Recall Campaign 2018050003 – Replace Driver Airbag Module – 2018 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT & GLC-Class

March 29, 2018 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V208000

Air Bag Inflator Housing Material Failure

In the event of a crash involving driver air bag deployment, an improperly inflated air bag and/or an inflator rupture with sharp metal fragments might result in serious injury or death to the driver or to occupants.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V208

Manufacturer Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC.

Components AIR BAGS

Potential Number of Units Affected 57

 

Summary

Mercedes-Benz USA LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2018 AMG GT, AMG GT C, GLC43 AMG 4Matic, GLC300, GLC300 4Matic and GLC350e 4Matic vehicles. The housing for the driver side air bag inflator may have been made with defective steel. In the event of an air bag deployment, the defective steel may cause the inflator to improperly inflate the driver-side air bag and potentially rupture.

 

Remedy

MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driver air bag module, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin May 29, 2018. 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.safercar.gov.

 

Check if your Mercedes-Benz has a Recall

 

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TO: Mercedes-Benz Dealer Principals, General Managers, Sales Managers, Service Managers, Parts Managers	FROM: Gregory Gunther, Department Manager, Vehicle Compliance and Analysis, Engineering Services
RE: Recall Campaign 2018050003 Launch Notification Replace Driver Airbag Module MY18 190 253 (AMG GT-Class, GLC-Class)	DATE: May 11, 2018

 

IMPORTANT NEW RECALL CAMPAIGN LAUNCH INFORMATION

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RECALL CAMPAIGN LAUNCH NOTIFICATION

May 11, 2018

Campaign No. :	Campaign Desc. :	Replace Driver Airbag Module
2018050003	1803P91A52
This is to notify you of the Recall Campaign LAUNCH concerning the Driver Airbag Module in 57 MY 2018 Model 190 and 253 (AMG GT-Class, GLC-Class) 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 May 11, 2018.
Background
Issue	Daimler AG (“DAG”), the manufacturer of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, has determined that certain AMG GT-Class and GLC-Class (190 and 253 platform) vehicles may have been equipped with driver airbag modules containing potentially defective inflator housing material.   Thus, in the event the driver airbag deploys in response to a crash, the restraining effect of the airbag may be compromised due to a material failure of the inflator housing. Furthermore, separating parts could enter the vehicle interior and lead to an increased risk of injury.
What We’re Doing	MBUSA will conduct a voluntary recall. An authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer will replace the driver side airbag for the affected vehicles.
Parts	Parts are available and may be ordered.
Vehicles Affected
Vehicle Model Year(s)	2018
Vehicle Model	AMG GT-Class, GLC-Class
Vehicle Populations
Total Recall Population	57
Total Vehicles in Dealer Inventory	18
Given this notice, it is a violation of Federal law for a dealer to sell or lease any new MY18 AMG GT-Class or GLC-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 Star TekInfo 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.  Additionally, given this notice, it is a violation of Federal Law for car rental companies to rent new MY18 AMG GT-Class or GLC-Class vehicles covered by this notification until the vehicle has been repaired.
Next Steps/Notes
Customer Notification Timeline	Customer letters will be mailed in late May 2018.
AOMS/SOMS	AOMs – This recall may generate questions from your dealers. Please forward this notice to your dealers ASAP.
Rental Fleet Partners	This recall may affect vehicles in your fleet. Please contact your respective MBUSA fleet representative for further information and next steps. For repairs, please contact your preferred MBUSA dealer.
While we regret any inconvenience this may cause, MBUSA is determined to maintain a high level of vehicle quality and customer satisfaction. Please refer all customer inquiries to the Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-FOR-MERCEDES.

 

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FAQ’s – INTERNAL DEALER USE ONLY. DO NOT DISTRIBUTE

 

Is this campaign related to other Takata Airbag Recalls?

While Takata is also the supplier for the potentially affected airbags in this Recall Campaign, this campaign is not related to the potential degradation of the PSAN inflator propellant due to prolonged exposure to heat and humidity. The potential defect relates to the inflator housing material and not the inflator propellant.

 

Why are only certain vehicles affected within a specific production range?

The affected vehicles were identified as containing airbags from a specific supplier batch. The batch was identified through supplier testing.

 

What specific models are impacted?

A total of 55 GLC-Class and 2 AMG GT-Class vehicles were identified through production data.

 

Why are other Mercedes-Benz models not included?

Only vehicles equipped with airbags from the designated supplier production batch are included.

 

Which airbags are impacted?

Only the driver-side airbags for the 57 vehicles identified are impacted.

 

What is the Inflator?

The inflator is a device contained within the airbag module assembly that, in the event of a driver-side airbag deployment, inflates the airbag.

 

What is the Inflator Housing?

The inflator housing is the metal structure that encases the components of the inflator.

 

Where can a customer have the recall work completed?

Customers will be asked to contact their local authorized Mercedes-Benz dealership to arrange for an appointment to complete the repair.

If a customer requests it, can the driver airbag be disabled?

No. Federal Regulations prohibit airbag disablement. Also, as a leader in the safety field, we believe that the driver is always safer with the protection of the airbag when a collision event warrants a deployment. The airbag is designed to supplement the seatbelt and other restraint components.  For these reasons, we will not authorize dealers to disable airbags.

 

Do I need my owner letter to have the remedy performed?  No, you do not need the owner letter to have this recall completed.

 

How does a customer know whether their vehicle is affected by the recall?

