Common problems with Mercedes W205

The Mercedes W205 is the last-gen Mercedes compact luxury sedan and also one of the best sold Mercedes models of the current era. The W205 made a huge leap when compared to the W204 when it comes to design, engines, transmission, luxury, and overall model appeal.

The W205 was the first car to look and feel like a smaller Mercedes S-Class which means that W205 is still a really competitive car in the used car segment. The W205 was in production between 2014 and 2018 while the W205 facelift was in production until 2021.

The W205 is a decently reliable car if you make sure that all the maintenance has been carried out correctly. As such, the W205 tends to suffer from excessive vibrations while driving, a faulty MAF sensor, a faulty camshaft adjuster solenoid, potential electrical issues, and gearbox issues.

It’s safe to say that the W205 is not the most reliable Mercedes model out there, but it does very well if you do maintain it correctly. It’s also important to note that the later W205 models are a lot better as Mercedes managed to iron out lots of imperfections with later models.

Mercedes W205 excessive vibrations issues

The W205 is equipped with an active driving sensor that is designed to constantly monitor the quality of the drive and report to the car’s computer if something is wrong. Many owners seem to have reported that their W205 C-Class models tend to suffer from excessive vibration while driving.

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Some of these have also reported that issues such as these tend to be associated with the active driving sensor while others have reported issues with the driveline, the suspension, or the gearbox. All in all, it seems that excessive vibrations are a common gripe with the W205 C-Class.

Mercedes W205 faulty MAF sensor

The Mercedes W205 is equipped with a mass airflow sensor that is tasked with constantly monitoring the amount and the temperature of the air that enters the engine. This works in tandem with the fuel injection system to create the right amount of power depending on what you want.

If you sense your W205 to lack power or that it sometimes suffers from lackluster acceleration, chances are that the MAF sensor is to blame. Many Mercedes specialists deem that the MAF sensor needs replacing every 50k miles or so, so be sure to do that if you come across this issue.

 Mercedes W205 camshaft adjuster solenoid issue

The mission of the camshaft adjuster solenoid is to properly dose oil through the variable valve timing system whenever that is needed. If the camshaft adjuster solenoid starts causing issues, it is likely going to throw off your engine timing system.

Issues such as these need to be addressed in due time as they can create a lot more trouble down the line. As this system works in tandem with the belt and the variable timing system, you need to place extra care of solving these as well as you can, otherwise, you will suffer from more serious issues down the line.

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Mercedes W205 electrical issues

The Mercedes W205 is known to suffer from electrical issues every now and then because the W205 is not the newest car on the market. Issues such as these typically are associated with interior lighting, exterior lighting, GPS, in-car accessories, phone connectivity, and Bluetooth.

These problems are not all troublesome for the most part, but they do tend to add up during ownership. This means that you should constantly do your best to solve similar electrical issues whenever they appear, especially when it comes to exterior lighting that is not really affordable to replace.

Mercedes W205 gearbox issues

The Mercedes W205 comes with the Mercedes 7G-Tronic 7-speed automatic gearbox that perfectly portrays how a Mercedes-grade gearbox should perform. It is a smooth and reliable gearbox that shifts gears seamlessly while also making sure that the RPMs are never overbearing and loud.

However, this engine is known to often suffer from an unwillingness to shift gears, especially when shifting from neutral to first, or from first to second. Furthermore, the 7G-Tronic is also sometimes slow to respond on a kick down which can often be caused by lackluster maintenance.

FAQ Section

Is the Mercedes W205 C-Class more reliable than the W204?

The W205 C-Class is indeed more reliable than the W204 thanks to many advancements Mercedes has made during the production of the W205. It is true that older W205 C-Class models are not as reliable as the later ones, but that is often the case with many other automakers out there.

Later models from a single generation tend to offer a more refined package which means that Mercedes and many other automakers tend to iron out all the minor issues that tend to appear during the production of a brand-new generation car.

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Which is the best W205 C-Class?

The Mercedes C350e is likely the best W205 Mercedes model because it offers decent power with the addition of segment-leading efficiency. The C350e offers 211hp while also offering upwards of 100MPG. If you add the fact that the C350e also emits less than 50 grams of CO2 per 100 kilometers, you are well aware of why the C350e is the one to get.

Some owners have reported issues with the hybrid system, yet it seems like these issues are not all that common. It’s also worth mentioning that the C350e suffers from a smaller cargo area as the batteries are housed underneath the cargo area.

Is the Mercedes W205 a good family car?

The Mercedes W205 C-Class is indeed a really good family car because it offers enough space, is a safe car, and comes with a refined and smooth suspension system. The W205 is new enough to come with all the modern-day technology and comfort gadgets which means that your kids are likely going to feel comfortable.

The rear doors open wide which creates enough space to easily mount a child seat while the W205 also comes with lots of convenience features that make the car easy to drive, easy to park, and easy to live with on a daily basis.

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Marko Mikulic

Why do you love writing about cars? I love writing about cars as cars are a huge personal interest of mine. I was raised in a car enthusiast community and ever since I was young, I always wanted to do car-related work.

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