Most common Mercedes-Benz warranty defects
On 2020–2026 Mercedes-Benz models, repeat-repair complaints center on electrical architecture and software: 48-volt connections and stalling on the GLE and GLS, high-voltage battery faults in the EQB, and MBUX infotainment and display failures across the newer C-Class, E-Class, CLE and GLC. Mercedes often addresses these in phases, with software first and parts later, which can mean long waits and multiple visits that become the backbone of a lemon law claim.
GLE and GLS 48-volt ground connections and stalling
The 48-volt electrical system in the GLE and GLS has been recalled twice for the same connection under the front passenger seat. Recall 22V-231 covered 21,306 2020–2022 GLE 450, GLS 450, GLE 580, GLS 580, AMG GLE 53, AMG GLE 63, AMG GLS 63 and Maybach GLS 600 models because a 48-volt ground cable bolt may not be secured, letting the cable overheat. In 2024, recall 24V-207 reached 116,020 GLE and GLS vehicles from 2019 through 2024, including the GLE 350, for the same kind of overheating ground connection. Separately, recall 24V-118 covers 105,071 2020–2023 GLE 450 and GLS 450 models whose transmission may not fully downshift, causing the engine to stall. A stall that recurs after the software update is a safety defect. See the GLE and GLS 48-volt ground recall.
ModelsGLE 350GLE 450GLE 580GLS 450GLS 580AMG GLE 53AMG GLE 63 SAMG GLS 63Maybach GLS 600
EQB high-voltage battery fire recalls
The EQB has the most serious battery recall history in the Mercedes lineup. Recall 25V-050 covers 12,236 2022–2025 EQB 250, EQB 300 and EQB 350 models because the high-voltage battery may fail internally and catch fire while parked or driving; owners were told to charge only to 80% while battery management software was updated in phases. Recall 25V-894 then required vehicles already fixed under 25V-050 to be repaired again. Recall 25V-487 covers 2022–2023 EQB 300 and EQB 350 models whose battery bus bar may be secured with incorrect screws, risking a sudden loss of drive power. In February 2026, recall 26V-073 told owners of 11,895 EQBs to park outside and limit charging to 80% until dealers replace the battery. See the 26V-073 EQB battery recall.
ModelsEQB 250EQB 250+EQB 300 4MATICEQB 350 4MATIC
MBUX infotainment resets and blank instrument displays
Mercedes’ newer cars run nearly everything through MBUX and digital displays, and software faults there have triggered recalls. Recall 26V-281, filed in May 2026, covers 144,049 2024–2026 C-Class, E-Class, CLE, GLC, SL and AMG GT models because the infotainment control unit can reset while driving and leave the instrument panel display blank. Recall 24V-688 covers 2024 CLE and E-Class models in which an MBUX software error can deactivate certain systems, including a cross-traffic alert that applies the brakes automatically. Related electrical work has needed redoing: recall 24V-115 replaced main fuse boxes on 31,848 2023–2024 models with faulty 80-amp fuses, and recall 25V-255 followed because some vehicles received the wrong fuse box during that repair. See the 26V-281 display recall.
ModelsC-ClassE-ClassCLEGLCSLAMG GTS-ClassEQEEQS
GLC launch-generation structural and steering recalls (2023–2026)
The current GLC, introduced for 2023, has drawn a series of assembly-related recalls. Recall 25V-379 covers 92,851 2023–2025 GLC 300, GLC 350e and AMG GLC models with a panoramic sunroof because the C-pillar may not absorb enough impact if a rear passenger’s head strikes it. Recall 25V-533 covers 2023–2026 GLC and EQE models whose steering coupling bolt may be improperly tightened, letting the coupling loosen from the steering rack. Smaller campaigns have addressed engine-carrier welds on 2024 GLC 300 and AMG GLC 43 models (24V-658), front seat rail bolts (24V-808), rear differential bolts (24V-862) and center rear seat belts missing the child-seat locking function on 2026 models (26V-172). Several visits in a new GLC’s first months add up. See the GLC steering coupling recall.
