I'm still shopping and looking for a good C240. I've looked at a couple but am having a real hard time finding exactly what I want. Looking for a 2002 or newer white/silver or black C240 with black leather interior with not out of this world mileage with a documented service track record. Perhaps i'm looking for too much......
While searching online for a C240 I came across this site listing common problems with the C240, thought i'd share it with everyone and use is as a checklist while shopping for a good used one myself.
Common Mercedes-Benz C240 Problems
Brakes Due to the size and materials of the brakes on these vehicles, the brakes start to squeak around the 50 percent wear point. The brake rotor surfaces become uneven, causing a lip to form at the outer edge of the rotor. Because of this, the rotors are usually replaced when the pads are worn (pad life varies depending on driving style and terrain).
Brake fluid should be flushed every two years to prevent premature anti-lock brake system (ABS) failure.
Engine Oil leaks from the PCV vent housings on the valve covers and inspection plates on the front of the engine are common.
The rubber bond in the harmonic balancer can decay, which causes the balancer to move and work its way into the timing chain cover. If the balancer comes into contact with the timing cover while the engine is running, it will fracture and damage the timing case and potentially other surrounding parts. The harmonic balancer should be inspected at every service.
Oil leaks from the oil level sensor are common.
The crankshaft position sensors tend to fail. Symptoms of this are: The engine will crank—but not start—especially when the engine is warm. The car may start again if it is left to cool off, but it may run roughly or have poor performance. Communicating these specific symptoms to your technician can save diagnostic time.
Exhaust & Emissions Bad spark plug wires can cause misfires; the Check Engine Light may illuminate.
The mass air flow (MAF) sensor tends to fail. The engine air filter should be replaced when the mass air flow sensor is replaced; a dirty filter can allow debris to damage the new sensor.
Catalytic converter failure is common and may cause a Check Engine Light to illuminate.
Suspension & Steering Irregular and premature tire wear can be caused by the front thrust link bushings cracking and causing excessive movement in the suspension. The thrust link bushings are fluid-filled (to help reduce vibration), so if they crack, they will leak oil.
Sway bar end link joints cause a knocking noise when going over bumps.
The hold down nut for the upper front strut area can become loose, causing a knocking noise. This can be repaired without removing the strut assembly.
Drive Train A vibration felt through the center floor of the vehicle can be caused by driveshaft flex discs, which crack and shred, causing excessive driveshaft movement. Not repairing these can cause damage to the driveshaft center support bearing, or, in the worst case scenario, damage to the transmission or differential.
High mileage or older vehicles develop leaks at the differential seals and cover; the whole unit needs to be resealed to repair the leaks.
The wire connector on the transmission leaks fluid into the wiring harness. If not repaired, the oil will migrate through the wiring harness and damage the transmission control module. A new harness and control module are required to fix the problem.
Electrical & Lights Brake light switch failure can cause the ESP and BAS warnings to illuminate.
A bad seat control module can cause a dead battery. Spilling liquid on the front seats can cause these modules to fail.
CD changers suffer from internal mechanical problems and may need replacement.
The SRS (airbag) light may illuminate if liquid is spilled into the seat belt buckles or pools underneath the seat and gets into the electrical connector for the seat belt pretensioners.
Heating & Air Conditioning A repetitive clicking noise from behind the center area of the dash panel is usually caused by a broken stepper motor actuating arm. The actuating arm controls the direction of air flow in the climate control system. Disassembly of the center console will be required to access and change the broken arm with the updated, reinforced part.
The heater case for the center vents can crack near the stop sensors. If the stops break, the control motor will not know when to stop and will run continuously.
The heater box is susceptible to mildew buildup.
Source: " http://repairpal.com/cars/mercedes-benz/c240 "