Mercedes-Benz has issued a voluntary recall of more than 300,000 vehicles due to congestion problems. According to documents published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the recall affects older SUVs produced since 2011.
Specifically, the units affected were the 323,963 units of the third-generation Mercedes-Benz M-Class (W166), which was renamed the GLE-Class in the 2015 facelift, and the GLE Coupe (C292). Identified through production records, the affected vehicles were manufactured no later than July 1, 2011. Production of the affected units ended on November 25, 2019.
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NHTSA documents indicate that the problem lies with water that could flow into the rear of the affected vehicle. This was noted in customer complaints filed as early as 2018 outside the US. Because water can build up in the spare wheel well, an accidental reservoir “may occasionally contact the fuel pump control unit” that is nearby
Mercedes-Benz investigated this problem several years ago and carried out a potential hazard analysis from water accumulation in the spare wheel well. The company concluded that the problem could cause damage to the said fuel pump and interruption of fuel supply to the engine, which could then cause the engine to shut down without warning.
Although the document does not state that a congestion problem has occurred to the customer, Mercedes-Benz issued a voluntary recall as a precaution. Dealers will inspect the affected vehicles for water infiltration into the spare wheel well, as well as replace the fuel pump control unit if deemed necessary. A drain plug will also be installed in the spare wheel well.
The VIN of the affected vehicles has not been determined, but if you own that generation of the M-Class/GLE-Class and GLE Coupe, we recommend that you check with your dealer to check if you are included in the recall.
