A corroded micro-switch in the driver's door lock can prevent the automatic park brake from engaging, NHTSA says
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Mercedes-Benz is recalling 310,667 vehicles in the United States after regulators determined that a defect in the driver's door lock can prevent the auto-park brake from engaging and cause a vehicle to roll away, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced on Thursday.
The defect stems from a corroded micro-switch inside the driver's door lock, according to NHTSA. When the switch fails, the vehicle cannot detect whether the driver's door is open — a condition the system relies on to automatically apply the park brake. Without that signal, the brake may not engage, leaving the vehicle susceptible to an unintended rollaway.
Among the vehicles swept into the recall are the CLA, A-Class, C-Class, CLE, GLA, GLB, and GLC, according to Reuters. Owners will have the door lock assembly replaced by dealers at no cost.
Thursday's action is the latest in a series of significant recalls for the German automaker in recent months. Mercedes-Benz earlier recalled 144,049 U.S. vehicles over a software fault that caused dashboard displays to go blank while a vehicle was in motion, affecting certain AMG GT, C-Class, E-Class, SL, CLE, and GLC models. In that case, authorized service centers performed a software update at no cost. The automaker also recalled roughly 24,000 vehicles over a driveshaft defect capable of causing a sudden, complete loss of propulsion in certain 2018–2020 E-Class and S-Class 4MATIC models, with dealers instructed to replace the faulty driveshafts at no charge.
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