Recall 26V134 affects 10 2026 Mercedes-Benz Gla 250 vehicles for an incorrectly installed door cable. Repair is free at any franchised Mercedes-Benz dealer.
Mercedes-Benz is recalling 10 2026 Gla 250 vehicles because an incorrectly installed bowden cable can keep a door from opening from inside the vehicle. That failure can trap occupants inside and increase the risk of injury, and the Mercedes-Benz dealer repair will be free once available.
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What's wrong?
The interior door handle on the 2026 Mercedes-Benz Gla 250 uses a Bowden cable, a sheathed pull cable, to connect the handle you pull to the latch inside the door. When the cable is mounted correctly, pulling the handle moves the latch release and opens the door from inside the SUV. The cable has to stay seated at both ends for that motion to reach the latch.
On affected vehicles, a deviation in assembly left the Bowden cable incorrectly mounted. If the cable detaches or shifts out of position over the life of the vehicle, the inside handle no longer transfers the pull to the latch. The door can then stay closed from the inside, a problem that matters most when occupants need to exit after a crash.
There is no warning sign before failure. The filing says the driver does not receive a warning because of how the failure occurs, so the first sign is the interior handle not opening the door.
Who's affected?
VINs became searchable on March 13, 2026.
| 2026 Mercedes-Benz Gla 250 | Latch |
|---|---|
| Units affected | 10 |
| 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 your specific SUV is included.
What's the safety risk?
NHTSA campaign 26V134 says a door that cannot open can trap occupants inside the vehicle and increase injury risk. There is no warning sign before this failure, so confirm whether your VIN is included and schedule service when the repair is available. Repair will be free at any franchised Mercedes-Benz dealer once available.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2026 Mercedes-Benz Gla 250 is included in this recall.
- Watch for the Mercedes-Benz owner letter, which was expected to be mailed May 1, 2026.
- Contact a franchised Mercedes-Benz dealer after the letter arrives to ask whether scheduling is open for the free bowden-cable inspection and repair, which fixes the inside door-opening failure.
- Reference recall number 26V134 when you call, and explain that the inside door handle can fail to open the door.
- Keep passengers aware of the door issue until the repair is complete.
What happens at the repair
Once the repair is available, a Mercedes-Benz technician will inspect the bowden cable assembly and repair the assembly if it was installed incorrectly. The recall repair is free, with parts and labor covered. Out-of-pocket repairs already paid are handled through the existing warranty path, not through a separate reimbursement program, since the involved vehicles would not have been previously subject to this condition. Ask the service desk how warranty coverage applies to any prior repair paperwork.
| Reimbursement | Warranty coverage applies |
|---|
Timeline
| March 6, 2026 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| March 13, 2026 | Dealer notification began |
| March 13, 2026 | Dealer notification ended |
| March 13, 2026 | VIN-searchable in NHTSA's database — Check your VIN to see whether this recall applies to your specific vehicle. |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 26V134?
Recall 26V134 covers 10 2026 Mercedes-Benz Gla 250 vehicles with a bowden cable that was installed incorrectly. The defect can stop a door from opening from inside the vehicle. Mercedes-Benz dealers will inspect and repair the bowden cable assembly for free.
What should I do if my 2026 Mercedes-Benz Gla 250 is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific vehicle is included in recall 26V134. If it is, contact a franchised Mercedes-Benz dealer and ask for the bowden cable inspection and repair. Reference recall 26V134 when you call. The dealer repair is free.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost, and Mercedes-Benz says dealers will inspect and repair the bowden cable assembly free of charge.
What is the safety risk?
The risk is that an affected door cannot open from inside the vehicle. If occupants are trapped inside after a crash or other emergency, the chance of injury increases. Mercedes-Benz does not list a do-not-drive instruction for recall 26V134.
When were owners notified about recall 26V134?
Mercedes-Benz mailed owner notification letters on May 1, 2026. VINs became searchable on March 13, 2026. If you bought the vehicle recently or never received a letter, check your VIN and call a franchised Mercedes-Benz dealer.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/26V134000 |
|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz customer service | 1-800-367-6372 |
| NHTSA recall # | 26V134 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 26V134000 |
Source documents
-
Download Owner Notice (PDF) - Download Recall Investigation Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
- Download Recall Report (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on May 19, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →