Mercedes-Benz bulletin LI33.30-P-080490
What it saysComplaint Leakage/oil leakage at drive pinion sealing ring (input shaft) (Figures 1-2) Minor leakage/slight seepage at coupling flange nut at drive pinion (Figures 3-4) Cause Damage to sealing ring during production… NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Mercedes-Benz filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Aug 3, 2026, received Aug 5, 2026, about the power train. It names 25 model years (2021–2026). 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 Leakage/oil leakage at drive pinion sealing ring (input shaft) (Figures 1-2) Minor leakage/slight seepage at coupling flange nut at drive pinion (Figures 3-4) Cause Damage to sealing ring during production process or insufficient use of lubricating paste during assembly of collar nut on coupling flange Remedy If any of the above-mentioned customer complaints are present, or if oil leakage or seepage is found at the front axle differential during a workshop visit, the following steps must be performed: If oil leakage is found at drive pinion sealing ring (input shaft): • Remove coupling flange from differential, AR33.30-P-0550WT • Replace drive pinion sealing ring • New collar nut (for coupling flange), part number A 221 353 03 72, on contact surface and coat the 1st thread (from contact side to coupling flange) with lubricating paste (Figures 5-6) • Install coupling flange. If oil leakage or slight seepage is found at coupling flange nut to drive pinion: • Remove coupling flange from differential, AR33.30-P-0550WT • Clean threads on input shaft • new collar nut (for coupling flange), part number A 221 353 03 72, on contact surface and coat the 1st thread (from contact side to coupling flange) with lubricating paste (Figures 5-6) • Install coupling flange.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LI33.30-P-080490 | Service bulletin | Aug 3, 2026 | 11035755 | PDF, 39 KB |
What the document itself lists
Parts the bulletin names
| Part number | Description | Qty | Find it |
|---|---|---|---|
| A 221 353 03 72 | — | — | |
| A000 989 63 51 | Lubricating paste 1 X | — | eBay Motors → |
Read by machine from the document NHTSA serves (2 pages), read Sep 30, 2026. A part number is shown only where it matches Mercedes-Benz’s own catalogue shape, an operation only with its code and time, and a description only where the reader got it whole; anything it could not settle is left out, and the PDF is the record. Times are the manufacturer’s warranty allowances, not a quote. Listings and prices on eBay Motors are the seller’s.
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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 C63 S E 4MATIC+; 2026 Mercedes-Benz AMG S 63 E 4MATIC+; 2026 Mercedes-Benz E53 E 4MATIC+ ALL-Terrain.
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 22 model years this bulletin names have filed 258 complaints with NHTSA since 2015. 13 of them name Power Train — 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.
Vehicle experiences a severe, abrupt jerk/jolt during deceleration around the 5th-to-4th gear downshift. The issue occurs consistently when slowing down. Dealership verified the condition on Repair Order #1906625 and confirmed a transmission flaw. Dealer stated software is required from the manufacturer with no ETA for release.
2025 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class · Power Train · filed with NHTSA Aug 6, 2026 · ODI 11755359
While at a stop with foot on brake, the vehicle surges forward powerfully making a loud noise despite having foot on brake. Forcefully pushing on brake pedal harder eventually stops the car. Most recent time the display screen showed "Transmission Deactivated". Dealership drove car once but did not perform service inspection.
2026 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class · Power Train · filed with NHTSA Jan 16, 2026 · ODI 11711555
After being parked for several days at the airport, the vehicle turned on, but would not start. The instrument cluster had the following message, “Service required do not change transmission position”. I contacted Mercedes road side assistance who cannot access this parking level.
2025 Mercedes-Benz E-Class · Power Train · filed with NHTSA May 16, 2026 · ODI 11738284
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 power train
Source: same model, same component group47 other manufacturer communications filed against these Mercedes-Benz models under the same component group (power train), newest first. The eight newest are listed; the rest are on the Mercedes-Benz list.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| LI27.00-P-073124 | Service bulletin | Sep 26, 2026 | Complaint Customer complaints relating to automatic transmission 725.0 (NAG3 Classic /9G‑TRONIC automatic transmission) and 725.1… |
| LI35.31-P-080353 | Service bulletin | Sep 14, 2026 | Complaint Whining / humming noises (described as foghorn‑like) from the drivetrain in the rear axle area during cornering. (figure 1) On the… |
| LI27.10-P-075869 | Service bulletin | Sep 14, 2026 | Complaint Only vehicles with a variable transfer case are affected. This can be identified through control unit N45 or N15/7 in the quick te… |
| NCU - 2026060005 | Service campaign | Sep 11, 2026 | Issue The transmission control unit (VGS) in the automatic transmission does not comply with our currently valid specifications in the vehic… |
| LI 27.10-P-080851 | Service bulletin | Aug 29, 2026 | Complaint Intermittent shift feel or thud/clunk noise perceived, such as a brief jerk or transmission reaction during certain driving situat… |
| LI27.60-P-076554 | Service bulletin | Aug 26, 2026 | Complaint • Harsh 1‑2, 2‑3, and/or 3‑4 shift • Jerky shifting • Jolting when accelerating from stop Cause Insufficient software application… |
| LI27.00-P-075630 | Service bulletin | Aug 5, 2026 | Complaint This document is intended as a pre-case diagnostic reference for transmission related concerns. It will also ensure that if a case… |
| LI27.00-P-080840 | Service bulletin | Aug 4, 2026 | Complaint Mercedes-Benz USA is currently experiencing limited availability of transmission fluid specification ATF 236.17 due to a global su… |
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 LI33.30-P-080490 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 LI33.30-P-080490 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 LI33.30-P-080490 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 25 model years: 2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, 2025 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, 2024 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, 2023 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLE-Class and more. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.