Mercedes-Benz bulletin LI35.31-P-066469
What it saysComplaint Possible humming noises from the drivetrain in the area of the rear axle, especially during tight cornering in the lower speed range. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Mercedes-Benz filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Sep 10, 2025, received Sep 4, 2018, about the power train — 3 documents under this number. It names 18 model years (2017–2025). 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 communicationWhat it applies to, as the document itself states it — the build window in the manufacturer’s own words, read by machine from the PDF NHTSA serves. The build date is on the certification label in the driver’s door jamb; the dealer settles a borderline vehicle by its VIN.
Complaint Possible humming noises from the drivetrain in the area of the rear axle, especially during tight cornering in the lower speed range. Cause Additives in rear axle differential oil Remedy Note: Please follow the instructions in this document. The replacement of components (other than those named for processing) is not effective. Remedy: A test drive must be performed. For accurate analysis (localization) of the noise, the "Steelman Chassis Ear" noise diagnosis kit can be used, for example. If the rear axle differential is unambiguously identified as the cause (noise source), the oil must be replaced. Observe the following: 1. Warm up the oil in the differential by means of a short test drive. 2. Drain the oil from the differential and fill it with new oil according to the parts list in the attachment. Please follow the procedure described in AR.35.31-P-0523OLC. Note: To ensure that the differential is drained as completely as possible, both rear wheels should be rotated slowly 2-3 turns while draining. Make sure that as little residual oil as possible remains in the differential. 3. Please advise the customer that in isolated cases the problem may continue to occur for another 30 to 60 miles after the oil has been replaced. If the problem is still present after the appropriate mileage: • Double check the appropriate mileage was driven. • Repeat the flushing and filling procedure a second time, make sure to properly flush all the diff fluid out • If no change after the second flush and additional mileage. replace the rear diff
Documents filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LI35.31-P-066469 | Service bulletin | Sep 10, 2025 | 11023096 | PDF, 38 KB |
| LI35.31-P-066469 | Service bulletin | Mar 12, 2025 | 11015616 | PDF, 38 KB |
| LI35.31-P-066469 | Service bulletin | May 24, 2018 | 10144138 | not found |
What the document itself lists
Parts the bulletin names
| Part number | Description | Qty | Find it |
|---|---|---|---|
| A0019898803 | Mobilube FE Plus NG 75W-85 ca.0,8-0,9l | — | eBay Motors → |
| A3529970032 | Screw plug 2 X | — | eBay Motors → |
| A0029892371 | Omnifit 100H sealant (50g) geringe | — | 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.
Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
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.
Doing the repair yourself, or pricing it before the shop does? Search the part by fitment on eBay Motors — the listing and the price are the seller’s.
Find the non-powered axle assembly for the 2018 C-Class →Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
Model years it names
Source: as the manufacturer filed themAlso filed against model years this site has no page for: 2018 Mercedes-Benz S 550; 2017 Mercedes-Benz SLK 350.
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 16 model years this bulletin names have filed 1,298 complaints with NHTSA since 2015. 65 of them name Power Train, Suspension — 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 contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz E400 4MATIC. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V216000 (POWER TRAIN); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
2018 Mercedes-Benz E-Class · Power Train · filed with NHTSA Oct 5, 2026 · ODI 11769084
The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz S560 4MATIC. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced failures associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V216000 (Power Train). The vehicle was taken to a dealer, and the contact was informed that the part to do the recall repair was not yet available.
2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class · Power Train · filed with NHTSA Jun 30, 2026 · ODI 11747448
The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz S550. The contact stated while the vehicle was in for routine maintenance, the mechanic discovered that the front driver's side CV-boot had cracked and was leaking oil. The contact was advised that the CV-boot could cause the front axle to eventually fail.
2017 Mercedes-Benz S-Class · Power Train · filed with NHTSA Dec 19, 2024 · ODI 11631560
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 group54 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… |
| NCU - 2026080002 | Service campaign | Sep 25, 2026 | Mercedes-Benz AG, the manufacturer of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, has determined that on certain subject vehicles, the transmission control unit… |
| 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… |
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 LI35.31-P-066469 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 LI35.31-P-066469 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 LI35.31-P-066469 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 18 model years: 2018 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, 2017 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, 2018 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class, 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class and more. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone. The document itself sets the build window: built on or after 6 Apr 2017 — the build date is on the certification label in the driver’s door jamb.