Mercedes-Benz recalls SUVs for electrical short

Jacksonville, FL – May 6, 2021 – Daimler AG (NASDAQ:DDAIF), which owns the Mercedes-Benz brand has recalled 6,331 SUVs that may experience an electrical short due to a water leak. The recall includes:

  • 2021 Mercedes Benz AMG GLE 53
  • 2020 Mercedes Benz GLE350
  • 2020 Mercedes Benz GLE450
  • 2020 Mercedes Benz GLE580
  • 2020 Mercedes Benz GLS450
  • 2020 Mercedes Benz GLS580

Recall summary  

The recall centers around an issue with the air conditioning drain hose, which may be installed incorrectly. Just like how water beads up on the outside of a glass of ice water, cool air from air conditioning causes water to condense into droplets inside the air conditioner. This water has to drip somewhere, and the drain hose is supposed to move that moisture out of the car, away from sensitive wiring and electronics.

In the recalled vehicles, the incorrectly installed drain hoses may cause water to leak down into the floor of the car. The electrical wiring there is not waterproof, and the water could cause an electrical short, creating the risk of a fire. 

Previous recalls

This recall builds on two previous ones by Mercedes Benz, who recalled 18,392 vehicles in 2019 and 3,615 in 2020 for the same issue in other models. Mercedes blames the loosely connected drain hoses on a “deviation in the assembly process” during manufacturing.

Warning signs

If the air conditioner drain hose is leaking,  drivers and passengers may notice the carpet under their feet is wet, or that the windows are fogged up.

Risks

This water leak poses several risks. The various electronics that may be damaged by the water can disable features related to safety, like the emergency call system that alerts first responders if a crash is detected, and the door locks (which may hinder first responders from opening the doors in an emergency). If the vehicle is suddenly forced into a decreased power mode, the car may slow unexpectedly, creating the risk of a crash. 

Lastly, the risk of fire is serious, and puts passengers at risk of inhaling toxic fumes, getting burned or dying. Read more about the risks of an interior car fire in this article about a recent Hyundai recall over fires caused by the 12-volt “cigarette lighter” outlet.

The repair

Mercedes Benz dealers will check the air conditioner drain hose and make sure it is installed properly, free of charge. Owners will be notified about the recall with more information about when and how to seek repairs starting June 22.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 6,000 vehicles are included in this Mercedes Benz recall. To see if your SUV is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Rebecca RandMercedes-Benz recalls SUVs for electrical short

Mercedes recalls GLE-class SUVs due to electrical ground issue

Pleasanton, CA – October 9 2020 – Daimler AG (OTCMKTS:DDAIF) has recalled 12,799 Mercedes-Benz SUVs that operate with an optional star logo in the front grill. The electrical ground connection that illuminates the logo may be installed incorrectly and may affect other components of the electrical system. If the components do not operate correctly, the risk of a crash increases. The recall includes the following mid-size luxury SUV models:

  • 2020 GLE 350 
  • 2020 GLE 450 
  • 2020 GLE 580
  • 2020 GLS 450 
  • 2020 GLS 580 

Recall summary  

The star logo shares an electrical ground connection with the power steering control unit, wiper motor and the left headlamp. If the connection is not installed correctly, all of the components may malfunction, increasing the risk of a crash. Drivers are alerted to a malfunction by audible and visual warnings in the instrument panel.

Risks 

The potential electrical component failures present a number of risks to drivers:

  • A driver may lose control of the vehicle, if the power steering system fails. If a failure occurs, turn on your emergency lights, reduce the speed gradually and find a safe place to pull over.
  • A loss of wiper power can obstruct the driver’s view in heavy snow or rain.
  • The loss of a headlight can lead to an accident, given the limited visibility.

In each case, you should pull over as soon as it is safe  to prevent an accident.

The repair

To fix the issue, Mercedes-Benz dealers will need to relocate the faulty ground wire connection, so that the components operate correctly. The repair is free of charge. The recall begins on December 8, 2020. 

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 12,000 vehicles are included in this Mercedes SUV recall. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Ken BoydMercedes recalls GLE-class SUVs due to electrical ground issue

Mercedes-Benz faces recall over window trim

Laguna Hills, CA – Nov. 4, 2019 – Mercedes-Benz USA recently had to issue a recall for a number of light sport utility vehicles in its 2020 model year for issues related to mounted rear window trim bars that were installed outside of company specifications.

Altogether, nearly 13,800 vehicles were involved in the recall, all of which are believed to carry this defect. This includes the following light SUVs, all in the 2020 line:

  • 10,068 GLE350 4MATICs
  • 2,290 GLE450 4MATICs
  • 1,148 GLS450 4MATICs
  • 22 GLS580 4MATICs
  • 1 GLE350

It is believed 100% of the specific vehicles in the recall carry the defect in question. Those light SUVs were identified via production records, and many have non-sequential vehicle identification numbers. However, many other vehicles sharing the same model year but which outside the recall group have trim bars that were installed properly.

The Defect

Specifically, all those vehicles – each one a GLE-Class or GLS-Class light SUVs produced between Aug. 23, 2018, and Sept. 27, 2019 – have a trim bar fastening on the rear door windows that could, under certain driving conditions, separate from the vehicle entirely. While this would not pose a likely risk to the drivers of these vehicles themselves, others around them on the road could be injured or become more likely to crash as a result of such a detachment.

The issue arises due to a tolerance deviation at the supplier, and unfortunately drivers of these vehicles will not be able to detect whether their fastenings are at risk for failure.

Timeline of Events

Around mid-August of this year, Daimler Auto Group – which controls Mercedes-Benz USA – received a report of a situation in which one such rear door window fastening failure occurred on a GLE-Class light SUV. The company then began an investigation into the issue, to better understand how it began and what could happen in the event of a failure. Over the course of about six weeks, the investigation determined that the issue came at the supplier level, and it would need to be addressed in short order.

On Sept. 27, the company determined that it could not rule out this issue becoming a safety problem for the other affected vehicles, and ordered the voluntary recall at that time.

The Solution

Drivers who receive the recall notice should return to an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer. There, technicians will check the fastening on the rear door windows and, if necessary, rework them so that they once again fall within specification at no cost.

However, the company does not plan to provide any notice about pre-notice reimbursements for owners of these vehicles, as all the affected models are within warranty, given that they are in the 2020 model year. The company also noted that as of Sept. 27, the design tolerances of the parts DAG receives from the Kentucky-based supplier has changed, so no further issues of this type will occur.

Mercedes-Benz dealers were first notified of the voluntary recall on Oct. 11, and owners of these vehicles will receive their own notifications around the first week of December.

For additional information about this recall, consumers can contact Mercedes-Benz USA via phone at 1-877-496-3691, or call the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

For more information on this or other recalls past or present, visit MotorSafety.org.

Sean ReyesMercedes-Benz faces recall over window trim