Mercedes-Benz · Recall 26V278000
Mercedes-Benz Recall 26V278000: Other safety defect
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2026 CLA 350 4MATIC (EV) and CLA 250+ (EV) vehicles. The front passenger seat belt retractor may have been manufactured with a defect that prevents the deactivation of the child seat safety function (Automatic Locking Retractor). As a result, the seat belt may remain in a locked position and cannot be extended.
Recall 26V278000 at a glance
| NHTSA campaign number | 26V278000 |
| Manufacturer | Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC |
| Component | SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR |
| Vehicles affected | CLA 250+ (EV) |
| Model years | 2026 |
| Vehicles potentially affected | 15 |
| Reported to NHTSA | May 1, 2026 |
What can go wrong
A passenger who is unable to fasten their seat belt is not properly restrained, increasing their risk of injury in a crash.
The fix — and whether it has actually arrived
Dealers will replace the front passenger seat belt, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 24, 2026. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 8, 2026.
If the remedy is not available yet, or your dealer cannot tell you when the parts will arrive, ask for that in writing. A manufacturer that cannot repair your vehicle within a reasonable time is a manufacturer with a lemon law problem.
Your rights
Could this recall support a California lemon law claim?
It depends less on the recall than on what happened afterwards.
California's Lemon Law asks whether a substantial defect — one that impairs the vehicle's use, value or safety — survived a reasonable number of repair attempts, or kept the vehicle out of service for 30 or more cumulative days. A recall is the manufacturer's admission that a defect exists. What matters next is whether the remedy actually worked, and how long you waited for it.
It is also worth looking at the whole vehicle rather than this one campaign. Owners often come to us about a single recall and discover that the real claim is the repair history sitting behind it.
A recall is not automatically a lemon. It is the manufacturer admitting a defect and offering to fix it free — that is the system working. A lemon law claim arises when the fix fails, the fix never comes, or the defect has already taken the use of your vehicle away from you.
What to do now
Check whether your Mercedes-Benz needs this recall
Not every Mercedes-Benz is affected by 26V278000. Enter your 17-digit VIN in NHTSA's free federal database to see whether this recall — and any others — are open on your exact vehicle.
Look up your VIN at NHTSA.govRecall 26V278000 — common questions
What is 26V278000?
26V278000 is a safety recall issued by Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC and reported to NHTSA on May 1, 2026. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2026 CLA 350 4MATIC (EV) and CLA 250+ (EV) vehicles. The front passenger seat belt retractor may have been manufactured with a defect that prevents the deactivation of the child seat safety function (Automatic Locking Retractor). As a result, the seat belt may remain in a locked position and cannot be extended.
Is my Mercedes-Benz included in recall 26V278000?
Not every Mercedes-Benz is affected. The recall covers 2026 CLA 250+ (EV), but inclusion depends on the specific VIN. Enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm whether your exact vehicle is covered.
Does recall 26V278000 make my Mercedes-Benz a lemon?
Depends. The recall itself is rarely the claim — the failed repair, the delay, or the rest of the repair history usually is.
What does it cost to have a lemon law attorney look at this?
Nothing. Case reviews are free, and under California's Song-Beverly Act the manufacturer pays your attorney's fees on a successful claim. You keep your recovery.
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Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome. Every case is different and depends on its own facts.
Is your Mercedes-Benz a lemon?
A recall is one data point. If your Mercedes-Benz has been back to the dealer for the same problem, or has sat waiting on parts, the recall may be the least of it. Speak to a Mercedes-Benz lemon lawyer before you agree to another repair attempt — our Mercedes-Benz lemon law attorneys will tell you straight whether you have a case.
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