Mercedes-Benz bulletin LI03.20-P-078715
What it saysComplaint Low engine oil level warning. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Mercedes-Benz filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Dec 19, 2024, received Dec 23, 2024, about the engine. It names 35 model years (2019–2025). A service bulletin is not a safety recall: it is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a condition, and whether the work is paid for depends on the warranty in force. Quoting the number at a service desk can save a diagnosis.
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What the bulletin says
Source: NHTSA's summary of the manufacturer's communicationComplaint Low engine oil level warning. Engine oil leak under vehicle. Cause Rear crankshaft radial seal rolled during installation Remedy -Check for external oil leak with visual inspection. -Remove inspection cover on left side of transmission and check for oil in bell housing. -If oil is found in bell housing, remove transmission and determine location of leak. Replace rear crankshaft sealing ring if found damaged or leaking. -If ISA is found to be contaminated with engine oil, replace the integrated starter/alternator.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LI03.20-P-078715 | Service bulletin | Dec 19, 2024 | 11012055 | PDF, 34 KB |
The summary is NHTSA’s abstract of the document, as filed under 49 CFR 579.5. One communication is usually filed as several documents — the bulletin, a dealer notice, an owner letter — and the number on any of them finds this page. A PDF link is shown only once NHTSA’s own server has been seen to serve that document; the rest are checked over the following nights. Quote the number at a service desk; it is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Model years it names
Source: as the manufacturer filed themAlso filed against model years this site has no page for: 2024 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT53E.
A vehicle page’s bulletin list shows the newest few communications filed against that model year; the count there is every one.
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What owners reported
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseOwners of the 34 model years this bulletin names have filed 932 complaints with NHTSA since 2015. 213 of them name Engine — the same broad component group this bulletin is filed under. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so that means the same area of the vehicle, not necessarily the same fault.
I brought my car in for routine service and was told I needed a rear main seal. I had the car inspected when I purchased it appx 13k miles ago because I saw online there was a lot of people having this issue with their vehicles. It’s a known manufacturer defect. At that time there was no issue. Now at 40k miles it began to leak.
2019 Mercedes-Benz E-Class · Engine · filed with NHTSA Jan 4, 2026 · ODI 11708627
On July 7, 2026, my 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 experienced a serious engine malfunction. After stopping at a traffic light, the engine began shaking violently and idling roughly. When the traffic light turned green, the vehicle accelerated extremely slowly and had very little power, making it difficult to clear the intersection.
2022 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class · Engine · filed with NHTSA Jul 13, 2026 · ODI 11749953
Radiator started leaking in <3000 miles of driving the brand new GLE 580 Mercedes Benz. Twice I got errors in the car that stated check coolant level I could hear liquid moving in the front of the car when I parked it. Once while driving, the AC totally stopped working and on the entire drive, I couldn't feel the cool air.
2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class · Engine · filed with NHTSA Jan 25, 2026 · ODI 11713270
A complaint is one owner’s account, not a defect finding, and a bulletin is not a recall. Nothing here says this bulletin was issued because of these complaints, or that the repair it describes fixed them. Complaint files on this site begin in 2015.
More bulletins about the engine
Source: same model, same component group68 other manufacturer communications filed against these Mercedes-Benz models under the same component group (engine), newest first. The eight newest are listed; the rest are on the Mercedes-Benz list.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| LI18.00-P-073137 | Service bulletin | Sep 26, 2026 | Complaint Sporadic warning message in instrument cluster "Engine oil pressure stop switch off vehicle" (or similar) is shown in red on vehi… |
| LI20.10-P-075374 | Service bulletin | Sep 17, 2026 | Complaint Red coolant warning in instrument cluster. Fault codes U019F00 or U019F87 current/stored in MRG1 control unit. Cause Various cause… |
| PSL-NCU Return Parts 8/14 | Other | Aug 15, 2026 | Dear Mercedes-Benz USA Dealers, The part numbers listed in the chart below should no longer be installed, and any existing stock must be ret… |
| LI01.20-P-080884 | Service bulletin | Aug 12, 2026 | Complaint Oil leaks found on M176 or M177 engines diagnosed to be from the cylinder head cover area Cause Unknown (under investigation) Reme… |
| LI07.10-P-080384 | Service bulletin | Aug 7, 2026 | Complaint Customer reports Check Engine Light with possible loss of power concern. The Following DTC's are present • P210185 - The throttle… |
| NCU - 2026010004 | Service campaign | Jul 27, 2026 | • Always use the latest XENTRY Diagnosis software release with all available add-ons. • Make sure to follow the operation steps exactly as d… |
| LI20.10-P-072886 | Service bulletin | Jul 24, 2026 | Complaint Check Engine Light ON with DTC P012800 "The Coolant Temperature is Below the Specified Temperature" active and/or stored in the ME… |
| Emissions - 2024100016 | Emissions | Jul 24, 2026 | Mercedes-Benz AG (“MBAG”), the manufacturer of Mercedes-Benz, has determined that on certain MY 2019-2021 C-Class, G-Class, GLC, GT, S-Class… |
Quote the number at the service desk. It is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Every manufacturer communication NHTSA holds for Mercedes-Benz, by the number printed on the letter.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR 579.5Is Mercedes-Benz LI03.20-P-078715 a recall?
No. A service bulletin is a manufacturer communication filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR 579.5; a safety recall carries an NHTSA campaign number (two digits, a letter, six digits) and a federal duty to repair for free. Check the vehicle’s recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or on its page here.
Is the LI03.20-P-078715 repair free?
Not automatically. A service bulletin describes how to diagnose or repair a condition; who pays depends on the warranty in force, any extension, and the dealer. Quoting the number can save a diagnosis either way. Every Mercedes-Benz warranty extension on file lists the ones Mercedes-Benz has filed.
Which vehicles does LI03.20-P-078715 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 35 model years: 2024 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT, 2023 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT, 2022 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT, 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT, 2020 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT, 2019 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT and more. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.