Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC Diesel AEM Incentive Settlement: $2,000 Per Vehicle for Approved Emission Modification Installs by Aug 31, 2026
Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC AEM Incentive Settlement
Mercedes-Benz Group AG and Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC agreed to a settlement with a coalition of state attorneys general that pays a $2,000 incentive to current and former owners and lessees of certain Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC II and Sprinter BlueTEC II diesel vehicles who install the Approved Emission Modification (AEM). To qualify, the AEM must be installed at an authorized Mercedes-Benz or Freightliner Sprinter dealership between August 1, 2023 and August 31, 2026, and a Valid Claim must be submitted by September 30, 2026. Installation is free and includes an Extended Modification Warranty.
Incentive amount
$2,000 per vehicle
Per qualifying Subject Vehicle (no common fund)
Top payout
$2,000
Per qualifying Subject Vehicle
Claim deadline
Sep 30, 2026
132 days remaining
You may be owed money
Filing is free and takes a few minutes. Deadline: Sep 30, 2026.
Do you qualify?
You are a Class Member if ALL of the following apply:
- You currently own or lease, or previously owned or leased, a Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC II diesel or Sprinter BlueTEC II diesel vehicle (including Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner-branded Sprinter diesel vehicles) that was registered in the United States. Eligible Subject Vehicles: E250 BlueTEC (2014-2016); E350 BlueTEC (2011-2013); GL320 BlueTEC (2009); GL350 BlueTEC (2010-2016); GLE300d (2016); GLE350d (2016); GLK250 BlueTEC (2013-2015); ML250 BlueTEC (2015); ML320 BlueTEC (2009); ML350 BlueTEC (2010-2014); R320 BlueTEC (2009); R350 BlueTEC (2010-2012); S350 BlueTEC (2012-2013); Mercedes-Benz or Freightliner Sprinter 4-cylinder (2014-2016); and Mercedes-Benz or Freightliner Sprinter 6-cylinder (2010-2016).
- The AEM was installed (or will be installed) on your Subject Vehicle at an authorized Mercedes-Benz or Freightliner Sprinter dealership between August 1, 2023 and August 31, 2026. Installation is free of charge and includes an Extended Modification Warranty after the AEM is installed.
- You submit a Valid Claim with all required documentation by September 30, 2026. Eligibility for payment is not dependent on your U.S. state or territory of residency.
- Excluded: Owners or lessees whose AEM was installed before August 1, 2023; they are not eligible for this incentive payment.
- Excluded: Owners or lessees who already received a $2,000 incentive payment from a prior AEM installation incentive program; the maximum incentive payment for any Subject Vehicle is $2,000.
Not sure if you qualify? Call the MB AEM Installation Incentive Program Claims Administrator at 1-888-865-4540, email info@MBAEMIncentive.com, or visit mbaemincentive.com.
What happened
In 2021, Mercedes-Benz Group AG and Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC reached a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the California Air Resources Board, and the California Attorney General's Office regarding the emission control system in certain model year 2009 to 2016 Mercedes-Benz and Sprinter BlueTEC II diesel vehicles. That settlement required Mercedes-Benz to offer a free Approved Emission Modification (AEM) for the Subject Vehicles, which has since been approved by the EPA and the California Air Resources Board for installation by authorized Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner Sprinter dealers.
In a separate settlement with a coalition of state attorneys general regarding the design, manufacture, import, marketing, offer, sale, and lease of the same Subject Vehicles, Mercedes-Benz agreed to pay a $2,000 incentive to qualifying owners and lessees to encourage AEM installations. The incentive is paid directly by Mercedes-Benz on a per-claim basis, not from a private class action common fund, and is administered by Epiq. Mercedes-Benz denies wrongdoing in connection with the underlying claims.
How to file a claim
-
1
Confirm your Subject Vehicle qualifies
You must currently own or lease, or previously have owned or leased, a Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC II diesel or Sprinter BlueTEC II diesel vehicle (Mercedes-Benz or Freightliner-branded) that was registered in the United States. See the full list of eligible models and years in the eligibility section above. Eligibility is not limited by state of residency.
-
2
Schedule and complete the AEM installation
Contact any authorized Mercedes-Benz dealership (or Freightliner Sprinter dealership for Freightliner-branded Sprinters) to schedule an appointment to have the AEM installed on or before August 31, 2026. Installation is free of charge and includes an Extended Modification Warranty after the AEM is installed. Authorized Mercedes-Benz dealers are listed at mbusa.com/en/dealers and authorized Freightliner Sprinter dealers are listed at freightlinersprinterusa.com. Keep your final repair order; you will need it to file your Claim.
-
3
Submit a Valid Claim with required documents
Submit a Valid Claim online at mbaemincentive.com/Login by September 30, 2026. You must include: (1) a copy of the Title of your vehicle if you currently own it, or a copy of the Bill of Sale if you no longer own it, or a copy of the lease agreement if you currently lease or have leased it; and (2) the final repair order from your authorized Mercedes-Benz or Freightliner Sprinter dealer showing that the AEM was installed between August 1, 2023 and August 31, 2026. Acceptable file formats are jpg, jpeg, png, gif, tif, tiff, doc, docx, xls, xlsx, pdf, txt, rtf, or zip (each file no larger than 20MB). Failure to submit the required documentation will delay or invalidate your Claim.
