2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 584 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 0 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
584
Complaints
0
Recalls
8
Crash reports
7
Fire reports
10
Injuries
33.2
Severity index
Severity index 33.2 - Low. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 129 2012 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class ranks 111 of 129 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 14% of its model-year peers. See the full 2012 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 312 | 53.4% |
| SUSPENSION | 73 | 12.5% |
| ENGINE | 69 | 11.8% |
| STRUCTURE | 62 | 10.6% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 36 | 6.2% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 28 | 4.8% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 27 | 4.6% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 26 | 4.5% |
The single most-reported system is AIR BAGS, cited in 312 of 584 complaints (53.4%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 5 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 7 |
| 2016 | 5 |
| 2017 | 134 |
| 2018 | 93 |
| 2019 | 116 |
| 2020 | 40 |
| 2021 | 23 |
| 2022 | 73 |
| 2023 | 41 |
| 2024 | 23 |
| 2025 | 17 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 2 |
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.