Implausible Seat Belt Detection – 2018-2019 Mercedes-Benz

November 1, 2019 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V788000

System Interprets Seat Belts as being Unlatched

The electric PRE-SAFE®-function and the seat belt pretensioners may not deploy during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V788

Manufacturer Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC.

Components SEAT BELTS

Potential Number of Units Affected 29,679

 

Summary

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2018 E400 Wagon 4MATIC, E400 4MATIC, E43 AMG 4MATIC, 2018-2019 E63S AMG 4MATIC Wagon, E63 AMG 4MATIC Wagon, E300, E300 4MATIC, GLC63S Coupe AMG 4MATIC, 2019 CLS450, CLS450 4MATIC, CLS53 AMG 4MATIC, E450 Wagon, E53 AMG 4MATIC, GLC300, GLC63 AMG Coupe 4MATIC, G550 4MATIC, G63 AMG, GLC300 Coupe 4MATIC, GLC300 4MATIC, GLC350e 4MATIC, GLC43 AMG Coupe 4MATIC, GLC43 AMG 4MATIC, GLC63 AMG 4MATIC, GT63 AMG four-door 4MATIC, and GT63S AMG four-door 4MATIC vehicles. Although correctly fastened, the front seat belts may be inaccurately detected as being unfastened, which may cause the electric PRE-SAFE®-function and the pretensioner to be deactivated.

 

Remedy

MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seat belt buckles, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 13, 2020. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA’s number for this recall is 2020020017.

 

Notes

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.safercar.gov.

 

Check if your Mercedes-Benz has a Recall

 

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TO: Mercedes-Benz Dealer Principals, General Managers, Sales Managers, Service Managers, Parts Managers	FROM:  Gregory Gunther, Department Manager, Vehicle Compliance and Analysis, Engineering Services
RE: Recall Campaign Launch Notification Implausible Seatbelt Detection MY18-19 213, 253, 257, 290, 463 (CLS-Class, E-Class, GClass, GLC-Class, GT-Class)	Date: March 7, 2020

 

IMPORTANT RECALL CAMPAIGN UPDATE

Please see the attached documents related to the campaign listed above.

 

Please note that all customer inquiries should be directed to the Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-FOR-MERCEDES.

 

Sincerely,
Gregory Gunther
Department Manager, Vehicle Compliance & Analysis

A Mercedes-Benz AG Company

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Campaign No. :	NHTSA ID	Campaign Desc. :	Implausible Seatbelt Detection
2020020017	19V788	19P9190308
This is to notify you of a Recall Campaign Launch involving the front seatbelt buckles on 29,720 Model Year (“MY”) 2018-2019 CLS-Class, E-Class, G-Class, GLC-Class, and GT-Class (213, 253, 257, 290, 463 platform) vehicles. The recall campaign will be visible on the www.safercar.gov website and may generate questions from customers.  Affected VINs will be flagged in VMI as “OPEN” on March 7, 2020
Background
Issue		Mercedes-Benz AG (“MBAG”), the manufacturer of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, has determined that on certain Model Year 18-19 (“MY”) C-Class (205 platform), GLC-Class (253 platform), E-Class (213 platform), CLS-Class (257 platform), GT-Class (290 platform) and G-Class (463 platform) vehicles, certain front seat belt buckles might not have been manufactured according to current production specification.  In affected vehicles, a correctly latched seat belt could be erroneously detected as not latched.  As a result, neither the electric PRE-SAFE ® function nor the pretensioner would be activated in the event of a crash in which the restraint systems are activated.  Thus, the full effect of the restraint system could be impaired, increasing the risk of injury for the front passengers.
What We’re Doing		MBUSA will conduct a voluntary recall. An authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer will check the relevant seat belt buckles in the affected vehicles and replace them if necessary.
Parts		Parts are available and can be ordered as necessary. Tool kits are available and will be allocated to dealers by March 6, 2020.
Vehicles Affected
Vehicle Model Year(s)		2018-2019
Vehicle Model		CLS-Class, E-Class, G-Class, GLC-Class, GT-Class
Vehicle Populations
Total Recall Population		29,720
Total Vehicles in DLR Inventory		1,060
Given this notice, it is a violation of Federal law for a dealer to sell or lease any new MY18-19 CLS-Class, E-Class, G-Class, GLC-Class, GT-Class vehicles in dealer inventory covered by this notification until the vehicle has been repaired.  Once the remedy is available, the vehicles will be flagged as “OPEN” and Work Instructions will be available in Star TekInfo Once the repair is complete, the vehicle may be sold or leased.  Loaner and demonstrator vehicles may continue to be driven, but must not be retailed until repaired.   As a matter of normal service process, please check for other repair measures which might be applicable to the vehicle(s)   Additionally, given this notice, it is a violation of Federal Law for car rental companies to rent new MY18-19 CLS-Class, E-Class, GClass, GLC-Class, GT-Class vehicles covered by this notification until the vehicle has been repaired.
Next Steps/Notes
Customer Notification Timeline		Customer letters will be mailed approximately one week after the remedy becomes available.
AOMS/SOMS		AOMs – This recall may generate questions from your dealers. Please forward this notice to your dealers ASAP.
Rental Fleet Partners		This recall may affect vehicles in your fleet. Please contact your respective MBUSA fleet representative for further information and next steps. For repairs, please contact your preferred MBUSA dealer.

