Recall 18V514 affects 86 2018 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLA45 and Cla 250 vehicles for an OCS calibration defect. Repair will be free once available.
Mercedes-Benz is recalling 86 2018 AMG CLA45 and Cla 250 vehicles because the Occupant Classification System is not calibrated correctly and can leave the front passenger air bag active with a child seat in that seat. If that air bag deploys in a crash, injury risk increases, and the Mercedes-Benz dealer repair will be free once available.
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What's wrong?
The occupant classification system in the 2018 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLA45 and Cla 250 is the front passenger seat sensor system. It reads weight and seating conditions at the seat cushion, then tells the restraint system whether the passenger air bag should be on or off. That matters when a child seat is placed in the front passenger seat, because the system is supposed to recognize that condition and keep the air bag deactivated.
On affected vehicles, the seat cushion was not calibrated correctly during supplier maintenance work on the calibration equipment. A required calibration function was partly skipped, so the system can misread a child seat on the passenger seat. If that happens, the front passenger air bag stays active when it should be off.
The warning sign is the PASSENGER AIRBAG ON / OFF lamp in the lower center console. If that lamp does not match who or what is in the passenger seat, treat it as a restraint-system warning.
Who's affected?
The AMG CLA45 and Cla 250 share the same air bag system component in this recall.
| 2018 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLA45 | air bag system |
|---|---|
| 2018 Mercedes-Benz Cla 250 | air bag system |
| Units affected | 86 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA has logged no field incidents to date. |
A matching year and model does not guarantee inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether this recall applies to your specific car.
What's the safety risk?
If a child seat is in the front passenger seat and the passenger air bag stays active, a crash can increase injury risk. Use the PASSENGER AIRBAG ON / OFF lamp to confirm restraint status before placing a child seat there. Repair will be free at any franchised Mercedes-Benz dealer once available.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2018 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLA45 or Cla 250 is included in this recall.
- Contact Mercedes-Benz customer service at 1-800-367-6372 to confirm current repair instructions for the free front passenger seat-cushion replacement.
- Keep children out of the front passenger seat until the Occupant Classification System calibration issue is fixed.
- Reference recall number 18V514 and Mercedes-Benz recall 2018120001 when you call.
- Bring the recall notice if Mercedes-Benz mailed one, or give the dealer both recall numbers when scheduling.
What happens at the repair
Once the dealer repair is available, a Mercedes-Benz technician replaces the front passenger seat cushion so the occupant classification system can detect the seat condition correctly. The dealer repair will be free once available, with parts and labor covered under the recall. Mercedes-Benz did not set up a separate reimbursement notice because the involved vehicles were covered under the new vehicle warranty. Ask the service desk how warranty coverage applies if you have prior repair paperwork for this seat or air bag system issue.
| Reimbursement | Warranty coverage applies |
|---|
Timeline
| August 3, 2018 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| August 13, 2018 | Dealer notification began |
| October 2, 2018 | VIN-searchable in NHTSA's database — Check your VIN to see whether this recall applies to your specific vehicle. |
| October 2, 2018 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
| December 31, 2018 | Dealer notification ended |
| January 2, 2019 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 18V514?
Recall 18V514 covers 86 2018 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLA45 and Cla 250 vehicles with an Occupant Classification System calibration problem. If a child seat is in the front passenger seat, the passenger air bag can stay active and increase injury risk in a crash.
What should I do if my 2018 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLA45 or Cla 250 is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific vehicle is included in recall 18V514. If it is, contact a franchised Mercedes-Benz dealer and ask for the front passenger seat cushion replacement. Reference recall number 18V514 or Mercedes-Benz recall number 2018120001 when you call.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost. Mercedes-Benz dealers will replace the front passenger seat cushion free of charge for vehicles included in recall 18V514.
What is the safety risk?
The risk is tied to the front passenger air bag and a child seat. If the Occupant Classification System is not calibrated correctly, the passenger air bag can fail to deactivate with a child seat installed, increasing injury risk in a crash.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/18V514000 |
|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz customer service | 1-800-367-6372 |
| NHTSA recall # | 18V514 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 18V514000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF) - 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 →