The 2016 Mercedes-Benz C-Class is a compact car that came with a choice of 2.0L 4-cyl, 3.0L 6-cyl and 4.0L 8-cyl engines. At 10 years old, many are reaching the point where repairs cost more than the car is worth. Running or not, we'll make you an offer and tow it away for free.
| Body style | Compact Cars |
|---|---|
| Engines | 2.0L 4-cyl, 3.0L 6-cyl, 4.0L 8-cyl (turbocharged versions available) |
| Transmissions | Automatic 7-spd |
| Drive | Rear-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel | Premium Gasoline |
| Fuel economy | 18–28 city / 25–34 highway / 20–30 combined MPG |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $2,750–$4,100 a year (EPA estimate at current fuel prices, 15,000 miles) |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 215–440 grams per mile |
| EPA fuel economy score | 4–8 out of 10 |
| EPA greenhouse gas score | 4–9 out of 10 |
| Curb weight (NHTSA test vehicle) | 3,573 lb |
| Gross vehicle weight rating | 4,597–4,927 lb |
| Versions tested by EPA | 6 configurations: AMG C63, C300 4matic, AMG C63 S, C300, C450 AMG, C350e |
| Age | 10 years |
Specs, fuel cost and emissions from the EPA's fueleconomy.gov data; weights from NHTSA crash-test records. Your car's exact equipment may differ.
NHTSA lists 13 safety recalls covering the 2016 Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Open recalls don't stop you from selling or junking the car, but check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which apply to yours.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2014-2020 C-Class, CLA, GLA, S-Class, GLC, and GLE vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle details. The front roof panel located between the windshield and the panoramic sunroof may not have been bonded correctly to the vehicle during a prior repair…
Risk: A detached roof panel can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2019 AMG G63, C300, E300, G550, AMG GT63, AMG GT53, 2019-2020 A220, GLA250, GLC300, 2016 C300, 2020 AMG A35, AMG C43, AMG C63, CLA250, E350, E450, GLB250, GLE450, GLS450, GLS580, S560, and SL550 vehicles equipped with a gasoline engine. During the manufacturing process, particles…
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source, such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017-2020 C300 Coupe, C43 Coupe AMG, C43 AMG, 2015-2020 C300, GLA250, 2016-2018 C350e, CLA45 Coupe AMG, 2015 C400, S65 AMG, 2015-2019 C63 AMG, 2016 C450, 2015-2016 GLA45 AMG, S600, 2016-2020 GLC300, 2017-2019 GLC43 AMG, GLE43 Coupe AMG, 2014-2019 CLA250 Coupe, 2014-2015 CLA45 AMG…
Risk: The adhesive bonding of the front panel might deteriorate, possibly causing the front panel to detach from the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 - 2021 CLA-Class, GLA-Class, GLE-Class, GLS-Class, SLC-Class, A-Class, GT-Class, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, CLS-Class, SL-Class, B-Class, GLB-Class, GLC-Class, and G-Class vehicles. Please refer to the Part 573 report for specific vehicle model details. The software design of…
Risk: Failure of the eCall system may result in emergency responders being dispatched to the wrong location, increasing the risk of injury following a crash.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2013-2017 vehicles due to a software fault that may cause the date and time for the emergency call system (eCall) to differ from the actual date and time, potentially relaying an inaccurate vehicle location. For a full list of the affected models visit…
Risk: An inaccurate vehicle location may delay emergency responders, increasing the risk of injury.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Mercedes Benz C300, 2017-2019 C300 Cabrio, C300 Coupe, C63 Cabrio, 2015 C63S AMG, 2018-2019 C300, C350e, C63 AMG, C63S AMG Cabrio, 2018 C63 AMG Cabrio, C63 AMG Coupe, C63S AMG, C63S AMG Coupe, E300, E400 Cabrio, E400 Coupe, 2019 CLS450, E450 Cabrio, and E450 Coupe…
Risk: A car that cannot be properly steered has an increased risk of a crash.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling these vehicles: 2014-2018 CLA250, CLA250 4Matic, CLA45 AMG 4Matic, 2015-2018 GLA250, GLA250 4Matic, GLA45 AMG 4Matic, C300 4Matic, C63S AMG, 2012-2014 C250, C350, C300 4Matic, E550 4Matic, 2013-2014 C63 AMG, 2012-2015 C250 Coupe, C350 Coupe, C63 AMG Coupe, 2013-2015 C350 4Matic Coupe…
Risk: If the driver air bag inadvertently deploys, it can increase the risk of injury and a crash.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016-2017 C300 vehicles. The electrical contacts for the power steering electric motor may not have been properly welded, possibly resulting in a loss of electrical contact.
