Mercedes-Benz is recalling 310,000 vehicles, including many of its most popular models. In an impressive cascade of failures, a problem with the door locks could lead to the vehicle rolling away. Yes, that seems like a stretch, but it can happen.
A door that can’t tell if it’s open or closed can lead to some other problems, too, that are less about safety and more about convenience.
Corrosion In A Switch Can Lead To Problems
2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Sedan Rear Angle ViewMercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz says that in 2021 it started receiving reports of complaints that radios and lights would stay on after drivers got out of the car. At the time, it was treated as a quality failure rather than a safety issue, but the company continued to investigate.
The problem has been narrowed down to corrosion in a microswitch in the doors. In certain conditions, enough moisture can get through the plastic housing of the door lock microswitch. The corrosion won’t stop the doors from locking or unlocking, but it can stop the vehicle from being aware that the door has been opened and that’s causing multiple problems in the vehicle.
Benz said that since 2021 it has received 176 field reports about the main problem the corroded switch causes. That’s a failure to disengage the vehicle’s comfort function – the function that keeps the radio on after you turn off the ignition but is meant to turn it off when you open a door.
How Is This A Safety Concern?
Front-quarter shot of a 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLBMercedes-Benz
The vehicle staying on after you exit can be a problem for owners because it has the potential to drain the battery over time. Though that’s annoying, it’s not likely, and it’s also not really a safety concern. But according to Mercedes-Benz, the safety problem is that if the car doesn’t know the door is open, it might not trigger the function that makes sure the vehicle is in park or engages the electronic parking brake.
Normally, the vehicles would automatically switch the transmission to park, engage the parking brake, or both if they detect the driver failed to do so before getting out. If that safety feature doesn’t work, the vehicle could roll away. Yes, it is a backup for user error, but the backup still needs to work properly.
The list of affected models is long and detailed below. The GLB has the highest number of vehicles included, with more than 70,000 involved.
What Happened, And When Will It Get Fixed?
2025 Mercedes-Benz GLA Exterior FrontMercedes-Benz
According to recall documents filed with the NHTSA, Mercedes-Benz is blaming a supplier for using a plastic housing material that “under specific climatic conditions may not meet robustness requirements.” Water can get in depending on the climate, aggravated by high temperatures.
The fix is a new driver’s door lock on the recalled vehicles. Mercedes-Benz said in the filing that some vehicles had been fixed outside of warranty, and that it will be giving notice on how those owners can be reimbursed. They may still need a new lock under the recall.
Letters to owners will go out on September 18. The fix will be available at that time, and owners can set up an appointment with their dealer. Owners can also check their VIN now on the NHTSA recall database or with Mercedes-Benz.
List Of Recalled Mercedes-Benz Models And Years
MERCEDES-BENZ
A 220
2019-2022
MERCEDES-BENZ
A 220 4MATIC
2019-2022
MERCEDES-BENZ
AMG A35
2020-2021
MERCEDES-BENZ
AMG C43 4MATIC
2023
MERCEDES-BENZ
AMG CLA35
2020-2021
MERCEDES-BENZ
AMG CLA45
2020-2021
MERCEDES-BENZ
AMG CLE53 4MATIC+
2024
MERCEDES-BENZ
AMG GLA 35
2024-2025
MERCEDES-BENZ
AMG GLA35
2021-2023
MERCEDES-BENZ
AMG GLA45
2021-2023
MERCEDES-BENZ
AMG GLB35
2021-2025
MERCEDES-BENZ
AMG GLB35 4MATIC
2026
MERCEDES-BENZ
AMG GLC43 4MATIC
2024
MERCEDES-BENZ
C 300
2022-2023
MERCEDES-BENZ
C 300 4MATIC
2022-2023
MERCEDES-BENZ
CLA 250
2020-2021
MERCEDES-BENZ
CLA 250 4MATIC
2020-2021
MERCEDES-BENZ
CLE 300 4MATIC
2024
MERCEDES-BENZ
CLE 300 4MATIC CABRIOLET
2024
MERCEDES-BENZ
CLE 450 4MATIC
2024
MERCEDES-BENZ
CLE 450 4MATIC CABRIOLET
2024
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLA 250
2021-2025
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLA 250 4MATIC
2021-2025
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLB 250
2020-2026
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLB 250 4MATIC
2020-2026
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLC 300
2023-2024
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLC 300 4MATIC
2023-2024
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLC 300 4MATIC COUPE
2024