 

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Campaign No. 2020020017, March 2020

TO:	ALL MERCEDES-BENZ CENTERS
SUBJECT:	Models Various Model Year 2018-2019 Implausible Seat Belt Detection

 

Mercedes-Benz AG (“MBAG”), the manufacturer of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, has determined that on certain Model Year 18-19 (“MY”) C-Class (205 platform), GLC-Class (253 platform), E-Class (213 platform), CLS-Class (257 platform), GT-Class (290 platform) and G-Class (463 platform) vehicles, certain front seat belt buckles might not have been manufactured according to current production specification. In affected vehicles, a correctly latched seat belt could be erroneously detected as not latched. As a result, neither the electric PRE-SAFE ® function nor the pretensioner would be activated  in the event of a crash in which the restraint systems are activated. Thus, the full effect of the restraint system could be impaired, increasing the risk of injury for the front passengers. An authorized Mercedes- Benz dealer will check the relevant seat belt buckles in the affected vehicles and replace them if necessary.

 

Prior to performing this Recall Campaign:

• Please check VMI to determine if the vehicle is involved in the Campaign and if it has been previously repaired. Always Check VMI for any open campaigns, and perform accordingly.
• VMI must always be checked before performing campaigns to verify that the campaign is required on a specific vehicle. Always check for any other open campaigns, and perform accordingly.
• Please review the entire Recall Campaign bulletin and follow the repair procedure exactly as described.

 

Please note that Recall Campaigns do not expire and may also be performed on a vehicle with a vehicle status indicator.

Approximately 29720 vehicles are involved.

 

Order No. P-RC-2020020017

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Check/test procedure A

 

The test is to be carried out on the driver’s side and front passenger side. All doors must be closed during the test.

 

Test: Driver’s side seat belt buckle

 

1. Sit on the front seat on the driver’s side and close the door.

No one may be seated on the front passenger seat during the test.

All doors must be closed.

 

2. Start the engine.
   • After the engine starts, wait until the indicator lamps in the instrument cluster go out.
   • The fasten seat belts symbol (A, figure 1) is illuminated.
   • The engine must be running during the entire test.
   • As the first step, the correct test seat belt tongue needs to be determined.

 

3. Insert test seat belt tongues (beginning with test seat belt tongue 1) into the driver’s side seat belt buckle in accordance with the test sequence specification (1, figure 2).

The following specification must be followed in order to find the correct test seat belt tongue.

ATTENTION: Pay attention to the insertion direction of the test seat belt tongue. The number of the test seat belt tongue must face the sitting surface of the vehicle occupant (figure 2), and the seat belt tongue must be inserted so that it is straight (not misaligned).

