NHTSA campaign 18V850000 · Manufacturer campaign 2019080012
Mercedes Benz Recall 18V-850: Steering Rack Locknut May Fail, Affecting Steering
NHTSA recall 18V850000 (Manufacturer campaign 2019080012) was reported by Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. on November 29, 2018, with 6,373 vehicles potentially affected (per NHTSA). NHTSA's record lists the Mercedes Benz C 300, Mercedes Benz AMG C63, Mercedes Benz AMG C63 S and more for model years 2015–2019. Owners were notified on August 23, 2019, per NHTSA.
Updated daily from NHTSA's recall files
Is my vehicle included?
This page lists, by model year, the vehicles NHTSA's recall record names for campaign 18V850000 in the model years try.vin imports (1995 and later); NHTSA's own record can list more. A model year on the list doesn't mean every vehicle of that year is included, and some may already have been repaired.
To see whether a specific vehicle is included and still needs the repair, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Mercedes Benz VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Key facts
- NHTSA campaign
- 18V850000 (also written 18V-850 or 18V850)
- Filed by
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC.
- Manufacturer campaign number
- 2019080012
- Report received
- Potentially affected
- 6,373 vehicles (per NHTSA)
- Component
- Steering — Rack and Pinion — Rack
- Owners notified
Repair completion: 91.9% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated October 21, 2026)
NHTSA cautions against comparing completion rates across recalls or manufacturers. How try.vin reads them.
Vehicles listed for this recall
NHTSA's recall record lists these vehicles for recall 18V850000. try.vin imports model years 1995 and later, so NHTSA's own list can be longer. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to it. Build dates are NHTSA's range for a model year (per NHTSA); a vehicle built in that range is not necessarily included.
Mercedes Benz
Mercedes Benz AMG C63
Mercedes Benz AMG C63 S
Mercedes Benz C 300
Mercedes Benz C 350 E
Mercedes Benz CLS 450
- 2019 · Vehicles built January 2, 2018 – October 5, 2018 (per NHTSA)
Mercedes Benz E 300
- 2018 · Vehicles built January 2, 2018 – October 5, 2018 (per NHTSA)
Mercedes Benz E 400
- 2018 · Vehicles built January 2, 2018 – October 5, 2018 (per NHTSA)
Mercedes Benz E 450
- 2019 · Vehicles built January 2, 2018 – October 5, 2018 (per NHTSA)
NHTSA's recall notice
As NHTSA's recall record states it for campaign 18V850000.
Defect description
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Mercedes Benz C300, 2017-2019 C300 Cabrio, C300 Coupe, C63 Cabrio, 2015 C63S AMG, 2018-2019 C300, C350e, C63 AMG, C63S AMG Cabrio, 2018 C63 AMG Cabrio, C63 AMG Coupe, C63S AMG, C63S AMG Coupe, E300, E400 Cabrio, E400 Coupe, 2019 CLS450, E450 Cabrio, and E450 Coupe rear-wheel drive vehicles. A locknut in the steering rack may break under high load, possibly causing the steering to become stuck in one position.
Safety consequence
A car that cannot be properly steered has an increased risk of a crash.
Manufacturer remedy
MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering rack, free of charge. The recall began August 23, 2019. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2019080012.
Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Sources
Official NHTSA notice for recall 18V850000
Campaign details come from NHTSA's recall files, which try.vin imports once a day. The plain-language subject and the completion rate come from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Recalls Data dataset. How try.vin reads recall data.