Any customers who are potentially affected will be mailed a customer letter.  Customers can always check if their vehicle is affected by entering their VIN into the following site:

http://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/recall

 

Can I continue to drive my vehicle?

Yes. Daimler is not aware of an inflator housing failure in any of its vehicles associated with this recall.  However, when you receive a letter asking you to have this service performed by an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer, please do so as soon as possible. If you are not the only driver of this vehicle, please advise all other drivers of this important information.

 

Are loaner cars available to owners of recalled cars who are waiting for parts? 

No. Since we haven’t had any instances of this occurring in our vehicles and are doing the recall in an abundance of caution, there is no reason to offer a loaner vehicle.

 

Have there been any reported injuries from faulty airbags in Mercedes-Benz vehicles? We are not aware of any incidences with the affected inflators in Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

 

Can you guarantee me the airbag will not deploy inadvertently?

The issue with the recalled inflator housing does not result in inadvertent airbag deployments.  Rather, the issue concerns the potential for a housing failure during deployment.  Visit your authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer if your vehicle’s SRS light is illuminated.   Please remember too that a properly functioning airbag system is designed to supplement, not replace, the seatbelt in protecting occupants in a crash.

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Campaign No. 2018050003, May 2018

TO:	ALL MERCEDES-BENZ CENTERS
SUBJECT:	Models 190 and 253 Model Year 2018 Replace driver’s airbag

 

Daimler AG (“DAG”), the manufacturer of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, has determined that certain AMG GT-Class and GLC-Class (190 and 253 platform) vehicles may have been equipped with driver airbag modules containing potentially defective inflator housing material. Thus, in the event the driver airbag deploys in response to a crash, the restraining effect of the airbag may be compromised due to a material failure of the inflator housing. Furthermore, separating parts could enter the vehicle interior and lead to an increased risk of injury. An authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer will replace the driver side airbag for the affected vehicles.

Prior to performing this Recall Campaign:

• Please check VMI to determine if the vehicle is involved in the Campaign and if it has been previously repaired.
• Please review the entire Recall Campaign bulletin and follow the repair procedure exactly as described.

Please note that Recall Campaigns do not expire and may also be performed on a vehicle with a vehicle status indicator.

Approximately 57 vehicles are involved.

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Procedure

 

Before beginning work, there must be no SRS fault message present in the instrument cluster!

If an SRS fault message is present before beginning work, it must be rectified. The fault rectification must not be invoiced together with the recall!

 

Work procedure

 

1. Disconnect ground line from on-board electrical system battery.

 

2. Replace driver’s airbag (A, figure 1) on the steering wheel. Basic data model 190 60-P-0660EL.

Basic data model 253 AR91.60-P-0660LW.

Contrary to the WIS work instructions, it is not necessary to check the supplemental restraint system using    XENTRY/DAS following driver’s airbag replacement.

Figure 1

 

3. Connect ground line.

 

4. Turn transmitter key in electronic ignition lock to position 1 or actuate start button once without contacting the brake pedal (ignition position 1) and check whether airbag indicator lamp in the instrument cluster goes out permanently after a few seconds. No farther SRS check is required.

 

 

Primary Parts Information

Qty.	Part Name	Part Number	Estimated Replacement Rate
As required (1) *	Driver’s airbag	A 000 860 14 01 9116	100%
As required (1) *	Driver’s airbag	A 000 860 15 01 9116	100%
As required (1) *	Driver’s airbag	A 000 860 17 02 9116	100%

 

*Determine part number using the chassis number via EPC

 

Warranty Information

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Operation:

Replace driver’s airbag (02-2308)

Includes: Disconnect/connect ground line of on-board electrical system battery.

 

Damage Code	Operation Number	Labor Time (hrs.)
91 931 42 7	02-2308	0.3

 

Note

Operation Number labor times are subject to change.

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5 Affected Products

Vehicles

MERCEDES BENZ	AMG GT	2018
MERCEDES BENZ	AMG GT C	2018
MERCEDES BENZ	GLC300	2018
MERCEDES BENZ	GLC350E	2018
MERCEDES BENZ	GLC43 AMG	2018

 

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12 Associated Documents

Recall 573 Report – AMENDMENT 1

RCLRPT-18V208-5539.PDF 218.766KB

 

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Defect Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-18V208-4597.PDF 218.921KB

 

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Recall 573 Report – AMENDMENT 2

RCLRPT-18V208-7454.PDF 218.805KB

 

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Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)- April 11, 2018 – RE: Recall Campaign Initial Notification – Replace Driver Airbag Module – MY18 190 253 (AMG GT-Class, GLC-Class)

RCMN-18V208-7185.pdf 203.649KB

 

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Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-18V208-9381.pdf 333.922KB

 

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Recall 573 Report – AMENDMENT 3

RCLRPT-18V208-3592.PDF 218.762KB

 

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ISSUED Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RCONL-18V208-6543.pdf 167.001KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report – Report #1, 2018-2

RCLQRT-18V208-9134.PDF 214.523KB

 

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Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)- May 11, 2018 – RE: Recall Campaign 2018050003 Launch Notification – Replace Driver Airbag Module – MY18 190 253 (AMG GT-Class, GLC-Class)

RCMN-18V208-1436.pdf 416.545KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #3, 2018-4

RCLQRT-18V208-1946.PDF 211.329KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #4, 2019-1

RCLQRT-18V208-9885.PDF 211.432KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #2, 2018-3

RCLQRT-18V208-6896.PDF 211.239KB

 

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Latest Recalls Documents

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/documentList.xhtml?docId=18V208&docType=RCL

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