Mercedes is recalling over one million vehicles worldwide, some of which are nearly 20 years old, to address a potential braking issue.
The M-Class and GL-Class SUVs, as well as the bizarre genre-defying R-Class MPV constructed between 2004 and 2015, are all affected, which means many of the vehicles in question will be visiting an official Mercedes dealer for the first time in almost a decade.
Mercedes says it has identified a potential problem with the brake boosters fitted to those vehicles and is recalling a whopping 994,407 of the SUVs immediately. If the story sounds familiar it’s because we reported in May that more than 320,000 Mercedes SUVs and MPVs were being recalled in North Americaof the same issue. (SunriseEquipment) Now the recall has gone global.
The problem relates to a sleeve surrounding the brake booster, which may trap moisture, and eventually, the presence of that moisture can corrode the brake booster. That might lead to longer stopping distances, or, in extreme cases, a loss of braking power.
“Mechanical damage to the brake booster could be caused by a particularly powerful or harsh braking manoeuvre,” Mercedes said in a statement.
Although the parking brake relies on mechanical rather than hydraulic components and is unaffected by the fault, neither we nor Mercedes are confident in its ability to stop a 5,000-pound (2,270-kg) SUV with it alone.
“It would be impossible to decelerate the car using the service brake in such a rare circumstance.” As a result, the danger of a mishap or injury would be enhanced,” it continued, adding that vehicles would be inspected for signs of corrosion at dealerships and any problematic components would be replaced free of charge.
