Mercedes-Benz bulletin LI35.31-P-079734
What it saysHowling noises from the area of the rear axle 2. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Mercedes-Benz filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Sep 10, 2025, received Sep 11, 2025, about the power train. It names 14 model years (2016–2024). 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 1. Howling noises from the area of the rear axle 2. Oil discoloration is present during oil change (water in oil) 3. Oil leakage from the breather cap Cause The bleed line of rear differential may be misaligned, causing the rubber end pieced to rest on the wheel well liner. When driving in the rain, water enters through the rubber elbow from the soaked wheel well liner. Remedy Perform a road test and determine the location of the noise using NVH equipment. If the rear axle differential is the root cause of the noise, continue with the following: 1. Drain oil from rear axle differential and check for signs of water intrusion (discoloration/cloudiness) Remedy A: If no water is found 2. Remove/install left wheel well trim. 3. Remove rubber end piece from the bleed line. 4. Install modified end piece with the part number A 167 351 50 00. 5. Identify source of the noise and, if necessary, replace the parts causing the concern. Remedy B: If water is found 2. Remove/install left wheel well trim. 3. Remove rubber end piece from the bleed line. 4. Install modified end piece with the part number A 167 351 50 00. 5. Replace rear axle differential
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LI35.31-P-079734 | Service bulletin | Sep 10, 2025 | 11023101 | PDF, 36 KB |
What the document itself lists
Parts the bulletin names
| Part number | Description | Qty | Find it |
|---|---|---|---|
| A 167 351 50 00 | — | — | |
| A 117 078 04 81 | must no longer be used | — | 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 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 14 model years this bulletin names have filed 768 complaints with NHTSA since 2015. 38 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.
The vehicle is shifting into neutral when putting it into drive. I was told the transmission valve body broke and transmission control unit for 9-speed transmission (VGS) has to be replaced. The fault codes include P073E00, gear cannot be engaged, and U012600, Communication with the steering column module has a malfunction.
2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class · Power Train · filed with NHTSA Sep 19, 2026 · ODI 11765524
The vehicle suffered a total internal transfer case mechanical failure at 22,909 miles, which was documented during a factory-scheduled Service B check. The dealership attempted a fluid flush, which immediately resulted in an active 4MATIC system failure warning on the dashboard.
2022 Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class · Power Train · filed with NHTSA Oct 1, 2026 · ODI 11768362
The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLE550E. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, an unknown message was displayed. The contact pulled over, and the vehicle was towed to his residence. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, and it was confirmed that no failure was found.
2017 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class · Power Train · filed with NHTSA Jan 10, 2023 · ODI 11501056
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 group27 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… |
| 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… |
| LI27.00-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… |
| LI35.30-P-058566 | Service bulletin | Jul 14, 2026 | Complaint Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end). The noise is heard once… |
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-079734 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-079734 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-079734 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 14 model years: 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class and more. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.