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Mercedes-Benz C320 Repair and Maintenance

Image for Mercedes Benz 2001 2005 Mercedes Benz C320

Model Years
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Q&A
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Car Reviews
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Problems
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Technical Service Bulletins

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Mercedes-Benz C320 Model Years

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Mercedes-Benz C320 Questions and Answers

1 answer

please help

heatherb, 2001 Mercedes-Benz C320, Memphis, TN

when i crank my car my eyes burn after sitting in the car about ten minutes. whats that. is that an exhaust peroblem. please respond with a answer. im lost with words on whats wrong and nobody know...

1 answer

tele aid draw

rcrdlr, 2001 Mercedes-Benz C320, Yakima, WA

My tele aid was checked at dealer and it has a fault is there any way to bypass or remove the unit. it drain my battery.

1 answer

tele aid

rcrdlr, 2001 Mercedes-Benz C320, Yakima, WA

if tele is unpluged and codes come up will the computer stay active searching for signal and still cause another draw to drain battery?

1 answer

concerning air condition

sarah bridges, 2001 Mercedes-Benz C320, Tylertown, MS

when the air condition is on, it blows out warm air. what are the signs of the compressor gone out.

1 answer

do i have to go to a mechanic

blessmebbb, 2002 Mercedes-Benz C320, Maplewood, NJ

how difficult would it be to change the bulb myself?

1 answer

resetting malfuntion light

benzo-fresh, 2004 Mercedes-Benz C320, Denton, TX

i unplugged the brake pad sensor after replacing the pads but the light still shows as a malfuntion, how do i get that light off?

1 answer

power seat

maxmugsymurphy, 2004 Mercedes-Benz C320, Browns Mills, NJ

when you take the key out of the ignition the seat used to go back.it stop doing that.all the elec seat functions work perfect other than that.whats wrong?

2 answers

air filters

maxmugsymurphy, 2004 Mercedes-Benz C320, Browns Mills, NJ

how many miles should they be changed

1 answer

locating oil drain plug

saah1017, 2001 Mercedes-Benz C320, Leominster, MA

where is the oil drain plug located and how does itlook like under the engine?

1 answer

The front passenger seat

moorec, 2002 Mercedes-Benz C320, Columbus, GA

The front passenger seat does not go all the way back. What could be the cause of that?

1 answer

Door lock mechanism

Hoku, 2002 Mercedes-Benz C320, Anaheim, CA

Driver side door lock mechanism does not go down/lock makes rattling noise. I tried using the key, the lock icon on dashboard. The other 3 doors lock and the alarm is activated but the door doesn't...

1 answer

Funny noise when car turns left going down into parking structure

lsmith, 2003 Mercedes-Benz C320, Los Angeles, CA

This started yesterday. I drive down into a parking structure turning left going down. My car started making a funny noise when making the left turns. Could this be a low power steering levil or...

1 answer

Seat Belt Issue

michellestepherson, 2001 Mercedes-Benz C320, Lawrenceville, GA

My passenger seat belt will no longer work. It is locked in place and will not release. I received an estimate that is really unbelievable...$600.00. Is this a fair estimate?

2 answers

rear brake rotors

jamieb, 2001 Mercedes-Benz C320, Dumfries, VA

How do you replace the rear rotor. It won't come off....

1 answer

a/c fan defrost panel on dash board not working.

vaishc, 2001 Mercedes-Benz C320, Greenwood, IN

When I try to turn on the fan it doesn't start. Till now it would start on and off. But now it doesn't start at all. If I have to defrost the rear or the front that doesn't start either. The whole ...

1 answer

Ticking noise

lsmith, 2003 Mercedes-Benz C320, Los Angeles, CA

I started hearing a ticking noise that sounds like a drop of water hitting the top of the car. It may be coming from the dash I am not sure. What do you think this is?

1 answer

mass air flow sensor

plummer49, 2001 Mercedes-Benz C320, Wayne, PA

how do I replace the sensor

Answer this

engine mounts, rear main seal, thrust arm bushings

nomoney, 2003 Mercedes-Benz C320, San Diego, CA

Why would engine mounts need to be replaced after only 10,000 miles? What causes a rear main seal to start to "seep" after only 67,000 miles? Why do the thrust arm bushings keep cracking?

