Recall · 22V189000
Mercedes-Benz USA recalled 17 models over steering
8,396
Vehicles covered
17
Models
21
Model years
March 25, 2022
Filed with NHTSA
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
- The defect
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021-2022 C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, SL, EClass Coupe/Convertible, CLS, AMG GT 4-doors Coupe, and EQS vehicles with a heated leather steering wheel. Due to a software error in the hand detection control unit, the hands-off detection might not detect when the driver's hands are away from the steering wheel when using the Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC system.
- What it can cause
- Deactivated hands-off detection will prevent DISTRONIC system features from functioning, including warnings to grab the steering wheel and calling first responders as part of the Active Emergency Stop Assist, which can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
- What the dealer does
- Dealers will update the hand detection control unit software for the DISTRONIC system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 6, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2022040010.
- NHTSA's note
- Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
The repair is free, whatever the age or mileage of the vehicle, and whether or not you are the original owner.
Which vehicles
A recall reaches a range of VINs inside these model years, not every car built in them. Yours may not be covered even if it is listed here, and the only way to find out is NHTSA's own VIN lookup .
| Vehicle | Model years | Safety record |
|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-BenzAMG CLS53 | 2021 | Not published here |
| Mercedes-BenzAMG E53 | 2021 to 2022 | Not published here |
| Mercedes-BenzAMG E63S | 2021 | Not published here |
| Mercedes-BenzAMG EQS | 2022 | Not published here |
| Mercedes-BenzAMG GT43 | 2022 | Not published here |
| Mercedes-BenzAMG GT53 | 2022 | Not published here |
| Mercedes-BenzAMG GT63 S | 2022 | Not published here |
| Mercedes-BenzAMG SL55 | 2022 | Not published here |
| Mercedes-BenzAMG SL63 | 2022 | Not published here |
| Mercedes-BenzC300 | 2022 | Not published here |
| Mercedes-BenzCLS450 | 2022 | Not published here |
| Mercedes-BenzE350 | 2021 to 2022 | Not published here |
| Mercedes-BenzE450 | 2021 to 2022 | Not published here |
| Mercedes-BenzEQS450 | 2022 | Not published here |
| Mercedes-BenzEQS580 | 2022 | Not published here |
| Mercedes-BenzS500 | 2022 | Not published here |
| Mercedes-BenzS580 | 2021 to 2022 | Not published here |
How this campaign compares
At 8,396 vehicles this is a bigger campaign than 78% of the 19,818 vehicle recalls filed since 1995 whose size NHTSA published. The middle campaign on file covers 472. It covers model years 2021 to 2022, so the oldest vehicles on it were one model year old when the defect was reported to NHTSA.
Mercedes-Benz vehicles have been recalled over the steering 26 times before this, most recently in December 2021 as 21V989000. That is not evidence the earlier repair failed.
This site holds the complaint record for 11 of the 21 model years the campaign names. Their owners have filed 186 complaints with NHTSA, 13 of them before this campaign was filed. 3 of those name the steering, the system this recall is about — a count of complaints, not of this defect. The earliest of them reached NHTSA in November 2020, 1 year before this filing.
The vehicles on this campaign carry 49 other recalls published here, the newest being: 26V481000 (latches/locks/linkages), 25V366000 (back over prevention), 25V253000 (seat belts), 25V116000 (service brakes, hydraulic).
Check your own car
A VIN check is the only answer for a specific vehicle, and it also shows every other open recall on it, which is usually the reason it is worth doing rather than reading one campaign.
Filed by Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC with NHTSA on March 25, 2022 as campaign 22V189000. Every word of the defect, consequence and remedy above is NHTSA's published record of that filing, not a summary of it.
Compiled and maintained by guarledes . Data last checked 2022-03-25.
Independent developer and analyst