Model year record

2008 Mercedes-Benz C63 recalls & problems

The 2008 Mercedes-Benz C63 has 3 safety recalls and 5 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is electrical system (2 complaints).

Recalls3safety recalls

Complaints5filed by owners

Crashes · fires0 · 0reported in complaints

Injuries · deaths0 · 0reported in complaints

Safety recalls

Air bagsMay 26, 2016

Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module

Recall 16V363000258,163 vehiclesopened after NHTSA action (ODI)

Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 C300 Sedan, C300 4matic Sedan, C350 Sedan, C63 AMG Sedan vehicles, 2010-2011 GLK350, GLK350 4-Matic and E350 Coupe vehicles, 2011 SLS AMG, E350 Convertible, E550 Coupe and E550 Convertible vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, MBUSA is recalling certain model year 2008 C300 Sedan, C350 Sedan, C63 AMG Sedan and C300 4-Matic Sedan vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Vehicles not originally sold or ever registered in either Zones A or B are not subject to this safety recall. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag modules, free of charge. Owners were sent an interim notification October 2016. A second notice will be mailed when remedy parts are available. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-877-496-3691.

Air bagsOct 27, 2015

Frontal › Sensor/control module-inactive

Recall 15V711000127,504 vehicles

Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2008-2009 C300 Sedan, C300 4Matic, C63 AMG, and C350 vehicles, and 2010 GLK350 and GLK350 4Matic vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the air bag control unit may corrode and cause the control unit to malfunction.
Risk: The malfunctioning air bag control unit may cause the air bags to unexpectedly deploy increasing the risk of injury and the possibility of a vehicle crash. Alternatively, the air bag control unit malfunction may cause the air bags to not deploy in the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, increasing the risk of occupant injury.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air bag control unit and replace it, as necessary, free of charge. Mercedes-Benz issued an interim notification to owners on December 23, 2015. The recall began on March 14, 2016. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.

Exterior lightingApr 11, 2014

Tail lights

Recall 14V177000252,867 vehiclesopened after NHTSA action (ODI)

Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (Mercedes) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 C300, C300 4Matic, C350, and C63 AMG vehicles manufactured January 26, 2007, through July 13, 2011. In the affected vehicles, a poor electrical ground connection may result in the dimming or failure of the tail lights.
Risk: Dimming or failure of the tail lights reduces the ability to warn other motorists of the driver's intentions of stopping or turning, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Mercedes will notify owners, and dealers will replace the bulb holders if not previously updated and replace any corroded connectors, free of charge. The recall began on August, 18, 2014. Owners may contact Mercedes at 1-800-367-6372.

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Fuel economy

C63 AMG

15mpg combined

City / highway	12 / 19 mpg
Fuel	Premium Gasoline

6.2 L · 8 cyl · Automatic (S7) · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $5,500/year to fuel

EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.

What owners report

Problem area	Complaints	Typical mileage*
Electrical system	2	—
Exterior lighting	2	—
Unknown or other	2	—
Fuel/propulsion system	1	—
Steering	1	—

