The Recall Desk
SevereNHTSA·18V043000·Announced 2018-01-10

Mercedes-Benz Recalls Vehicles for Passenger Air Bag Inflator Defect

Mercedes-Benz is recalling specific 2009-2013 models because the passenger air bag inflator may explode during deployment, potentially causing serious injury or death.

What this means for you

Illness, injury, or structural failure has been reported. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The source text explicitly states that the inflator explosion may result in 'serious injury or death,' which aligns with the rubric criterion for a score of 4 (Severe) regarding significant injury reports or potential for serious harm.

Plain-English summary

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC is recalling certain 2009-2013 C-Class, E-Class, GLK-Class, and SLS-Class vehicles. The recall covers specific model years and trims, including the C250, C300, C350, C63 AMG, E350, E550, GLK250, GLK350, SLS Coupe, and SLS AMG GT Coupe. The affected vehicles are those sold or registered in specific geographic zones (Zone A, Zone B, or Zone C) defined by state and territory.

The defect involves the passenger frontal air bag inflator module. Due to propellant degradation caused by long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling, the inflator may explode in the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment. This explosion can result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, which may cause serious injury or death.

Mercedes-Benz will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag module free of charge. An interim notification was issued on February 23, 2018, and a second notice will be mailed when remedy parts are available. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-877-496-3691 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

The recalled product

Product
MERCEDES-BENZ, MERCEDES BENZ C300, GLK350, GLK250, E550
Brand
MERCEDES-BENZ
Manufacturer
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC.
Category
Vehicle — Air Bag
Hazard
Affected units
132,167

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

Model numbers (10)

  • C300
  • GLK350
  • GLK250
  • E550
  • AMG C63
  • C350
  • C250
  • E350
  • SLS
  • C63 AMG

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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