The function of the rearview camera in 126,443 Mercedes Benz passenger vehicles requires a recall.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s recall report, the rearview image may not display in the central display when the vehicle is in reverse, but display a black screen or the existing image. If a rearview camera image is unavailable within 2 seconds of the vehicle going into reverse, rear visibility is impaired and the risk of a crash might increase.
The software glitch, NHTSA’s report says, was discovered in Mercedes Benz vans in November 2018, and the affected parts retrieved and sent to the supplier for analysis. The supplier began development of “a more robust software version,” which was available in passenger vehicles produced after October 2019. The report says that Mercedes Benz operations were restricted in much of 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, isolated cases of vehicles having the software glitch were found. Ongoing investigation in spring 2021 revealed that passenger vehicles with the new software might be affected by the defect. In the early months of 2022, detailed evaluations determined the impact of the defect.
The recall report says that a change in the supplier’s software ensures the defect will not happen in vehicles produced after May 26, 2021.
Mercedes Benz dealers will update the software free of charge to vehicle owners. Notification to dealers will be sent April 15, 2022 and letters to vehicle owners will be sent June 7, 2022. The NHTSA recall number is 22V-232.
The following models are affected by the recall:
2018 E400 Coupe
2018 E400 Cabriolet
2019 E300
2019-2020 A220
2019-2020 AMG C43 Cabriolet
2019-2020 AMG C63 Cabriolet
2019-2020 AMG C63 S Cabriolet
2019-2020 AMG C63 Coupe
2019-2020 C43 Coupe
2019-2020 C300 Cabriolet
2019-2020 E450
2019-2020 E53 Cabriolet
2019-2020 CLS450
2019-2020 CLS53
2019-2020 AMG E53 Coupe
2019-2020 C300 Coupe
2019-2020 C300
2019-2020 AMG E53
2019-2020 AMG C63 S Coupe
2019-2020 AMG C63
2019-2021 E450 Cabriolet
2019-2021 E450 Coupe
2019-2021 E450 Wagon
2019-2020 AMG C63 S
2019-2021 AMG C43
2020 AMG GLC63 Coupe
2020 GLC63 S Coupe
2020 AMG GLC63
2020 AMG A35
2020 GLS450
2020 C350e
2020 GLE350
2020 GLC300 Coupe
2020 AMG GLC43
2020 CLA250 Coupe
2020 AMG GLC43 Coupe
2020 GLE 450, 2020 GLC350e
2020-2021 GLB250
2020-2021 AMG GLA45
2020-2021 E350
2020-2021 AMG CLA35
2020-2021 AMG CLA45
2021 GLA250
2021 AMG GLA35
2021 AMG GLB35