Mercedes-Benz has widened a safety recall to more than 30,000 luxury vehicles because a brake defect may increase stopping distance.
The recall includes S-Class, Mercedes-Maybach, and Mercedes-AMG models.
Here's what to know
Mercedes-Benz said the concern centers on front brake hoses that could leak or rupture, as WGAU Radio reported.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's recall report, Mercedes-Benz's Oct. 2 filing with federal regulators applies to vehicles produced from 2022 through 2025.
The company said the front brake hoses are the part at issue, and a problem with them could extend stopping distances.
More background
Six S-Class variants are part of the recall, including Mercedes-Maybach and Mercedes-AMG vehicles. The recall report said that the models might incur a leak over their lifetime. That could reduce braking performance and increase the risk of a crash down the road.
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Durability concerns began with an earlier batch of recalls. Mercedes-Benz attributed the issue to a faulty part that couldn't withstand "increased thermal and mechanical stresses" over the vehicle's lifespan.
The NHTSA said the expansion occurred after the automaker did expanded testing on the initially recalled parts in July of this year. More field reports came in, and in-house testing of the parts indicated that more vehicles might have the same potential hazard.
The company then examined the production range of cars that could have the same issue. In late September, Mercedes-Benz determined it couldn't rule out a potential safety risk for the latest vehicles.
In the recall report, Mercedes-Benz said it has no reports of crashes, injuries, or property damage tied to the defect, though it documented three U.S. cases in April, May, and August.
What can be done?
Mercedes-Benz said owners of the affected vehicles should receive recall notices by mail on Nov. 27, and dealers will replace the front brake hose at no cost.
As a heads-up for current owners, the NHTSA said drivers won't receive a warning that the brake is leaking fluid. However, if an incident occurs, they might see a red brake fluid warning message in the instrument cluster.
The recall report also said that starting in late November 2024, Mercedes-Benz began producing an "optimized brake hose in production" that solved the issue for future models.
Where can I learn more?
Brake problems are drawing attention across the auto industry.
• Hyundai recalled 421,000 U.S. SUVs and trucks over a glitch that slams on the brakes.
• BMW warned U.S. owners of 29,000 plug-in hybrids to park outside over fire risk concerns.
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