Fault that sets off airbags by mistake prompts biggest car recall in Mercedes’ history

MERCEDES-BENZ is recalling 400,000 cars in the UK over an electrical fault that can cause the airbags to go off by mistake.

The fault affects its bestselling executive and family models, and will lead to the recall of about half the fleet sold since 2011. Mercedes said last night that there had been 30 cases worldwide of airbags deploying prematurely as a result of the problem although none had been reported in the UK. The fault had led to people suffering minor injuries.

The models affected include the Aclass, B-class, C-class, and E-class, and CLA, GLA, and GLC ranges, built between Nov 2011 and July 2017.

The fix takes about an hour and involves replacing a clock spring in the steering column. In some cases, the clock spring can fail so that when the driver turns the steering wheel, some wires do not earth properly.

That can cause wires to “short circuit” or create an “electrical discharge” which then triggers the airbags prematurely. Mercedes said the cars are safe to drive under normal conditions. But owners are warned that if a red airbag warning light appears on the dashboard they should immediately call Mercedes’s roadside assistance.

A Mercedes spokesman said: “We are recalling certain A, B, C, and Eclass, and CLA, GLA, and GLC, built between Nov 2011 and July 2017. If the steering column module clock spring is broken, the driver airbag warning light will be displayed in the instrument cluster, as well as a red airbag warning lamp.

“In rare circumstances, if the clock spring is broken and the wiring components are not sufficiently earthed this could lead to an electrostatic discharge which could inadvertently deploy the driver’s airbag.”

The company was keen to stress the fault is not connected to the Takata airbag scandal, which has been linked to at least 17 deaths worldwide.

More than 100 million cars fitted with Takata-made airbags have been recalled – the biggest in history. The Japanese company has filed for bankruptcy.

The recall is the biggest to hit the German luxury car manufacturer.