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

Electrical system
THE ELECTRONIC STEERING CONTROL LOCK MODULE WENT OUT ON MY CAR. THIS SEEMS TO BE A REOCCURRING ISSUE WITH ANY "W204" 2008/2009 MERCEDES BENZ MODEL CAR. I'VE DOCUMENTED OVER A FEW HUNDRED CASES ALONE ON THE FORUMS ONLINE. THIS IS A DEALERSHIP ONLY FIX AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. BASICALLY, SECURITY SYSTEM IN THE CAR THAT LETS THE KEY COMMUNICATE WITH THE IGNITION SYSTEM GOES OUT AND THE CAR WILL NOT START. IT'S A $1200 FIX MINIMUM..
Jul 13, 2016 · 135,000 miles
Steering
MY 2008 MERCEDES AMG C63 HAD BEEN OPERATING WITHOUT FLAWS UNTIL RECENTLY, I PARKED, WENT IN THE GYM TO WORK OUT FOR 45 MINS. WHEN I CAME OUT AND TRIED TO START THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, WOULDN'T COME OUT OF PARK. LEFT ME STRANDED. I HAVE READ DOZENS OF COMPLAINTS ON THE MERCEDES-BENZ FORUMS ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE HAPPENING TO OTHER OWNERS OF 2008-2009 MERCEDES C63 SEDANS. MERCEDES HAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN LISTING THIS AS A COMMON OCCURRENCE, AND THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN LOCK HAS TO BE REPLACED(USUALLY BETWEEN $1200-1500). THIS IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURER DEFECT, AND SHOULD BE REPLACED UNDER RECALL, AS IT DRASTICALLY EFFECTS THE RELIABILITY AS WELL…
Jun 15, 2016 · 94,000 miles
Exterior lighting
THE PASSENGER TAIL LAMP BULB CARRIER, GROUND WIRE, AND CONNECTING PLASTIC HARNESS ALL MELTED CAUSING MY TAIL LAMPS TO APPEAR DIM AND EVENTUALLY MELTED TO THE POINT THE PASSENGER BRAKE LIGHTS, REAR RUNNING LAMPS, REAR PASSENGER TURN SIGNAL AND REAR FOG LAMP ALL COMPLETELY QUIT FUNCTIONING. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL MERCEDES BENZ DEALER AND THEY WOULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM UNDER WARRANTY OR GOOD WILL EVEN KNOWING IT TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. I PURCHASED THE PARTS THAT THEY CLAIMED HAVE BEEN UPDATED (ALTHOUGH THEY APPEAR TO BE EXACTLY THE SAME) AND HAD THEM REPLACED. TIME WILL TELL WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS A PERMANENT FIX TO THE PROBLEM. *TR
Jun 20, 2013 · 67,200 miles
Electrical system
REAR TAILLIGHTS STARTED SMOKING. IT WAS ALL BURNED OUT CAUSING REAR RIGHT TAILLIGHT TO MALFUNCTION. *TR
Dec 2, 2013 · 31,500 miles
Fuel/propulsion system
2008 C63 AMG-EVERY TIME FILL UP TANK THERE VERY STRONG GAS SMELL EVEN OUT DOOR. I TRACKED DOWN SMELL FROM UNDER BACK SEAT WHERE GAS TANK IS. OPEN BACK SEAT YOU WILL SEE WET SPOT FROM GAS LEAK. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS THAT CAR CAN GET CAUGHT ON FIRE. I RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND MANY MERCEDES HAS SAME ISSUE AND BEEN TOLD BY DEALER THAT IT TEAR AND WEAR, AND USER RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIR. MY CAR IS 2008 C63 AMG, ONE OF TOP C CLASS MODEL, WITH 50,000 MILES. THE GAS TANK SHOULD LAST MUCH LONGER THAN 50,000 MILE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR MERCEDES OR EVEN ANY BRAND. *TR
Jan 26, 2013 · 50,000 miles

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

Loss of rear lighting assemblyClosedLed to recall 14V177000
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened an investigation based on consumer allegations of loss of rear lighting in model year (MY) 2008-2011 Mercedes Benz C-Class vehicles.Complainants alleged that one or both rear lighting assemblies fail to illuminate (i.e., all lights housed within the assembly extinguish, including the stop, tail, and turn signal functions) or illuminate dimly.In some reports, complainants also alleged that the failure was accompanied by a burning smell emanating from the trunk of the vehicle.When examined, these vehicles showed evidence of overheating at the lighting assembly harness connector, including damaged (blackened) wiring and plastic.The rear lighting failures typically involved one side of the vehicle however in some cases both assemblies failed (although probably not simultaneously).ODI identified 5 fire and one injury allegations during the…
EA13008 · opened Dec 20, 2013 · closed May 12, 2014
Loss of rear tail light functionalityClosed
ODI initially received 21 reports of rear light assembly failure due to a melted electrical connector or housing.Since opening the initial , ODI has received a total of 114 complaints reflecting an ongoing and increasing trend.In each report, one or both rear light assemblies fail completely (i.e., all lights housed within the assembly extinguish, including the stop, tail, and turn signal functions) when the electrical ground connection is compromised as a result of high resistance and subsequent thermal over-heating.According to Mercedes-Benz, the over-heating of the ground wire is caused by corrosion between the connectors in the ground circuit to the tail light.ODI is aware of a total of 5 reports alleging fire including one injury allegation as a result of this issue.Analysis of subject vehicle complaint data indicates an increased likelihood of failure as the vehicles age.As a…
PE13026 · opened Jul 11, 2013 · closed Dec 30, 2013