1 answer

oil change

devin123, 2001 Mercedes-Benz C320, Cranston, RI

how many quarts of oil should i use because light is coming on that i have to drain some oil out i use 8 and 1 half thanks bob

1 answer

what kind of oil should i put in the car

cr4m, 2001 Mercedes-Benz C320, Fairport, NY

what kind of oil should i put in the car

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Mercedes-Benz C320 Car Reviews (4)

2002 Mercedes-Benz C320, WaHoople, Las Cruces, NM, November 17, 2009 15:45
I bought my C320 in 2007 with 42K on it. Good records on service history. I do my own work which I believe everyone should with the prices these dealers charge. It really is not hard, and you will save tons of $$$. There are many great sources for help and instruction on-line that are very useful. My problems have been: Shade for back window stopped working. I live in NM and it stopped working in the up position so I have not worried about it. The clicking caused by the broken actuator arm, a very common problem, clicks 5 times when the car is started. I can live with that. I also had the seat module go out , which drained the battery, another common problem. That one cost me $800 at the dealer. That's when I got serious about doing this stuff for myself. I love this car on long road trips. very comfortable and believe it or not, if the cruise control is set at 65, I have gotten upwards of 32mpg on numerous trips between Central California, North Central Washington and Souther New Mexico.
2001 Mercedes-Benz C320, michellestepherson, Lawrenceville, GA, September 22, 2009 05:19
Great car to drive, but be aware of the high maintenance fees.
2004 Mercedes-Benz C320, maxmugsymurphy, Browns Mills, NJ, August 06, 2009 08:52
i love this car! very smooth and fun to drive
2002 Mercedes-Benz C320, mbwagon, Las Vegas, NV, February 09, 2009 21:08
Love this Wagon!! Lot's of power and a great ride

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Mercedes-Benz C320 Problems

Brakes	Due to the size and materials of the brakes on these vehicles, the brakes start to squeak around the 50 percent wear point. The brake rotor surfaces become uneven, causing a lip to form at the outer edge of the rotor. Because of this, the rotors are usually replaced when the pads are worn (pad life varies depending on driving style and terrain). Brake fluid should be flushed every two years to prevent premature anti-lock brake system (ABS) failure.
Engine	Oil leaks from the PCV vent housings on the valve covers and inspection plates on the front of the engine are common. The rubber bond in the harmonic balancer can decay, which causes the balancer to move and work its way into the timing chain cover. If the balancer comes into contact with the timing cover while the engine is running, it will fracture and damage the timing case and potentially other surrounding parts. The harmonic balancer should be inspected at every service. Oil leaks from the oil level sensor are common. The crankshaft position sensors tend to fail. The crankshaft position sensors tend to fail. Symptoms of this are: The engine will crank—but not start—especially when the engine is warm. The car may start again if it is left to cool off, but it may run roughly or have poor performance. Communicating these specific symptoms to your technician can save diagnostic time.
Exhaust & Emissions	Bad spark plug wires can cause misfires; the Check Engine Light may illuminate. The mass air flow (MAF) sensor tends to fail. The engine air filter should be replaced when the mass air flow sensor is replaced; a dirty filter can allow debris to damage the new sensor. Catalytic converter failure is common and may cause a Check Engine Light to illuminate.
Suspension & Steering	Irregular and premature tire wear can be caused by the front thrust link bushings cracking and causing excessive movement in the suspension. The thrust link bushings are fluid-filled (to help reduce vibration), so if they crack, they will leak oil. Sway bar end link joints cause a knocking noise when going over bumps. The hold down nut for the upper front strut area can become loose, causing a knocking noise. This can be repaired without removing the strut assembly.
Drive Train	A vibration felt through the center floor of the vehicle can be caused by driveshaft flex discs, which crack and shred, causing excessive driveshaft movement. Not repairing these can cause damage to the driveshaft center support bearing, or, in the worst case scenario, damage to the transmission or differential. High mileage or older vehicles develop leaks at the differential seals and cover; the whole unit needs to be resealed to repair the leaks. The wire connector on the transmission leaks fluid into the wiring harness. If not repaired, the oil will migrate through the wiring harness and damage the transmission control module. A new harness and control module are required to fix the problem.
Electrical & Lights	Brake light switch failure can cause the ESP and BAS warnings to illuminate. A bad seat control module can cause a dead battery. Spilling liquid on the front seats can cause these modules to fail. CD changers suffer from internal mechanical problems and may need replacement. The SRS (airbag) light may illuminate if liquid is spilled into the seat belt buckles or pools underneath the seat and gets into the electrical connector for the seat belt pretensioners.
Heating & Air Conditioning	A repetitive clicking noise from behind the center area of the dash panel is usually caused by a broken stepper motor actuating arm. The actuating arm controls the direction of air flow in the climate control system. Disassembly of the center console will be required to access and change the broken arm with the updated, reinforced part. The heater case for the center vents can crack near the stop sensors. If the stops break, the control motor will not know when to stop and will run continuously. The heater box is susceptible to mildew buildup.

