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Federal filingsHome›Recalls› 15V652000
NHTSA campaign 15V652000 · manufacturer recall 2015100003

2016 Mercedes-Benz S-Class: fuel system, gasoline recall

The vehicle stall may be interpreted by the driver to be a planned shut-down as part of the ECO-Start-function. However, the engine will not restart automatically after releasing the brake pedal, immobilizing the vehicle and increasing the

moderate 3,177 vehicles affected 93% reported repaired

What was reported

Source: manufacturer filing, 49 CFR Part 573
Problem Mercedes-Benz USA LLC (Mercedes-Benz) is recalling certain model year 2014 S63 AMG sedans and 2015-2016 S63 AMG 4Matic sedans and coupes manufactured May 14, 2013, to September 18, 2015. In the affected vehicles, due to a software error within the engine control unit, the vehicle may stall when coasting to a stop, such as at a traffic light. Risk The vehicle stall may be interpreted by the driver to be a planned shut-down as part of the ECO-Start-function. However, the engine will not restart automatically after releasing the brake pedal, immobilizing the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Mercedes-Benz will notify owners, and dealers will update the engine control unit software, free of charge. The recall BEGAN ON DECEMBER 2, 2015. Owners may contact Mercedes-Benz customer service at 1-800-367-6372. Mercedes-Benz's number for this recall is 2015100003.

Reported to NHTSA Oct 14, 2015 by Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC, owners notified Dec 2, 2015.

What that means, in plain English

Source: WhichTrim's reading of the filing above — not NHTSA's wording

The engine stall immobilizes the vehicle but occurs while coasting to a stop (low speed, controlled situation), leaving the driver stranded rather than causing a sudden loss of control at speed; no fire, brake/steering failure, or stop-drive order is involved.

Written for us by a language model from the manufacturer's filed text, which is quoted in full above. Where the two differ, the filing is the record and this is only our summary of it.

Which vehicles are covered

Source: NHTSA campaign 15V652000

Vehicles built May 14, 2013 to Sep 18, 2015 — a VIN outside that window is not part of this campaign even if the year, make and model match.

Model yearClassSafety SignalRecalls on file
2016 Mercedes-Benz S-ClassLarge SedanD7

Those are the model years inside WhichTrim's range, 2016 onward. The campaign may cover others outside it, and the only thing that settles whether one specific vehicle is included is its VIN.

How much of it has been fixed

Source: manufacturer quarterly report, 49 CFR 573.7
Reported repaired 93%

of the campaign

The final figure: the six quarters of reporting that 49 cfr 573.7 requires have closed.

This is the manufacturer's own cumulative count of vehicles it has inspected and repaired, divided by the vehicles the campaign covers. It files that count with NHTSA every quarter for six consecutive quarters, starting from the quarter in which owners were told a remedy was ready, and then the obligation ends — so a figure on an older campaign is where the count stopped, not where it stands today.

It rarely reaches 100%, and not because the work was not done. The same report asks manufacturers to count vehicles they could not reach at all — exported, stolen, scrapped, or simply never located — and those stay in the denominator. A low number means a lot of these vehicles are still out there unrepaired; it does not tell you which ones.

The federal paperwork

Source: nhtsa.gov

Filed documents

NHTSA has not published the scanned filings for this campaign, or has not published them yet. The campaign record itself is on their site.

Check one specific vehicle

A recall applies to a build range, so year, make and model cannot settle it. Type the VIN and the WhichTrim recall report checks this campaign’s build window and engine against it.

Campaign 15V652000 · the manufacturer calls it 2015100003

Own one, or run a fleet? Recall Watch checks each VIN against every new NHTSA campaign and emails you when one lands, this one's expansions included. Or take a free one-line alert by model year.

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A recall covers a build range. Only your VIN settles it.

Check it with the WhichTrim recall report now, or have us check it every night and email you when something new is filed.

Photo: Taiga Miyamoto / Unsplash

Common questions

Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR Part 573

Is 2015100003 the same recall as 15V652000?

Yes. 2015100003 is the number Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC uses for this campaign in its own paperwork and in the letter it sends owners. 15V652000 is the number NHTSA files it under. One recall, two references — dealers and service departments generally quote the manufacturer's.

Does this recall repair cost anything?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to remedy a safety defect or a compliance failure at no charge, for vehicles up to 15 years old measured from the date of first sale. A dealer that asks you to pay for a recall repair is in the wrong.

How do I know whether my vehicle is included?

By VIN, not by model year. This campaign covers vehicles built May 14, 2013 to Sep 18, 2015. The manufacturer files a build range with NHTSA and only vehicles inside it are covered, so two identical-looking cars from the same year can differ. NHTSA's own lookup checks a VIN against the manufacturer's list.

What if the repair is not available yet?

It happens, and often. Manufacturers must notify owners when a defect is found even if the parts or the software are not ready, then notify them a second time once the remedy exists. The remedy filed for this campaign is described above.

What did the manufacturer say was wrong?

The problem, risk and fix quoted on this page are the manufacturer's own words as filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR Part 573. WhichTrim does not paraphrase them.

Who started this recall?

NHTSA's record credits the manufacturer. A recall can begin with the manufacturer's own testing, with a defect investigation, or with a compliance test against a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard.