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NHTSA campaign 26V216000

2018–2020 Mercedes-Benz E-Class and 1 other Mercedes-Benz model: power train recall

A sudden loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.

high24,092 vehicles affected

What was reported

Source: manufacturer filing, 49 CFR Part 573
ProblemMercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2018 E 400 4MATIC Sedan, E 400 4MATIC Wagon, E 400 4MATIC Cabriolet, E 400 4MATIC Coupe, 2018-2020 Maybach S 560 4MATIC, S 560 4MATIC Coupe, S 450 4MATIC, 2019-2020 E 450 4MATIC Sedan, E 450 4MATIC Wagon, E 450 4MATIC Coupe, and E 450 4MATIC Cabriolet vehicles. The drive shaft universal joint may break, resulting in a sudden loss of drive power.RiskA sudden loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.FixDealers will inspect and replace the drive shaft as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed May 22, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning April 10, 2026.

Reported to NHTSA Apr 3, 2026 by Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC.

Which vehicles are covered

Source: NHTSA campaign 26V216000
Model yearClassSafety SignalRecalls on file
2018 Mercedes-Benz E-ClassCoupeF19
2019 Mercedes-Benz E-ClassCoupeF22
2020 Mercedes-Benz E-ClassCoupeF16
2018 Mercedes-Benz S-ClassLarge SedanF14
2019 Mercedes-Benz S-ClassLarge SedanF13
2020 Mercedes-Benz S-ClassLarge SedanF6

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.

The federal paperwork

Source: nhtsa.gov

Filed documents

  • Defect report PDF — The manufacturer's own filing to NHTSA describing the defect, the risk and the affected build range.

Check one specific vehicle

A recall applies to a build range, so year, make and model cannot settle it. NHTSA checks a VIN against the manufacturer's own list and tells you whether the repair is still outstanding on that vehicle.

NHTSA VIN recall lookup →

Campaign 26V216000

Common questions

Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR Part 573

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. 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.