NHTSA safety recall National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 4MATIC recall: The center rear seat belts may have been installed without the child seat

Recall published 11 months ago

The center rear seat belts may have been installed without the child seat protection function and fail to lock a child restraint properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements…

The hazard: Seat belt or seat defect

This campaign is about the restraint system — the belts, buckles, anchorages or seat frames that only do their job once.

What the notice says: In the event of a crash, an insufficiently restrained child has an increased risk of injury.

Why it matters: A seat belt, buckle, anchorage or seat frame may not restrain an occupant properly in a crash. The fault is invisible in normal driving because the part is never loaded until it is needed.

Recall details

Recall number
25V864000
Published
December 12, 2025
Risk level
NHTSA safety recall
Status
Open safety recall
Issued by
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Brand
Mercedes-Benz
Product type
Seat Belts
Distribution
Nationwide
Vehicles
Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 4MATIC
Lot / code info
NHTSA campaign number 25V864000

Products covered by this recall

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2025-2026 GLE 350 4MATIC vehicles. The center rear seat belts may have been installed without the child seat protection function and fail to lock a child restraint properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection," and FMVSS number 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies."

Vehicles in this campaign

Check your product

The notice names 1 code you can read straight off the package. Type the one printed on yours and the list below narrows to it.

Vehicle

Match this against the make and model on your registration.

  • GLE 350 4MATIC

Codes are lifted verbatim from the NHTSA — Vehicle safety recalls notice. A code that is missing here may still be covered — the official notice is the complete list.

What to do about Seat belt

Mercedes-Benz — This campaign is about the restraint system — the belts, buckles, anchorages or seat frames that only do their job once.

  1. Check every belt and seat in the vehicle for the symptom the notice describes, including the ones nobody usually sits in.
  2. Call any franchised dealer for the brand, give them the campaign number from this page, and ask them to confirm parts are in stock before you book — part supply, not labour, is what delays a fresh recall.
  3. If a belt does not retract, does not latch firmly, or a seat moves when it should be locked, stop carrying passengers in that seat until it is fixed.
  4. If a child seat is installed on an affected anchorage, ask the dealer whether to move it to another position in the meantime.

Costs, reimbursement and your rights

The repair itself is free. What people most often miss is that money already spent can frequently be claimed back.

  • If you paid for the same repair out of pocket before the recall was announced, ask the manufacturer for reimbursement. Carmakers must run a reimbursement plan for pre-notification repairs; you will need the original invoice.
  • A dealer may not charge a diagnostic, inspection or shop-supplies fee for recall work. If one appears on the estimate, query it before you sign.
  • If a dealer refuses the repair, delays it unreasonably or tries to bill you, complain to the manufacturer’s customer line, then to NHTSA. Those complaints are logged against the campaign.
  • An unrepaired open recall can affect a sale or trade-in. Closing it out costs nothing and protects the value of the vehicle.

Remedy named in the notice: Dealers will replace the center rear seat belt assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 6, 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 December 19, 2025. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2026010003.

Company contact: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC

The official notice

This page summarises a notice published by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The agency notice is the authoritative version — read it before you act, and treat it as the final word if anything here looks different.

Open the NHTSA — Vehicle safety recalls record National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recalls

Questions people ask about this recall

Why was Mercedes-Benz seat belts recalled?

The center rear seat belts may have been installed without the child seat protection function and fail to lock a child restraint properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements… In the event of a crash, an insufficiently restrained child has an increased risk of injury.

How do I know if I have the recalled product?

The notice does not publish package codes for this recall. Compare the product name, size and the purchase window against the official NHTSA — Vehicle safety recalls record, and contact the company if you are unsure.

What should I do with it right now?

Check every belt and seat in the vehicle for the symptom the notice describes, including the ones nobody usually sits in.

Can I get my money back?

The notice says: Dealers will replace the center rear seat belt assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 6, 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 December 19, 2025. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2026010003.

Does the repair cost me anything?

No. Safety recall repairs are performed free of charge at a franchised dealer for as long as the campaign is open, whether or not the vehicle is still under warranty.

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