Known APK problem

Mercedes-Benz C-Klasse S204: wheels and wheel bearings

On the Mercedes-Benz C-Klasse S204 the APK inspector finds wheels and wheel bearings problems 4.5× as often as on cars of the same age: at 13–15 years 0.7%, against about 0.2% nationally.

Illustration Mercedes-Benz C-Klasse S204

Window: Oct 2025 – Sep 2026 · Updated: 16 Oct 2026

What is it?

Play or noise in the wheel bearings, or damaged wheels.

Repair indication: mediuma targeted repair at the garage.

How to check it at the viewing

On the test drive, listen for a humming noise that rises with speed.

Ask the seller: Have any wheel bearings been replaced?

By age

Share of inspected Mercedes-Benz C-Klasse S204s with this defect, compared with all cars of the same age.

Age	Type	C-Klasse S204	95%-CI	National	Difference	n
11 – 12 years	A	0.5%	0.2 – 1.0%	0.1%	4.1×	1,296
13 – 15 years	A	0.7%	0.4 – 1.0%	0.2%	4.5×	3,530
13 – 15 years	B	0.3%	0.2 – 0.6%	1.5%	0.2×	3,530
16+ years	A	0.7%	0.4 – 1.2%	0.3%	2.7×	1,859
16+ years	B	0.4%	0.2 – 0.8%	2.0%	0.2×	1,859

A = structure, safety or costly mechanics; B = fail, usually simple; C = advisory. An age is missing when this defect is not among the most common there.

Comparable cars at 13–15 years

Model	Wheels and wheel bearings	Vs. national
Mercedes-Benz C-Klasse S204	0.7%	4.5×
Mercedes-Benz B-Klasse W245	0.6%	0.4×
Hyundai i30 I	0.8%	0.6×
Mazda Mazda3 (BL)	0.7%	0.5×
Hyundai i30 II	0.7%	0.5×
Daihatsu Cuore (L276)	2.2%	1.6×

Looking at a Mercedes-Benz C-Klasse S204? Check that car

Enter the plate and see the APK history, open recalls and how this car compares with other Mercedes-Benz C-Klasse S204s of the same age.

All weak spots of the Mercedes-Benz C-Klasse S204 · Wheels and wheel bearings: which models more often · Checklist for this model

Frequently asked questions

Does the Mercedes-Benz C-Klasse S204 often have wheels and wheel bearings problems?

Yes, more often than average at the APK. At 13–15 years the inspector found a wheels and wheel bearings defect on 0.7% of inspected Mercedes-Benz C-Klasse S204s, against about 0.2% of all cars of the same age (4.5×). Source: RDW Open Data, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026.

How do you check the wheels and wheel bearings on a used Mercedes-Benz C-Klasse S204?

On the test drive, listen for a humming noise that rises with speed.

Repair indication: small, medium or large. An indication of the usual repair, not a quote: the real cost depends on the car, the cause and the garage.

Source: RDW Open Data (CC0), analysis CarXray.nl. 6,857,004 inspected passenger cars aged 3 years and older, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026. Each car counts once. How we know