Mercedes-Benz S-Class recalled in India for second time this year
What's the story
German luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz has issued a recall for the diesel variants of its flagship sedan offering, the S-Class in India. This happens to be the second recall order for the uber-luxurious limousine on our shores this year, with the first one being issued in February. The affected units will be examined by the automaker to fix a potential water leakage issue.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Touted as the epitome of luxury mobility in the sedan segment, the S-Class (formerly known as Sonderklasse) has been in series production since 1954. It is the pinnacle of luxury for Mercedes-Benz and is generally known for its reliability and top-notch build quality. However, the current-generation sedan has faced a recall in India for the second time. Such recalls could dent its image.
Issue
Mercedes-Benz has recalled S-Class over faulty firewall seal
Mercedes-Benz has called back the diesel variants of the S-Class to isolate and rectify the potential issue in its firewall seal. This faulty seal does not meet the minimum tightness requirements and could fail under heavy water exposure. If kept unchecked, it can cause the water to seep into the cabin and possibly cause a short circuit in the electrical systems.
Information
How many units are affected by the recall?
Mercedes-Benz has not yet disclosed the number of units that are affected by the recall. However, the company has said that only diesel variants of the S-Class that were manufactured on April 23, 2020, have been plagued by the faulty firewall seal.
Effects
What systems can be affected by potential water leakage?
The firewall seal is used to separate engine bay from the cabin. Exposure to large quantities of water might lead to potential leakage inside the cabin, which could further lead to a short circuit in critical electrical systems such as the 'PreSafe' or other passive safety functions. In the worst-case scenario, it can cause so much damage that a parked vehicle may not restart.
Information
The automaker will rectify the issue on all affected units
Mercedes-Benz will inspect and rectify the firewall issue on all affected S-Class units at its authorized service centers, spread across India. While the company has not announced any cost for the repairs, we believe that it could be done for free.
Notable information
This happens to be the second recall for the model
Mercedes-Benz had previously recalled the S-Class in February this year to rectify an issue with the mount for the airbag control unit. That time around, the issue affected units built from July 2020 to February 2021. Such recalls of luxury vehicles can adversely affect the brand's image in the market, which could lead to a drop in overall sales figures.