Mercedes-Benz R-Class Recalls (2010-2013)
The Mercedes-Benz R-Class has been the subject of 6 recall campaigns on record with NHTSA across the 2010 to 2013 model years. They cluster mostly around the service brakes, fuel system, and electrical system. At least one is serious enough that NHTSA tells owners to stop driving the vehicle until it is fixed.
The Mercedes-Benz R-Class scores 3 out of 100 (grade F), one of the heavier recall records among the vehicles we track. That score reflects how serious the recalls are rather than how many. 100% involve a critical safety system, 2 carried a do-not-drive warning, and 17% were issued in the last three years. How the score works.
Those 6 campaigns span 4 model years of the Mercedes-Benz R-Class. The single largest affected 350,294 vehicles, over service brakes. Some carry a do-not-drive warning, the most serious class of recall, which means NHTSA advises against driving the vehicle until the repair is done. A recall repair is free at a franchised dealer and most never expire, so an older open recall is still worth fixing. Beyond recalls, you can also see the most common R-Class problems owners report.
The full record is below, grouped first by model year and then listed in detail. Each entry gives the defect NHTSA describes, the safety risk it creates, the manufacturer's remedy, the number of vehicles in that campaign, and the dates. A recall covers a whole production run, so a campaign listed for the Mercedes-Benz R-Class may not apply to your exact vehicle, and one you have already had repaired will still appear in the history. To see what is actually open and unfixed on a specific car, check its 17-digit VIN.
Mercedes-Benz R-Class recalls by model year
Recall activity by model year. Select a year to jump to its recalls below. Older years often carry more recalls simply because defects surface over time.
Mercedes-Benz R-Class recalls by affected system
Which vehicle systems the recalls touch, using NHTSA's component groups. Select a system to see how it is recalled across every make and model.
Recalls by model year
2013 Mercedes-Benz R-Class Recalls
1 recall affects the 2013 Mercedes-Benz R-Class, involving the electrical system and engine.
2012 Mercedes-Benz R-Class Recalls
3 recalls affect the 2012 Mercedes-Benz R-Class, involving the service brakes and air bags. 2 carry a do-not-drive warning.
2011 Mercedes-Benz R-Class Recalls
5 recalls affect the 2011 Mercedes-Benz R-Class, involving the service brakes, fuel system, and air bags. 2 carry a do-not-drive warning.
2010 Mercedes-Benz R-Class Recalls
3 recalls affect the 2010 Mercedes-Benz R-Class, involving the service brakes and air bags. 2 carry a do-not-drive warning.
Every Mercedes-Benz R-Class recall in detail
Service Brakes
- Affected years
- 2010-2012 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
- Vehicles in this recall
- 15,604
- Reported
- Apr 26, 2024
- Owners notified
- May 24, 2024
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2006-2012 ML, GL, and R-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. Moisture may accumulate and cause corrosion in the brake booster housing unit, which can result in reduced brake performance or brake failure.
Risk: Reduced brake performance or brake failure can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy has been performed. Dealers will remove the rubber sleeve, inspect the brake booster, and as necessary, replace the brake booster. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 24, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MMUSA's number for this recall is 2024050001/2. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 22V-315.
NHTSA campaign number 24V298000.
Service Brakes
- Affected years
- 2010-2012 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
- Vehicles in this recall
- 350,294
- Reported
- May 9, 2022
- Owners notified
- Jun 30, 2022
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2006-2012 ML-Class, GL-Class, and R-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. Moisture may accumulate and cause corrosion in the brake booster housing unit, which can result in reduced brake performance or brake failure.
Risk: Reduced brake performance or brake failure can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy has been performed. Dealers will remove the rubber sleeve, inspect the brake booster, and as necessary, replace the brake booster. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 30, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's numbers for this recall are 2022050014, 2022050015 2022090006, & 2022090007.
NHTSA campaign number 22V315000.
Electrical System
- Affected years
- 2013 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
- Vehicles in this recall
- 1
- Reported
- Apr 11, 2017
- Owners notified
- Jun 5, 2017
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling one 2013 R320 4MATIC CDI vehicle equipped with a six-cylinder diesel engine. In the event of a crash where the primary communication pathway between the air bag control unit and the engine control unit is damaged, the supplementary communication pathway may not shut off the engine or fuel pump.
Risk: If the engine and fuel pump after not shut off after a crash, there would be an increased risk of a fire.
Remedy: MBUSA will notify the owner, and a dealer will update the engine control unit with new software, free of charge. The recall began by early June 2017. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at1-800-367-6372.
NHTSA campaign number 17V247000.