 

Test sequence specification:

• Test seat belt tongue 1 cannot be inserted ⇒ continue with test seat belt tongue 2
• Test seat belt tongue 2 cannot be inserted ⇒ continue with test seat belt tongue 3
• Test seat belt tongue 3 cannot be inserted ⇒ continue with test seat belt tongue 4

 

The first test seat belt tongue in this sequence that can be inserted and latch is the correct test seat belt tongue. All other test seat belt tongues are no longer relevant for testing this seat belt buckle.

 

Example: If test seat belt tongue 1 can be inserted, it is the correct test seat belt tongue.

 

Do not shut off the engine.

Figure 1  & Figure 2

 

1. The indicator lamp (A)(figure 1) does not go out when the test is carried out using the correct driver’s side seat belt tongue: Carry out work procedure 1.
2. The indicator lamp (A)(figure 1) goes out when the test is carried out using the correct driver’s side test seat belt tongue: Carry out check/test procedure B.

The findings from the check/test procedure (which tool number and result) must be recorded on the work order.

 

Check/test procedure B

 

Test: Front passenger side seat belt buckle

The engine must be running during the entire test.

 

4. Insert seat belt (B, figure 3) into the driver’s side seat belt buckle. No one may be seated on the driver’s side during the test.

Figure 3

 

Figure 4

 

5. Sit on the front seat on the front passenger side and close the door. All doors must be closed.

To begin with, the correct test seat belt tongue needs to be determined.

 

6. Insert test seat belt tongues (beginning with test seat belt tongue 1) into the front passenger side seat belt buckle in accordance with the specification of the test sequence (1, figure 4).

The following specification must be followed in order to find the correct test seat belt tongue.

ATTENTION: Pay attention to the insertion direction of the test seat belt tongue. The number of the test seat belt tongue must face the sitting surface of the vehicle occupant (figure 4), and the seat belt tongue must be inserted so that it is straight (not misaligned).

 

Test sequence specification:

• Test seat belt tongue 1 cannot be inserted ⇒ continue with test seat belt tongue 2
• Test seat belt tongue 2 cannot be inserted ⇒ continue with test seat belt tongue 3
• Test seat belt tongue 3 cannot be inserted ⇒ continue with test seat belt tongue 4

 

The first test seat belt tongue in this sequence that can be inserted and latch is the correct test seat belt tongue. All other test seat belt tongues are no longer relevant for testing this seat belt buckle.

 

Example: If test seat belt tongue 1 can be inserted, it is the correct test seat belt tongue.

 

2. The indicator lamp (A)(figure 1) does not go out when the test is carried out using the correct front passenger side seat belt tongue: Carry out work procedure 2.
3. The indicator lamp (A)(figure 1) goes out when the correct front passenger side seat belt tongue is used for testing: End measure.

 

The findings from the check/test procedure (which tool number and result) must be recorded on the work order.

 

Work procedure 1

 

Replace the driver’s side seat belt buckle only if the indicator lamp (A) does not go out after having been tested correctly.

 

1. Replace driver’s side seat belt buckle.

Basic data for models 205, 213, and 253 40-P-1515LW.

Basic data for models 257 and 290 AR91.40-P-1515FR.

Basic data for model 463 AR91.40-P-1515GW; AR91.40-P-1515XG.

 

After completing work procedure 1 you must perform Check/test procedure B.

 

Work procedure 2

 

Replace the front passenger side seat belt buckle only if the indicator lamp (A) does not go out after tested    correctly.

 

1. Replace front passenger side seat belt buckle.

Basic data for models 205, 213, and 253   AR91.40-P-1515LW.

Basic data for models 257 and 290 AR91.40-P-1515FR.

Basic data for model 463 AR91.40-P-1515GW; AR91.40-P-1515XG.

 

Special tools

Quantity	Designation	Part no.
1	Tool kit	W 000 588 00 99 00

 

Primary Parts Information

Qty.	Part Name	Part Number
As required	Seat belt buckle for front seat	*

 

* The replacement parts must be determined according to VIN via the parts process in the Xentry Portal.

Small parts such as screws, stop nuts, sealing rings, cable ties, fluids, sealant, etc. are not listed in the parts list. The required small parts are taken into account in the budgeting and can be claimed.

