Mercedes-Benz issues recall of thousands of cars in SA

The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has urged consumers who are in possession of Mercedes-Benz ML, GL, (model series 164) and R-Class (model series 251) to stop driving these vehicles and contact Mercedes-Benz for further assistance.

German car maker Mercedes-Benz South Africa said the global recall of these models was initiated due to a possible brake failure caused by advanced corrosion on the housing joining points.

In total, the marque is recalling almost one million older vehicles from around the world because of the potential problems with their braking system.

The recall affects a total of 993,407 vehicles, including 70,000 in Germany.

There are about 13,159 affected vehicles in South Africa.

Acting National Consumer Commissioner Thezi Mabuza said the supplier informed the Commission of the recall following a global recall by the manufacturer.

“We understand that the defect may lead to a possible brake failure which may lead to accidents and injuries. The affected models were manufactured between 2006 and 2019. We urge consumers not to drive these vehicles but contact the manufacturer for more details.”

To confirm the affected VIN Numbers, consumers are advised to contact Mercedes-Benz South Africa call centre number: 0800 133 355.

Mercedes Benz South Africa also has an online tool on its website which enables owners to check if their vehicle are affected.

The Commission said it is monitoring this recall based on its Recall Guidelines.

Mercedes recalled a similar number of cars last year over a safety issue with their emergency call system.

Last February, the company recalled over one million cars because of a defect in its “eCall” feature, which alerts emergency services of an accident and relays the vehicle’s location.

The defect meant it was possible that a wrong location could be sent.

Because the problem was software-related, the fix was mostly done “over the air” – via a wireless download using the car’s existing mobile data connection.

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