2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 Headlight Recall (25V365)

Recall 25V365 at a glance

What is wrong with the 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 in recall 25V365?

The headlights are missing adjustment prevention caps, which can allow the headlights to be improperly adjusted.

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2023 GLC 300 and GLC 300 4MATIC vehicles. The headlights are missing adjustment prevention caps, which can allow the headlights to be improperly adjusted. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Is it safe to drive a 2023 GLC 300 with recall 25V365?

NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: Improperly adjusted headlights can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

NHTSA describes the risk this way: Improperly adjusted headlights can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

NHTSA has not issued a do-not-drive or park-outside warning for this recall. Still, get the repair done as soon as it is available, and stop driving if you notice symptoms related to the headlights.

Which vehicles are included in recall 25V365?

Recall 25V365 covers 127 vehicles: 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300; 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 4MATIC.

NHTSA lists 127 vehicles in this campaign, built January 27, 2023 to March 7, 2023. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.

What is the fix for the GLC 300 headlight recall?

Yes. Dealers will inspect the headlights for sealing caps and install caps as necessary, free of charge.

Dealers will inspect the headlights for sealing caps and install caps as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 18, 2025. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2025060005.

When was recall 25V365 announced?

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC reported recall 25V365 to NHTSA on June 11, 2025. NHTSA lists the owner letter date as July 18, 2025.

This recall was filed 15 months ago, and vehicles were built over a span of 39 days. If your GLC 300 was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.

How do I check if my GLC 300 is part of recall 25V365?

Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 25V365 is open on your GLC 300, it will be listed there.

The fastest check is NHTSA’s VIN lookup. Type in the 17 characters from your registration or insurance card. Because only some 2023 GLC 300 vehicles are included, the VIN check is the only reliable way to know. A brand-new recall may take several days to show up.

What should GLC 300 owners do about recall 25V365?

Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.

1. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 25V365000 applies to your GLC 300.
2. Book the recall appointment with any authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer. Ask up front whether parts are available and how long the vehicle will be there.
3. Get a repair order for every visit, even if the dealer only inspects the vehicle. Read it before you leave and make sure your complaint is written the way you described it.
4. Write down when symptoms involving the headlights happen: date, mileage, speed, weather and what you felt or heard. Photos and short videos help.
5. Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
6. If the problem comes back after the repair, return to the dealer and contact a lemon law attorney.

What are GLC 300 owners reporting to NHTSA?

Owners have filed 64 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 10 of them about the lighting and visibility.

Too few NHTSA complaints about the lighting and visibility have been filed since recall 25V365 was reported (0) to say whether the fix is holding.

NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 64 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 10 of them involve the lighting and visibility. Complaints are reports from owners and have not been verified by NHTSA, but a high count for the same component is a sign the problem is widespread.

• 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300: 55 complaints in total, 10 about the lighting and visibility
• 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 4MATIC: 9 complaints in total, 0 about the lighting and visibility

A few excerpts from owner complaints filed with NHTSA (unverified, lightly trimmed):

Sunday, June 25, when I was driving the car on the road, the engine shut off and the car stopped running. 3 warning lights show on screen: engine light; 48v Battery Service Required; 12v Battery service required. I used the break to park the car on the roadside after that.

2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 owner, WA, NHTSA complaint 11529864, filed July 1, 2023

Unexpectedly and without any indication or warning, at [XXX] on [XXX] I experienced multiple system failures/engine light/critical warning lights/. Transmission error message states do not shift into gear, take for service. Engine check light on. Car would not start, car was unable to be put into park.

2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 owner, OR, NHTSA complaint 11536672, filed August 5, 2023

Digital Light Inactivean High Beam Assist messages Also, when you engage the inoperative warning the actuates blinker it off [brights/high blinds beams even when drivers.

2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 owner, OR, NHTSA complaint 11536674, filed August 5, 2023

Can recall 25V365 make my GLC 300 a lemon in California?

Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.

A recall by itself does not make a car a lemon. Under California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, what matters is whether a defect covered by the warranty substantially impairs the vehicle's use, value or safety, and whether the manufacturer or its dealers fixed it within a reasonable number of attempts (Civ. Code 1793.2(d)).

A headlight, wiper or visibility defect on the 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 can make night or rain driving unsafe, and repeat repairs for the same problem count toward a lemon law claim.

This is not the first recall for this problem. When a manufacturer has to recall the same headlights again, that suggests the earlier fix did not work. If your 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 has had this repair more than once, keep every repair order.

Earlier campaigns on these vehicles involving the same component: 22V261000, 24V070000.

California law presumes a reasonable number of attempts has been made if, within 18 months or 18,000 miles of delivery, the same problem was repaired two or more times for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury, four or more times for any covered defect, or the vehicle was out of service for repairs more than 30 days in total (Civ. Code 1793.22(b)). Some of these require written notice to the manufacturer. A claim can still succeed outside that window.

An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.

Frequently asked questions about recall 25V365