2026 Mercedes-Benz Cle 300 4MATIC Coupe

THROTTLE LAG With the 2026 Mercedes CLE 300, throttle lag is driven by a combination of software programming, transmission behavior, and turbocharger dynamics working simultaneously.The following situation is when it usually occurs:Transitioning from a slow roll up a ramp (like the parking ramp at my condo) or pulling away from an intersection or traffic light or stop sign, you can catch the powertrain in its most vulnerable window for lag.:At low speeds, the combination of specific mechanical and software factors makes that hesitation much more pronounced:or a dead stop, the 9-speed transmission is usually sitting in 1st or 2nd gear. When you need a sudden burst of power to climb a ramp or clear an intersection, (or the pedestrian I alluded to in our conversation), the transmission has to evaluate the demand, disengage the current gear, shift down or match revs, and re-engage. That mechanical shuffle takes a second, but it feels like an eternity. (It’s much more than a second because I will have to put the accelerator all the way down to the floor in order to get a response from the car.•:Torque Converter Slip and Creep Logic: Modern automatic transmissions use torque converter slip to keep low-speed crawling smooth and prevent the car from lurching. When you "goose" the throttle from a crawl, the system has to transition from slip-and-creep mode to locked-up acceleration, which dampens the immediate bite of power to the wheels.:Here are the primary causes behind the hesitation: •Drive-by-Wire Throttle Calibration: Modern Mercedes models use an electronic throttle pedal tuned heavily for fuel efficiency, low emissions, and smooth passenger comfort. The computer deliberately dampens initial pedal inputs to prevent aggressive power surges, creating a physical "dead zone" at the top of the pedal travel.This the precise problem I have. Not enough space to write more. This has been refused by MBUSA,Alerted to me by theNCDS.

NHTSA ID

11754765

Incident

Jan 5, 2026

SEVERE THROTTLE DELAY & UNPREDICTABLE ACCELERATION When applying pressure to the accelerator pedal at intersections or traffic lights, there is a substantial "dead zone" delay where the vehicle fails to respond or move forward. To prompt movement in normal traffic flow, I am forced to depress the accelerator pedal to the floor. Once the engine computer responds, the vehicle suddenly lunges forward in an abrupt, uncontrolled surge of power. I have to keep my foot ready over the brake “just in case”. This is not something that happens every time so it isn’t entirely predictable but it is safe to say at the very least 1in10 times when the conditions are as mentioned above. 2.Recent Near-Miss Incident: This "delay-then-lunge" defect recently almost resulted in a pedestrian collision at an intersection when the vehicle hesitated during a turn and suddenly lurched forward into the crosswalk. The unpredictable nature of this acceleration profile makes controlled low-speed maneuvering extremely difficult and unsafe. 3.I brought this safety concern to my authorized Mercedes-Benz dealership service department. The service advisor and technicians verified the issue and confirmed that this lag is a widespread, inherent design issue across the CLE 300 line—reproducible in other identical customer models and dealership loaner vehicles. According to the service team, the delay stems from factory programming coordinating the 48V mild-hybrid system, drive-by-wire throttle mapping, and Eco Start/Stop function in default Comfort mode. Because the vehicle automatically reverts to default Comfort mode every time the engine is started, drivers are continuously exposed to this safety risk unless manually overridden on every single drive. The dealership indicated there is currently no official factory software recall or bulletin available to fix the programming. 4. Requested Action:This report has been submitted to my attorney to reduce any liability I might incur in the future.

NHTSA ID

11752436

Incident

Jan 5, 2026

Issue Mercedes-Benz AG, the manufacturer of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, is launching an OTA update to the subject vehicles to provide an enhanced user experience. This OTA update includes enhancements to the MBUX voice assistant. Remedy MBUSA will conduct an OTA service campaign. Remote software updates are automatically downloaded and installed in the customer’s vehicle free of charge and do not require a dealer visit.

