20P2197238 – Engine Oil Plugs – 2018-2019 Mercedes-Benz S560 & Maybach S560

March 20, 2020 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V173000

Engine Oil Plugs May Leak

An engine oil leak can spill on to the road and cause slippery road conditions. Additionally, if the engine runs out of oil it can cause an engine stall while driving. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V173

Manufacturer Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC.

Components ENGINE

Potential Number of Units Affected 9,791

 

Summary

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2018-2019 S560 and Maybach S560 vehicles equipped with 4.0L 8-cylinder gasoline-engines. Two engine oil plugs may not withstand high engine loads while driving, possibly resulting in an engine oil leak.

 

Remedy

MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will reinforce the engine oil plugs by adding a retaining plate, free of charge. The recall began August 11, 2020. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA’s number for this recall is 2020060018.

 

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 Initial Notification Engine Oil Plugs MY18-19 217 222 ( S-Class Coupe/Convertible, S-Class)	DATE: March 27, 2020

 

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. :	Engine Oil Plugs
TBA	20V173	20P2197238
This is to notify you of a new Recall Campaign regarding the engine plugs in 9,791 Model Year (“MY”) 2018-2019 S-Class (222 platform) and SClass Coupe/Convertible (217 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 March 27, 2020.
Background
Issue		Mercedes-Benz AG (“MBAG”), the manufacturer of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, has determined that on certain Model Year (“MY”) 2018-2019 S-Class (222 platform) and S-Class Coupe/Convertible (217 platform) vehicles equipped with 4.0L 8-cylinder gasoline-engines (M176), the material of two engine oil plugs might not withstand the high engine loads during driving. The material of the closure plugs might fail to contain high engine oil pressures, which can occur especially during dynamic driving and could result in engine oil leaking from the plugs. The resulting oil leak on the road could create a potential road hazard increasing the risk of a crash for other road users. Additionally, if the engine oil level were to fall below a certain limit, the driver would be made aware of this issue by a red warning message in the instrument cluster. If the warning message were to be ignored by the driver, the engine could run without the required oil, damaging the engine and result in a vehicle stall.
What We’re Doing		MBUSA will conduct a voluntary recall. An authorized Mercedes-Benz will rework the engine oil plugs on the affected vehicles.
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		S-Class
Vehicle Populations
Total Recall Population		9,791
Total Vehicles in Dealer Inventory		42
Given this notice, it is a violation of Federal law for a dealer to sell or lease any new MY18-19 S-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 S-Class vehicles covered by this notification until the vehicle has been repaired.
Next Steps/Notes
Customer Notification Timeline		Customers will be notified of the recall via interim letter on 4/3/2020
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:
Rework Engine Oil Plugs
NHTSA Recall #20V173  

April, 2020

 

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 S-Class (222 platform) and S-Class Coupe/Convertible (217 platform) 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 2018-2019 S-Class (222 platform) and S-Class Coupe/Convertible (217 platform) vehicles equipped with 4.0L 8-cylinder engines, the material of two engine oil plugs might not withstand high engine loads during driving.  The closure plug might fail to contain high engine oil pressures which can occur especially during dynamic driving and could result in engine oil leaking from the plugs.  A resulting oil leak on the roadway could create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash for other road users.  If the engine oil level falls below a certain limit, the driver will be made aware by a red warning message in the instrument cluster.  However, if the vehicle is driven after the warning message appears, the engine could be damaged if it continues to run without the required oil.  This could lead to a vehicle stall and increase the risk of a crash.

An authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer will replace the engine oil plugs on the affected vehicles.  Unfortunately, the parts to remedy this issue are currently not yet available.

We are working to obtain the necessary parts as quickly as possible.  As the 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, 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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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 Engine Oil Plugs MY18-19 217, 222 (S-Class)	Date: July 31, 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

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Campaign No. :	NHTSA ID	Campaign Desc. :	Engine Oil Plugs
2020060018	20V173	20P1892005
This is to notify you of a Recall Campaign launch regarding the closure plugs on the engines of 9791 Model Year  (“MY”) 2018-2019 217, 222 (S-Class) 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 July 31, 2020.
Background
Issue		Mercedes-Benz AG (“MBAG”), the manufacturer of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, has determined that on certain MY 2018-2019 S-Class (222 platform) and S-Class Coupe/Convertible (217 platform) vehicles equipped with 4.0L 8cylinder gasoline-engines (M176), the material of two engine oil plugs might not withstand the high engine loads during driving. The material of the closure plugs might fail to contain high engine oil pressures, which can occur especially during dynamic driving and could result in engine oil leaking from the plugs. The resulting oil leak on the road could create a potential road hazard increasing the risk of a crash for other road users. If the engine oil level were to fall below a certain limit, the driver would be made aware of this issue by a red warning message in the instrument cluster. If the warning message were to be ignored by the driver, the engine could run without the required oil, damaging the engine and result in a vehicle stall.
What We’re Doing		MBUSA will conduct a voluntary recall.  An authorized Mercedes-Benz will rework the engine oil plugs on the affected vehicles.
Parts		Parts are available and can be ordered as necessary.
Vehicles Affected
Vehicle Model Year(s)		2018-2019
Vehicle Model		S-Class
Vehicle Populations
Total Recall Population		9791
Total Vehicles in Dealer Inventory		44
Given this notice, it is a violation of Federal law for a dealer to sell or lease any new MY18-19 S-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 Xentry. 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 S-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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Campaign No. 2020060018, July 2020

TO:	ALL MERCEDES-BENZ CENTERS
SUBJECT:	Model S-Class and S-Class Coupe/Convertible (222 and 217 platform) Model Year 2018-2019 Closure Plugs on Engine

 