 

Warranty Information With check

Operation: Check driver’s and front passenger seats seat belt buckles (02-1400)

Damage Code	Operation Number	Labor Time (hrs.)
91 903 08 8	02-1400	0.2

 

With check and replace

Operation: Check driver’s and front passenger seats seat belt buckles (02-1400)

Replace seat belt buckle (02-1401)

Includes: Remove seat and disconnect battery ground line

Damage Code	Operation Number	Labor Time (hrs.)
91 903 08 7	02-1400	0.2
	02-1401*	0.9

 

* The operation number can be claimed for each belt buckle replaced.

 

Note

Operation Number labor times are subject to change

 

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IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL 2020020017
This notice applies to your vehicle, VIN:
Implausible Seatbelt Detection
NHTSA Recall #19V788

 

March, 2020

A remedy is available for your vehicle. Schedule an appointment with your authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer as soon as possible. This repair will be provided free of charge.

 

Dear Mercedes-Benz Owner:

This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

Mercedes-Benz AG (“MBAG”), the manufacturer of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain Model Year (“MY”) 2018-2019 GLC-Class, E-Class, CLS-Class, AMG GT-Class Four Door, and G-Class vehicles. Our records indicate that your vehicle is included in the affected population of vehicles.

What is the CONCERN?	MBAG has determined that on certain MY 18-19 GLC-Class (253 platform), E-Class (213 platform), CLS-Class (257 platform), AMG GT Four-Door (290 platform) and G-Class (463 platform) vehicles, certain front seat belt buckles might not have been manufactured according to current production specifications.  In such case, a correctly latched seat belt could be erroneously detected as not latched. As a result, the electric PRE-SAFE®function and the pretensioner may not be activated in the event of a crash in which the restraint systems are activated. Thus, the electric PRE-SAFE®-function and the seat belt pretensioners may not deploy during a crash, increasing the risk of injury for the front passengers.  The occupants would be made aware by both a warning symbol in the instrument cluster as well as by an acoustic signal that warns instantly at the start of the drive.
What will your DEALER DO?	An authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer will check the relevant seat belt buckles in the affected vehicles and replace them if necessary. This service will be provided free of charge. We are dedicated to always delivering the best  customer experience, and respect for your time is a top priority.  While the minimum repair time can be less than  2.5 hours, your dealer can provide you with a better estimate of the overall time for this service visit.  As a matter  of normal service process, an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer will also check for other repair measures which   might be applicable to your vehicle which may increase the required working time.
What should YOU DO?	For additional information and to schedule an appointment, please contact your preferred authorized MercedesBenz dealer at your earliest convenience. To locate authorized dealers see  www.MBUSA.com/recall.  Please mention you are scheduling an appointment to have the seatbelt buckles checked under Recall Campaign # 2020020017. You may be asked for your 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) which for your convenience is located above your name at the top of this letter.
Information for Owners	In the event that you are no longer the vehicle owner, or have had a change of address, please complete the reverse side and return the updated information in the enclosed envelope. If this is a leased vehicle and the lessor and registered owner receive this notice, please forward this information by first class mail to the lessee within 10 business days to comply with Federal Regulations.

 

To find the most convenient authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer from your smartphone, scan the QR code to the left.

 

A VIN-based recall lookup tool on our MBUSA.com website now offers a search feature that will indicate whether a vehicle has been subject to a safety recall, and whether that vehicle has had the free remedy performed. See www.mbusa.com/recall. Should you have any questions or encounter any difficulty regarding this Recall Campaign, please contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer. If for any reason a dealer is unable to remedy your situation, we are always happy to hear from you. Please contact us at 1-(800) FOR-MERCEDES (1-800-367-6372).

If an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer for any reason is unable to remedy the situation without charge, or within a reasonable amount of time, pursuant to law 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301, you may submit a complaint to the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20590 or call the toll-free Auto Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153); or go to https://www.safercar.gov.

We apologize for any inconvenience this situation may cause you.

