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NHTSA campaign 26V278000

2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class: seat belts recall

A passenger who is unable to fasten their seat belt is not properly restrained, increasing their risk of injury in a crash.

high15 vehicles affected

What was reported

Source: manufacturer filing, 49 CFR Part 573
ProblemMercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2026 CLA 350 4MATIC (EV) and CLA 250+ (EV) vehicles. The front passenger seat belt retractor may have been manufactured with a defect that prevents the deactivation of the child seat safety function (Automatic Locking Retractor). As a result, the seat belt may remain in a locked position and cannot be extended.RiskA passenger who is unable to fasten their seat belt is not properly restrained, increasing their risk of injury in a crash.FixDealers will replace the front passenger seat belt, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 24, 2026. 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 May 8, 2026.

Reported to NHTSA May 1, 2026 by Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC, owners notified Jul 24, 2026.

Which vehicles are covered

Source: NHTSA campaign 26V278000

Vehicles built Nov 11, 2024 to Nov 10, 2025 — a VIN outside that window is not part of this campaign even if the year, make and model match.

Model yearClassSafety SignalRecalls on file
2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA-ClassCompact SedanA1

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 26V278000

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. This campaign covers vehicles built Nov 11, 2024 to Nov 10, 2025. 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.