Recall 17V076 affects 12,456 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300 and AMG E43 vehicles for an occupant-detection air bag defect. Repair is free at any franchised Mercedes-Benz dealer.
Mercedes-Benz is recalling 12,456 2017 E300 and AMG E43 vehicles under recall 17V076 because the front passenger occupant detection control unit was incorrectly installed. The defect can misclassify an adult passenger as a child seat, deactivate the front passenger air bag in a crash, and increase injury risk; Mercedes-Benz dealers will complete the recall repair free of charge.
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What's wrong?
In recall 17V076, the front passenger occupant detection control unit on the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300 and AMG E43 is the part that reads the passenger seat. It helps the air bag system decide whether the seat holds an adult, a child seat, or no passenger. That classification tells the vehicle whether the front passenger air bag should stay active in a crash.
On affected vehicles, an assembly error left the passenger side detection control unit installed incorrectly. The filing points to pressure hose routing that was not done as specified during seat assembly. That wrong setup gives the air bag system a bad seat reading, so an adult passenger is at risk of being classified as a child seat. If that happens, the front passenger air bag is deactivated when it should be available.
The warning sign is a message in the instrument cluster. Owners reported a "front passenger airbag disabled" message even when an adult was sitting in the front passenger seat.
Who's affected?
Both listed variants use the same occupant-classification sensor concern in the air bag system.
| 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300 | air bag system |
|---|---|
| 2017 Mercedes-Benz AMG E43 | air bag system |
| Units affected | 12,456 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA has logged 7 field incidents to date. |
A matching year and model does not guarantee inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific sedan is included.
What's the safety risk?
A passenger front air bag that does not deploy as intended in a crash increases injury risk for the front passenger. The instrument cluster message is the warning sign; if it appears, schedule service and use another seat until inspected. Repair is free at any franchised Mercedes-Benz dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300 or AMG E43 is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised Mercedes-Benz dealer to schedule the free seat occupancy detection inspection and hose or mat replacement that fixes the passenger air bag classification problem.
- Bring the recall notice if Mercedes-Benz mailed one. If not, reference recall number 17V076 when you call.
- Call Mercedes-Benz customer service at 1-800-367-6372 with questions about scheduling or dealer instructions.
- Use extra caution carrying a front passenger until the repair is complete, since the passenger front air bag can be deactivated in a crash if the seat occupant is misclassified.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, a Mercedes-Benz technician inspects the routing of the pressure hose for the seat occupancy detection control unit. If the hose is routed incorrectly, the technician replaces the pressure hose and the seat occupancy detection mat as needed. Parts and labor are free under the recall. Out-of-pocket repairs already paid are handled through the new vehicle warranty, not through a separate reimbursement notice or program, because all involved vehicles remain covered under that warranty. Ask the service desk how warranty coverage applies if you have prior repair paperwork.
| Reimbursement | Warranty coverage applies |
|---|
Timeline
| February 8, 2017 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| March 17, 2017 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 17V076?
Recall 17V076 covers 12,456 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300 and AMG E43 vehicles with a front passenger occupant detection control unit that was installed incorrectly. An adult passenger can be misclassified as a child seat, deactivating the front passenger air bag in a crash. Mercedes-Benz dealers inspect and repair the system for free.
What should I do if my 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300 or AMG E43 is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific vehicle is included in recall 17V076. If it is, contact a franchised Mercedes-Benz dealer to schedule the occupant detection system inspection. The dealer will inspect the pressure hose routing and replace the pressure hose and seat occupancy detection mat if needed, free of charge.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires Mercedes-Benz to repair this defect at no cost. A franchised Mercedes-Benz dealer will inspect the front passenger occupant detection system and replace the related pressure hose and seat occupancy detection mat if needed, free of charge.
What is the safety risk in recall 17V076?
The safety risk is that the front passenger air bag can be deactivated when an adult is sitting in the passenger seat. In recall 17V076, that increases injury risk if a crash occurs and the air bag does not deploy for the passenger.
What if I bought my Mercedes-Benz E300 or AMG E43 used?
The free recall repair still applies. Federal recall law follows the vehicle, not the first owner. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300 or AMG E43 is included, then reference recall 17V076 when you call a Mercedes-Benz dealer.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/17V076000 |
|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz customer service | 1-800-367-6372 |
| NHTSA recall # | 17V076 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 17V076000 |
Source documents
-
Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF) - Download Owner Notice (PDF)
- Download Recall Report (PDF)
- Download Quarterly Report (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on May 25, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →