureStructure: 62 complaints (10.6%)62 11%Unknown Or OtherUnknown Or Other: 36 complaints (6.1%)36 6%Fuel/Propulsion SystemFuel/Propulsion System: 28 complaints (4.8%)28 5%Service BrakesService Brakes: 27 complaints (4.6%)27 5%Electrical SystemElectrical System: 27 complaints (4.6%)27 5%
A single complaint can cite more than one component, so shares total over 100%.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
AIR BAGS31253.2%
SUSPENSION7412.6%
ENGINE6911.8%
STRUCTURE6210.6%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER366.1%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM284.8%
SERVICE BRAKES274.6%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM274.6%

Complaints filed per year

0701402012: 52013: 32014: 22015: 72016: 52017: 1342018: 932019: 1162020: 402021: 232022: 732023: 412024: 232025: 172026: 4 (partial year)121314151617134181920212223242526
Complaints by the calendar year they were filed. The hatched bar is the current year to date.
YearComplaints
20125
20133
20142
20157
20165
2017134
201893
2019116
202040
202123
202273
202341
202423
202517
2026 (year to date)4
Filings in 2023 to 2025 ran 0.6x those in 2020 to 2022 (81 against 136).

Other Mercedes-Benz C-Class model years

Severity index for every other model year on file. Compare all 13 years side by side.

Source. NHTSA public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-09-03. Complaints are unverified consumer reports. Totals vary with units sold and years on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.