Check Your Mercedes for the Door-Lock Rollaway Recall

Your Mercedes is affected only if its VIN shows NHTSA campaign 26V481000 as open. Certain 2019–2026 A-Class, CLA, C-Class, CLE, GLA, GLB, and GLC vehicles may qualify; the W220 S-Class is not named. The fault is a corroding microswitch in the driver’s door lock, and the free repair is a replacement door lock—not a brake or transmission part.

The campaign was reported July 24, 2026, and potentially covers 310,667 vehicles. A matching model and year makes a car potentially eligible, but only the complete 17-character VIN can confirm it. The NHTSA campaign record provides the affected population, defect, consequence, and remedy.

Select your model and year, then record what the car does when the driver’s door opens.

Certain 2019–2026 Models Are in the Screening Range

Campaign 26V481000 covers subsets of the following model-year combinations. It does not cover every car bearing one of these model names.

A 2021 CLA, 2024 GLC, or 2025 GLA is within a published broad range, but its VIN must still show the campaign as open. The ranges do not establish coverage for a particular trim, body style, powertrain, production date, or configuration.

The official campaign data contains numerous vehicle entries, while secondary reports differ on some GLA years and trim details. Treat the table as a screening tool and the official VIN result as decisive.

The W220 S-Class Is Not Named

The W220 S-Class is not in the broad model list for campaign 26V481000. Nothing in the supplied W220 722.6 transmission-maintenance material connects the W220 or its transmission to this door-lock defect.

That does not mean a W220 has no recalls. Its VIN should still be checked for other open campaigns. It means that a W220 transmission complaint does not establish a connection to 26V481000.

A VIN Search Determines Whether the Recall Applies

Find the complete 17-character VIN at the lower driver-side corner of the windshield, on the driver-side doorjamb label, or on the registration, title, or insurance documents. Check carefully for omitted or transposed characters.

Start with NHTSA’s vehicle-specific recall search. It accepts a complete VIN or a supported U.S. license plate and issuing state. A year, make, and model search is not a substitute: it returns general recall and investigation information rather than establishing whether one car has an unrepaired recall.

Look specifically for:

• NHTSA campaign 26V481000
• A status showing the campaign as open or unrepaired
• Any current manufacturer instructions displayed with the result

Then enter the same VIN in the official Mercedes-Benz USA recall lookup. Mercedes-Benz says that tool accepts a complete U.S. VIN and may display current or previous U.S. recall campaigns. It does not provide results for non-U.S. vehicles; owners elsewhere need the Mercedes-Benz organization or vehicle-safety regulator for their market.

Affected VINs for campaign 26V481000 were scheduled to become searchable through NHTSA beginning July 31, 2026. A search made before then, or while records were being populated, may not have been conclusive. The official campaign data gives the VIN-search date and recall details.

Save a screenshot or PDF of the result. If the two official systems disagree, or the dealer cannot immediately find the campaign, the saved status provides a clear record of what was displayed.

“Zero Unrepaired Recalls” Is Not a Lifetime History

An open or unrepaired result for 26V481000 means the car requires recall service. Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer to arrange the remedy.

A previously completed campaign means the recall applied but the repair was recorded as finished. It may no longer appear in NHTSA’s unrepaired-recall results.

A result stating “0 unrepaired recalls associated with this VIN” means NHTSA currently displays no outstanding recall for that VIN. It does not prove that the vehicle has never been recalled, that a previous repair was not completed, or that a newly announced campaign cannot later be added.

If the model and year fall within the screening range but 26V481000 does not appear, verify the VIN for errors, cross-check Mercedes-Benz USA, and search again if campaign records may still be updating. If the result remains unclear, call Mercedes-Benz USA at 1-800-367-6372 or ask an authorized dealer to review the VIN.

The Failed Part Is Inside the Driver’s Door Lock

The recall does not identify a defective parking-brake component. It concerns the electrical door-status signal used by the car’s Auto-Park and convenience systems.

