Mercedes-Benz bulletin LI46.00-P-079786
What it saysComplaint Noise from front end thought to be from steering gear. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Mercedes-Benz filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Aug 28, 2026, received Sep 29, 2025, about the steering — 4 documents under this number. It names 14 model years (2020–2026). 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 Noise from front end thought to be from steering gear. Cause During diagnostics of a front end noise, workshop is under the impression the noise is coming from the steering gear. Remedy If the root cause of the noise cannot be found and is seemingly from the steering rack, perform the below LI's and diagnostics. If they have been performed and the root cause still cannot be determined, a TIPS case must be opened to the Body/Chassis/Entertainment team prior to replacing the steering rack. • LI46.35‑P‑067339 ‑ "Rattling, Humming, Dry Sliding/Gravel Noise When Steering" • LI46.35‑P‑071461 ‑ "Check Tie Rod Outer Joint of Steering Gear" • LI46.10‑P‑077391 ‑ "Knocking Noise In The Area Of The Steering Gear or Steering Column Tube When Braking Or Moving Off; The Steering Wheel Can Also Be Felt To "Crack"" • Remove boot clamps closest to steering gear housing on both left and right (as seen in "Steering Rack Boot Clamp Location"). Pull back boot and inspect for rust, broken end stops, water, or any other anomalies. Keep the boot clamps in case the rack is returned. • If the noise is described as "clacking" or "knocking" when moving the wheel back and forth in quick oscillations and the thrust element in the steering rack has NOT been checked yet, please perform a check and subsequent adjustment, if necessary, as detailed in AR46.20‑P‑0601ME. • Remove sway bar links and see if noise persists. • Perform NVH time‑domain noise diagnosis pointing to the steering rack as the root cause. The TIPS case must contain the following: • Video underneath the vehicle with clearly audible noise while engine is running. • Video inside the vehicle with clearly audible noise while engine is running. • Vehicle checked for history of collisions. • Vehicle history checked for other noise complaints in the area. • List of other checked components (suspension, drive line components, wheel bearings, etc...). • Along with the audible noise, does the feel/noise change through only a certain part of the steering arc sweep? • Provide the thrust element before and after readings.
Documents filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LI46.00-P-079786 | Service bulletin | Aug 28, 2026 | 11037209 | PDF, 35 KB |
| LI46.00-P-079786 | Service bulletin | Jul 22, 2026 | 11035216 | PDF, 37 KB |
| LI46.00-P-079786 | Service bulletin | Feb 11, 2026 | 11028733 | PDF, 37 KB |
| LI46.00-P-079786 | Service bulletin | Sep 26, 2025 | 11023373 | PDF, 36 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.
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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 562 complaints with NHTSA since 2015. 5 of them name Structure — 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.
Accident report: Local ID Agency: ISPLowell 13 Date Time approx Milepost on Auto: 2025 Mercedes GLS 450 fully loaded Single car accident See attached pictures for damage State Farm insurance - claim filed (claim # ) Claim filed with Mercedes Benz on 3/9/2026 to access info from event data recorders (claim # )a total loss Driver’s 2 front…
2025 Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class · Steering · filed with NHTSA Mar 9, 2026 · ODI 11723124
1. Several times the rear hatch has opened while the car was left unattended. 2. If the hatch opens it could possibly cause a safety issue: a.By opening while driving. This has not happened and I do not know if Mercedes has a safety lock to ensure this could not happen. b.Open while parked at the store, mall, etc.
2023 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class · Structure · filed with NHTSA Jul 5, 2023 · ODI 11530440
The panoramic sunroof exploded upwards and outwards while driving under normal conditions. It created an extremely loud and startling sound that left the driver and passenger stunned. We were fortunate there was not an immediate oncoming vehicle as we likely would have struck head on.
2022 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class · Structure · filed with NHTSA Jul 9, 2026 · ODI 11749417
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 steering
Source: same model, same component group10 other manufacturer communications filed against these Mercedes-Benz models under the same component group (steering), newest first. The eight newest are listed; the rest are on the Mercedes-Benz list.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| LI46.10-P-080896 | Service bulletin | Sep 26, 2026 | Complaint Slight creaking noises when steering. Cause Noises may come from one or more sleeves of the horn contact plate. Remedy Remove the… |
| LI46.10-P-077314 | Service bulletin | Sep 25, 2026 | Complaint Noises in the steering column area when steering. See example file in the attachments area: "MRSM‑Schleifgeräusch_SCCMGrindingNois… |
| LI46.35-P-067339 | Service bulletin | Aug 28, 2026 | Complaint During part of the steering movement, it feels heavier or more difficult to steer in the same spot every time. OR Rattling, hummi… |
| LI46.15-P-070510 | Service bulletin | May 22, 2026 | Complaint Noises from the area of the steering column. - Creaking - Squeaking - Chattering - Humming - Grinding Cause At present, there are… |
| LI82.90-P-080159 | Service bulletin | Feb 28, 2026 | Complaint Stored DTC C220564 - "There is an internal fault in the steering angle sensor. There is an implausible signal." In the quick test… |
| LI46.10-P-079582 | Service bulletin | Aug 5, 2025 | Complaint Valeo Steering Column Module (N80) goes into bootloader after updating software to A2239028729. To verify the supplier and softwar… |
| LI46.15-P-063353 | Service bulletin | Jun 9, 2025 | Complaint Height adjustment of electric steering column adjustment jammed in the top/bottom adjustment position… |
| LI46.15-P-078766 | Service bulletin | Jan 8, 2025 | Complaint Play noticeable in the height adjustment of the steering column. See arrow direction in attached pictures. Cause Slipped thrust be… |
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 LI46.00-P-079786 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 LI46.00-P-079786 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 LI46.00-P-079786 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 14 model years: 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, 2021 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.