The 2008 Mercedes-Benz C Class has 4 recalls, the most serious involving two separate airbag concerns: a passenger frontal airbag that can deploy with excessive force, and a fault in the restraint system controller that can trigger airbags and seatbelt pretensioners without warning or prevent them from firing in a crash.
The rear seatbelt locking mechanism may not perform correctly when used with older non-LATCH child restraints, meaning the belt may not properly secure the child seat in a collision. There is also a lighting concern where corrosion on the rear lamp ground connector can dim or knock out tail lights, brake lights, or turn signals, making the vehicle harder for other drivers to see and reducing the visibility of braking or turning intentions.
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.
