The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes Benz C300. The contact stated that the vehicle would not start and the steering wheel seized. The dealer stated that the steering lock/ignition component needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 83,000.

- Colleyville, TX, USA

While on highway I noticed burning plastic smell coming from rear of car. When I pulled over and opened my trunk, I noticed that the tail light was smoking. When I detached the lighting plate I noticed that the brown wire connector had melted through the lighting plate and that all of my tail lights were very dim.

- Katy, TX, USA

Good morning, I am emailing you regarding an incident that occurred on May 13, 2014 on the lie 495. My vehicle, a 208 Mercedes C300 stalled in the emergency lane and the wheel locked soon afterward. I was unable to move my car, causing a very dangerous situation for me. I want to make sure that this situation goes noticed. This issue consists in these vehicles and I urge for it to get recalled. The issue is the "steering lock column". this causes the wheel to lock and become immovable. I am aware that an incident such as mine happened to a friend who has the same vehicle. It is not safe and needs to be fixed before it risks somebody else's life. Thank you for your time.

- Plainview, NY, USA

Numerous light issues connected to the rear and front lighting. Dimming - low strength - and complete non-function of the rear lights and front lights also. So many events that required repairing. Incidents with law enforcement requiring repair. Inability to utilize the vehicle in the evening. It was a great car - but I felt a lack of confidence in it's safety because of and what I perceived as electrical issues. I decided, after much consideration, that the car needed to be traded in. It was purchased by [xxx]in newport beach. Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Glendale, CA, USA

The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes Benz C-300. The contact stated while driving 5 mph, the engine stalled. The problem recurred three times. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer. The technician diagnosed that the ignition system was defective and needed to be repaired. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 66,000.

- Plantation, FL, USA

Right tail light warning signals appeared, upon examining the tail light connection it appeared burned and melted. All right tail lights were out including signaling.

- Bethesda, MD, USA

Tail light connectors overheat and melted the light holder assembly. Fire risk.

- Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

Good afternoon. I currently own a 2008 C300. I noticed my rear tail light warning indicator came on about a month ago. Upon checking the bulb, I noticed the jacket on one of the wires going into the connector was frayed. I put some electrical tape on it hoping that would solve the issue. 1 month later, I am now having the same issue again. I went to check on the light and noticed the fraying was growing worse and the wire was so hot I was concerned it was going to start a fire. I have since removed the bulb to prevent a fire from starting. In doing some research, it seems as though this is a common issue on this vehicle. Being that this is a pretty significant safety hazard and could potentially lead to a fire and even the loss of life, I am curious how and why there is not a recall on this defect. If you have any information on this issue please let me know. Thank you

- Providence, RI, USA

I began to get warnings that the left rear tail light brake light and turn signal was malfunctioning. The left rear signal indicator in the dash blinked rapidly, and the computer gave warning message. When I removed the bulb panel I noticed that the wiring harness plug was burnt and the plastic housing that held the bulbs was burnt. The brown wire on the end of the harness connector was burnt and the metal tab that the connector connected to was melted along with the plastic plug.

- Byron, GA, USA

The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes Benz C300. The contact stated that the passenger side tail light failed to illuminate. The contact stated that the bulbs were changed on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the brake wiring harness and the lighting board needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 54,000 and the current mileage was 70,000.

- Hollywood, FL, USA

The rear wiring for the tail light lighting sparked. While driving the car smelled strongly of burning plastic. After a quick look over I didn't see anything alarming. The very next day all of the lighting on the rear right tail lights went out, all indicators came on in the dash showing that all bulbs were malfunctioning. After pulling the housing unit out, I found that the wire was burned and so was the unit the wires attached to; melted and burned. Wiring should not catch on fire, this could have easily spread and when taken to the dealer to fix, they cut the wire to attach more but cannot guarantee that it won't happen again.

