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Mercedes-Benz Recalls by VIN

Paste the VIN of any Mercedes-Benz below to see every recall for its model and year. Every one of the 450 NHTSA campaigns across 34 Mercedes-Benz models is listed underneath — including how long Mercedes-Benz takes to admit a defect: 3.04 years on average.

NHTSA campaigns · 450 campaigns · 34 models · Updated Nov 3, 2026
Quick answer

Mercedes-Benz has 450 recall campaigns across 34 models. A defect is admitted 3.04 years after the car was built on average, and 21.2% of campaigns come five years or later.

What gets recalled on a Mercedes-Benz

By number of separate campaigns, not by cars affected — one campaign can cover a million vehicles or a thousand.

FIG.01·Mercedes-Benz — what gets recalled
SystemCampaignsShare
Electrical System7616.9%
Air Bags4910.9%
Structure337.3%
Exterior Lighting327.1%
Seat Belts316.9%
Steering296.4%
Visibility214.7%
Power Train214.7%
ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA recall campaigns

How long a defect stays unadmitted

Campaign numbers encode the year they were announced, so we can measure how quickly Mercedes-Benz acts once a defect exists.

FIG.02·Mercedes-Benz — how fast defects are admitted
MeasureValueWhat it means
Average gap3.04 yearsBetween the car being built and the defect being admitted
Admitted 5+ years later21.2%Share of campaigns on cars already well used
Campaigns on record450Across 34 models, 1984–2026
ROWS 3·SOURCE ForCar, computed from NHTSA campaign numbers

Across all brands the average is 3.79 years. Faster is better, but a low figure can also mean a young line-up — read it next to the number of campaigns.

Mercedes-Benz recalls by model

34 Mercedes-Benz models have campaigns on record. The gap between them is wider than the brand average suggests: on the Sprinter a defect is admitted in 0.1 years, on the CLK-Class it takes 12.8 — the same company, the same paperwork, 12.7 years of difference.

FIG.03·Mercedes-Benz recalls by model
ModelCampaignsYears coveredMost recalled systemAvg gap before admission
Mercedes-Benz E-Class1161994–2026Electrical system3.4 yrs
Mercedes-Benz S-Class871994–2026Electrical system1.8 yrs
Mercedes-Benz C-Class841994–2026Electrical system4.6 yrs
Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class732016–2026Electrical system1.4 yrs
Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class602016–2026Electrical system1.4 yrs
Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class422016–2026Electrical system1.4 yrs
Mercedes-Benz AMG GT392016–2026Electrical system1.3 yrs
Mercedes-Benz G-Class371999–2026Electrical system2.1 yrs
Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class362005–2023Electrical system4.7 yrs
Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class322014–2026Electrical system2.6 yrs
Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class282015–2026Structure2.2 yrs
Mercedes-Benz SL-Class281994–2026Electrical system1.9 yrs
Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class262020–2026Latches/locks/linkages1.2 yrs
Mercedes-Benz GL-Class172006–2016Service brakes, hydraulic5.7 yrs
Mercedes-Benz A-Class162019–2022Electrical system2 yrs
Mercedes-Benz M-Class161995–2019Steering3.8 yrs
Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class152010–2020Air bags4.4 yrs
Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class141998–2016Exterior lighting3.6 yrs
Mercedes-Benz CL-Class131998–2014Suspension2.6 yrs
Mercedes-Benz R-Class122006–2013Service brakes, hydraulic7.9 yrs
Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class81998–2009Visibility12.8 yrs
Mercedes-Benz ML-Class82012–2015Fuel system, diesel4.8 yrs
Mercedes-Benz EQB-Class62022–2025Electrical system2.2 yrs
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter62010–2026Engine and engine cooling0.1 yrs
Mercedes-Benz 30051981–1993Vehicle speed control2.9 yrs
Mercedes-Benz B-Class52011–2022Air bags2.5 yrs
Mercedes-Benz CLE42024–2026Electrical system0.8 yrs
Mercedes-Benz 19031983–1993Parking brake3.6 yrs
Mercedes-Benz 50031983–1993Visibility3 yrs
Mercedes-Benz SLC-Class32017–2020Electrical system2.1 yrs
Mercedes-Benz 40021992–1993Engine and engine cooling1 yrs
Mercedes-Benz 42011983–1991Service brakes, hydraulic0 yrs
Mercedes-Benz 56011986–1991Service brakes, hydraulic0 yrs
Mercedes-Benz 60011992–1993Visibility3 yrs
ROWS 34·SOURCE NHTSA + ForCar

Check your own car

Mercedes-Benz has 450 campaigns on record across 34 models, but none of them covers a whole model — only a production range inside it, sometimes a few weeks of assembly. So the 450 figure says nothing about any particular Mercedes-Benz: decoding the VIN narrows those 450 down to the recalls for one model and year. Whether the free fix was already carried out on that exact car, NHTSA's own VIN lookup or any Mercedes-Benz dealer can tell you.

FIG.05·How to check a recall by VIN
StepWhat you get
Enter the VIN aboveEvery recall for that model and year, straight from NHTSA
Check the repair statusNHTSA's own VIN lookup or a dealer shows if this car was fixed
Book at any franchised dealerRecall work is free regardless of age, mileage or owner
ROWS 3·SOURCE ForCar

Every manufacturer files recalls; what differs is how many and how fast — see where Mercedes-Benz stands among all makes on record →

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Everything on Mercedes-Benz
Fuel economy84 mpg bestReliabilityEvery model rankedCommon problems17,643 complaintsCheck a VINBy production runCargo space13 models measuredDimensionsSize and weightWhat yours is worthValuation by modelInsurance costPer model, per stateWindow stickersOriginal Monroney labelsDecode a VINWhat each character meansAbout the brand40 models tracked

Frequently asked questions

How many recalls does Mercedes-Benz have?

450 campaigns across 34 models. On its own the number reflects how many models a brand sells — the response time says more.

Is Mercedes-Benz slow to admit defects?

On average a Mercedes-Benz defect is admitted 3.04 years after the car was built, against about 3.79 years across all brands. 21.2% of campaigns come five years or later.

Does a recall mean the car is unsafe?

It means a specific fault was found in a specific production range and must be fixed free of charge. A brand with many campaigns is not automatically worse — sometimes it simply reports faster.

How do I check my own Mercedes-Benz?

By VIN. Campaigns cover production ranges, so the model alone does not tell you whether your car is affected.

Recall campaigns from NHTSA, published as filed. Years elapsed before admission computed by ForCar from the campaign number, which encodes the year it was announced. Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.
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