Sincerely,

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
A Mercedes-Benz AG Company
One Mercedes-Benz Drive
Sandy Springs, GA  30328
Phone (770) 705-0600

 

IMPORTANT                  

If for any reason YOU NO LONGER OWN THIS VEHICLE OR have a CHANGE OF ADDRESS, please COMPLETE THE SECTION BELOW, place in the ENCLOSED ENVELOPE, and DROP IN ANY MAIL BOX. If possible, provide the name and address of the present owner so that we may contact them. 

 

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TO: Mercedes-Benz Dealer Principals, General Managers, Sales Managers, Service Managers, Parts Managers	FROM:  Gregory Gunther, Department Manager, Vehicle Compliance and Analysis, Engineering Services
RE: Recall Campaign Initial Notification Implausible Seat Belt Detection MY18-19 C-Class (205 Platform), GLC-Class (253 Platform), E-Class (213 Platform), CLS-Class (257 Platform), GT-Class (290 Platform), G-Class (463 Platform)	DATE: November 8, 2019

 

IMPORTANT RECALL CAMPAIGN INFORMATION

Please see the attached documents related to the campaign listed above.

 

Please note that all customer inquiries should be directed to the Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-FORMERCEDES.

 

Sincerely,
Gregory Gunther
Department Manager, Vehicle Compliance & Analysis

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Campaign No. :	NHTSA ID	Campaign Desc. :	Implausible Seat Belt Detection
TBA	19V788	PEND FR SB DET
This is to notify you of a new Recall Campaign regarding the seat belt detection in 29,679 Model Year (“MY”) 18-19 C-Class (205 platform), GLC-Class (253 platform), E-Class (213 platform), CLS-Class (257 platform), GT (290 platform) and G-Class (463 platform) vehicles. The recall campaign will be visible on the www.safercar.gov website and may generate questions from customers. Affected VINs will be flagged in VMI as “PENDING” on November 8, 2019.
Background
Issue		Mercedes-Benz AG (“MBAG”), the manufacturer of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, has determined that on certain Model Year (“MY”) 18-19 C-Class (205 platform), GLC-Class (253 platform), E-Class (213 platform), CLS-Class (257 platform), GT (290 platform) and G-Class (463 platform) vehicles, certain front seat belt buckles might not have been manufactured according to current production specification. A correctly latched seat belt could be erroneously detected as not latched. The occupants would be made aware by both a warning symbol in the instrument cluster as well as by an acoustic signal that warns instantly at the start of the drive. As a result, the electric PRE-SAFE®-function and  the pretensioner may not be activated in the event of a crash in which the restraint systems are activated. Thus, the full effect of the restraint system could be impaired, increasing the risk of injury for the front passengers.
What We’re Doing		MBUSA will conduct a voluntary recall. An authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer will check the relevant seat belt buckles in the affected vehicles and replace them if necessary.
Parts		A remedy is not yet available. An additional notification will be sent once a remedy is available.
Vehicles Affected
Vehicle Model Year(s)		2018-2019
Vehicle Model		C-Class, GLC-Class, E-Class, CLS-Class, GT-Class, G-Class
Vehicle Populations
Total Recall Population		29,679
Total Vehicles in Dealer Inventory		1,263
Given this notice, it is a violation of Federal law for a dealer to sell or lease any new MY18-19 C-Class, GLC-Class, E-Class, CLS-Class, GT-Class, G-Class vehicles in dealer inventory covered by this notification until the vehicle has been repaired.  Once the remedy is available, the vehicles will be flagged as “OPEN” and Work Instructions will be available in Star TekInfo.  Once the repair is complete the vehicle may be sold or leased. Loaner and demonstrator vehicles may continue to be driven, but must not be retailed until repaired.  Additionally, given this notice, it is a violation of Federal Law for car rental companies to rent MY18-19 C-Class, GLC-Class, E-Class, CLS-Class, GT-Class, G-Class vehicles covered by this notification until the vehicle has been repaired.
Next Steps/Notes
Customer Notification Timeline		Customer letters will be mailed approximately one week after the remedy becomes available.
AOMS/SOMS		AOMs – This recall may generate questions from your dealers. Please forward this notice to your dealers ASAP.
Rental Fleet Partners		This recall may affect vehicles in your fleet. Please contact your respective MBUSA fleet representative for further information and next steps. For repairs, please contact your preferred MBUSA dealer.
While we regret any inconvenience this may cause, MBUSA is determined to maintain a high level of vehicle quality and customer satisfaction. Please refer all customer inquiries to the Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-FOR-MERCEDES.

