The 2008 Mercedes-Benz C Class has 4 recalls, the most serious involving the airbag system: the passenger frontal airbag can deploy with excessive force, and a separate controller fault can cause airbags and seatbelt pretensioners to fire unexpectedly or fail entirely in a crash.
The rear seatbelt system also has a concern: the locking mechanism in the outboard rear seats may not hold older child restraint seats securely, which means a child seat could move more than expected in a crash or sudden stop. This applies to child restraints that rely on the seatbelt to anchor them rather than the LATCH system. Rounding out the list, corrosion on a ground pin connector for the rear tail lamps can cause one or more lights to dim or go dark, including the brake lights and turn signals. A driver behind the vehicle may not see braking or turning intentions, and the car becomes harder to spot at night.
At a glance
What can fail
Heat and humidity can degrade the airbag propellant over time, causing the passenger airbag to deploy with excessive force in a crash, which could scatter fragments and damage the airbag assembly.
What the fix does
The dealer will replace the passenger frontal airbag module.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
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At a glance
What can fail
The airbag control unit may malfunction, causing airbags and seatbelt pretensioners to deploy unexpectedly when there's no crash, or fail to deploy during an actual crash.
What the fix does
The dealer will replace the airbag control unit with a corrected version.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Oxidation buildup on the ground pin connector for the rear tail lamps can cause dimming or complete loss of tail, brake, or turn signal functions.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the rear tail lamps and replace them if necessary.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The rear outboard seat belt locking mechanism may not work properly when used with older child car seats that lack LATCH connections.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the rear outboard seat belt assemblies to restore proper function.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