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Mercedes-Benz C320 Recalls and TSBs

Mercedes-Benz C320 Recalls (Recent)

Body, Interior & Misc.: AIR BAGS

Campaign Number: 05V560000

Dates Manufactured: 05/2004 to 11/2005

Number of Vehicles Affected: 61,000

Model Years Affected: 2005

Date Owner Notified: 03/2006

Defect Summary: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH SPORT MODEL STEERING WHEELS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." IN CERTAIN LOW RISK AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT TESTS CONDUCTED BY NHTSA, USING AN OUT-OF-POSITION UNBELTED 5TH PERCENTILE FEMALE CRASH TEST DUMMY, IRREGULARITIES WERE DEMONSTRATED INDICATING THAT OCCUPANTS MAY NOT BE PROPERLY PROTECTED IN A CRASH.

Consequence Summary: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, AN OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED WHICH COULD RESULT IN INJURIES.

Corrective Summary: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW AIR BAG INFLATOR MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 15, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

Recall Notes: MERCEDES-BENZ RECALL NO. 2006020005.CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION¿S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

Body, Interior & Misc.: SEAT BELTS

Campaign Number: 03V534000

Dates Manufactured: 08/2003 to 10/2003

Number of Vehicles Affected: 4,348

Model Years Affected: 2004

Date Owner Notified: 12/2003

Defect Summary: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, SOME SEAT BELT BUCKLES MAY HAVE A BURR ON A METAL COMPONENT OF THE LOCKING MECHANISM. THE PRESENCE OF THE BURR COULD PREVENT THE SEAT BELT FROM LOCKING UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.

Consequence Summary: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY.

Corrective Summary: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SEAT BELTS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON DECEMBER 22, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

Recall Notes: MERCEDES-BENZ RECALL NO. 2003 120006.CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION¿S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Electrical & Lights: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Campaign Number: 08V303000

Dates Manufactured: 11/2002 to 05/2008

Number of Vehicles Affected: 404

Model Years Affected: 2005

Defect Summary: MERCEDES-BENZ IS RECALLING MY 2006-2008 M-CLASS, R-CLASS, MY 2005-2009 SLK-CLASS, MY 2005-2008 C-CLASS, MY 2003-2004 AND 2006-2008 CLK-CLASS, MY 2003-2008 E-CLASS, MY 2004 AND 2008 CL-CLASS, MY 2008 CLS-CLASS, MY 2004 AND 2007-2008 S-CLASS, MY 2003 G-CLASS, AND MY 2003-2004, 2006 AND 2009 SL-CLASS VEHICLES. A SOFTWARE CALIBRATION NUMBER (SCN) CODING RECEIVED ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES DURING A RECENT WORKSHOP VISIT WAS INCORRECT. DEPENDING ON THE MODEL YEAR AND MODEL AFFECTED, THE RESULTS OF AN INCORRECT SCN CODING CAN AFFECT A NUMBER OF VEHICLE SAFETY AND EMISSION FUNCTIONS INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING TYPES OF FUNCTIONS: (1) THE FUEL GAUGE READINGS MAY BE INCORRECT; (2) A STUCK FUEL-LEVEL SENSOR MAY NOT BE DISPLAYED IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER; (3) THE OBD SYSTEM MAY CAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE INCORRECTLY; AND, (4) THE SPEEDOMETER MAY BE OUT OF TOLERANCE.

Consequence Summary: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE ELECTRICAL FUEL PUMP MAY NOT RECEIVE A CRASH SIGNAL THAT IS REQUIRED FOR THE FUEL PUMP TO DISCONNECT AND PREVENT FUTURE FUEL DELIVERY AS DESIGNED.

Corrective Summary: DEALERS WILL RECODE THE SCN FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING AUGUST 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

Recall Notes: MERCEDES-BENZ RECALL NO. 2008 070001.CUSTOMERS MAY CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

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Mercedes-Benz C320 Technical Service Bulletins (Recent)

None reported.

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