Recall 13V542 affects 130 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL65, SL63, and SL550 vehicles for passenger-seat sensor failure. Free repair at any franchised Mercedes-Benz dealer.
Mercedes-Benz recalled 130 2013 SL65, SL63, and SL550 vehicles because the occupant classification system can fail to detect a very light front passenger. When that happens, the passenger-side air bag stays off, raising injury risk in a crash that needs side air bag deployment; the Mercedes-Benz dealer repair will be free once available.
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What's wrong?
The occupant classification system in the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL65, SL63, and SL550 is part of the front passenger seat and air bag system. Its job is to recognize when someone is sitting in the front passenger seat, then send that information to the restraint system so the car can manage passenger protection correctly.
On affected Mercedes-Benz vehicles, the system does not reliably detect a very light person in that seat. In plain terms, the seat-sensing logic can read the passenger seat as empty even when a small or very light occupant is sitting there. That wrong seat reading matters because the air bag system depends on an accurate passenger-seat signal.
There is no warning sign before failure. An owner should not expect a noise, smell, warning light, or change in how the car drives to show that the occupant classification system has misread the front passenger seat.
Who's affected?
Spans three SL variants in the same model year, all tied to the side air bag.
| 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL65 | side air bag |
|---|---|
| 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL63 | side air bag |
| 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL550 | side air bag |
| Units affected | 130 |
The year and model narrow the scope, but the VIN decides. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific car is included.
What's the safety risk?
If the passenger seat sensor misses a very light passenger, the passenger side air bag stays off. In a crash that needs side air bag deployment, that passenger faces increased injury risk. Confirm with your VIN and schedule the dealer repair when it is open. Repair will be free at any franchised Mercedes-Benz dealer once available.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL65, SL63, or SL550 is included in this recall.
- Watch for the Mercedes-Benz owner notice if you have not received one, and keep recall number 13V542 available.
- Contact a franchised Mercedes-Benz dealer with recall number 13V542 to ask about the free passenger-side seat cushion and OCS replacement that fixes the front-passenger detection problem.
- Bring the recall notice or your VIN to the dealer visit.
- Seat very light passengers somewhere other than the front passenger seat until the OCS repair is complete.
What happens at the repair
Mercedes-Benz's filing says owners were notified and dealers replace the passenger side seat cushion, including the occupant classification system. Because the remedy status is not marked available here, the final dealer repair should be treated as available only after Mercedes-Benz or the dealer confirms it for your VIN. Once available, the replacement parts and labor are free under the recall.
Timeline
| November 1, 2013 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| December 20, 2013 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 13V542?
Recall 13V542 covers 130 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL65, SL63, and SL550 vehicles with an occupant classification system problem in the front passenger seat. The system can fail to detect a very light passenger, leaving the passenger-side airbag turned off when it is needed.
What should I do if my 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL65, SL63, or SL550 is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific vehicle is included in recall 13V542. If it is, contact a franchised Mercedes-Benz dealer to schedule replacement of the passenger-side seat cushion and occupant classification system. Reference recall 13V542 when you call. The repair is free.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires manufacturers to repair safety defects at no cost, and Mercedes-Benz dealers will replace the passenger-side seat cushion and occupant classification system free of charge. Parts and labor are covered at any franchised Mercedes-Benz dealer.
What is the safety risk?
The safety risk is that the passenger-side airbag can stay turned off for a very light front-seat passenger. In a crash that requires side airbag deployment, that passenger faces an increased risk of injury. Mercedes-Benz fixes the defect by replacing the seat cushion with the occupant classification system.
What if I bought my Mercedes-Benz SL used?
The free recall repair still applies. Recall coverage follows the vehicle, not the first owner. Check your VIN to confirm whether your SL65, SL63, or SL550 is included, then contact a franchised Mercedes-Benz dealer and reference recall 13V542.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/13V542000 |
|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz customer service | 1-201-573-0600 |
| NHTSA recall # | 13V542 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 13V542000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Investigation Document (PDF) (PDF) - Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Owner Notice (PDF)
- Download Quarterly Report (PDF)
- Download Defect / Noncompliance Notice (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on June 2, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →