2021 Mercedes-Benz Amg Cls53 recalls & complaints

1. Seat belts

What's wrong, in plain English: Seat belts may not hold you in a crash. The rear seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

What could happen: An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

The fix: Dealers will inspect, and replace as necessary, the rear seat belt assemblies, free of charge. Owners notified of the voluntary recall campaign by an interim letter on August 13, 2021. A final letter was mailed on September 24, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2021 AMG CLS53.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 21V483000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-367-6372.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

2. Backup camera — software update

What's wrong, in plain English: The rear camera may not show an image when reversing. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. The MBUX multimedia system software may cause the display to remain black, or reboot after startup. This could result in the rearview camera image not displaying properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."

What could happen: A backup camera that displays a blank image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

The fix: The multimedia system software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning June 28, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6373. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2021050012.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2021 AMG CLS53.
2. This recall may be fixed by an over-the-air software update. Check the car's screen or app before booking a dealer visit.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-367-6373.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

3. Seats

What's wrong, in plain English: Seat frames, adjusters or child-seat anchors. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. A faulty electrical contact within the seat position switch may prevent the driver and passenger air bags and seat belt force limiters from properly activating during a crash.

What could happen: Air bags and seat belts that do not perform properly in a crash can increase the risk of injury.

The fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seat position switches, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 21, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2021040016.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2021 AMG CLS53.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 21V230000 (manufacturer code 2021040016).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-367-6372.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

4. Airbags

What's wrong, in plain English: The airbag system — the part that is supposed to protect you in a crash. The side crash sensor connectors may come loose, which could delay the activation of air bags and seatbelts during a side impact crash.

What could happen: Air bags and seatbelts that don't function as intended can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace as necessary, the side impact crash sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2021070032/33.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2021 AMG CLS53.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 21V527000 (manufacturer code 2021070032/33).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-367-6372.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

5. Steering

What's wrong, in plain English: If steering fails you can lose control of the car. Due to a software error in the hand detection control unit, the hands-off detection might not detect when the driver's hands are away from the steering wheel when using the Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC system.

What could happen: Deactivated hands-off detection will prevent DISTRONIC system features from functioning, including warnings to grab the steering wheel and calling first responders as part of the Active Emergency Stop Assist, which can increase the risk of a crash or injury.

The fix: Dealers will update the hand detection control unit software for the DISTRONIC system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 6, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2022040010.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2021 AMG CLS53.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 22V189000 (manufacturer code 2022040010).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-367-6372.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

6. Electrical system

What's wrong, in plain English: Wiring, modules, batteries. Short circuits can cause stalls or fires. The transmission wiring harness may be misrouted, which can expose the electrical connector to corrosion, and result in an electrical short-circuit.

What could happen: An electrical short-circuit can increase the risk of a fire.

The fix: Dealers will inspect and repair the electrical connector, as necessary. Dealers will also reroute the harness and install an additional bracket. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 14, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2021 AMG CLS53.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 22V533000 (manufacturer code 2022080010).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-367-6372.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

7. Electrical system

What's wrong, in plain English: Wiring, modules, batteries. Short circuits can cause stalls or fires. The 12-Volt battery in the trunk may not be properly secured, which, in the event of a crash, can cause electrical connection failure, disabling various safety features including, emergency call (eCall) system, electric seat adjustment, hazard warning lights, and automatic door locks.

What could happen: The inability to operate safety features (eCall system, hazard lights, electric seats, or automatic door locks) can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

The fix: Dealers will secure the 12V battery, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 20, 2023. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2022100009.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2021 AMG CLS53.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 22V733000 (manufacturer code 2022100009).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-367-6372.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

8. Electrical system

What's wrong, in plain English: Wiring, modules, batteries. Short circuits can cause stalls or fires. The 48-volt ground cable connection located in the engine compartment may not be tightened properly and may result in the ground cable overheating.

What could happen: An overheated ground cable increases the risk of a fire.

The fix: Dealers will inspect the 48-volt ground cable connection and repair it as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 22, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2024MMNNNN.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2021 AMG CLS53.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 24V100000 (manufacturer code 2024MMNNNN).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-367-6372.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

9. Electrical system

What's wrong, in plain English: Wiring, modules, batteries. Short circuits can cause stalls or fires. The transmission wiring harness connection might not have been correctly wired during a prior recall repair, and during production. which can expose the electrical connector to corrosion, and result in an electrical short-circuit.

What could happen: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.

The fix: Dealers will replace the two-part wiring harness and connector, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed August 9, 2024. A second notice will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-877-496-3691. MBUSA's number for this rec…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2021 AMG CLS53.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 24V445000 (manufacturer code 2024100002/3).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-877-496-3691.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

10. Electrical system — software update

What's wrong, in plain English: Wiring, modules, batteries. Short circuits can cause stalls or fires. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. An error in the communication module's SIM card software can cause a mobile network connection failure, disabling the emergency call (eCall) system.

What could happen: A disabled eCall system would prevent a vehicle occupant from contacting the emergency services call center in an emergency, potentially delaying emergency responders and increasing the risk of injury.

The fix: The communication module software will be updated through an Over-the-Air (OTA) update or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 8, 2022. Owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, on July 8, 2022, May 17, 2024, July 29, 2024, and September 27, 2024. Owners may contact MB…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2021 AMG CLS53.
2. This recall may be fixed by an over-the-air software update. Check the car's screen or app before booking a dealer visit.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-367-6372.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Most complained-about parts: Electrical system (1).

Complaints are unverified reports from owners. A pattern (many complaints about the same part) matters more than any single one.