Owners of certain 2024–2026 Mercedes-Benz vehicles may soon receive an important safety notice tied to a software issue that can cause the instrument cluster display to fail while driving. The recall, filed under NHTSA Campaign Number 26V-281, affects an estimated 144,049 vehicles across several Mercedes-Benz and AMG model lines.
According to Mercedes-Benz AG, the issue involves the software inside the vehicle’s infotainment control unit. Under certain conditions, the system may trigger repeated resets as part of an intended fallback behavior. During the reset process, critical driver information displayed in the instrument cluster may temporarily disappear.
What Is the Problem?
Mercedes-Benz says the infotainment control unit software may initiate an unexpected system reset while the vehicle is in motion. Although the reset is part of the system’s design, it can briefly interrupt the display of driving-related information.
During the reset process, drivers may temporarily lose visibility of important information such as:
- Vehicle speed
- Warning indicators
- Driver assistance information
- Navigation or system alerts
- Other instrument cluster data
Because the driver may be unable to see critical information during the interruption, the issue increases the risk of a crash.
No Advance Warning Before the Failure
One concerning aspect of this recall is that drivers typically will not receive any warning before the issue occurs.
Mercedes-Benz states that due to the nature of the failure mechanism, the system reset can happen without prior notification. When it occurs, drivers may notice the instrument cluster briefly going blank or restarting.
Vehicles Included in the Recall
The recall affects certain 2024–2026 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT, C-Class, E-Class, SL, CLE, and GLC vehicles, including the following models:
- 2025–2026 Mercedes-Benz AMG C43 4MATIC
- 2025 Mercedes-Benz AMG C63 S E 4MATIC+
- 2026 Mercedes-Benz AMG C63 S E PERFORMANCE 4MATIC+
- 2026 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLE53 4MATIC
- 2026 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLE53 4MATIC Cabriolet
- 2024–2025 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLE53 4MATIC+
- 2025 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLE53 4MATIC+ Cabriolet
- 2026 Mercedes-Benz AMG E 53 4MATIC+
- 2026 Mercedes-Benz AMG E 53 4MATIC+ Wagon
- 2025 Mercedes-Benz AMG E 53 E 4MATIC+
- 2025–2026 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLC43
- 2025 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLC43 4MATIC Coupe
- 2026 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLC43 Coupe
- 2025–2026 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLC63 S E 4MATIC+
- 2025–2026 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLC63 S E 4MATIC+ Coupe
- 2026 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT43
- 2026 Mercedes-Benz AMG SL43
- 2026 Mercedes-Benz AMG SL55 4MATIC+
- 2026 Mercedes-Benz AMG SL63 4MATIC+
- 2026 Mercedes-Benz AMG SL63 S E PERFORMANCE 4MATIC+
What Is Mercedes-Benz Doing to Fix the Issue?
Mercedes-Benz dealers will correct the issue by updating the infotainment control unit software.
The repair will be performed free of charge.
Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed beginning June 26, 2026.
What Owners Should Do
If you own one of the affected vehicles, you should:
- Watch for an official recall notice from Mercedes-Benz.
- Contact your local Mercedes-Benz dealer to confirm recall eligibility.
- Schedule the software update once parts and repair procedures become available.
- Pay close attention to any unusual instrument cluster behavior while driving.
Drivers who experience repeated display interruptions should consider limiting vehicle use until the software update is completed.
Final Thoughts
Modern luxury vehicles rely heavily on integrated digital systems, and this recall highlights how even intended software behaviors can create unexpected safety concerns. A brief loss of instrument cluster visibility may seem minor, but when critical driving information disappears at highway speeds or in heavy traffic, the consequences can become serious very quickly. Mercedes-Benz owners affected by NHTSA Recall 26V-281 should take the issue seriously and schedule the repair as soon as it becomes available.
