2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 4MATIC Seat Belt Buckle Recall (26V353)

Recall 26V353 at a glance

What is wrong with the 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 4MATIC in recall 26V353?

The bolts for the rear seat belts may not be tightened properly.

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2026 AMG GLS 63 4MATIC+, AMG GLE 63 S 4MATIC+ COUPE, AMG GLE 63 S 4MATIC+, AMG GLE 53 4MATIC+ COUPE, AMG GLE 53 4MATIC+, GLE 450 4MATIC COUPE, GLE 350 4MATIC, Maybach GLS 600 4MATIC, GLS 580 4MATIC, GLS 450 4MATIC, GLE 580 4MATIC, GLE 450E 4MATIC, GLE 450 4MATIC, and GLE 350 vehicles. The bolts for the rear seat belts may not be tightened properly.

Is it safe to drive a 2026 GLE 450 4MATIC with recall 26V353?

NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: A loose seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

NHTSA describes the risk this way: A loose seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

There is no do-not-drive order on this campaign. If your GLE 450 4MATIC shows warning lights or behaves differently in a way that involves the buckle assembly, have it checked before driving further.

Which vehicles are included in recall 26V353?

Recall 26V353 covers 203 vehicles: 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 4MATIC; 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 4MATIC; 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 4MATIC Coupe.

NHTSA lists 203 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.

What is the fix for the GLE 450 4MATIC seat belt buckle recall?

Yes. Dealers will tighten the rear seat belt bolts and replace any missing bolts, free of charge.

Dealers will tighten the rear seat belt bolts and replace any missing bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 17, 2026. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on June 5, 2026.

When was recall 26V353 announced?

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC reported recall 26V353 to NHTSA on May 29, 2026. NHTSA lists the owner letter date as July 17, 2026.

This recall was filed 4 months ago. If your GLE 450 4MATIC was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.

How do I check if my GLE 450 4MATIC is part of recall 26V353?

Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 26V353 is open on your GLE 450 4MATIC, 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 2026 GLE 450 4MATIC 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 GLE 450 4MATIC owners do about recall 26V353?

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 26V353000 applies to your GLE 450 4MATIC.
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 buckle assembly 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 recall repair does not fix it, or the vehicle keeps going back for the same issue, talk to a lemon law attorney.

What are GLE 450 4MATIC owners reporting to NHTSA?

Owners have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 1 of them about the seat belts.

Too few NHTSA complaints about the seat belts have been filed since recall 26V353 was reported (1) to say whether the fix is holding.

NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 9 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 1 of them involve the seat belts. 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.

• 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 4MATIC: 5 complaints in total, 0 about the seat belts
• 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 4MATIC: 4 complaints in total, 1 about the seat belts
• 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 4MATIC Coupe: 0 complaints in total, 0 about the seat belts

Here is what some owners told NHTSA, in their own words (excerpts, unverified):

If the driver seat belt is pulled too quickly from the retractor mechanism, the seat belt can not be retracted and then pulled across the drivers lap UNLESS the car is stopped and the driver door is opened. Example. I pull up to a toll booth.

2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 4MATIC owner, FL, NHTSA complaint 11753052, filed July 27, 2026

Can recall 26V353 make my GLE 450 4MATIC 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)).

Seat belt defects are safety defects. If the belt, buckle or pretensioner still does not work right after the recall repair, the repeat visit belongs in your records.

The recall repair is available at dealers. If it works, great. If the same symptom comes back, the recall visit is one repair attempt and the next visit is another.

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 26V353