Carsieve All versions
Show all 34 variants
At a glance
- Years: 2014 to 2021. The 2018 facelift brought MBUX, the M264 petrol and the OM654 diesel.
- Reliability: 3/5. Air suspension, steering coupling and early infotainment faults are common.
- DIY: 2/5. Air suspension, software and engine jobs need a scanner and workshop time.
- Biggest risks: the steering coupling recall, air suspension sag and the OM654 coolant fire warning.
- Prefer: a car with full service history, recent software updates and proof of recall checks. Avoid: cars where nobody has checked the steering coupling or the recalls by VIN.
Engines and gearboxes
- M274 1.6 and 2.0 petrol (C 160, C 180, C 200, C 250): The timing chain stretches and can rattle on cold start. Kfz-Dietrich gives 90,000-140,000 km. On the 2.0 the thermostat also fails, and auto.ru puts this at 80,000-120,000 km.
- M264 1.5 and 2.0 petrol (facelift): Very sensitive to fuel quality. Use good 98-octane fuel. Poor fuel can cause detonation and piston damage.
- M276 3.0 V6 (C 400, C 43 AMG): The chain tensioners are the weak point. A chain can stretch when oil supply is low.
- OM654 1.6 and 2.0 diesel (facelift, built 2017-2021): Coolant can leak into the vacuum circuit and cause a fire risk. Check the recall by VIN.
- OM651 2.1 diesel (C 200 d to C 300 BlueTEC Hybrid, 2014-2018): Injectors, the timing chain tensioner and a tensioner seal recall. See the Mercedes OM651 diesel guide.
- Renault 1.6 diesel (C 180 d, C 200 BlueTEC, 2014-2018): No confirmed fault found.
- V8 M177 (C 63 AMG): No confirmed fault found.
- 9G-Tronic automatic (from 2016): no fault confirmed in the sources read.
- 7G-Tronic automatic (to 2016): No confirmed fault found.
- 6-speed manual: No confirmed fault found.
Known issues
| Issue | Affects | Typical km | Repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering coupling not locked | Cars in the recall, built from 2014 (ADAC counts 28,500 in Germany) | Not stated | Free, recall (Germany, per ADAC) |
| Air suspension sag (Airmatic) | Cars with Airmatic, from 2015 | Not stated | No confirmed price |
| Front axle knocks and ball joint wear | All cars; early builds for ball joints | 120,000-150,000 km (lower ball joints) | No confirmed price |
| Infotainment freezes (COMAND, MBUX) | COMAND to mid-2018; MBUX from the 2018 facelift | Not stated | No confirmed price |
| Water in the rear electrics | All cars with blocked rear drains | Not stated | No confirmed price |
| 12 V battery drain | All cars, especially with start-stop | Not stated | No confirmed price |
Before you buy
- Air suspension: Park the car overnight and check whether a corner sinks. A scanner reads the level sensors and fault memory. Bad result: a low corner, a compressor that runs all the time, or cockpit warnings.
- Timing chain: On M274 petrol engines, listen for a metallic rattle on cold start and look for oil stains. A scanner reads stored timing faults. Bad result: a rattle that lasts several seconds, or stored faults.
- Engine fire recall: On OM654 diesels built 2017-2021, check the coolant recall by VIN with a Mercedes dealer. Bad result: an open campaign or coolant loss.
- Front axle: On a lift, check the ball joints and axle mounts for play. Drive over bumps and listen. Bad result: play in a joint, or knocking from the front.
- Steering coupling: Ask a Mercedes dealer to confirm the steering coupling lock by VIN. The check is free. Bad result: an open campaign, or noise and steering problems on the test drive.
- Infotainment: Test every screen, the touchpad and the voice control. A scanner shows the software version. Bad result: freezes, reboots or a dead touchpad.
- Rear drains: Check the drains at the rear window and sunroof, and the rear footwell for damp. Bad result: damp in the footwell or warnings from the electrics.
- 12 V battery: Test the battery after the car has stood. Use a battery tester. Bad result: low voltage, or start-stop that stays off.
Running costs
| Operational | €165 |
|---|---|
| Workshop | €173 |
| Fixed costs (tax, insurance) | €178 |
| Total per month | €516 |
| New-car depreciation (not included) | €104 |
ADAC figures for 15,000 km a year over 60 months
Market
Listings on mobile.de priced up to 50,000 EUR, 29 October 2026.
- Listings
- 4,519
- 25th percentile
- €13,399
- Median price
- €16,799
- 75th percentile
- €21,000
- Median mileage
- 144,301 km
- Median first registration
- 2016
- Dealer share
- 57.6%
- Price at 100,000 km
- €22,170
To check a listing's price, open its variant in the table above. Each variant page has a price check.
