2008 Mercedes-Benz C350 defect investigations

Investigations by NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation that name the 2008 Mercedes-Benz C350. An investigation is how complaints can become a recall: complaints → investigation → (sometimes) TSB → recall.

• Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
  Engineering Analysis EA21002 · opened Sep 17, 2021 · still open

  From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to…

• Loss of rear lighting assembly
  Engineering Analysis EA13008 · opened Dec 20, 2013 · closed May 12, 2014 · led 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, …

• Loss of rear tail light functionality
  Preliminary Evaluation PE13026 · opened Jul 11, 2013 · closed Dec 30, 2013

  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 wi…