Yes, Mercedes owners may qualify for compensation through two separate warranty settlements totaling significant money back. If you own a 2009–2016 Mercedes-Benz or Sprinter diesel vehicle, or a 2015 or newer Mercedes-Benz in 17 covered states, you could be eligible for either direct cash payouts or reimbursement for out-of-pocket repairs—potentially thousands of dollars per vehicle. These settlements resolve emissions-cheating violations and require action on your part by specific deadlines: May 15, 2026 for the emissions parts warranty settlement and September 30, 2026 for the diesel settlement.
Mercedes-Benz agreed to these settlements with state attorneys general and federal regulators after investigations uncovered violations related to emissions control systems. The company installed software and hardware configurations that allowed vehicles to emit significantly higher levels of pollutants during real-world driving than during official test cycles. For owners, this meant paying out of pocket for repairs that should have been covered under warranty, or in the case of diesel vehicles, purchasing vehicles with illegal emissions software. The settlements require Mercedes to compensate vehicle owners and provide extended coverage going forward.
Table of Contents
- What Are These Two Mercedes Settlements About?
- How Much Money Can You Receive from These Settlements?
- Which Mercedes Vehicles and Model Years Are Eligible?
- How to File Your Claim and Meet Critical Deadlines
- What Specific Emissions Parts Are Covered Under the Warranty Settlement?
- Future Protection—What Mercedes Must Change
- The Multi-State Coordination and Why These Settlements Were Necessary
What Are These Two Mercedes Settlements About?
Mercedes-Benz agreed to two separate settlements addressing emissions-related violations across different vehicle populations. The first is the Emissions Parts Warranty Settlement, also known as the Hazdovac settlement, which covers repair reimbursements and future warranty extensions for covered emissions components. This settlement addresses the fact that Mercedes did not cover certain emissions parts repairs within their standard warranty window, forcing owners to pay out of pocket for fixes related to emissions systems. The second is a multi-state Diesel Emissions Settlement for $149.6 million, backed by 50 state attorneys general, which provides direct cash payments to owners and lessees of diesel vehicles equipped with emissions-cheating software.
Both settlements are rooted in the same underlying issue: Mercedes violated consumer protection and environmental laws by equipping vehicles with software designed to reduce emissions during official testing while allowing higher emissions during regular driving. Unlike some automotive settlements that address simple mechanical defects, these specifically target intentional violations of emissions standards. This distinction matters because it shows why compensation is owed—owners purchased vehicles believing they met environmental regulations and complied with warranty terms, but the vehicles’ actual emissions behavior was misrepresented. The settlements represent Mercedes’s commitment to making owners whole and changing future practices.
How Much Money Can You Receive from These Settlements?
The diesel settlement offers the more straightforward cash payout: $2,000 per eligible vehicle owner or lessee for 2009–2016 Mercedes-Benz and Sprinter BlueTEC II diesel vehicles. Additionally, qualifying owners receive a $1,200 extended warranty benefit, bringing the total value to approximately $3,200 per vehicle. This single payment compensates owners for the emissions violations, diminished vehicle value, and costs associated with fuel or performance impacts from owning a vehicle with illegal software. The Emissions Parts Warranty Settlement provides reimbursement for repairs already made and extends future coverage.
Owners can claim 50% reimbursement for out-of-pocket repairs made between the vehicle’s 4-year/50,000-mile standard warranty period and the 7-year/70,000-mile threshold, for any of 14 covered emissions parts. Additionally, owners can claim 100% reimbursement for diagnostic work on those same parts. For example, if you paid $800 for a catalyst converter diagnosis and repair between years 5 and 7 of ownership, you could receive $400 for the repair (50%) and the full diagnostic cost (100%). Going forward, Mercedes must provide 100% coverage for all 14 covered emissions parts for the full 7-year/70,000-mile period, eliminating owner costs for these components entirely during that window.
Which Mercedes Vehicles and Model Years Are Eligible?
For the diesel settlement, eligibility is straightforward: you must own or have leased a 2009–2016 Mercedes-Benz or Sprinter BlueTEC II diesel vehicle. These model years and vehicles were specifically equipped with the emissions-cheating software identified in the investigation. Even if you no longer own the vehicle, you may be eligible if you owned or leased it during the period when the illegal software was installed and operating. The Emissions Parts Warranty Settlement covers Mercedes-Benz vehicles of model year 2015 or newer, but only if registered in 17 covered states.
