Mercedes-Benz AEM Incentive Program — $2,000 Payment for BlueTEC Diesel Owners (Claim by September 30, 2026)
By Steve Levine
Published: April 29, 2026
Status
Claims Open
Claim Deadline
September 30, 2026
AEM installation must be completed by August 31, 2026
Estimated Payout
$2,000
plus free AEM software install · extended warranty
Proof Required
Yes
title or bill of sale or lease + final repair order
What Is the Mercedes-Benz AEM Incentive Program About?
Did you receive a notice about a $2,000 incentive payment for installing emissions software on your Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC or Freightliner Sprinter BlueTEC II diesel? You may be eligible for the payment, free installation by an authorized dealer, and an extended warranty under the Mercedes-Benz Approved Emissions Modification (AEM) Incentive Program. Here is how the program works and how to claim by September 30, 2026.The AEM Incentive Program is the consumer-relief component of two related Mercedes-Benz emissions settlements. The first was reached in 2021 between Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC, the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the California Air Resources Board, and the California Attorney General's Office, and required Mercedes to develop and offer the Approved Emissions Modification at no cost to vehicle owners and lessees. The second was announced in December 2025: a $149,673,750 multistate settlement between Mercedes and a coalition of 50 state attorneys general (covering 48 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico) addressing the design, manufacture, marketing, and sale of the affected diesel vehicles.
Together, those settlements established the program now operating at the official site MBAEMIncentive.com. The Settlement Administrator is Epiq. The program covers approximately 39,565 unrepaired Subject Vehicles in the United States as of August 1, 2023, with a $2,000 incentive payment per vehicle conditioned on completing the AEM installation. Mercedes denies wrongdoing and is participating in the program without any admission of liability.
Why a $2,000 Incentive Plus Free Emissions Modification Matters
The Approved Emissions Modification is software that brings the affected vehicles into compliance with applicable emissions standards going forward. Without the modification, an affected BlueTEC or Sprinter BlueTEC II vehicle is alleged to emit nitrogen oxides at levels exceeding legal limits during normal operation, even when the vehicle's onboard systems performed compliantly during certification tests. Nitrogen oxides contribute to ground-level ozone (smog) and are linked to respiratory illness.From a vehicle owner's perspective, the practical value of the program comes from three layered benefits. The AEM software install itself is provided at no cost by the authorized dealer, meaning the labor and parts associated with the modification are paid by Mercedes. After installation, Mercedes provides an Extended Modification Warranty covering certain components affected by the modification, which extends the period during which Mercedes covers covered repairs. The $2,000 incentive payment is layered on top of those benefits as cash compensation for the time and inconvenience of bringing the vehicle in for service. Eligibility for the payment is not dependent on U.S. state or territory of residency, so the program reaches owners and lessees nationwide.
Who Is Included in the AEM Incentive Program?
Both current and former owners and lessees of eligible Subject Vehicles may qualify. The structural requirements for eligibility are:• The vehicle is one of the eligible 2009-2016 Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC or Freightliner Sprinter BlueTEC II diesel models listed below.
• The Approved Emissions Modification was installed on the vehicle between August 1, 2023 and August 31, 2026.
• A Valid Claim with required documentation is submitted by September 30, 2026.
Two categories of vehicle owners are explicitly excluded from the program:
• If the AEM was installed on the vehicle before August 1, 2023, the vehicle is not eligible for this incentive payment.
• If the owner or lessee already received a $2,000 incentive payment for the same vehicle under a prior AEM installation incentive program, no additional payment is available for the same vehicle.
Eligible Subject Vehicles
The following Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC and Freightliner Sprinter BlueTEC II diesel models are Subject Vehicles under the program:• 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)
• Mercedes-Benz or Freightliner Sprinter (6-cylinder, 2010-2016)
If your vehicle is not on this list, it is not a Subject Vehicle for purposes of this program. Some Mercedes-Benz gas-engine and newer model-year vehicle owners may instead qualify for a separate settlement (the Hazdovac emissions parts warranty case). The two are distinct, with different defendants, vehicles, claim mechanics, and benefits.
What Benefits Does the AEM Incentive Program Provide?
Eligible owners and lessees receive three layered benefits. You may file a Claim regardless of whether you have already had the AEM installed or are scheduling the installation now.• Free Approved Emissions Modification installation. The authorized Mercedes-Benz or Freightliner Sprinter dealer installs the AEM software at no cost. Mercedes pays the dealer's labor and parts associated with the modification. Vehicle owners do not pay anything out of pocket for the install itself.