The reported failure chain is specific:

1. Moisture may enter the area around a microswitch in the driver’s door-lock assembly.
2. Corrosion may develop over time.
3. The switch may stop recognizing that the driver’s door has opened.
4. Systems relying on that door-open signal may not respond as intended.
5. The electronic parking brake or Auto-Park function may fail to engage automatically.
6. An unsecured vehicle may roll away, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

The microswitch reports door status; it does not directly operate the mechanical lock. The door may continue locking and unlocking normally even when the separate door-open signal has failed. Normal lock operation therefore does not rule out the defect.

The useful warning clues are electrical. The radio may remain on after the driver exits, lights or convenience functions may stay active, or the electronic parking brake may not engage automatically. Unexpected parking behavior or a door-status warning also deserves prompt attention.

Mercedes-Benz had reportedly received 176 U.S. reports involving failed microswitches, with no resulting vehicle rollaway reported at the time of filing. Reports that radios and lights remained on helped identify the switch problem. Road & Track summarizes the reports, warning clues, and absence of a reported U.S. rollaway.

A symptom does not prove recall coverage, and a symptom-free car can still be included. Similar electrical behavior may also have another cause. Eligibility remains tied to the VIN.

Unexpected Parking or Door Behavior Warrants a Dealer Call

The campaign record does not give one universal instruction telling every owner either to stop driving or continue driving. It also does not designate 26V481000 as “Park It” or “Park Outside.” Those absent designations are not individualized safety advice.

Contact Mercedes-Benz or an authorized dealer promptly if the electronic parking brake does not engage as expected, the car behaves unexpectedly after parking, the radio or lights remain active after exit, or a parking-brake or door-status warning appears.

Tell the service department where the car was, what gear or status the display showed, which warning messages appeared, and whether the behavior repeats. Follow any instructions attached to the VIN result, recall notice, or direct communication from Mercedes-Benz or the dealer.

The Free Remedy Is a New Driver’s Door Lock

For an included vehicle, the official remedy is replacement of the driver’s door lock free of charge. This is an in-person mechanical repair rather than an over-the-air update.

Owner-notification letters are scheduled to be mailed September 18, 2026. That is a planned mailing date, not proof that every letter has already arrived. Owners do not need to wait for the letter if the VIN already shows campaign 26V481000 as open.

When calling the dealer, provide the complete VIN, campaign number 26V481000, current mileage, observed symptoms, and preferred contact details. Ask whether the campaign is open in the dealer’s system, whether the replacement part is available, and what appointment time is offered.

The published campaign information does not establish current parts availability, guarantee a repair duration, or promise a loaner or rental vehicle. Those details have to be confirmed with the dealer.

The Sprinter Rollaway Recall Is a Different Defect

Passenger-vehicle campaign 26V481000 is separate from Sprinter campaign 22V796000, even though both may be described as rollaway recalls.

The Sprinter campaign concerns the automatic transmission’s internal Park mechanism, not a door-status switch. The campaign 22V796000 summary identifies the affected van lines and model years.

A Sprinter owner should check the van’s VIN rather than assume the passenger-car campaign applies. Likewise, a W220 transmission symptom does not connect that car to either recall.

Common Recall Questions

Will the Doors Still Lock If the Microswitch Fails?

They may. The switch detects whether the driver’s door has opened; it does not directly control the physical lock. A door can continue to lock and unlock even though the door-open signal used by other systems is wrong.

Is Every Car in the Listed Years Recalled?

No. The model-year ranges identify vehicles that may be included. Only a VIN-specific result can establish whether campaign 26V481000 is open for one car.

Is the Repair Free?

Yes. For a vehicle with the campaign open, the listed remedy is free dealer replacement of the driver’s door lock. Appointment timing, parts availability, repair duration, and alternate transportation are not established by the campaign record.

Should I Wait for the Mailed Notice?

No waiting is required if an official VIN search already shows the recall as open. Contact an authorized dealer and provide the VIN and campaign number. If no campaign appears but the car is within the screening range, cross-check both official systems and repeat the search if records may still be updating.