Check Electric Heater Ground Connection – 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class

November 19, 2021 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 21V909000

Improperly Tightened Electric Heater Ground Bolts

Loose ground connection bolts on the electric heater may cause the wiring to overheat, increasing the risk of a fire.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V909

Manufacturer Mercedes-BenzeBay logo USA, LLC

Components ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Potential Number of Units Affected 17

 

Summary

Mercedes-BenzeBay logo USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021 GLE450 and AMG GLE53 vehicles. In the passenger-side footwell, the ground connection bolts for the electric heater may be improperly tightened.

 

Remedy

Dealers will check the electric heater ground connection and repair it as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 7, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.

 

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

 

Check if your Mercedes-Benz has a Recall

 


2021120004

Check Electric Heater Ground Connection

This is to notify you of the Recall Campaign launch to check the electric heater ground connection on 17 Model Year (“MY”) 2021 GLE-Class (V167 platform) vehicles. The recall campaign will be visible on the www.safercar.gov website and may generate questions from customers.

Affected VINs will be flagged in VMI as “OPEN” on December 22, 2021.

 

Issue

Mercedes-BenzeBay logo AG (“MBAG”), the manufacturer of Mercedes-BenzeBay logo vehicles, has determined that on certain Model Year (“MY”) 2021 GLE-Class (V167 platform) vehicles, the bolts used for the ground connection on the electric heater in the passenger-side footwell might not have been tightened according to current torque specifications.  If this ground connection is not tightened according to current torque specifications, the contact resistance and temperature may increase due to high electrical currents in the electric heater. As a result, the risk of fire cannot be ruled out.

 

What We’re Doing

MBUSA will conduct a voluntary recall.  An authorized Mercedes-BenzeBay logo dealer will check the ground connection on the affected vehicles and rework it, if necessary.

 

Parts

The remedy is available and can be performed.

 

Given this notice, it is a violation of Federal law for a dealer to sell or lease any new MY21 GLE-Class vehicles in dealer inventory covered by this notification until the vehicle has been repaired.  Once the remedy is available, the vehicles will be flagged as “OPEN” and Work Instructions will be available in Xentry.  Once the repair is complete the vehicle may be sold or leased.

Loaner and demonstrator vehicles may continue to be driven, but must not be retailed until repaired.  As a matter of normal service process, please check for other repair measures which might be applicable to the vehicle(s).

Additionally, given this notice, it is a violation of Federal Law for car rental companies to rent new MY21 GLE-Class vehicles covered by this notification until the vehicle has been repaired.

 


Check ground connection of the PTC booster heater; install new PTC booster heater if necessary

Model 167.1/3

 

  1. Slide front passenger seat backward to the end position.

 

  1. Detach front right floor covering until area around ground connection of PTC booster heater is accessible (Figure 1).

For basic data, see AR68.80-P-0008ME.

 

  1. Check for scorch marks in area of ground connection of PTC booster heater (Figure 2).

Figure 2 shown with removed floor covering!

 

  1. Check ground connection of PTC booster heater as to whether loose or tightened with correct torque (Figure 2).

The torque of the ground connection must be Nm 10!

    1. Scorch marks present in the area of the ground connection: Carry out work procedure.
    2. Scorch marks not present in the area of the ground connection: End measure.

 

Work procedure

  1. Install new PTC booster heater.

For basic data, see AR83.70-P-8000ME.

If further component parts in the area of the ground connection have been damaged, new component parts must also be installed!

 

Primary Parts Information 

Qty. Part Name Part Number
As required (1)BOOSTER HEATER, air conditioning systemA 167 830 75 03

 


Chronology :

In the beginning of December 2020, MBAG launched initial investigations based on a finding in the production plant that the tightening torque of a ground bolt was not being fastened according to specifications. MBAG determined that, in the end of November 2020, the plant implemented a change in the electric screwdriver system for the ground bolting of the electric heater. As a precautionary measure, the installation processes of the ground connection was adjusted and the employees were trained on the appropriate torque specifications.

MBAG also initiated a plant rework campaign to inspect and rework (tighten grounding bolts in accordance with torque specifications), where necessary and all vehicles manufactured after the electric screwdriver system change and until MBAG discovered the issue in December 2020.

Affected vehicles were reworked in the plant until February 2021. From March 2021 onwards, MBAG reviewed production records to confirm that all potentially affected vehicles were not documented as reworked. An additional review of records associated with all reworked vehicles, and those that still require reworking in accordance with specifications, has also been initiated.

Between May and October 2021, MBAG conducted investigations to identify potentially affected vehicles and to determine the potential safety effect of the untightened ground bolting. The affected electrical heater is not required equipment and due to its location under the passenger-side footwell, there is no risk of direct contact with vehicle occupants.

Up to November 2021, no field complaints or other reports associated with the descripted issue above were received.

However, on November 12, 2021, MBAG determined that the potential safety risk described above cannot be completely ruled out and decided to conduct a recall.

 


2 Affected Products

Vehicles

MAKEMODELYEAR
MERCEDES-BENZeBay logoAMG GLE532021
MERCEDES-BENZeBay logoGLE4502021

 


10 Associated Documents

Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-21V909-6140.pdf 645.792KB

 


Defect Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-21V909-8112.PDF 214.792KB

 


ISSUED Owner Notification Letter(Part 577) – January 2022

RCONL-21V909-2170.pdf 360.835KB

 


Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc) – Check Electric Heater Ground Connection MY21 GLE-Class (V167 platform): November 29, 2021

RCMN-21V909-8328.pdf 136.891KB

 


Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)- Recall Campaign Launch Notification Check Electric Heater Ground Connection MY21 GLE-Class (V167 platform): December 22, 2021

RCMN-21V909-9024.pdf 577.024KB

 


Remedy Instructions and TSB

RCRIT-21V909-2485.pdf 455.092KB

 


Recall 573 Report – December 22, 2021

RCLRPT-21V909-6720.PDF 214.792KB

 


Recall Quarterly Report #1, 2022-1

RCLQRT-21V909-9138.PDF 211.145KB

 


Recall Quarterly Report #2, 2022-2

RCLQRT-21V909-1871.PDF 211.239KB

 


Recall Quarterly Report #3, 2022-3

RCLQRT-21V909-2282.PDF 211.323KB

 


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