Mercedes-Benz AG (“MBAG”), the manufacturer of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, has determined that on certain Model Year (“MY”) 2018-2019 S-Class (222 platform) and S-Class Coupe/Convertible (217 platform) vehicles equipped with 4.0L 8-cylinder gasoline-engines (M176), the material of two engine oil plugs might not withstand the high engine loads during driving. The material of the closure plugs might fail to contain high engine oil pressures, which can occur especially during dynamic driving and could result in engine oil leaking from the plugs. The resulting oil leak on the road could create a potential road hazard increasing the risk of a crash for other road users. Additionally, if the engine oil level were to fall below a certain limit, the driver would be made aware of this issue by a red warning message in the instrument cluster. If the warning message were to be ignored by the driver, the engine could run without the required oil, damaging the engine and result in a vehicle stall. An authorized Mercedes-Benz will rework the engine oil plugs on the affected vehicles.

 

Prior to performing this Recall Campaign:

• 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 9791 vehicles are involved.

 

Order No. P-RC-2020060018

 

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Procedure

 

1. Remove front engine compartment lining.

For basic data, see AR61.20-P-1105LF.

2. Clean stop plugs (A, Figure 1) in timing case cover.

Figure 1

 

3. Install new O-rings (2) on the stop plugs (B, figure 2).
4. Insert new additional stop plugs (B, Figure 2) into stop plugs (A, Figure 1).

Figure 2

 

5. Unscrew screws (C, Figure 3), attach new additional retaining plate (D, Figure 3), and tighten using screws (C, Figure 3).

Screw retaining plate on timing case cover with 10 Nm

New retaining plate is installed additionally on top of existing retaining plate!  Attention: New retaining plate is asymmetrical, observe installation position!

Figure 3

 

6. Install front engine compartment lining.

For basic data, see AR61.20-P-1105LF.

 

Primary Parts Information

Qty.	Part Name	Part Number
1	Retaining plate	A 000 011 10 00
2	Stop plug	A 000 015 15 00
2	O-rings	A 027 997 95 45

 

Warranty Information

Operation: Retrofit stop plugs on timing case cover (02-1494)

Damage Code	Operation Number	Labor Time (hrs.)
18 920 05 7	02-1494	0.5

 

Note

Operation Number labor times are subject to change.

 

P-RC-2020060018

 

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IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL 2020060018
This notice applies to your vehicle, VIN:
Rework Engine Closure Plugs
NHTSA Recall #20V173

 

August, 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 S-Class vehicles. Our records indicate that your vehicle is included in the affected population of vehicles.

What is the CONCERN?	On certain Model Year MY 2018-2019 S-Class Sedan and S-Class Coupe/Convertible vehicles equipped with the 4.0L 8-cylinder gasoline-engines (M176), the material used for two engine oil plugs might not withstand the high engine loads during driving.  Under dynamic driving conditions, engine oil could leak from the plugs onto the roadway and create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash for other road users.  Additionally, if the engine oil level were to fall below a certain limit, the driver would be made aware by a red warning message in the instrument cluster.  If the vehicle is driven after the warning message appears, the engine could run without the required oil, damaging the engine.  This could lead to a vehicle stall and increase the risk of a crash.
What will your DEALER DO?	An authorized Mercedes-Benz Dealer will reinforce the engine oil plugs by adding a retaining plate on the affected vehicles. 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 1 hour, 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 Mercedes-Benz dealer at your earliest convenience. To locate authorized dealers see www.MBUSA.com/recall.  Please mention you are scheduling an appointment to reinforce the engine oil plugs on the affected vehicles  under Recall Campaign # 2020060018. Impacts from COVID-19: Your health and safety remain our top priority. The Mercedes-Benz dealerships remaining open for recall repairs and service are closely following the guidelines set forth by the CDC. Free Mobile Repair at your home or business as well as vehicle pick-up and delivery may be available. Your preferred authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer can confirm availability.
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 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 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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4 Affected Products

Vehicles

MAKE	MODEL	YEAR
MERCEDES BENZ	S560	2018-2019
MERCEDES-MAYBACH	S560	2018-2019

 

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14 Associated Documents

Recall 573 Report – Amendment 3

RCLRPT-20V173-6331.PDF 216.019KB

 

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ISSUED Interim Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RIONL-20V173-6923.pdf 172.624KB

 

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Recall 573 Report – Amendment 2

RCLRPT-20V173-2663.PDF 215.981KB

 

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Defect Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-20V173-6126.PDF 216.318KB

 

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Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc) – Recall Campaign Initial Notification Engine Oil Plugs MY18-19 217 222 ( S-Class Coupe/Convertible, S-Class)

RCMN-20V173-8056.pdf 170.487KB

 

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Recall 573 Report – Amendment 1

RCLRPT-20V173-7901.PDF 215.984KB

 

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Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-20V173-6702.pdf 244.84KB

 

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Remedy Instructions and TSB

RCRIT-20V173-0921.pdf 257.553KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #1, 2020-3

RCLQRT-20V173-7649.PDF 211.137KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #2, 2020-4

RCLQRT-20V173-4308.PDF 211.239KB

 

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Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)- RE: Recall Campaign Launch Notification Engine Oil Plugs MY18-19 217, 222 (S-Class)

RCMN-20V173-6714.pdf 377.883KB

 

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ISSUED Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RCONL-20V173-5886.pdf 214.304KB

 

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Recall 573 Report – Amendment 5

RCLRPT-20V173-2616.PDF 216.009KB

 

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Recall 573 Report – Amendment 4

RCLRPT-20V173-8163.PDF 216.016KB

 

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Latest Recalls Documents

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/documentList.xhtml?docId=20V173&docType=RCL

 

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