 

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IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL
This INTERIM notice applies to your vehicle, VIN:
Implausible Seatbelt Detection
NHTSA Recall #19V788

 

December, 2019

Dear Mercedes-Benz Owner,

This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

Mercedes-Benz AG (“MBAG”), the manufacturer of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain Model Year (“MY”) 2018-2019 GLC-Class, E-Class, CLS-Class, AMG GT-Class Four Door, and GClass vehicles. Our records indicate that your vehicle is included in the affected population of vehicles.

 

What is the Concern?

MBAG has determined that on certain MY 18-19 GLC-Class (253 platform), E-Class (213 platform), CLS-Class (257 platform), AMG GT Four-Door (290 platform) and G-Class (463 platform) vehicles, certain front seat belt buckles might not have been manufactured according to current production specification.  In such case, a correctly latched seat belt could be erroneously detected as not latched.  The occupants would be made aware by both a warning symbol in the instrument cluster as well as by an acoustic signal that warns instantly at the start of the drive. As a result, the electric PRE-SAFE®-function and the pretensioner may not be activated in the event of a crash in which the restraint systems are activated. Thus, the electric PRE-SAFE®-function and the seat belt pretensioners may not deploy during a crash, increasing the risk of injury for the front passengers.

To remedy this issue, as a precautionary measure, an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer, will check the relevant seat belt buckles in the affected vehicles and replace them if necessary.  Unfortunately, the parts to remedy this are currently not yet available.

We are working to obtain the necessary parts to correct this condition as quickly as possible.  As parts become available, we will send you another letter asking you to take your vehicle to an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer to have the recall completed free of charge.

Should you have any concerns or questions regarding your vehicle before you receive the next recall letter when parts are available, please contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer.  If for any reason a dealer is unable to remedy your situation, we are always happy to hear from you.  Please contact us at 1-800-367-6372.  A new vehicle identification number (VIN)-based recall lookup tool, on our MBUSA.com website, now offers a search function that will indicate whether a vehicle has been subject to a safety recall, and whether that vehicle has had the free remedy performed. Please visit www.MBUSA.com/recall.

If you are no longer the vehicle owner, or have a change of address, please complete the reverse side of this letter and return the complete letter in the enclosed envelope.  If this is a leased vehicle and the lessor and registered owner receive this notice, please forward this information by first class mail to the lessee within 10 days to comply with federal regulations.

If a Mercedes-Benz dealer for any reason is unable to remedy the situation without charge, or within a reasonable amount of time, pursuant to law 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301, you may submit a complaint to the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20590 or call the toll-free Auto Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153); or go to https://www.safercar.gov.

We regret any inconvenience this situation may cause you.

Sincerely,

 

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
A Mercedes-Benz AG Company
One Mercedes-Benz Drive
Sandy Springs, GA  30328
Phone (770) 705-0600

 

IMPORTANT VIN:               

If for any reason YOU NO LONGER OWN THIS VEHICLE OR have a CHANGE OF ADDRESS, please COMPLETE THE SECTION BELOW, place in the ENCLOSED ENVELOPE, and DROP IN ANY MAIL BOX. If possible, provide the name and address of the present owner so that we may contact them. 

