Safety agency investigates Mercedes recall procedures

DETROIT — The U.S. government is investigating Mercedes-Benz, alleging that the German automaker has been slow to mail safety recall notices and file required reports involving recalls of over 1.4 million vehicles.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said a review found that Mercedes’ U.S. unit exceeded time limits for mailing letters to owners. In documents posted on its website, the agency also said it has questions about the company’s process and cadence for making recall decisions and notifying the government about them.

After an annual audit of recall files, the agency said it sent a letter to Mercedes outlining a list of problems with 2017 recalls.

Company spokesman Robert Moran said that customer safety is Mercedes’ highest priority.