2013 Mercedes-Benz C250 Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about air bag recalls — especially passenger-side inflator campaigns where parts were reportedly unavailable for long periods — and about a recurring engine timing problem involving the camshaft adjusters and chain. Many also describe hesitation or loss of power during acceleration, which often traces to the high-pressure fuel pump or the timing components. Most complaints arrive between roughly 40,000 and 90,000 miles, with a mix of gradual symptoms and sudden stall or no-start events.

1. 1
   Engine

   Camshaft adjuster and timing chain wear

   • 37 complaints (13%)
   • median 72,000 mi at 6.8 yrs old (26 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $4,200 (median of 9 quotes)
   • filed 2014–2025

   Owners describe a rattle or grinding from the engine on cold start, cranking that takes longer than normal, a check engine light (often with a camshaft position sensor code), and rough running or misfires. In several complaints the dealer or an independent shop diagnosed worn camshaft adjusters, a stretched timing chain or a failing tensioner, with repair estimates in the thousands. Some note that a warranty extension on the adjuster exists but that age or mileage limits can exclude the car. Mostly reported between about 40,000 and 100,000 miles, often noticed first as a rattle at cold start.

   6 related service bulletins

   What to check: Listen for a rattle in the first seconds after a cold start and ask for service records showing whether the camshaft adjusters, chain and tensioner were replaced. Ask whether any extended warranty coverage still applies to the vehicle.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My car has 47k mileage and the check engine light was on a few weeks ago. The error code was p0340 camshaft position sensor circuit malfunction. The mercedes benz dealer technicians checked the check and found that the issue was caused by timing chain and they had to replace it. I did research online and found lots of mb C250 2012 and 2013 cars with similar mileage (40k to 60k) had exact same issue as mine. It can cause cranky start, failure to accelerate while driving and losing power. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11091230, filed 2018-05, 47,000 miles

   “Hello, I bought my car from local dealer, used with 69k miles. Delivered it with check engine light. Dealer claimed it was low windshield washer fluid. I test drive it and took car to my house. After a month, I went to mercedes benz service station where I found out the camshaft adjuster is out. Costing another $4900. I research more on this issue; this is a flaw in the mercedes m271 engine. After a certain amount of mileage, the camshaft and timing chain have been malfunctioning in most mercedes C250 cars. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11374350, filed 2020-11, 69,000 miles
2. 2
   Air bags

   Air bag recalls with parts unavailable for repair

   • 142 complaints (51%)
   • median 62,000 mi at 5.5 yrs old (23 state mileage)
   • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2012–2026

   Owners describe receiving recall notices for the front passenger air bag inflator and then being told by dealers that the replacement parts were not yet in stock, sometimes for a year or more. Some report waiting on more than one campaign at a time and being refused a loaner or interim fix. A smaller group says a recall repair was declined because the dealer attributed the fault to something else, and some describe air bags that did not deploy in a crash or that deployed unexpectedly. Reported across a wide mileage range, mostly between about 30,000 and 90,000 miles.

   Recall 21V638000Recall 19V010000Recall 18V043000Recall 17V6270001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask the dealer to run the VIN and confirm which open air bag campaigns remain, and whether the passenger inflator has actually been replaced. Get the completed recall work in writing before purchase.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Mercedes benz has recalled my vehicle, however, refusing to repair it as they claim there is no fix yet available to the passenger's side front airbag. Can you assist in getting mercedes to take action in getting this vehicle repaired? I ahve been patiently waiting for more than one year to get this issue resolved.”

   NHTSA complaint #11298905, filed 2020-01, 60,000 miles

   “I was advised 2 plus years ago by delray beach, fl.mercedes benz dealer that an airbag recall was in effect on my mercedes benz. I have visited the dealer, now owned by auto nation, multiple times only to be told parts were (still) not in stock. I subsequently corresponded with the ceo ag daimler, stuttgart, germany. His first response to me was it's not daimler ag's problem rather mercedes benz USA. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11317525, filed 2020-03, 62,000 miles
3. 3
   Fuel system

   Hesitation, loss of power and stalling

   • 50 complaints (18%)
   • median 61,000 mi at 5.5 yrs old (40 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $4,150 (median of 7 quotes)
   • filed 2013–2025

