2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class problems, complaints & recalls
NHTSA has received 15 owner complaints about the 2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, or 2.6 per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.06, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 85 model-year 2021 vehicles we track, it ranks #3 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Mercedes-Benz models its rate is 75% lower; against other Luxury sedans it is 49% lower.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Limited data: fewer than 30 complaints, so shares and indexes are unstable.
Complaints filed between 2022-02-23 and 2026-08-07. Median delay from incident to filing: 12 days.
Analysis
The previous model year (2020) drew 6.9 complaints per year, more than this one. The following model year (2022) drew 5.6 per year, more than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2021 model collected 1 complaints, 98% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Engine (53.3% of complaints), followed by Fuel system (20.0%) and Transmission / powertrain (6.7%). Engine complaints are 2.4 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. Within Engine reports, owners most often mention “cylinder head”, “engine”, “check”, “defect” and “illuminated”. No report describes a crash, fire, injury or death.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 53 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was years three to five (73% of incidents). 8 complaints were filed in the last 12 months.
NHTSA lists no safety recalls for this model year.
Complaint index
- vs. all tracked vehicles0.06
- vs. other Mercedes-Benz models0.25
- vs. other 2021 models0.07
- vs. other Luxury sedans0.51
- Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (1)0.02
- #3 of 85 · 2021Rankings ›
1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road.
What owners complain about
vs. all vehicles: 1.00 = All-vehicle average
Engine · Common terms in reports
- cylinder head4
- engine8
- check4
- defect3
- illuminated3
- diagnosed3
Problem areas: Engine · Electrical · Body & structure
When complaints were filed
- Crashes reported: 0
- Fires reported: 0
- Injuries: 0
- Deaths: 0
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 53 months
What owners report
The contact owns a 2021 Mercedes-Benz C 300. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, there was a loud knocking sound coming from the engine compartment while accelerating. There were no warning lights illuminated.
The contact owns a 2021 Mercedes Benz C. The contact stated that while driving on the highway, the vehicle began to lose power, riding rough. The check engine light illuminated.
I am reporting a safety defect involving the panoramic sunroof on my 2021Mercedes-Benz Coop vehicle. The panoramic sunroof has malfunctioned due to an apparent design or manufacturing defect.
The contact owns a 2021 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled and failed to exceed 30 MPH, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle did not require a restart.
Driving and something came from underneath the vehicle and cause me to swerve in all the airbags deployed
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · 2021 · Luxury sedans
| Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Audi A4 | 12 | 2.1 | 0.05 |
| 2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class | 15 | 2.6 | 0.06 |
| 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class | 20 | 3.5 | 0.08 |
| 2021 BMW 5 Series | 26 | 4.6 | 0.11 |
| 2021 BMW 3 Series | 33 | 5.8 | 0.14 |
| 2021 Lexus ES | 35 | 6.2 | 0.15 |
Safety recalls (0)
No recalls on record for this model year.
Investigations
No NHTSA investigation covers the tracked model years.
Frequently asked questions
How many complaints were filed for the 2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class?
15 complaints were filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, or about 2.6 per year on the road.
What is the most common problem reported for the 2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class?
The most common category is Engine, accounting for 53.3% of complaints.
Does the 2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class have any recalls?
NHTSA lists no safety recalls for this model year.
Is the 2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class still generating complaints?
8 complaints were filed in the last 12 months.
How does the 2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class compare with similar vehicles?
NHTSA has received 15 owner complaints about the 2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, or 2.6 per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.06, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 85 model-year 2021 vehicles we track, it ranks #3 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Mercedes-Benz models its rate is 75% lower; against other Luxury sedans it is 49% lower.