Air Bags
- Affected years
- 2010-2012 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
- Vehicles in this recall
- 711,159
- Reported
- Feb 11, 2016
- Owners notified
- Oct 18, 2016
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 ML320 BlueTec 4Matic, GL320 BlueTec 4Matic and R320 CDI 4Matic, 2011 E350 Cabriolet and E550 Cabriolet, 2009-2011 ML350, ML350 4Matic, ML550 4Matic, ML63 AMG, and C63 AMG, 2010-2011 ML450 4Matic Hybrid, E350 Coupe, E350 4Matic, E550 Coupe, E550 4Matic, and E63 AMG, 2011-2012 GL350 BlueTec 4Matic and R350 BlueTec 4Matic, 2009-2012 GL450 4Matic, GL550 4Matic and R350 4Matic, 2007-2008 SLK280, SLK350, and SLK55 AMG, 2011-2014 SLS AMG Coupe, 2012 SLS AMG Cabriolet, 2013-2014 SLS AMG GT and SLS AMG GT Cabriolet, 2005 C230 Kompressor and C320, 2006-2007 C230, 2006-2011 C350, 2008-2011 C300 and C300 4Matic, 2010-2012 GLK350 and GLK350 4Matic and 2007-2008 Chrysler Crossfire vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: MBUSA will their notify owners, and Fiat Chrysler will notify the affected Chrysler owners. Dealers for the respective brands will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. This recall began November 2016. Mercedes-Benz owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372 and Chrysler owners may contact Fiat Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA campaign number 16V081000.
Fuel System
- Affected years
- 2011 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
- Vehicles in this recall
- 6,872
- Reported
- Oct 3, 2011
- Owners notified
- Nov 30, 2011
Defect: MERCEDES-BENZ USA (MBUSA) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 VEHICLES INCLUDING E-CLASS (212 PLATFORM), MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 2010 THROUGH FEBRUARY 2011, R-CLASS (251 PLATFORM), MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 2010 THROUGH APRIL 2011, ML-CLASS (W164 PLATFORM), MANUFACTURED FROM JANUARY 2010 THROUGH MARCH 2011, GL-CLASS (X164 PLATFORM), MANUFACTURED FROM MARCH 2010 THROUGH MARCH 2011, AND MODEL YEAR 2012 S-CLASS (221 PLATFORM) VEHICLES. THE DIESEL FUEL FILTER MAY LEAK FROM THE AREA AROUND THE HEATING COMPONENT.
Risk: DIESEL FUEL MAY BE DEPOSITED ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND CREATE THE POTENTIAL FOR A CRASH.
Remedy: MBUSA WILL CONTACT OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE DIESEL FUEL FILTER IF NECESSARY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 30, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ USA AT 1-800-367-6372.
NHTSA campaign number 11V496000.
Fuel System
- Affected years
- 2011 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
- Vehicles in this recall
- 2,297
- Reported
- Oct 29, 2010
- Owners notified
- Nov 24, 2010
Defect: MERCEDES BENZ IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 M-CLASS, MODEL W164, GL-CLASS, MODEL X164, E-CLASS, MODEL W212, R-CLASS, AND MODEL V251VEHICLES. THE O-RING MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY LUBRICATED IN ALL CASES. LACK OF LUBRICATION CAN LEAD TO LEAKAGE OF THE FUEL FILTER.
Risk: DIESEL FUEL MAY BE DEPOSITED ON ROADS AND MAKING THOSE ROADS SLIPPERY, INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 24, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372. THIS CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN SUPERSEDED . PLEASE SEE RECALL CAMPAIGN 11V-496.
NHTSA campaign number 10V540000.
Common questions about Mercedes-Benz R-Class recalls
- Does the Mercedes-Benz R-Class have any recalls?
- Yes. NHTSA has 6 recall campaigns on record for the Mercedes-Benz R-Class across the 2010 to 2013 model years. The most common areas are the service brakes, fuel system, and electrical system.
- How many times has the Mercedes-Benz R-Class been recalled?
- The Mercedes-Benz R-Class has 6 recall campaigns from the 2010 to 2013 model years. A single campaign often covers several model years at once, so the number of recalls is not the same as the number of years affected.
- What is the most serious Mercedes-Benz R-Class recall?
- The most serious recall on record involves the service brakes, affecting 350,294 vehicles. NHTSA flagged it as do-not-drive, meaning owners should stop driving the vehicle until the repair is done. Reduced brake performance or brake failure can increase the risk of a crash.
- Which Mercedes-Benz R-Class model year has the most recalls?
- The 2011 Mercedes-Benz R-Class has the most, with 5 recall campaigns on record. Older model years often pick up more recalls over time, since defects can surface years after a car is built.
- How do I check if my Mercedes-Benz R-Class has an open recall?
- Enter your 17-digit VIN on the recall check page. It returns the recalls tied to your exact vehicle straight from NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer, with no expiration on most safety recalls.
Recall data comes from NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. For how it is sourced and how the safety score is built, see the methodology and data sources. This page is a reference, not legal or safety advice.