NHTSA campaign 21V288000 · Manufacturer campaign 2021040024

Mercedes Benz Recall 21V-288: Water Intrusion from AC Drain Hose May Cause Short

NHTSA recall 21V288000 (Manufacturer campaign 2021040024) was reported by Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC on April 23, 2021, with 6,331 vehicles potentially affected (per NHTSA). NHTSA's record lists the Mercedes Benz AMG GLE53, Mercedes Benz GLE 350, Mercedes Benz GLE 450 and more for model years 2020–2021. Owners were notified on June 4, 2021, 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 21V288000 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
21V288000 (also written 21V-288 or 21V288)
Filed by
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
Manufacturer campaign number
2021040024
Report received
Potentially affected
6,331 vehicles (per NHTSA)
Component
Equipment — Appliance — Air Conditioner
Owners notified

Repair completion: 94.05% (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 21V288000. 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 GLE53

  • Mercedes Benz GLE 350

  • Mercedes Benz GLE 450

  • Mercedes Benz GLE 580

  • Mercedes Benz GLS450

  • Mercedes Benz GLS 580 4Matic

All Mercedes Benz recalls

NHTSA's recall notice

As NHTSA's recall record states it for campaign 21V288000.

Defect description

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021 AMG GLE 53, 2020 GLE350, GLE450, GLE580, GLS450, and GLS580 vehicles. The air conditioner drain hoses may have been incorrectly installed, causing water to drain into the passenger compartment.

Safety consequence

Water intrusion into the driver and passenger side foot wells may cause corrosion and/or short circuits to electrical components, increasing the risk of fire. In addition, the emergency call (eCall) feature may be disabled and the doors may not unlock, increasing the risk of injury. Also, the engine may not start or may enter a limp-home mode, increasing the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Dealers will inspect and correct the air conditioner drain hoses, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 4, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2021040024.

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 21V288000

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.