Mercedes-Benz USA is recalling 310,667 cars and SUVs because a switch inside the driver's door lock can corrode and stop the electronic parking brake from setting itself when the driver gets out. The campaign, NHTSA recall 26V-481, covers seven model lines from the 2019 through 2026 model years, from the A-Class sedan to the GLB SUV. Mercedes reported it to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on July 24, 2026, and dealers began repairing the first group of vehicles in September.
The part at fault is a microswitch that tells the car when the driver's door is open. According to the Part 573 safety report, the switch housing in the affected vehicles may be more prone to letting moisture in. Over time that can corrode the switch until it no longer detects the door opening. The lock itself keeps working. The trouble is what depends on that signal: the electronic parking brake and the "Auto-Park" feature are tied to the driver's door opening, and if the switch fails they may not engage automatically. In the filing's words, the vehicle "might not be secured against rollaway and the vehicle might move," raising the risk of a crash or injury.
Which models are included
The GLB compact SUV makes up the largest share, with 133,681 vehicles from the 2020 through 2026 model years. The GLA adds 57,337 and the A-Class 46,612. Mercedes-AMG versions of most of the lines are covered, as are a few hundred 2024 CLE coupes and cabriolets. Mercedes estimates that every vehicle in the population has the suspect switch.
Vehicles covered by recall 26V-481
| Model line | Model years | Versions listed | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| GLB | 2020–2026 | GLB 250, GLB 250 4MATIC, AMG GLB 35 | 133,681 |
| GLA | 2021–2025 | GLA 250, GLA 250 4MATIC, AMG GLA 35, AMG GLA 45 | 57,337 |
| A-Class | 2019–2022 | A 220, A 220 4MATIC, AMG A 35 | 46,612 |
| GLC | 2023–2024 | GLC 300, GLC 300 4MATIC SUV and Coupe, AMG GLC 43 | 36,125 |
| C-Class | 2022–2023 | C 300, C 300 4MATIC, AMG C 43 | 23,871 |
| CLA | 2020–2021 | CLA 250, CLA 250 4MATIC, AMG CLA 35, AMG CLA 45 | 12,596 |
| CLE | 2024 | CLE 300 and CLE 450 4MATIC coupe and cabriolet, AMG CLE 53 | 445 |
Source: Mercedes-Benz USA Part 573 Safety Recall Report 26V-481, submitted July 24, 2026. Model-line totals add up the per-model counts in the filing.
How a nuisance became a recall
Mercedes says the first signs were quality complaints, not safety reports. Between 2021 and 2024 it received reports of radios or lights that stayed on after drivers left their vehicles. Those appeared to be linked to corrosion in the door lock but did not seem to pose a safety risk. In May 2025, a report from outside the United States prompted a more detailed assessment. Through the rest of 2025, Mercedes-Benz AG reviewed diagnostic data, examined vehicles and components and worked with the supplier, and it concluded that moisture can work its way through the switch's plastic housing under sustained high humidity, heat and condensation.
The company used that climate analysis to decide where to recall vehicles around the world, but the U.S. campaign covers the entire country and its territories. Mercedes-Benz AG decided on July 17, 2026, that a safety risk could not be ruled out. It counts 176 U.S. field cases between March 1, 2021, and June 9, 2026, all involving comfort functions, and says it is not aware of any rollaway in the U.S. The filing blames a deviation in a supplier's development process and lists Kiekert AG of Germany as the supplier. A production change at the supplier resolved the problem from May 20, 2026, Mercedes says.
The fix is arriving in waves
Dealers will replace the driver's door lock at no charge, but parts are being released in phases by model and model year. Mercedes dated its owner letters September 18, 2026. Owners whose parts are not ready get an interim notice now and a second letter once the remedy is available. The first wave, released to dealers on September 11, covers 3,504 GLA, GLB and GLC vehicles from the 2021 to 2026 model years, and its owner letter carries Mercedes campaign number 2026080004. That letter says the repair itself can take less than two hours.
Mercedes also plans to notify owners about reimbursement for repairs they paid for before the recall. Dealers had 3,507 affected new vehicles in stock when the campaign was announced and may not sell or lease them until they are repaired. NHTSA's record does not carry a "park it" or "park outside" advisory. Owners can look up their VIN at mbusa.com/recall or call Mercedes-Benz customer service at 1-800-367-6372.