Mercedes-Benz Recalls 310,667 Vehicles Over Rollaway Risk From Door Switch Failure

The Mercedes-Benz logo is seen on the wheel rim of a passenger car on Feb. 17, 2023. Thomas Kienzle/AFP via Getty ImagesMercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) has issued a recall of 310,667 vehicles because of a rollaway risk resulting from a door switch failure, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said.The recall involves certain 2020–2021 CLA, 2019–2022 A-Class, 2022–2023 C-Class, 2024 CLE, 2020–2026 GLA/GLB and 2023-2024 GLC models, according to a report posted on X by the NHTSA on July 30.The report shows that the micro-switch in the driver’s door could corrode and fail to detect an open door. This in turn may prevent the electronic parking brake or “auto-park” feature from engaging automatically, resulting in a vehicle rollaway.Notification letters to affected vehicle owners are expected to be mailed on Sept. 18. In the meantime, owners may contact MBUSA’s customer service at 1-800-367-6372. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning July 31, 2026.Local dealerships will replace the driver’s door lock, free of charge.The luxury automaker first became aware of the issue after receiving reports of quality failures during the 2021 to 2024 time period. The NHTSA noted the reports appeared to be associated with corrosion in the door lock, but at the time did not appear to present any potential safety risks.Mercedes-Benz continued to monitor similar field reports, and a May 2025 report outside of the United States prompted a more detailed look at the issue. A technical assessment of the affected vehicle and door lock component was initiated between June and December 2025.The initial analyses focused on the potential for corrosion, which could impact the microswitches in different environments, and potential issues that could arise from that corrosion. The automaker later found that the corrosion could result from moisture coming from the plastic housing of the microswitch in certain climates.During the first half of 2026, Mercedes-Benz reviewed the climate conditions under which the problem was most likely to occur. The analyses were then cross-referenced with field data to identify the affected vehicle population.During June and July 2026, the company found that the moisture accumulation required sustained exposures to elevated humidity and temperature. Over extended periods, it discovered that the moisture accumulation could be sufficient to reach the electrical contact surfaces of the microswitch.Based on these findings, the automaker categorized markets according to their climate, identifying which areas would be more susceptible to long-term moisture accumulation.The NHTSA report indicates the geographic scope of the recall includes all of the United States and its territories.Mercedes-Benz was aware of 176 field cases in the United States between March 1, 2020 and June 9, 2026. However, it was not aware of any rollaways.A change in the supplier’s production process was expected to prevent the issue from occurring after May 20. The automaker notes that door locks outside the recall population have microswitches that meet strict requirements.In June, Ford recalled more than 740,000 vehicles for possible damaged parking systems that could lead to rollaways. This involved the automaker’s Navigator and Expedition models. As of mid-May, Ford identified 220 reports of the problem in North America and was aware of 24 allegations of property damage and nine alleged injuries related to the issue.In December 2025, Ford recalled more than 272,000 vehicles for rollaway issues due to a malfunctioning park module.