These states were identified based on their emissions standards and regulatory reach. If you own a 2015 or newer Mercedes but live outside these 17 covered states, this particular settlement does not apply to you, though you may still qualify for the diesel settlement if your vehicle meets those criteria. The specific list of covered states is available on the official settlement website, HazdovacEmissionsWarrantySettlement.com. For example, an owner in California with a 2018 Mercedes E-Class would likely qualify, but an owner in a non-covered state with the same vehicle model would not qualify for the parts warranty settlement, though either owner could qualify for the diesel settlement if the vehicle is a 2009–2016 diesel model.
How to File Your Claim and Meet Critical Deadlines
Filing claims requires action before specific deadlines. For the Emissions Parts Warranty Settlement, the claim deadline is May 15, 2026—giving owners limited time to submit documentation. You can file online through the official settlement website, HazdovacEmissionsWarrantySettlement.com, or by mailing a claim form. The settlement website includes instructions for gathering documentation: for reimbursement claims, you’ll need proof of payment (receipts, invoices) showing the date of repair, the parts repaired, and the amount paid. If claiming diagnostic reimbursement, include the diagnostic report or work order showing the parts diagnosed.
The Final Approval Hearing for this settlement is scheduled for June 25, 2026, after which payments are processed. For the Diesel Emissions Settlement, the claim deadline is September 30, 2026, providing a longer window. Expect similar documentation requirements: proof of vehicle ownership or lease documentation, vehicle identification, and the VIN to confirm the vehicle was equipped with the illegal emissions software. The $2,000 cash payment and $1,200 warranty extension will be processed after the claim deadline passes and settlement approval is finalized. The extended warranty can typically be applied to future repairs at authorized Mercedes service centers. One important distinction: if you own both a qualifying diesel vehicle and a qualifying newer Mercedes in a covered state, you can file separate claims for each vehicle, as each settlement covers different populations.
What Specific Emissions Parts Are Covered Under the Warranty Settlement?
The Emissions Parts Warranty Settlement covers 14 specifically identified emissions control components. These include parts involved in the emissions reduction systems, such as catalytic converters, diesel particulate filters, selective catalytic reduction systems, and related components. The specific list is detailed on HazdovacEmissionsWarrantySettlement.com.
These parts were the focus of the settlement because they were instrumental in the emissions-cheating systems and frequently required repair or replacement as vehicles aged. An important limitation: the 50% repair reimbursement and extended coverage apply only to repairs made within the specific mileage and timeline windows (4-year/50,000-mile to 7-year/70,000-mile for reimbursement; full 7-year/70,000-mile going forward for extended coverage). However, if a repair falls outside those windows—for example, if you needed emissions parts work at 8 years of ownership—that work would not be covered by this settlement’s reimbursement or extended warranty provisions. Additionally, the reimbursement applies only to repairs performed after the settlement was finalized; any repairs you had done before the settlement became effective are not eligible, so reviewing your service records with attention to dates is crucial.
Future Protection—What Mercedes Must Change
A key component of both settlements is future protection. For the Emissions Parts Warranty Settlement, Mercedes must provide 100% coverage for all 14 covered emissions parts for the full 7-year/70,000-mile warranty period on qualifying vehicles going forward. This is a permanent change to their warranty terms for these components, meaning future owners of 2015+ Mercedes vehicles in covered states will never face the out-of-pocket emissions parts costs that triggered this settlement.
For owners with current vehicles, you can benefit from this extended coverage immediately when the settlement takes effect. For diesel vehicle owners, the settlement includes requirements for Mercedes to implement compliance measures and emissions testing protocols to prevent future violations. The $149.6 million settlement amount and extended warranty component fund these improvements and compensate current owners for past harm. These provisions ensure that future Mercedes diesel vehicles meet actual environmental standards during real-world driving, not just during official test cycles.
The Multi-State Coordination and Why These Settlements Were Necessary
The diesel settlement was coordinated across 50 state attorneys general and involved multiple federal agencies, making it a significant multi-state enforcement action. This broad coordination indicates the seriousness of the violations and the number of affected consumers across the country. When 50 states collectively negotiate a settlement, it reflects extensive investigation and evidence that violations were systematic and widespread, not isolated incidents.
These settlements represent a shift in how regulators pursue emissions violations. Rather than fines paid solely to governments, these settlements prioritize direct compensation to affected vehicle owners while also requiring operational and warranty changes. For consumers, this means that enforcement actions increasingly include provisions for your personal compensation, not just regulatory penalties for the company. The Mercedes settlements set precedent for future emissions cases and demonstrate that vehicle owners harmed by cheating software have legal recourse through the settlement process.