Mercedes GLE-class SUVs recalled for faulty seat belt design

Pleasanton, CA – December 4, 2020 – Daimler AG (OTCMKTS:DDAIF) has recalled 55,326 Mercedes vehicles, due to an issue with the middle seat belt buckle. The seat belt buckle may be pushed down below the seat cushion if the buckle is fastened using only one hand. A passenger who cannot access a seatbelt and rides unrestrained is at a greater risk of injury. This Mercedes-Benz recall includes:

  • 2021 Mercedes-AMG GLE53 SUVs
  • 2021 Mercedes-AMG GLE63 SUVs
  • 2020 Mercedes- Benz GLE580 SUVs
  • 2020 – 2021  Mercedes-Benz GLE350 SUVs
  • 2020 – 2021  Mercedes-Benz GLE450 SUVs

Recall summary  

The middle seat in the second row is designed with a double-buckle configuration. The design of the seat belt buckle and the seat cushion may cause the buckle to be pushed down into a gap below the seat cushion. This issue may occur when the seat belt is buckled with one hand or is otherwise pushed firmly down. The driver will not be notified the seat belt is unavailable to  the middle-seat occupant.

In 2019, nine owners brought vehicles to Mercedes dealers to remove the seat belt buckle from underneath the seat cushion. In that same year, the manufacturer conducted a recall for 20 different 2018-2019 models. In that case, the cars’ software failed to recognize that the seat belts were latched, leading to a potential malfunction of other systems.

Risks 

If an occupant is not properly restrained, the individual has a much higher risk of injury if a crash occurs. Seat belts are a major factor in passenger safety. It is estimated that seat belt use saved nearly 15,000 lives in 2017.

The repair

To fix the issue, dealers will need to inspect the middle seat belt and “additionally secure” it in place, so that it can no longer be pushed below the seat cushion. The repair is free of charge.  Mercedes expects the recall to begin December 29.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 55,000 vehicles are included in this Mercedes recall. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Ken BoydMercedes GLE-class SUVs recalled for faulty seat belt design