• Extended Modification Warranty. After AEM installation, Mercedes provides an Extended Modification Warranty covering certain components related to the modification. The warranty extends beyond the vehicle's standard warranty for the affected components.
• $2,000 incentive payment. The maximum payment per Subject Vehicle is $2,000, paid by the Settlement Administrator after a Valid Claim is processed. The payment is made once per vehicle. If a previous owner already received a $2,000 incentive for the same vehicle under a prior program, the current owner is not eligible for an additional payment on the same vehicle.
How to File a Mercedes AEM Incentive Claim
The claim mechanics differ slightly depending on whether you have already had the AEM installed.If you have not yet had the AEM installed:
• Contact any authorized Mercedes-Benz dealership (or Freightliner Sprinter dealership for Sprinters) to schedule an appointment for the AEM software install.
• Bring your vehicle to the appointment. The vehicle must be operable and either registered in the United States or its territories, or held by a U.S. dealer. The AEM must be installed on or before August 31, 2026.
• Keep the final repair order from the dealer. You will need it to file your Claim.
• After installation, submit a Valid Claim online at MBAEMIncentive.com with the required documentation by September 30, 2026.
If you already had the AEM installed on or after August 1, 2023:
• Locate your final repair order from the authorized dealer that installed the AEM. The repair order is the document that proves your vehicle had the AEM installed and identifies the date of install.
• Submit a Valid Claim online at MBAEMIncentive.com with the required documentation by September 30, 2026.
Two pieces of documentation are required with every Claim:
• Proof of ownership or lease, in the form of a copy of the Title (if you currently own the vehicle), a Bill of Sale (if you previously owned the vehicle), or the lease agreement (if you currently or previously leased).
• The final repair order from your authorized Mercedes-Benz or Freightliner Sprinter dealer proving that your vehicle had the AEM installed between August 1, 2023 and August 31, 2026.
Documentation must be clear, readable copies. Originals are not returned. Acceptable file formats include jpg, jpeg, png, gif, tif, tiff, doc, docx, xls, xlsx, pdf, txt, rtf, and zip. Each file must be no larger than 20MB. Failure to submit the required documentation will delay or invalidate your Claim.
Key Deadlines
• AEM installation must be completed by: August 31, 2026
• Valid Claim with required documentation must be submitted by: September 30, 2026
• Settlement Administrator processes claims and issues payments after the September 30, 2026 deadline passes.
Both deadlines are strict. If the AEM is not installed by August 31, 2026, the vehicle is not eligible for the incentive payment regardless of whether a Claim is later submitted. If the AEM was installed on time but the Claim is not submitted by September 30, 2026, the payment is forfeited.
What Happens If I Do Nothing?
If you do nothing, you will not receive the $2,000 incentive payment. You may still bring your vehicle in for the AEM installation at no cost (the modification itself is offered separately under the 2021 federal settlement and is not contingent on the incentive program), but the cash incentive for completing the install requires both the timely install and the timely Claim. If you previously owned a Subject Vehicle and never had the AEM installed before selling, you are no longer the party who can authorize installation, so the incentive opportunity for that vehicle has typically passed for you.Owners who decide not to install the AEM may also face downstream regulatory consequences in some states, including denial of state vehicle inspection and registration in jurisdictions that enforce EPA emissions compliance. The cash incentive is meaningful, but the underlying compliance issue is independent of the incentive payment.
Multistate Attorneys General Settlement Background
The AEM Incentive Program is administratively distinct from a typical class action settlement. There is no class certification, no fairness hearing, no opt-out or objection deadline, and no Class Counsel because consumers are not parties to the underlying multistate settlement. The 50 state attorneys general negotiated the consumer-relief program directly with Mercedes-Benz USA and Mercedes-Benz Group AG as part of resolving the states' consumer protection and environmental claims. Eligible vehicle owners and lessees access the relief by submitting a Claim through the program administered by Epiq.From the December 22, 2025 announcement, the multistate settlement total was $149,673,750. The states allocated $120 million as immediate payment to participating states, with an additional $29,673,750 suspended and reduced by $750 for each affected vehicle Mercedes repairs, takes off the market, or buys back. The settlement covers approximately 211,000 diesel passenger cars and vans sold in the United States between 2008 and 2016, of which an estimated 39,565 remained unrepaired and on the road as of August 1, 2023. The AEM Incentive Program is the consumer-facing track for those approximately 39,565 still-unrepaired vehicles.
