Mercedes-Benz has expanded a U.S. safety recall to roughly 30,000 of its flagship S-Class sedans. A front brake hose can fatigue, start leaking brake fluid, and quietly lengthen your stopping distance — and Mercedes says drivers may get no warning before the leak starts.
The letter from Mercedes doesn't reach owners until November 27. Your VIN is searchable today. If you drive an S-Class in Miami, this is not one to wait on.
What the recall covers
- Component: Front brake hoses (service brakes, hydraulic).
- The defect: Heat and mechanical stress fatigue the hose material over time. The hose can leak or rupture near the front calipers.
- The risk: Loss of brake fluid from one hydraulic circuit. The red brake-fluid warning can appear only after fluid is already escaping — with longer stopping distances and increased crash risk.
- The remedy: Mercedes-Benz dealers replace the front brake hoses, free of charge.
- The campaign: NHTSA 26V662000, an expansion of the earlier recall 25V116. Mercedes made the expansion decision on September 25, 2026, after durability testing and three U.S. reports in the expanded population. No crashes or injuries have been reported for this group.
Is your S-Class on the list?
Model years 2022–2025 (built February 2021 – November 2024), about 30,000 cars in the U.S.:
- 2022–2025 S 500 4MATIC
- 2022–2025 S 580 4MATIC — the largest group
- 2023–2025 S 580 e 4MATIC
- 2024–2025 Mercedes-AMG S 63 E Performance
- 2022–2025 Mercedes-Maybach S 580 and S 680 4MATIC
What to do — in this order
1. Check your VIN today — free
Don't wait for the November letter. Run your VIN through our free recall check: it searches the official NHTSA database in seconds and tells you whether your car is on this campaign — or any other.
2. If your car is listed, take the free remedy
Recall remedies are performed by the manufacturer's dealer network, free of charge — that is how the federal recall system works, and we will tell you exactly that. What we do here: verify your VIN, explain what the campaign means for your car in plain language, and check the brake system around it while the car is with us.
3. Know the warning signs
A red brake-fluid warning light, a brake pedal that suddenly feels softer or travels longer, or fluid spots under the front wheels: stop driving the car and call us first at (305) 871-5551. A brake circuit losing fluid is not a "drive it gently" situation.
The Miami angle
Heat and humidity are part of the fatigue story Mercedes investigated. A Miami S-Class lives in exactly the conditions brake hoses hate most — year-round heat, stop-and-go traffic, and salt air. If any fleet of these cars should check early, it's ours.
Sources: NHTSA campaign 26V662000; reporting by USA Today (Oct 12, 2026) and The Supercar Blog (Oct 15, 2026). Recall details can be updated by the manufacturer; the free VIN check always reads the current official record.
