1998–1999 Mercedes-Benz C Class Recall: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HOPPECKE BATTERIES
NHTSA campaign 01V366000 · Electrical System · filed Dec 4, 2001 · verified Jul 30, 2026
The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HOPPECKE BATTERIES. THE BATTERY MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE COULD BE LESS THAN NEEDED TO MAINTAIN PROPER ELECTROLYTE LEVELS.
The risk
THE LOW ELECTROLYTE LEVELS RESULT IN ACCELERATED BATTERY GRID GROWTH, INCREASED POTENTIAL FOR INTER-CELL RUPTURE AND SPARKING, AND THE POTENTIAL FOR A BATTERY EXPLOSION.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →The fix — what to do
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BATTERIES, INCLUDING FLUID LEVELS. SOME BATTERIES MAY BE REPLACED IF NECESSARY, ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. IN ADDITION TO THE BATTERY INSPECTION, THE ADDITION OF LABELS IN THE VEHICLE OWNER'S MANUAL AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT WILL BE INCLUDED TO CONSPICUOUSLY REMIND OWNERS AS WELL AS DEALER AND SERVICE PERSONNEL OF THE NEED TO PERFORM BATTERY MAINTENANCE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 20, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.
ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).
Affected vehicles
| Make | Model | Model years |
|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz | C Class | 1998, 1999 |
Related recalls
More Mercedes-Benz C Class recalls
- 2007–2008 Mercedes-Benz C and 18 other models — Electrical System
- 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class — CERTAIN VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH SOME OF THE…
- 2005–2006 Mercedes-Benz C Class — CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH SPORT MODEL…
- 2004 Mercedes-Benz C Class and 2 other models — ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, SOME SEAT BELT BUCKLES MAY…
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All Mercedes-Benz C Class recalls → · All Mercedes-Benz recalls →
Source: NHTSA recall database, campaign 01V366000. Data last verified Jul 30, 2026.