Last week just before Thanksgiving my car of 134,000 miles wouldn't start. Had it towed to my mechanic only to find out like so many others that the Electronic Steering Module(ESL) is $1,500 defective. Yet with this being a common issue there is no recall. guess I'm going to a Toyota.

- Shawnee, KS, USA

i was driving in the highway 50 mph and i was braking and my car slipped in the other line of the highway and almost had and accident !!!! and cars switched off when driving almost had incident!!!! i saw that many people have the say problem like me about rusted component please do something because people are losing their lifes.

- Pelham, NY, USA

While driving and when parked the headlights flicker on and off. I have no headlights while driving at night, during adverse weather conditions and during dawn hours. I could crash into other drivers, or they could crash into me because they can-??t see me. When a parking bulb blows it fuses and melts everything together causing the replacement of the entire headlight unit, this has happened twice.

- Snellville, GA, USA

The contact owns a 2009 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start after several attempts. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the ignition switch and the steering lock had failed and needed to be replaced. The local dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the parts were available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 175,000.

- Dacula, GA, USA

Steering lock malfunction and unable to start car. Vehicle has completely shut down.

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

electrical ignition switch and electronic steering lock the component malfunctioned with no symptoms. i got stranded for 5 hours past midnight car has been inspected by a shop and Mb dealer no warning lights and no symptoms

- Rowland Heights, CA, USA

Rear passenger tail light housing melted together the connector/ harness to the housing. Limiting the power to the light bulbs and or blowing them before they should be burnt out or not working at all periodically. Effectively limiting the safety of having the brake light or parking lights or even the blinker work like they're supposed too

- Omaha, NE, USA

My vehicle continuously gives me warning/alert messages of headlight/signal/parking lamp issues. Upon inspection and taken to certified, reliable Mercedes repair shops, lights are fully functioning, yet alerts continue on my display/dash. More importantly the electronic steering lock (esl) has failed on more than once costing very considrable amounts of repair bills, and it has happened without warning, I parked the car which has been perfectly maintained and with low mileage, and the steering wheel locks, making it almost impossible to even have it towed to be repaired.

- Studio City, CA, USA

Car was parked by side walk next to my house. Inserted the key in the ignition and turned it. The car did not start, and the steering wheel was locked. No lights flashed on the dashboard. Car had to be towed on truck bed since it's rear-wheel drive. Dealer told me it's the ignition switch lock cylinder. Cost $1500 to fix. This is a manufacturer's defect. Not fair.

- Oxnard/Ventura, CA, USA

My eis/esl went out in the middle of no where. It's a common issue for Mercedes and it plagues every Mercedes. It's a safety harzard and happens to a lot of people. Mercedes also charges $1500 out of warranty to get it fixed when it's a common issue and should be recalled and repaired.

- Savage, MN, USA

The contact owns a 2009 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that the anti-theft system failed and caused the contact to not be able to start the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to Mercedes-Benz of marietta (810 cobb parkway, marietta ga 30060, (770) 783-5171) to be diagnosed. The mechanic located the failure code at the electronic ignition switch and informed the contact that the ignition switch needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage 140,000.

- Stone Mountain, GA, USA

The contact owns a 2009 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while in a parking lot and attempting to drive the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that a message on the instrument panel indicated to remove the key from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the key was not recognized. The contact was informed that the electronic steering module failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

- Chicago, IL, USA

Eis steering lock battery fail. $12 battery dies and eis stays in lock position key doesn't respond to ignition switch or car unlocking doors.

- Newark, NJ, USA

Turned ignition key to start vehicle. Nothing happened. No cranking or clicking. Complete silence. Steering wheel and transmission shifter were both locked into position and could not be moved even though ignition was in the 'on' position. Apparently this is a common problem associated with a defect in the 'electrical ignition system/electronic steering lock (eis/esl)' and is the subject of a technical service bulletin from the manufacturer. This condition occurred on one previous occasion within the last 45 days. On both occasions vehicle was stationary however if it were occur while moving the steering wheel would lock and driver would be unable to avoid a collision. This is a well documented and widely known safety defect for which the manufacturer should bear the cost of correcting (at the current time vehicle owners are charged between $1200-$1700 to perform the defect correction outlined in the manufacturer's technical service bulletin).

- St Albans, VT, USA

Problem with the ignition switch. The whole car shut down after being inspected. It said to be a interlock switch problem I'll have to have the car towed because it will not turn on it is shut down.

- Blakeslee, PA, USA

Passenger seat airbag sensor not working when someone sits on the seat also passenger side electrical system not working and causing the passenger side lights to stay on when vehicle is off and Mercedes does not want to do anything about and says it is out of warranty and I need to pay to have the whole system replaced

- Port Saint Lucie, FL, USA

My C300 stranded me in deming, nm. We had left el paso heading home to phoenix. Quick bio break in dement, and that's where my C300 wouldn't start. The shop in deming said that the car would need to be towed back to the dealer in el paso. Turned out my steering column control lock module needed to be replaced. The dealership ordered the part and two day and $1,400 later I was able to drive back to phoenix. Between towing, lodging in deming and el paso, meals, etc I was out over 2K. This is so I can start my car. According to my local mb dealer my service advisor said he sees one or two a month with this problem. I picked up the car in 2012 with 50K miles. This issue came 70K trouble free miles later. Amazed that one little part could strand me with no warning.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

"takata recall" when I was driving after a oil change, I heard a noise that sounded like someone hit my car. I was scared and shaky so I pulled over could see anything but I heard a ticking noise. Then I realized the head rest MINIair bag blew up and the wiring inside the head rest was burning. This happened while I was driving. I could have got into an accident. I had to pull over right where all the traffic was because my hands were shaking and I didn't know what to do with the burning smell. I had my hazards on and people went around me. Then all kinds of alerts went off on my car. I only had it for a year and a half it shouldn't do that. Something is really wrong and this is dangerous while someone is driving. My tires and all of a sudden the muffler is making noises now too what is going on with this car. It's treated well I'm scared to drive it now. I'm still making payments on it. It's was for me fairly new and still good, do I thought. I'm very disappointed and need some answers. I was told that maybe it's the eps control unit but haven't went to Mercedes dealer yet because I'm discouraged about this car and I haven't been feeling good.

- New London Ct Apartment 1, CT, USA

'takata recall ' drive my 2009 C300 to store everything worked perfectly. Came out of store car dead, nothing. Mercedes tech jumped car (nothing) checked all fuses they are great. Long short eis needs replacing. I have read blog after blog about this very same issue yet no recall. I am a fifty yo woman stranded outside publix by myself. Extremely dangerous !!! cost to repair 1200. Seriously??

- Leesburg, GA, USA

The contact owns a 2009 Mercedes-Benz C300. While driving various speeds, the air bag warning indicator illuminated. In addition, both turn signal indicators and windshield wipers failed to function when the air bag indicator illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was included in NHTSA campaign numbers: 16V081000 and 18V043000 (air bags). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 118,599.

- Justice, IL, USA