Mercedes, Ford, VW, BMW issue recalls

A NUMBER of Mercedes-Benz vehicles lead a long list of model recalls recently published on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) website.

The GLE, GLS and GL SUVs have been recalled due to potentially defective brake callipers, which may have hydrogen embedded in the material of their pistons.

Affecting 977 vehicles sold between May 1 and August 23 this year, the fault can result in the braking power of the rear axle being diminished and the brake pedal’s travel extending.

Meanwhile, 3398 xamples of the GLE, GLS, GL and ML SUVs sold between February 2012 and August 2016 have also been recalled, thanks to foam possibly developing in their oil reservoir, which can lead to escaping oil spraying on hot components and potentially leading to a fire.

The C-Class and E-Class coupes have been called back for a possibly faulty locking mechanism on the right side of the driver’s seat backrest, with 416 examples sold between May and August 2017 affected.

Ten examples of the Mercedes-AMG GT sold between December 2016 and February 2017 have potentially faulty software that can lead to the misidentification of a child seat for a small person, and vice versa.

This can lead to the passenger airbag being activated for the child seat or deactivated for the occupant, increasing the risk of injury.

The new-generation S-Class sold between November 2017 and February 2018 will require a recall due to two nuts for mounting busbars in the vehicle’s trunk not being installed properly, possibly presenting a fire hazard and affecting the running of the engine, belt functions and instrument cluster. In total, 45 examples are affected.

Defective bonding on the rear window trim strips have caused 857 examples of the C-Class sold between May 8, 2016 and January 3, 2018 to be called back, with the faulty trim potentially falling off and presenting a road hazard.

Volkswagen’s Tiguan Allspace seven-seater has been issued with two separate recalls; the first affecting 216 vehicles that may have had their passenger airbag packed incorrectly, preventing it from correctly deploying in an accident. This recall is unrelated to ongoing Takata saga.

The Tiguan Allspace also may be equipped with incorrectly welded gas-filled shock absorbers on the rear axle, which can come loose and affect handling. In total, 39 examples are implicated.

Ford’s Everest seven-seater has been recalled due to an incorrect seat cushion frame, with 60 examples potentially resulting in deformation of the seat frame and irregular motion of the it during adjustment.

The EcoSport small SUV has also been called back with a potential timing belt tensioner spring failure, which can throw out engine timing and lead to a shutdown or potential damage. Ford has not detailed which engine variant is subject to the recall.

Subaru’s model-year 2010-14 Liberty sedan (19,479 examples) and Outback wagon (23,210) have been called back over their electronic parking brake, which may stop working if their circuit board fractures, therefore breaching Australian Design Rules.

Right-hand-drive conversion specialist Vehicle Development Corporation (VDC) has issued recalls for 78 examples of its Ford F-150 pick-up sold between January 25, 2016 and November 14, 2017, due to incorrect tension of the electronic rack drive belt that can result in premature wearing of the belt and loss of power steering.

Toyota’s Prius hybrid is up for a recall, with examples sold from November 27, 2015 to May 14, 2018 having a wire harness connected to the hybrid vehicle power control unit (PCU) that can potentially wear out and lead to a short circuit, therefore increasing the risk of a fire.

The 500h hybrid variant of Lexus’ flagship LC coupe is being called back, with 23 examples affected due to improper programming in the ECU that leads to proper gear shifting not happening when the accelerator pedal is depressed.

This leads to the hybrid system shutting down, resulting in the loss of power – but not power steering or braking assistance.

BMW’s X5 large SUV ha been recalled to the tune of 781 examples, thanks to a mismatch of software and hardware that may cause the front airbags to be activated while parking the vehicle. It affects older models sold between March 2001 and February 2002.

Mini has called back 537 examples of its Countryman small SUV with the three-cylinder engine sold between December 30, 2016 and August 13, 2018, thanks to the non-fitment of a crash protection plate for the high-pressure fuel pump, which can result in a fire if the car is involved in an accident.

An incorrect towbar label has forced Kia to recall its model-year 2017-18 Rio light hatch and Stinger performance sedan, which specifiy incorrect load ratings and lead to towing above the towbar’s recommended maximum weight.

Holden’s Equinox medium SUV has been recalled, with 53 examples potentially affected by rear brake-calliper pistons which contain trapped hydrogen gas that can be released into the brake system, reducing performance and increasing risk of injury.

Finally, Audi has called back 175 examples of its R8 V10 supercar manufactured between July 2015 and October 2017, over a possible oil leakage in the gearbox breather when the vehicle is being driven hard in racetrack conditions.

This can produce oil vapour, which when put in contact with hot components ,can lead to smoke and fire.

All known owners of affected vehicles will be contacted by the manufacturer, while those looking for extra information can head to the ACCC’s Product Safety Australia website.