Topline
Auto manufacturer Daimler advised 800,000 Mercedes-Benz owners that a technical defect could cause their cars to catch fire, but said it lacked the parts to fix the defect immediately, warning owners to instead drive “particularly carefully.”
A Mercedes-Benz vehicle seen in Dublin on February 11, 2021, in Dublin, Ireland.
Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Key Facts
The issue was traced to a possible leak in a coolant pump, Daimler said in a December 2021 letter to drivers that was published by Bild Tuesday.
Until a fix is possible, affected vehicles “should be driven particularly carefully and usage kept to a bare minimum,” according to the letter, which Daimler confirmed as authentic to Reuters.
Affected vehicles include Mercedes’ GLE/GLS, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, S-Class, E-Class Coupe/Convertible, GLC, CLS and G-Class automobiles produced between January 2017 and October 2021.
Mercedes said fixes were expected to begin as early as mid-January, Bild reported.
Key Background
Daimler subsidiary Mercedes is one of the world’s most popular luxury auto makers, selling 1.72 million cars and trucks during 2020. When, in December 2021, concerns were raised about Mercedes and Telsa vehicles that allowed users to play videogames on dashboard screens while driving, Mercedes was first to issue a recall. Bild linked the delay in fixing Mercedes’ fire safety defect to a widespread shortage of auto components caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Surprising Fact
In 1978, Mercedes produced the first car using anti-lock brakes, a now universal safety feature.
Further Reading
“Daimler warns car owners of fire risk it lacks parts to fix” (Reuters)
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