Complaint Diverse functional limitations in the vehicle in combination with various warning and fault messages in the instrument cluster display. Cause Communication timeouts mean that communication errors may occur in the on‑board electrical system, which can result in various fault messages being displayed in the instrument cluster. This could be down to delayed feedback from the drivetrain control unit (N127) (CPC) to other control units networked to the CAN bus. Information: Only valid for vehicles through production period 10/2025. Not valid for vehicles with control unit CDCC (N125, central controller charging and driving) • It may not be possible to attribute any communication errors stored in the control units on the CAN bus to a specific cause • In rare instances, there may be a brief activation of the yellow warning lamp for engine diagnosis or there may be a sporadic delay with the start enable. • There may not be any specific fault codes present that indicate a specific component. Example image: Fault messages in instrument cluster: The reason for this could be down to delayed feedback from the control unit CPC3 to other control units networked on the CAN bus. Remedy Do not replace any components!!! ******************************************************************************************************* 1. Connect charger (see AR54.10‑P‑1127WT). Note: An adequate voltage from the on‑board electrical system battery must be guaranteed for the entire duration of the work procedure. Otherwise, the control units could be damaged if an undervoltage occurs. Information: Observe the operating instructions of the charger. Information: Use the charger to ensure an adequate voltage (at least 12.5 V) from the on‑board electrical system battery. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ 2. Connect diagnostic system (see AD00.00‑P‑2000‑06FR). Note: Always use the latest XENTRY Diagnostics software release. Information: Strict compliance with the operation steps in XENTRY Diagnostics is absolutely essential. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ 3. Select control unit N127 (CPC) via the direct link using XENTRY Diagnosis. Information: To do so, select the following menu items: Control units view → Drive systems → N127 ‑ "Drivetrain" control unit (CPC) ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ 4. Update software for control unit N127 (CPC) (see AR54.21‑P‑0014‑01Y). Info: To do so, select the following menu items: Adaptations → Control unit update → Update control unit software. Information: You are then automatically guided through the steps "Update of control unit software" and "SCN coding". Always observe the following operation steps at all times ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ 5. Disconnect diagnostic device from vehicle (see AD00.00‑P‑2000‑06FR). ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ 6. Disconnect charger from vehicle (see AR54.10‑P‑1127WT).

Complaint Wheezing noises/squeaking noises from the front shock absorbers when passing over surface undulations and rough road. Noise MUST match those heard in the attached videos. Cause • Wheezing noises: Flow noises of the damper oil • Squeaking noises: From the mechanical rubber valve in the dividing piston Remedy In case of complaints, the front shock absorbers must be replaced. If shocks have been replaced and noise persists, please open a TIPS case to the Body, Chassis, Entertainment inbox.

Issue A software update will be performed that provides enhancements to the robustness and system stability of the communication module. The update is free of charge and runs in the background, which takes about 8 minutes to install. During this time, the vehicle can be driven without any restrictions, and the new software will be active with the next ignition cycle. Remedy MBUSA will conduct an OTA service campaign. Remote software updates are automatically downloaded and installed in the customer’s vehicle free of charge and do not require a dealer visit.

Complaint Slight creaking noises when steering. Cause Noises may come from one or more sleeves of the horn contact plate. Remedy Remove the horn contact plate and check the sleeves for noise; see attached video. If necessary, apply lubricant to the sleeves.

Complaint Repeat workshop visit for vehicle vibration while braking from 60MPH. NOTE: Although the symptom is similar to a tire or wheel vibration, it is usually readily noticeable that it is distinctly different if it happens at all times or only while braking. Cause Although the cause of the vibration is most likely due to excessive lateral runout on the rotor or hub/wheel bearing, the system as a whole needs to be checked for other possible contributors. 1. Prior collision damage. 2. Excessive vehicle sitting times without rotating components. 3. Wheel bearing/hub lateral runout. 4. Wheel mating interface has been overtightened (did not follow WIS torque procedures). 5. Mating interfaces have been excessively modified (painted, gouged, bent, etc...). Remedy Read through the entire attached worksheet prior to performing. After performing, please review the final page and perform work accordingly. NOTE: This document is not pre‑authorization or otherwise dealing with warranty. This is intended for diagnostic purposes only. If there are any questions on how to proceed OR The work sheet has been performed and the vehicle has returned with the same concern. Please perform the measurements as seen in the worksheet again and open a TIPS case to the Body, Chassis, and Entertainment team.