-
4
Receive your $2,000 payment
Once your Claim is reviewed and approved, Mercedes-Benz will issue the $2,000 incentive payment for the qualifying Subject Vehicle. The maximum incentive payment per Subject Vehicle is $2,000 regardless of how many AEM installations or claimants are associated with that vehicle. No follow-up action is required after a Valid Claim is submitted; check mbaemincentive.com for status updates.
Key dates
- Aug 31, 2026 Opt-out & objection deadline Upcoming
- Sep 30, 2026 Claim filing deadline Upcoming
- Aug 31, 2026 Final Fairness Hearing (AEM installation deadline (no Fairness Hearing; state AG enforcement settlement)) Upcoming
- TBD after final approval Payments issued to claimants Pending
This is a state attorneys general enforcement settlement, not a private class action; there is no opt-out process and no Final Fairness Hearing. The AEM must be installed at an authorized Mercedes-Benz or Freightliner Sprinter dealership on or before August 31, 2026, and a Valid Claim must be submitted on or before September 30, 2026. Visit mbaemincentive.com for program updates and to file a Claim.
Where the money is going
There is no common settlement fund. Mercedes-Benz pays $2,000 directly to each qualifying owner or lessee on a per-claim basis after the Claim is reviewed and approved. The maximum incentive payment per Subject Vehicle is $2,000, and a vehicle that already received a $2,000 incentive payment from a prior AEM installation incentive program is not eligible to receive another payment under this program. Because this is a state AG enforcement settlement rather than a common-fund class action, attorneys' fees, service awards, and administration costs are not deducted from individual claimants' payments.
Payments are issued directly by Mercedes-Benz after a Valid Claim is reviewed and approved. The $2,000 per Subject Vehicle cap applies across all claimants associated with a given vehicle; if more than one person claims the same vehicle, the $2,000 is not multiplied. Vehicles that already received a $2,000 payment under a prior AEM installation incentive program are not eligible.
Common questions
How much money will I receive?
$2,000 per qualifying Subject Vehicle if the AEM was installed between August 1, 2023 and August 31, 2026 at an authorized Mercedes-Benz or Freightliner Sprinter dealer and a Valid Claim is submitted by September 30, 2026. The $2,000 cap applies per Subject Vehicle, not per claimant; if a vehicle already received a $2,000 incentive payment under a prior AEM installation incentive program, it is not eligible for another payment under this program.
Do I need to submit proof of purchase?
Yes. You must submit two items with your Claim: (1) a copy of the Title of your vehicle if you currently own it, or a copy of the Bill of Sale if you no longer own it, or a copy of the lease agreement if you currently lease or have leased it; and (2) the final repair order from your authorized Mercedes-Benz or Freightliner Sprinter dealer proving that the AEM was installed on your Subject Vehicle between August 1, 2023 and August 31, 2026. Documentation must be clear and readable; nothing will be returned. Acceptable formats are jpg, jpeg, png, gif, tif, tiff, doc, docx, xls, xlsx, pdf, txt, rtf, or zip, with each file no larger than 20MB. Failure to submit the required documentation will delay or invalidate your Claim.
What if I didn’t receive a notice?
Yes. You can still file a Claim even if you did not receive a direct notice, as long as you meet the eligibility requirements and submit the required documentation. Visit mbaemincentive.com to start a Claim, or call the Claims Administrator at 1-888-865-4540 for help.
Does staying in the class affect my right to sue later?
This is a state attorneys general enforcement settlement, not a private class action, so there is no opt-out process and no separate Final Fairness Hearing. Submitting a Claim to receive the $2,000 incentive payment is voluntary and does not, by itself, require you to release private legal claims. If you have questions about how this program affects any individual rights or remedies that are not part of this state AG enforcement settlement, consult an attorney before relying on this page.
When will payments be sent out?
Mercedes-Benz reviews each submitted Claim and pays approved claimants directly. There is no Final Fairness Hearing or appeal window in a private class action sense; payments are issued as Valid Claims are approved through September 30, 2026 and afterwards. For Claim status, contact the MB AEM Installation Incentive Program Claims Administrator at info@MBAEMIncentive.com or 1-888-865-4540.
Dapeer Law, P.A.
Consumer class action attorneys based in South Florida. We track settlements so you don’t have to.
Similar open settlements
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Dapeer Law, P.A. is not the administrator of this settlement and is not affiliated with Mercedes-Benz Group AG and Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC, Epiq (MB AEM Installation Incentive Program Claims Administrator) (the Settlement Administrator), or Class Counsel State Attorneys General coalition of Multistate Attorneys General coalition (Plaintiff in a state AG enforcement settlement). The case is Multistate Attorneys General coalition settlement with Mercedes-Benz Group AG and Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC, State AG enforcement settlement (no court docket number listed on the program website), pending in a coalition of state attorneys general (state AG enforcement settlement; not a private class action) before TBD - verify before publishing (no presiding judge listed on the program website). Class representatives are State Attorneys General coalition (Plaintiff in a state AG enforcement settlement; no private class representative). Mercedes-Benz denies wrongdoing. This website is attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