Is the AEM Incentive Program Different from the Hazdovac Mercedes Settlement?
Yes, very different. The two are sometimes confused because both involve Mercedes-Benz emissions issues, but they are independent matters with different defendants, different vehicles, and different claim mechanics.The AEM Incentive Program covers 2009-2016 BlueTEC diesel and Sprinter BlueTEC II diesel vehicles and provides a $2,000 cash payment plus free emissions software repair and an extended warranty. It arises from the multistate Attorneys General settlement and the parallel 2021 federal DOJ/EPA settlement. There is no class certification, no court-supervised opt-out or objection process, and no Class Counsel.
The Hazdovac case (Hazdovac v. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC) is a private class action settlement covering 2015-and-newer (mostly gas-engine) Mercedes-Benz vehicles registered in 17 states that follow California emissions warranty standards. It pays 50% reimbursement for out-of-pocket repairs to 14 specific emissions parts and 100% reimbursement for diagnosis-only costs. It has a court, class certification, fairness hearing, and Class Counsel. OCA covers the Hazdovac case in a separate settlement page on OpenClassActions.
A vehicle owner may qualify for one program, both programs, or neither, depending on which Mercedes vehicles they have owned. The two are not mutually exclusive, and filing one Claim does not affect eligibility for the other.
Settlement Administrator and Program Background
The AEM Incentive Program is administered by Epiq, a national settlement administration firm appointed jointly by the participating Attorneys General. Epiq operates the program website at MBAEMIncentive.com, processes claim submissions, reviews documentation, calculates payment eligibility, and disburses incentive payments. Epiq's role is operational rather than legal: it does not adjudicate the underlying allegations against Mercedes and is not Class Counsel.Mercedes-Benz dealerships and Freightliner Sprinter dealerships handle the actual AEM software installation. The dealer's role is to install the modification, generate a final repair order documenting the install, and provide that repair order to the vehicle owner for inclusion with the Claim. Vehicle owners do not pay the dealer for the AEM installation itself; Mercedes covers those costs as part of the underlying settlement obligations.
How Do I Find Class Action Settlements?
Find all the latest class actions you can qualify for by getting notified of new lawsuits as soon as they are open to claims:Claim Form Website: MBAEMIncentive.com
Submit Claim
Sources
• Official Program Website: MBAEMIncentive.com• Multistate Attorneys General settlement announcement (December 22, 2025): $149,673,750 multistate settlement with Mercedes-Benz USA and Mercedes-Benz Group AG over diesel emissions allegations, joined by attorneys general from 48 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico
• 2021 federal settlement: U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, California Air Resources Board, and California Attorney General's Office settlement with Mercedes establishing the Approved Emissions Modification program
Filing Class Action Settlement Claims
Please submit only truthful information on any Claim. False or fraudulent claims can be rejected and may lead to penalties. If you are not sure whether you qualify, review the eligibility information at MBAEMIncentive.com or contact the Settlement Administrator. OpenClassActions.com is a consumer news site and is not the Settlement Administrator or a law firm, and we do not process or decide claims.
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Submit Claim| Program Snapshot | |
| Status | Open — Filing Claims Now |
|---|---|
| AEM Install Deadline | August 31, 2026 |
| Claim Form Deadline | September 30, 2026 |
| Category | Auto / Diesel Emissions |
| Estimated Payout per Vehicle | $2,000 plus free AEM software install plus Extended Modification Warranty |
| Eligible Vehicles | 2009-2016 Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC and Freightliner Sprinter BlueTEC II diesel (15 model lines; full list in body) |
| Estimated Eligible Vehicles | Approximately 39,565 unrepaired vehicles (as of August 1, 2023) |
| Geographic Scope | United States and U.S. territories; eligibility not dependent on state of residency |
| Underlying Settlement | $149,673,750 multistate Attorneys General settlement (December 2025) plus 2021 federal DOJ/EPA settlement |
| Defendants | Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC and Mercedes-Benz Group AG |
| Settlement Administrator | Epiq |
| Required Documentation | Title or Bill of Sale or lease agreement, plus final repair order documenting AEM install between August 1, 2023 and August 31, 2026 |
| Official Website | MBAEM Incentive |