ModelsGLC 300GLC 300 CoupeGLC 350eAMG GLC 43AMG GLC 63 S E PERFORMANCEEQE
S-Class engine, brake and hybrid drive recalls
The current S-Class, sold since the 2021 model year, carries some of the most expensive recalls in the lineup. Recall 24V-704 covers 27,190 2021–2023 S 580 and Maybach S 580 sedans: if the engine’s Camtronic system fails mechanically, engine control software may let the engine overheat or stall. Recall 25V-116 covers 20,339 S 500, S 580, S 580e and Maybach models whose front brake hoses may rupture and leak brake fluid. Recall 24V-807 updated emergency-call software on some 2021 S-Class models that might not place a call or send location. On AMG S 63 E PERFORMANCE and related hybrid AMGs, recall 25V-129 addresses a software error that can make the high-voltage starter-alternator fail and cause a loss of drive power. An overheating or stalling S-Class after the update deserves careful records. See the 24V-704 S 580 engine recall.
ModelsS 500S 580S 580eMaybach S 580Maybach S 680AMG S 63 E PERFORMANCE
Signs your Mercedes-Benz may be a lemon
- A GLE or GLS that stalls again. The engine stalls or the 48-volt system shows warnings after the transmission software update or ground connection repair.
- An EQB you are told not to park inside. Your EQB has been under charging limits or park-outside instructions for an extended period while you wait for a replacement battery.
- Displays that go dark while driving. The MBUX screen or instrument cluster resets or goes blank on a C-Class, E-Class, CLE or GLC after a software update.
- A new GLC with repeated recall visits. Structural, steering and seat belt recalls on top of other warranty repairs keep your GLC at the dealer.
- A repair that had to be redone. A recall was performed and then reissued, as with the fuse box and EQB battery campaigns, and the symptom has not gone away.
Mercedes-Benz models we see
Lemon law claims can involve any Mercedes-Benz still under factory warranty, including:
- A-Class
- CLA
- CLA electric
- C-Class
- CLE Coupe and Cabriolet
- E-Class Sedan, Wagon and All-Terrain
- S-Class
- Mercedes-Maybach S-Class
- SL
- Mercedes-AMG GT
- GLA
- GLB
- GLC and GLC Coupe
- GLC 350e plug-in hybrid
- GLE and GLE Coupe
- GLE 450e plug-in hybrid
- GLS
- Mercedes-Maybach GLS
- G-Class
- G 580 electric
- EQB
- EQE Sedan and SUV
- EQS Sedan and SUV
- Sprinter and eSprinter
- Metris
What Mercedes-Benz’s warranty means for a claim
Mercedes-Benz’s 2026 passenger car booklet lists a 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, with no separate, longer powertrain term in its quick-reference table. The high-voltage battery in Mercedes plug-in hybrids is covered for 6 years or 62,000 miles. For electric models, Mercedes’ current EQ warranty booklet covers the battery for 10 years or 155,000 miles on the EQE and EQS sedans and SUVs, and 8 years or 100,000 miles on the EQB, the electric CLA and the G 580. That EQ booklet also states that all required maintenance must be performed to keep the battery coverage valid, so keep your service records.
Mercedes frequently runs recalls in phases, mailing letters before remedy parts exist, as with the EQB battery and S 580 engine campaigns. That can leave you driving under restrictions for months. Write down each date you contact the dealer, every period you were without the car or given a loaner, and any instruction you received to park outside or limit charging. When a screen goes black or a warning appears, photograph it with the date and mileage visible, because a dealer may otherwise report that it could not reproduce the problem.
Mercedes-Benz recalls and problem reports
No Mercedes-Benz articles match that exact combination — but that does not mean you do not have a claim. Repeat repair attempts, days out of service, and warranty status matter more than whether a recall exists.