   Owners report that the car hesitates for a second or more when the accelerator is pressed, then surges or jerks, and that on the highway it can lose speed or shut down and restart normally. Several complaints state that a dealer or independent shop traced the behavior to a failing high-pressure fuel pump, sometimes with a check engine light; others report the dealer found no fault and reset the computer. Some describe the car dropping into limp mode. Reported from as low as a few thousand miles up to about 90,000 miles, in mixed city and highway driving.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: During a test drive, accelerate firmly from a stop and from about 50 mph and note any delay or surge. Ask whether the high-pressure fuel pump has been replaced and whether any warranty extension on it applies.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Whenever I accelerate engine light comes up and it turns into limp mode.this is a serious safety issue, alot of other people with the same vehicle as me are having same issues. This has happened more than 3 times, this is a error in high pressure fuel pump.”

   NHTSA complaint #11302785, filed 2020-01, 89,000 miles

   “I was driving on the freeway i10 I was doing 65 MPH I try to pass a car so I accelerated the car but the car was not getting the power and my check engine light came on so I safely pull out of the freeway and inspected the car with a scanner and it showed a code so I search in google and it appears a failure of the high pressure fuel pump, I managed to take the car to my house disconnected the battery and the check engine light disappeared but the RPM's where irregular and the acceleration was failing more often. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11385780, filed 2020-12, 90,000 miles
4. 4
   Steering

   Steering wheel hard to turn or locked (steering lock)

   • 11 complaints (4%)
   • median 71,578 mi at 7.6 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2017–2024

   Owners describe the steering becoming stiff or difficult to turn while driving, or the wheel locking while parked so the car could not be started. Complaints mention an electronic steering lock diagnosis with a repair bill around a thousand dollars, and one links the stiffness to a steering coupling recall. Others describe warning messages about steering malfunction appearing after start-up. Generally reported between about 65,000 and 100,000 miles.

   Recall 17V2520005 related service bulletins

   What to check: Confirm whether the steering coupling bolt recall (17V252000) was completed, and check that the wheel turns freely and the car cranks normally without a steering malfunction message.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My car was parked at the mall, when I went to the car to start it the engine would not turn on. Had to get the car towed to a mechanic. I had to replace the steering wheel immobilizer.”

   NHTSA complaint #11324561, filed 2020-05, 100,000 miles

   “While pulling into garage, the steering wheel locked in place and would not turn. The dealer diagnosed a faulty esl (electronic steering lock), the repair was completed at a cost to me of $1,140.70. Mercedes benz USA refused to reimburse.”

   NHTSA complaint #11414261, filed 2021-04, 74,156 miles
5. 5
   Body and structure

   Interior door handle breaks, door hard to open from inside

   • 15 complaints (5%)
   • median 63,000 mi at 5.1 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2017–2022

   Owners report the inside driver's door handle snapping or becoming loose so the door cannot be opened from the inside; they describe having to lower the window and use the outside handle. One complaint also notes the rear doors stay locked after automatic locking engages, requiring the driver to unlock them electronically. Reported between roughly 32,000 and 138,000 miles.

   What to check: Open and close each door from the inside several times and feel for a loose or mushy handle; ask whether any interior door panel or handle has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Problem: I'm unable to open my driver door from the inside. I have to roll down my window to open my driver door. How did this happen? I opened my car door. When I got back on the inside door handle was loose. Contact with dealer: I went to the dealer to rectify problem. They told me I had to replace my interior door panel - which I have no issue with. However, the service advisor told me that location did not have the panel I needed and mercedes was no longer making the part for this 2013 vehicle. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11093560, filed 2018-05, 138,500 miles

   “Inside drivers door handle broke at the attach point to cable. On inspection found that handle is manufactured in such a way that it does not have enough material in the body of the joint to maintain integrity for such a high use item. This presents a danger as the handle will fail and could fail in a dangerous situation, trapping the driver in the car.”

   NHTSA complaint #11051131, filed 2017-11, 28,000 miles

Buying note. Check the VIN for open air bag and steering campaigns and confirm the work was actually completed, since parts availability was a recurring complaint. Also budget for a pre-purchase inspection focused on cold-start engine noise, timing components and fuel pump behavior, as those are the most frequently reported mechanical concerns on this model year.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.