Mercedes-Benz faulty brakes recall – Small impact in South Africa

Mercedes-Benz has issued a global recall of roughly 1 million ML, GL, and R-Class vehicles built between 2004-2015 due to potential problems with their brake boosters.

Unusually strong or hard braking in one of these vehicles could lead to mechanical damage to the brake booster in cases of severe corrosion, according to Bloomberg.

Mercedes-Benz South Africa (MBSA) confirmed to TopAuto that “less than 5% of local units sold between 2004-2015″ have been affected by this recall.

“Vehicle safety is one of our core areas of expertise and a key component of our product strategy thus to live up to this standard, we continue to monitor our vehicles even after they have already been delivered to customers,” said Thato Mntambo, general manager of corporate affairs at MBSA.

“To this end, MBSA will check the brake booster of the customer’s vehicle and depending on the results of this inspection, replace it where necessary.”

Affected customers

Mntambo said MBSA has communicated details of the recall to all affected owners who are registered on its customer records.

These individuals have been advised to call a dedicated agent to make arrangements for an approved technician to go out to conduct an assessment of the vehicle. They are also kept informed on the status of the inspection and, if necessary, the repairs.

“Mercedes-Benz has been shaping the development of safety systems for decades thus recalls and/or service measures are undertaken as preventative actions to ensure the comfort and safety of our customers,” said Mntambo.

“We deeply regret any resulting inconvenience – but consider it our duty to act consistently and decisively in line with our brand promise.”

Owners who bought an ML, GL, or R-Class on the used market, who may not be registered on MBSA’s customer database and not have received any communications, are also urged to contact a Mercedes agent to find out if their vehicle is affected.