Risk: A loss of electrical contact will cause the electric power steering assist to deactivate, increasing the risk of a crash.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 AMG GT-S, GLC300, CLA250 and GLE300d 4Matic vehicles, 2013 C250, E350 BlueTec and G63 AMG vehicles, 2008-2014 C300 vehicles, 2013-2014 C300 4Matic and ML350 4Matic vehicles, 2009 C350 vehicles, 2014 CLS550, E350 4Matic, E350 Coupe 4Matic, E350 Wagon 4Matic, GLK350 and SL550…
Risk: If the air bags do not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, there would be an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2015-2017 C300 4Matic, C300, CLA250, CLA250 4Matic and CLA45 AMG vehicles, 2017 C300 4Matic Cabrio, C300 4Matic Coupe, C300 Cabrio, C300 Coupe, E300, E300 4Matic, E400 4Matic Wagon, E43 AMG 4Matic, GLA250, GLA250 4Matic and GLC300 4Matic Coupe vehicles and 2016 C350e and GLC300…
Risk: If the starting current limiter overheats, the surrounding components can melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2016 GLC 300 SUV, GLC 300 4Matic SUV, C300 Sedan and C300 4Matic vehicles manufactured February 8, 2016, to May 18, 2016. The affected vehicles may be equipped with an Electronic Stability Program (ESP) control unit that may have been damaged before being installed.
Risk: A damaged ESP control unit may inadvertently activate the stability control altering the vehicle's path. Additionally, the electronic parking brake may not function. Either condition may increase the risk of a crash.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2016 C300 4Matic vehicles manufactured November 4, 2015, to March 1, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the electric power steering assist system may shutdown due to a software error.
Risk: If the vehicle experiences a loss of power steering assist, extra steering effort will be required at lower speeds, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2016 C300 vehicles manufactured December 11, 2015, to December 23, 2015, C300 4Matic vehicles manufactured December 12, 2015, to December 29, 2015, and C450 AMG 4Matic vehicles manufactured December 12, 2015, to December 22, 2015. The affected vehicles may be equipped…
Risk: If the panoramic glass detaches during vehicle operation, it can increase the risk of injury or crash.
Owners have filed 312 complaints about the 2016 Mercedes-Benz C-Class with NHTSA. 7 reports involved a crash and 5 reports involved a fire. Owners reported 8 injuries.
Complaints are reports from owners and aren't verified by NHTSA. One complaint can list several components. Mileage is the median odometer reading owners reported for that component.
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2016 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, by version tested.
| Version | Overall | Frontal crash | Side crash | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Dr, 4WD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 11% |
| 4 Dr, RWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 11% |
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP). Ratings from different model years or rating systems aren't directly comparable.
Manufacturers have filed 164 technical service bulletins and communications with NHTSA covering the 2016 Mercedes-Benz C-Class. These are repair instructions for known issues, not recalls.
4 of them are warranty extensions. Warranty extensions mean the manufacturer agreed to cover a specific repair beyond the normal warranty. They rarely still apply to a car this age, but they point to known weak spots.
Complaint Customer complaints relating to automatic transmission 725.0 (NAG3 Classic /9G‑TRONIC automatic transmission) and 725.1 (NAG3 facelift/9G‑TRONIC automatic trans
Complaint Repeat workshop visit for vehicle vibration while braking from 60MPH. NOTE: Although the symptom is similar to a tire or wheel vibration, it is usually readily
Complaint Only vehicles with a variable transfer case are affected. This can be identified through control unit N45 or N15/7 in the quick test. When accelerating with lig
Complaint Clanking noise from the area of the speakers in the doors. Cause Under analysis. Remedy To narrow down the cause, first of all remove the door trim. • If the no
Complaint Intermittent shift feel or thud/clunk noise perceived, such as a brief jerk or transmission reaction during certain driving situations. May be most noticeable w
Complaint During part of the steering movement, it feels heavier or more difficult to steer in the same spot every time. OR Rattling, humming, dry sliding/gravel noise fr
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins).
NHTSA opened 3 defect investigations covering the 2016 Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pe
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to
Front Roof Panel Detachment
On January 8, 2021, after ongoing review with Mercedes Benz, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE21-001 to assess allegations of front roof panel detachments while driving at highway speeds in certain 2015 Mercedes-Benz (Mercedes) C-Class vehicles.Th
It depends on its condition, whether major parts like the engine, transmission and catalytic converter are still there, and current scrap and parts prices where you live. Its parts make up much of its value. Enter your ZIP code above for a free offer on your specific car.
Yes. We buy 2016 C-Classs that don't start, were in an accident, failed inspection or have a blown engine or transmission. Towing is always free.
Yes. Open recalls don't prevent a junk sale. NHTSA lists 13 recalls for the 2016 Mercedes-Benz C-Class; you can check whether any are still open on yours with the VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Usually the title and a photo ID. Rules differ by state, including what to do with your plates and whether to file a notice of sale. Check our state-by-state car title guides for the official forms.
Data retrieved October 2026.
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