- Portland, OR, USA

Rear passenger tail lights in my 2008 C300 were dim and got dash warning light to check rear lights. A couple bulbs were out so when I looked at the assembly and pushed on it the lights that were out lit up temporarily and I noticed the cable harness that plugs in it was corroded on the end and the brown wire at the end was exposed (melted?) and the black plug looks warped (melted?), looks like a common problem based on forum reports.

- Wayne, NJ, USA

Right side taillight wiring melting, lights not working.

- Shreveport, LA, USA

Dash panel read an error of tail lights, brake lights, turn signal lights out on right side. Drove home from work, approximately 3 miles, smelled wires burning. Waited took car to autozone to get bulbs replaced. By the time I arrived, there was smoke coming from the compartment. The light assembly had caught fire and burned the plug and the board.

- Tallahassee, FL, USA

My rear back tail light wiring panel fried. The light is not working at all and when I called manhattan Mercedes dealership they told me there is not an appointment available two weeks from 3/7/2014 then I called the dealership in brooklyn and they told me they did not have any appointments either so I just showed up there and they told me that due to my tail light being fully out I am not aloud to drive my car since its a safety issues but they did nothing to help me out and told me that they will have to order the part even though it is a recall then they told me I would have to pay around $ 400 dollars for the parts and labor but still they had no appointment for me to come in and fix it is 3/25/2014 and I still have a broken car and no way of driving it or fixing it because no other shop will take my car in since it is a dealer issue.

- Staten Island, NY, USA

Received warning on dash to check rear driver tail light. Took the car in to the dealer to get it checked out and was told the wires from the tail light were melted from the electrical panel and my car is running on back up lights. The only solution is to replace the entire electrical back light system since the melted wires would eventually damage the entire brake light system. The cost to repair $900. Car smells burnt inside, and in the trunk. I am afraid of a fire, and getting rear ended if my brake lights stop working.

- Tampa, FL, USA

As I was stopped at a red light both my wife, kids and myself smelled a strong odor in the cabin of the car. It was worse towards the back seat where the kids were. I immediately pulled over and got the family out of the vehicle (Mercedes Benz C300 2008) and saw that grey smoke was coming out of the trunk of the car. When I opened the trunk I noticed that the smoke was coming out of the right tail light. The cable that feeds electricity to that panel shorted and caused a small fire which turned off the minute I shut the vehicle down. I then tried pulling out the cable from the light panel and it did not budge because it melted and fused together with the light panel.

- Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

Getting instrument cluster messages about tail and brake lights to be checked. I replaced bulbs and have the same messages. I understand that the sensor monitors resistance and the bulbs may be fine. Getting message for both sides now and I am very concerned reading some of the other responses that we have a defect in this car that could cause injuries or fires, this should definitely be a recall from Mercedes. Danger! danger!

- Scottsdale, AZ, USA

Right & left rear tail light assembly wiring harness plugs have melted where attached to the tail lamp assembly, causing brake, turn signal, hazard, and running lamps to not work intermittently. Brown wires get too hot to touch. Safety issue with electrical connectors.

- Avon, OH, USA

Randomly I started receiving check bulb messages for the rear lights on both sides of my car. I didn't think much of it as I don't think they had ever been changed so I changed them and all was fine and then a few weeks later the messages started to pop up again. I rechecked the bulbs to make sure they were securely in place and they were so I started doing a little research and discovered that this was a known issue. Presently the entire left rear side is out and it looks like the wiring has overheated and been singed (looks like it had burned).when calling all the local southern cali dealerships (orange county/long beach) none of them will admit to it being a widespread problem and fixing it for free because the parent company, Mercedes Benz, hasn't yet. I have no desire to pay for a problem that should have never occurred in the first place. My major concern is about potential fires in the trunk due to this. All it will take is one spark to catch on something in the trunk and then well car is on fire. As much a Mercedes Benz claims to be about safety, I'm shocked, one at the design flaw and two that they are going through the motions of pretending like the thousands of owners who have reported this are making it up. They need to get on this asap.

- Huntington Beach, CA, USA