NHTSA campaign 26V638000 names model years 2022-2025 of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the Maybach S-Class, and the 2024-2025 Mercedes-AMG S 63 E Performance. Mercedes-Benz USA filed it on October 2, 2026 and estimates 30,064 vehicles are potentially affected by front brake hoses that may rupture and leak brake fluid.
NHTSA's record says the filing expands an earlier campaign, 25V116000, which Mercedes-Benz USA filed on February 24, 2025 for 2021-2023 models.
Which S-Class and Maybach model years does the brake hose recall name?
The new campaign names the 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 model years across six variants. The table sets each variant's years in the new campaign beside the earlier one, using the names NHTSA's recall records give them.
| Variant (NHTSA's name) | 25V116000, filed Feb 24, 2025 | 26V638000, filed Oct 2, 2026 | Potentially affected by 26V638000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| S 500 | 2021-2022 | 2022-2025 | 7,143 |
| S 580 | 2021-2023 | 2022-2025 | 16,881 |
| S 580 e | 2023 | 2023-2025 | 2,277 |
| Mercedes-AMG S 63 E Performance | not named | 2024-2025 | 1,746 |
| Mercedes-Maybach S 580 | 2021-2022 | 2022-2025 | 947 |
| Mercedes-Maybach S 680 | 2022 | 2022-2025 | 1,070 |
The 2021 model year appears only in the earlier campaign, and no 2026 model year appears in either one. NHTSA files these cars under trim names such as S 580 4MATIC. It lists the two Maybach variants under a separate Mercedes-Maybach make. A search for "S-Class" alone can miss them.
A named model year does not settle whether a given car is in the population. Mercedes-Benz USA's report says the population was set from production records covering cars built from February 2, 2021 to November 28, 2024. It adds that an optimized brake hose has been in series production since November 29, 2024. RideTruth's Maybach hub has no pages for the model years these campaigns name, and the S-Class counts later in this post leave out the two Maybach variants, which NHTSA files under a separate make.
What Mercedes-Benz told NHTSA about the hoses
NHTSA's record says the front brake hoses may rupture and leak brake fluid, and that a leak can extend the distance needed to stop and raise the risk of a crash. In its Part 573 report, Mercedes-Benz USA says the hoses might not meet durability specifications because of accumulated material fatigue from thermal and mechanical stress over the vehicle's lifetime. The report adds that a leak might reduce braking in one of the car's two brake circuits.
There is no warning beforehand, according to the report. When a leak happens, a driver might see a red brake fluid warning message in the instrument cluster. Mercedes-Benz USA's report says it knows of three US reports involving vehicles in the expanded population, and of no crashes, injuries or property damage tied to the condition in that population.
Dealers will replace the front brake hoses free of charge. VINs became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 9, 2026, and owner letters are expected November 27, 2026. For the earlier campaign, NHTSA's record says letters were mailed April 25, 2025.
The report's chronology says the first population was drawn using two factors, climate and production period. Field reports from outside the United States between March and August 2025 prompted a review. Supplier testing of parts collected from cars led to a wider scope, and on September 25, 2026 the decision to expand the recall was made. NHTSA's record does not say whether the 20,339 vehicles of the earlier campaign sit inside the 30,064, so this post does not add or subtract them.
Some press reports give the new total as 30,078. One version of the Part 573 report on NHTSA's site lists that figure, and another version, which matches NHTSA's recall API, lists 30,064. Unlike NHTSA's engineering analysis of GM brake assist, which is an investigation, this campaign is a filed recall with a remedy.
What RideTruth's recall timeline shows for these years
As of October 14, 2026, RideTruth's S-Class pages carry both campaigns for the model years NHTSA's records name. Campaign counts cover every recall on a page, not only brake recalls.
| Model year | Campaigns listed | 25V116000 | 26V638000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 17 | listed | not listed |
| 2022 | 10 | listed | listed |
| 2023 | 10 | listed | listed |
| 2024 | 4 | not listed | listed |
| 2025 | 3 | not listed | listed |
On the 2022 page, 26V638000 is the newest of the 10 campaigns, filed October 2, 2026, and 25V116000, filed February 24, 2025, is the one before it. On these years only a VIN lookup shows which campaign, if any, covers a given car.
What the S-Class complaint record shows
RideTruth's S-Class pages hold NHTSA complaints on the five model years the campaigns name, as of October 14, 2026. Brakes appears as an area on three of them.
| Model year | Complaints | Naming Brakes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 34 | 3 | 8.8% |
| 2022 | 46 | 9 | 19.6% |
| 2023 | 10 | 1 | 10% |
| 2024 | 5 | not listed | n/a |
| 2025 | 2 | not listed | n/a |
On the 2022 page, Driver Assistance & Speed Control leads with 17 complaints (37%) and Electrical follows with 11 (23.9%). Brakes, Engine and Suspension, Wheels & Tires each hold 9 (19.6%). Brakes is a broad label that covers more than hoses, so the data does not show which of these complaints, if any, describe a leaking hose.
The percentages total more than 100% since a single filing may list several components. These are filings, not cars, and with no S-Class sales total or mileage beneath them, the 46 on the 2022 cannot be read as a breakdown rate.
Looking up one S-Class by VIN
Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall site, which lists each open campaign for that car, including both 25V116000 and 26V638000 where they apply. Save a 2021-2025 S-Class in your garage, and each return visit repeats the search for new NHTSA recall campaigns on that car. A Maybach S-Class needs the VIN lookup instead.