Mercedes Recalls Over 30,000 S-Class Cars Over Brake Fluid Leak Risk

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Mercedes-Benz Expands Its Previous S-Class Recall

Last year, Mercedes-Benz began a recall for about 20,000 S-Class sedans due to a potential front brake hose issue. The campaign, filed with the NHTSA in February last year as Recall No. 25V116, originally covered cars built during specific production periods and in certain climates where the problem was reported.

Now, Mercedes has expanded the recall. After gathering more information about the faulty parts, the company filed a new safety recall this month. It covers 30,078 vehicles under NHTSA Recall No. 26V638.

The expansion happened because reports began coming in from outside the US, leading Mercedes-Benz to question whether the issue was limited to certain locations or production periods. After conducting more inspections and lab tests, they decided to include more vehicles. By September, Mercedes-Benz acknowledged they could not rule out a safety risk for this larger group of cars.

Which S-Class Models Are Affected, and What Is the Risk?

The recall now ropes in 2022 to 2025 S-Class models, and yes, that includes the fancy Maybach and the sporty AMG versions. If your car rolled off the line between February 2, 2021, and November 28, 2024, it could be on the list.

Here is the breakdown of the 30,078 potentially affected vehicles in the US:

The culprit? The front brake hoses, which might start leaking as the car ages. Mercedes-Benz blames it on material fatigue from heat and stress over time. If brake fluid starts to seep out, you could lose braking power in one of the two circuits, which obviously isn’t great for stopping safely.

If things go south, you’ll get a red brake fluid warning on your dash. The catch? There’s no heads-up before the problem actually starts.

Mercedes-Benz decided to widen the recall after getting more field reports between March and August 2025. They grabbed some brake hoses for a closer look, checked out lab and durability test results in July 2026, and took another look at which cars might be at risk.

The company is aware of three reports this year involving vehicles in the expanded recall population in the US, dated April 2, May 29, and August 10. It has not identified any related crashes, injuries, or property damage in this expanded group.

Mercedes-Benz Will Replace the Brake Hoses

Mercedes-Benz plans to fix things by having dealerships swap out the front brake hoses on affected cars. The idea is to stop any leaks before they start. Starting November 29, 2024, Mercedes began using a new-and-improved brake hose in production, so cars built after that date shouldn’t have this issue.

Dealers were set to get the heads-up this week, with owners getting their notices starting November 27. If you’re wondering whether your S-Class is on the list, check your VIN on the NHTSA recall site or call up your local Mercedes dealer.

If you get a recall notice, don’t wait around – book that repair as soon as you can. Mercedes also recommends not driving the car and parking it outside until it’s fixed. When in doubt, call your dealer for advice on what to do next.

This story was originally published by Autoblog on Oct 11, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.