In detail
Steering coupling not locked
Symptoms: noises and steering problems. The steering coupling, the joint between the steering wheel and the steering rack, is not locked. ADAC counts 28,500 affected cars. ADAC says dealers check the lock free, in about one hour.
Sources: ADAC: used C-Klasse W205 info, Australian Car Reviews: W205 recall list
Air suspension sag (Airmatic)
Symptoms: one side sinks, the car sits low, and warnings show in the cockpit. The compressor runs very often or all the time. Cause: Kfz-Dietrich gives a leaking pressure line in about half of cases; other causes are a worn valve block seal and a faulty compressor. Which cars: Airmatic air suspension, from 2015, per Kfz-Dietrich. Fix: Kfz-Dietrich recommends a pressure-loss test first, then the faulty part; springs are replaced axle by axle.
Sources: Kfz-Dietrich: W205 typical problems, Gebrauchtwagenberater: W205 problems, CarWiki: Airmatic problems
Front axle knocks and ball joint wear
Symptoms: knocks and rattles from the front axle. Ball joints, the swivel joints of the suspension, failed on early builds. firmenauto says cars older than seven years also fail on axle springs at TÜV. Auto.ru says lower ball joints wear at 120,000-150,000 km, upper arms at 150,000-200,000 km.
Sources: Auto Motor und Sport: W205 used car check, AUTO BILD: W205 used test, firmenauto: W205 buyer's guide, auto.ru: W205 weak points
Infotainment freezes (COMAND, MBUX)
Symptoms: frozen screens, a dead touchpad, and a voice assistant that does not respond. Cause: mostly software. Which cars, per Kfz-Dietrich: the COMAND unit (NTG5) built to mid-2018, and MBUX from the 2018 facelift. Fix: a firmware reflash, which Kfz-Dietrich says solves the fault in two of three cases.
Sources: Kfz-Dietrich: COMAND diagnosis, Kfz-Dietrich: W205 typical problems, auto.ru: what breaks in the W205
Water in the rear electrics
Symptoms: faults that come and go in the car's data network (CAN bus), and false tyre pressure warnings. Cause: Kfz-Dietrich says blocked drains at the rear window and the sunroof let water reach the rear control module (SAM), and its circuit boards corrode. Fix, also per Kfz-Dietrich: replace the corroded solder joints or the module, then SCN coding (a Mercedes software setup step). Cleaning the drains is part of the repair.
Sources: Kfz-Dietrich: W205 typical problems, auto.ru: what breaks in the W205
12 V battery drain
Symptoms: a weak battery triggers warnings. AUTO BILD says it stops start-stop and in the worst case can disable the car. Auto.ru says the battery drains fast with start-stop.
Sources: AUTO BILD: W205 used test, auto.ru: restyled W205 reliability
Recalls
| Country | Code | Years | What is done |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | not given | June 2016 to March 2017 build | Front seatbelts replaced, free. |
| Germany | 012959 | Built 2021-2022 (sources give May or November 2021 as the start) | Workshops check the transmission wiring harness and rework its routing if needed, free. |
| Australia | RC2707 | Sold March to July 2019 | Software update for the radar control unit, which can fail and stop Active Brake Assist. |
| Australia | PRA 2014/14366 | Sold June to September 2014 | Steering coupling replaced. |
| Australia | PRA 2015/14664 | Sold December 2013 to October 2014 | Fuel pump mount repaired. |
| Australia | REC-004979, REC-005401 | Titles 2018-2020 | Over-the-air fix for the eCall unit. |
Sources: ADAC: used C-Klasse W205 info, Auto Motor und Sport: W205 recall 012959, mbpassion: C-Klasse recall, GoAuto: C-Class fuel pump recall, Australian Car Reviews: W205 recall list
Maintenance
- 12 V battery: Test it at each service. A weak battery can stop start-stop and disable the car.
- Drains: Clean the drains at the rear window and the sunroof. Blocked drains lead to faults in the rear electrics.
- Software: Keep the infotainment software current. A reflash fixes most freezes, according to Kfz-Dietrich.
- Fuel: M264 petrol engines need good 98-octane fuel. Poor fuel can cause detonation.
Sources
English
- Australian Car Reviews: W205 recall list
- GoAuto: C-Class fuel pump recall
- MBClub forum: Daimler fire-risk warning
German
- ADAC: used C-Klasse W205 info
- AUTO BILD: W205 used test
- Auto Motor und Sport: W205 used car check
- Auto Motor und Sport: W205 recall 012959
- mbpassion: C-Klasse recall
- Gebrauchtwagenberater: W205 problems
- Kfz-Dietrich: W205 typical problems
- Kfz-Dietrich: COMAND diagnosis
- CarWiki: Airmatic problems
- firmenauto: W205 buyer's guide