Mercedes-Benz bulletin LI05.30-N-080518
What it saysOM654 Extended engine crank or starting concerns and/or poor running characteristics Complaint One or more of the following may be reported: Extended crank or hard start Rough idle or misfire like condition Engine… NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Mercedes-Benz filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Jun 3, 2026, received Jul 2, 2026, about the engine. It names 3 model years (2023–2025). 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 communicationOM654 Extended engine crank or starting concerns and/or poor running characteristics Complaint One or more of the following may be reported: • Extended crank or hard start • Rough idle or misfire like condition • Engine stalls during low-speed maneuvering Cause In some cases, one or more exhaust valves may be leaking due to: • Burnt exhaust valve seat rings • Burnt valve faces • Heavy carbon buildup on the exhaust valve seat leading to poor sealing Remedy Follow the steps below in order. Do not replace components before completing verification. 1. Initial check • Perform a quick test with XENTRY Diagnosis • Check for stored or pending fault codes 2. Fuel system verification • Using XENTRY Diagnosis, monitor actual values during cranking under: “Engine start – starter turning, engine not starting” • Check rail pressure during cranking Evaluation: • If rail pressure is below specification: diagnose fuel system per WIS • If rail pressure is within expected range (approximately 250 to 300 bar): proceed with mechanical checks 3. Compression evaluation Perform compression test per WIS (engine at operating temperature if possible): • Manual compression test per WIS doc AR01.00-D-1201TSM • If compression is out of specification, continue to leak down testing 4. Cylinder leakage test • Perform cylinder leakage test on all cylinders per WIS doc AR01.00-D-1300TSM • Ensure test equipment is calibrated before testing Evaluation: • Leakage confirmed through exhaust path → suspect exhaust valve sealing • Leakage into crankcase → do not proceed; submit TIPS case for further direction 5. Additional validation (if needed) • Smoke test may be used to confirm leakage path Repair If leaking or burnt exhaust valves are confirmed: • Replace the complete cylinder head assembly with valves pre-installed Do not attempt partial repair of affected valves or seats.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LI05.30-N-080518 | Service bulletin | Jun 3, 2026 | 11034414 | PDF, 11,892 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 themA 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 3 model years this bulletin names have filed 58 complaints with NHTSA since 2015. 6 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.
The ECM harness was wired too close to a sharp metal piece within the engine bay, the clip MBZ uses to secure it was insufficient to hold it back, the thick wiring harness got caught on the metal piece and overtime got cut deeply causing a short with thermal issues spreading to other components, the wiring harness melted together and…
2023 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter · Engine · filed with NHTSA Oct 8, 2026 · ODI 11769942
Complaint Description I am filing this complaint with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regarding a safety issue with my new Mercedes Benz Sprinter 2500. I purchased this vehicle brand new from Mercedes Benz Manhattan. From the first day of ownership, I began experiencing multiple serious problems with the van.
2024 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter · Engine · filed with NHTSA Mar 15, 2026 · ODI 11724480
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 group32 other manufacturer communications filed against the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| LI20_10-N-080868_2_en | Service bulletin | Sep 2, 2026 | Coolant warning light (MIL) lights up on the display Complaint The coolant warning lamp may be displayed in the instrument cluster. The malf… |
| LI09_41-N-079165_2_en | Service bulletin | Aug 3, 2026 | Complaint Low Coolant warning with possible engine misfire caused by a leaking Charge Air Cooler (Intercooler), accompanied by one or more o… |
| LI07.16-N-080731 | Service bulletin | Jun 18, 2026 | Complaint The customer reports an exhaust odor from the engine compartment, potentially accompanied by a check engine light and/or engine mi… |
| LI14.20-N-073867 | Service bulletin | Jun 15, 2026 | Complaint Complaint A: The engine is jolting/bucking between 1700 and 1900 rpm. Complaint B: One or more mechanical related fault codes for… |
| LI09.41-N-080666 | Service bulletin | Jun 3, 2026 | Check engine light with reduced power –P300A6D due to charge air system contamination Complaint The check engine light is activated, accompa… |
| LI4910-N-060969 | Service bulletin | Apr 18, 2026 | Complaint Rattling noise from underneath the vehicle. Cause One or more of the following conditions may be present: 1. The exhaust bracket f… |
| LI49.20-N-075995 | Service bulletin | Mar 23, 2026 | Vehicles with SCR Generation 4: SCR/AdBlue® warning message cannot be reset with fault code P13DF00 or P300685 Complaint SCR or AdBlue warni… |
| LI4920N078838 | Service bulletin | Feb 24, 2026 | Check engine light or Adblue warning with fault codes P206B31, P203B31, or P300494 present in AdBlue (SCR) control unit (N118/5) Complaint T… |
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 LI05.30-N-080518 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 LI05.30-N-080518 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 LI05.30-N-080518 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 3 model years: 2025 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, 2024 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, 2023 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.