1996 Mercedes-Benz C280 Recalls
No NHTSA recalls on record for the 1996 Mercedes-Benz C280. That means NHTSA has no open safety campaign for this vehicle — it does not guarantee the absence of problems. Owners have filed 8 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the electrical system. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Complaints by component
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.
“My 1996 mercedes-benz c280 is leaking oil and radiator cap(expansion trank cap replacement cooling system flush thermostat replacement because my antifreeze coolant is running out on me faster than ever,module is year affected and it needs a value job and it needs a head gasket.”
“My 1996 mercedes-benz c280 is leaking oil and radiator cap(expansion trank cap replacement cooling system flush thermostat replacement because my antifreeze coolant is running out on me faster than ever,module is year affected and it needs a value job and it needs a head gasket.”
“My neighbor woke me up telling me my car was on fire smoke was coming out of the trunk and so I got the waterhose and started spraying water in the trunk but it wouldn't stop or put out the fire so I called 911 and the fire department came and had to spray some chemicals all over in the car to put…”
“My neighbor woke me up telling me my car was on fire smoke was coming out of the trunk and so I got the waterhose and started spraying water in the trunk but it wouldn't stop or put out the fire so I called 911 and the fire department came and had to spray some chemicals all over in the car to put…”
“My neighbor woke me up telling me my car was on fire smoke was coming out of the trunk and so I got the waterhose and started spraying water in the trunk but it wouldn't stop or put out the fire so I called 911 and the fire department came and had to spray some chemicals all over in the car to put…”
“Tl* the contact owns a 1996 mercedes-benz c280. While driving 70 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the wiring harness was defective. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer…”
“Well, I have a 1996 mecedes benz c280 havimg a very difficult time get it starting so I'll put it in the shop for repair,and the mechanic said you're have a very bad ignition wiring harness,he said check and see if they have recall on that year of mecedes benz of the years,and they dose,1994-1996…”
“Well, I have a 1996 mecedes benz c280 havimg a very difficult time get it starting so I'll put it in the shop for repair,and the mechanic said you're have a very bad ignition wiring harness,he said check and see if they have recall on that year of mecedes benz of the years,and they dose,1994-1996…”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1996 Mercedes-Benz C280 as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.