A recall is not a claim
An open recall on your Mercedes-Benz is not, by itself, a lemon law case — and a recall that has already been repaired does not mean you don’t have one. Recalls are safety campaigns run by the manufacturer; lemon law claims turn on how your specific vehicle has performed under warranty. What matters is the record: how many times you brought the vehicle in for the same problem, how many days it has spent out of service, and whether the defect substantially impairs its use, value, or safety while covered by the manufacturer’s warranty.
A Mercedes-Benz that has been back to the dealer repeatedly for one persistent issue can qualify with no recall on file, while a vehicle with three open recalls may not qualify at all if each was repaired on the first visit. Repair-attempt and days-out-of-service thresholds vary from state to state, so the same facts can play out differently depending on where you bought or registered the vehicle. Keep every repair order — the paper trail is the case.
Who handles your Mercedes-Benz claim
Lemon Law Group Partners is a law firm dedicated to lemon law. Jason S. Hegedus founded it in 2012 after years as a defense attorney for a major automaker in Michigan, and he has litigated lemon law claims since the late 1990s. That background shows us how manufacturers evaluate and defend claims — and we use it for consumers.
Your Mercedes-Benz case is handled by a team of more than twenty attorneys, paralegals and case managers. We collect and review your repair orders, deal with the manufacturer and its lawyers, and pursue a buyback, replacement or cash settlement where your state’s law allows. No attorney’s fees unless we recover.
Jason S. HegedusManaging Partner & FounderFrequently asked questions about Mercedes-Benz lemon law claims
Is my EQB a lemon if Mercedes told me to park outside and limit charging to 80%?
Those instructions are a serious sign, but a claim depends on your vehicle’s full repair history and your state’s rules. EQB recalls 25V-050, 25V-487, 25V-894 and 26V-073 involve fire risk or loss of drive power, and some owners have been asked to repeat repairs. If your EQB has been under park-outside or charging restrictions for an extended period, or has had battery work more than once, that history can be significant. Keep every recall letter and repair order.
My GLE 450 stalled. Does the transmission recall help my claim?
It helps establish that the stalling is a known defect. Recall 24V-118 covers 2020–2023 GLE 450 and GLS 450 models whose transmission may not fully downshift, causing the engine to stall. If yours stalled before or after the software update, each report to the dealer matters. A stall in traffic is a safety risk, and many state lemon laws treat defects likely to cause death or serious injury more strictly than ordinary defects.
My MBUX screen or instrument cluster went black while driving. Is that a warranty defect?
Yes. A display that resets or goes blank is not normal operation, and Mercedes has recalled 144,049 2024–2026 C-Class, E-Class, CLE, GLC, SL and AMG GT models under 26V-281 for exactly that behavior. If the problem continues after the software update, report it every time it happens, ideally with a photo or video, so the dealer cannot simply note that it could not duplicate the concern.
Does Mercedes-Benz have a separate powertrain warranty?
Not in the current quick-reference table. Mercedes-Benz’s 2026 passenger car booklet lists one 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which is the coverage most lemon law claims rely on. Plug-in hybrids add 6-year/62,000-mile high-voltage battery coverage, and EQ electric models add 8- or 10-year battery coverage depending on the model. Emissions components also carry their own federal and state coverage periods.
Does my EQS or EQE battery warranty require anything from me?
Yes. Mercedes’ EQ warranty booklet says all required maintenance services must be completed to keep the battery coverage valid, and it sets out charging and storage expectations for the high-voltage battery. Keep every maintenance invoice, follow the charging guidance in your owner’s manual, and keep records of any battery warnings you report. Gaps in maintenance can give Mercedes a reason to dispute a battery claim.
Think your Mercedes-Benz might be a lemon?
If your Mercedes-Benz has been in the shop repeatedly for the same warranty problem, or has sat out of service for weeks, tell us what happened. The review is free, and there are no attorney’s fees unless we recover for you.
Lemon Law Group Partners PLC is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Mercedes-Benz or any other vehicle manufacturer. All trademarks, service marks, and brand names are the property of their respective owners and are used solely to identify the vehicles at issue.
