Recall 18V839 covers 4,969 2019 Mercedes-Benz vehicles for a seat belt buckle detection defect. Free repair at a franchised Mercedes-Benz dealer once available.
Mercedes-Benz is recalling 4,969 2019 E 450, S 450, C 300, and other coupe, cabriolet, sedan, and Mercedes-Maybach vehicles because a fastened seat belt can be read as unfastened. If that happens in a crash, the seat belt pre-tensioner will not activate as intended, which raises injury risk; the Mercedes-Benz dealer repair will be free once available.
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What's wrong?
The seat belt buckle on the 2019 Mercedes-Benz models in this recall does more than latch the belt. Inside the buckle is a small switch that tells the restraint system whether the belt is fastened, so the vehicle knows when to arm related crash-protection features.
On affected vehicles, certain supplier batches of buckle switches were not built to specification. A correctly latched belt can be read as unfastened, which means the seat belt pre-tensioner will not activate in a crash even though the belt is buckled.
If the condition is present, the driver should get a warning tone and a seat belt warning lamp in the instrument cluster. Treat that warning as a sign that the buckle switch is not giving the restraint system the right belt status.
Who's affected?
Covers 10 model lines for 2019, all tied to the seat belt component.
| 2019 Mercedes-Benz E 450 | seat belt |
|---|---|
| 2019 Mercedes-Benz S 450 | seat belt |
| 2019 Mercedes-Benz C 300 | seat belt |
| 2019 Mercedes-Maybach S 560 4MATIC | seat belt |
| 2019 Mercedes-Maybach S 650 | seat belt |
| 2019 Mercedes-Benz AMG C43 | seat belt |
| 2019 Mercedes-Benz AMG E53 | seat belt |
| 2019 Mercedes-Benz S560 | seat belt |
| 2019 Mercedes-Benz AMG S63 | seat belt |
| 2019 Mercedes-Benz AMG S65 | seat belt |
| Units affected | 4,969 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA has logged 1 field incident to date. |
A matching year and model does not guarantee inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific vehicle is included.
What's the safety risk?
If the seat belt tensioner does not activate during a crash, occupants face a higher risk of injury. A warning tone and seat belt warning lamp can alert you to the condition before a crash, so schedule service promptly if either appears. Repair will be free at any franchised Mercedes-Benz dealer once available.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2019 Mercedes-Benz E 450, S 450, C 300, S 560 4MATIC, S 650, AMG C43, AMG E53, S560, AMG S63, or AMG S65 is included in this recall.
- Contact Mercedes-Benz customer service at 1-800-367-6372 to confirm whether the seat-belt buckle replacement is open for your VIN.
- Ask a franchised Mercedes-Benz dealer about the free seat-belt buckle replacement that fixes the buckle detection fault tied to the pre-tensioners.
- Bring the owner notice if you have it. If not, reference recall number 18V839 when you call.
- Buckle every seat belt normally until the repair is complete, and ask the dealer about any warning messages or restraint-system lights before driving.
What happens at the repair
The recall record lists the dealer fix as replacing the seat belt buckles. Once Mercedes-Benz makes the final dealer repair available, a Mercedes-Benz technician will replace the affected buckles at no charge. The work is meant to restore proper detection of a fastened seat belt so the pre-tensioners can activate in a crash. Out-of-pocket repairs already paid are handled through the new vehicle warranty, not through a separate reimbursement program, since the 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
| November 27, 2018 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| December 14, 2018 | Dealer notification began |
| January 25, 2019 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
| March 18, 2019 | Owner notification mailed |
| March 31, 2019 | Dealer notification ended |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 18V839?
Recall 18V839 covers 4,969 2019 Mercedes-Benz vehicles with seat belt buckles that can misread a correctly fastened belt as unfastened. If that happens in a crash, the seat belt pre-tensioner does not activate, increasing injury risk.
What should I do if my 2019 Mercedes-Benz vehicle is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific vehicle is included in recall 18V839. If it is, contact a franchised Mercedes-Benz dealer and reference recall number 2019020012 or 18V839 when you schedule the seat belt buckle replacement.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost, and Mercedes-Benz dealers will replace the affected seat belt buckles free of charge. Parts and labor are covered for included vehicles.
What is the safety risk?
The safety risk is that the seat belt pre-tensioner does not activate during a crash when the buckle is wrongly detected as unfastened. That loss of tensioning can increase the risk of injury for the belted occupant.
When did Mercedes-Benz start this recall repair?
Mercedes-Benz began the recall on March 18, 2019. If your VIN is included and the repair has not been completed, a franchised Mercedes-Benz dealer can replace the affected seat belt buckles free of charge.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/18V839000 |
|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz customer service | 1-800-367-6372 |
| NHTSA recall # | 18V839 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 18V839000 |
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 →