2017 Mercedes-Benz C-Class: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 251 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 0 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
251
Complaints
0
Recalls
12
Crash reports
3
Fire reports
16
Injuries
77.3
Severity index
Severity index 77.3 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 136 2017 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2017 Mercedes-Benz C-Class ranks 53 of 136 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 61% of its model-year peers. See the full 2017 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 82 | 32.7% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 37 | 14.7% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 35 | 13.9% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 32 | 12.7% |
| STRUCTURE | 26 | 10.4% |
| SEAT BELTS | 26 | 10.4% |
| AIR BAGS | 18 | 7.2% |
| STEERING | 15 | 6.0% |
The single most-reported system is ENGINE, cited in 82 of 251 complaints (32.7%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 21 |
| 2018 | 15 |
| 2019 | 14 |
| 2020 | 13 |
| 2021 | 31 |
| 2022 | 34 |
| 2023 | 56 |
| 2024 | 40 |
| 2025 | 23 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 3 |
Complaint volume is rising - the last three years carry 1.5x the filings of the three before them, which usually signals a wear-related defect surfacing with age.
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.