What breaks most · 2016 to 2023 model years
Mercedes-Benz AMG C43 problems by year
Owners have filed 60 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Mercedes-Benz AMG C43 across model years 2016 to 2023. Three years stand out: 2017 for wheels complaints, 2018 for wheels complaints and 2020 for powertrain and transmission complaints. The quietest years are 2021, 2016 and 2019.
- Years to check closely: 2017, 2018, 2020
- Fewest complaints: 2021, 2016, 2019
- Complaints on file
- 602016 to 2023, all trims
- Worst year
- 201723 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 10 fires · 0 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 17kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 57Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 1 | Wheels (2) | |
| 23 | 1 | 10 | Wheels (5) | |
| 13 | 0 | 11 | Wheels (4) | |
| 6 | 0 | 12 | Wheels (3) | |
| 12 | 0 | 9 | Powertrain and transmission (4) | |
| 1 | 0 | 6 | Tires (1) | |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | Fuel system (1) | |
| 2 | 0 | 7 | Suspension (1) |
What fails on the 2017 Mercedes-Benz AMG C43
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheels | 22% |
5 | 0 | — |
| Seat belts | 22% |
5 | 0 | Check recalls for seat belts on NHTSA.gov |
| Tires | 9% |
2 | 0 | — |
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 9% |
2 | 0 | Shop all body and structure parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| BrakesBrake pads, rotors and calipers | 9% |
2 | 0 | Shop all brakes parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Seats | 9% |
2 | 0 | — |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 9% |
2 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 9% |
2 | 0 | Shop all engine parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
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The parking brake won't release sometimes after doing everything that the manual and mercedes benz recommends. I've been stranded for over 30 minutes. I've pulled the brake release for over 10 seconds and put the car in gear and turned if off and on. Twice the parking brake light has come on when driving.
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New vehicle with under 1000 total mileage. Internal pressure control valve in transmission failed causing major damage to transmission with metal shaving found in transmission pan. Transmission and faulty valve needed to be replaced under warranty.
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CEL with multiple cylinder misfires. Oil leak on top side of engine bank 2 in valley of injectors. Multiple codes for turbo charger faults and also clogged catalytic converters. Dealer confirmed and manufacturer denied federal emissions warranty on vehicle. Due to a modification that plays no role in the power train.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Mercedes-Benz AMG C43 years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2017, 2018, 2020 carry the most filings on the Mercedes-Benz AMG C43. The 2017 alone has 23 complaints, led by wheels.
What is the most common Mercedes-Benz AMG C43 problem?
On the 2017 model year, the most-reported component is wheels with 5 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Mercedes-Benz AMG C43 problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Mercedes-Benz AMG C43 complaints that include mileage is about 17,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.