 

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Mercedes-Benz Part 573 Submission
Original Submitted to Portal November 1, 2019
Chronology-Only section
Supplement to Original Submission

 

Chronology of Defect/Noncompliance Determination

In October 2018, MBAG received complaints about securely latched seat belt buckles not being identified as such. Parts which had been retrieved from the field were reassembled into test vehicles, and MBAG was able to duplicate the complaint. The topic was communicated back to the supplier, who quickly installed a 100% End-of-Line check within their production process. A root cause for the complaint could not be identified at this point, and a taskforce was created to thoroughly analyze the issue. The analysis indicated that the geometrical dimensions of the sub-components of the seat belt buckle apparently had an impact on the described issue. MBAG and the supplier developed a check process and tool to validate this hypothesis. Through numerous tests on actual seat belt buckles, the analysis revealed that the failure could occur with seat belt buckle housings from one specific subsupplier, if the latch plate was intentionally inserted in a skewed orientation into the buckle. In late August 2019, MBAG was made aware of two VOQs that reported issues similar to the topic being investigated and similar to the issue underlying a prior recall (18V-839).  MBAG explained to NHTSA at that time that the issues were distinct and attributable to components.   MBAG advised NHTSA that its review of the issue, including vehicle scope, was ongoing.  MBAG was able to confirm at that time that if the latch plate was originally inserted properly into the housing, it would remain properly inserted and would not later inadvertently un-latch. Ultimately, unfavorable tolerances between seat belt buckle housing of this specific sub-supplier and the belt buckle were identified as the root cause of the issue. As no significant process changes at the sub-supplier’s manufacturing process could be determined, internal vehicles from various production ranges were analyzed in combination with relevant warranty data to gain knowledge about the potentially affected vehicle population.

In parallel, production audits were conducted at the sub-supplier which revealed that a tool showing excessive abrasion had been used for a specific period of time. Based on these conclusions, the affected vehicle population was determined.

In October 2019, MBAG determined that a potential safety risk cannot be ruled out.

 

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21 Affected Products

Vehicles

MAKE	MODEL	YEAR
MERCEDES BENZ	AMG GT 63	2019
MERCEDES BENZ	AMG GT 63 S	2019
MERCEDES BENZ	CLS450	2019
MERCEDES BENZ	CLS53	2019
MERCEDES BENZ	E300	2018-2019
MERCEDES BENZ	E400	2018
MERCEDES BENZ	E43 AMG	2018
MERCEDES BENZ	E450	2019
MERCEDES BENZ	E53	2019
MERCEDES BENZ	E63S AMG	2018-2019
MERCEDES BENZ	G550	2019
MERCEDES BENZ	G63	2019
MERCEDES BENZ	GLC300	2019
MERCEDES BENZ	GLC350E	2019
MERCEDES BENZ	GLC43 AMG	2019
MERCEDES BENZ	GLC63	2019
MERCEDES BENZ	GLC63 AMG	2019
MERCEDES BENZ	GLC63S AMG	2018-2019

 

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15 Associated Documents

ISSUED Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RCONL-19V788-6200.pdf 171.602KB

 

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Recall 573 Report – Amendment 4

RCLRPT-19V788-4683.PDF 230.107KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #1, 2020-1

RCLQRT-19V788-2491.PDF 211.152KB

 

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Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)- RE: Recall Campaign Initial Notification Implausible Seat Belt Detection

RCMN-19V788-3568.pdf 172.634KB

 

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Chronology

RMISC-19V788-0553.pdf 71.209KB

 

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Recall 573 Report – Amendment 1

RCLRPT-19V788-5648.PDF 228.82KB

 

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Defect Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-19V788-5370.PDF 228.38KB

 

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Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-19V788-9505.pdf 345.001KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #2, 2020-2

RCLQRT-19V788-4254.PDF 211.257KB

 

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Remedy Instructions and TSB

RCRIT-19V788-9599.pdf 218.345KB

 

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Recall 573 Report – Amendment 2

RCLRPT-19V788-2479.PDF 228.893KB

 

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Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)- RE: Recall Campaign Launch Notification Implausible Seatbelt Detection

RCMN-19V788-0253.pdf 313.699KB

 

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Recall 573 Report – Amendment 3

RCLRPT-19V788-4791.PDF 228.806KB

 

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ISSUED Interim Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RIONL-19V788-3551.pdf 149.145KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #3, 2020-3

RCLQRT-19V788-8225.PDF 211.34KB

 

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Latest Recalls Documents

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/documentList.xhtml?docId=19V788&docType=RCL

 

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Last update on 2026-06-12 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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