Hello All - the below info was just brought to my attention; so I wanted to make sure that you all were aware of it. Hope this helps!


NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V627000

Manufacturer Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC.

Components AIR BAGS

Potential Number of Units Affected 495,290

Summary

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling these vehicles: 2014-2018 CLA250, CLA250 4Matic, CLA45 AMG 4Matic, 2015-2018 GLA250, GLA250 4Matic, GLA45 AMG 4Matic, C300 4Matic, C63S AMG, 2012-2014 C250, C350, C300 4Matic, E550 4Matic, 2013-2014 C63 AMG, 2012-2015 C250 Coupe, C350 Coupe, C63 AMG Coupe, 2013-2015 C350 4Matic Coupe, GLK250 4Matic BlueTec, GLK350, GLK350 4Matic, 2016-2017 C350e, C43 AMG, 2015 C400 4Matic, 2016-2018 C63 AMG, GLC300, GLC300 4Matic, 2017-2018 C300 Coupe, C300 4Matic Coupe, C43 AMG, C63 AMG Coupe, C63S AMG Coupe, C300 Cabriolet, C300 4Matic Cabriolet, C43 AMG Cabriolet, C63 AMG Cabriolet, C63S AMG Cabriolet, GLC300 4Matic Coupe, GLC43 AMG, GLC43 AMG Coupe, 2014 E350 Coupe, E350 4Matic Coupe, E350 Cabriolet, E400 Hybrid, 2015-2017 E400 Coupe, E400 4Matic Coupe, E400 Cabriolet, 2014-2017 E550 Coupe, E550 Cabriolet, B250e, 2014-2016 E250 BlueTec, E63 AMG 4Matic Wagon, 2012-2013 E350 BlueTec, 2012-2016 E350, E350 4Matic, 2015-2016 E400, E400 4Matic, 2012 E63 AMG, 2014-2015 E250 4Matic BlueTec, 2013-2016 E350 Wagon, 2017 GLC300d 4Matic, and 2018 GLC350e 4Matic. The driver's air bag may unexpectedly deploy due to insufficient grounding of the steering components if an electrostatic discharge occurs and the air bag clockspring is broken.

Remedy

MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will add sufficient grounding to the steering components, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in December 2017. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-877-496-3691.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

I have one of these on the list, GLK350 BlueTec. About 2 weeks ago I got not one, but two cards advising to check a link for a recall on Takata Airbags. I had bought a Toyota for an ex wife and thought it might be that so I checked the link with both cars. Mine weren't involved. Might not be the same thing though.

This appears to be a different issue than the Takata problem. The “clock spring” is the flexible cable on a reel that allows the electrical components on the steering wheel to receive power and data. Sounds like they have a manufacturing defect in the clock spring assembly that can cause an open circuit on one side of the air bag inflator. If you get in the car in a low humidity environment (like a cold winter day) and create a static discharge to the steering wheel, it is possible that the air bag inflator could be triggered.

Although I would think if your clock spring was bad it would trigger an SRS light due to the open circuit through the air bag ignitor. The SRS control module flows a small supervisory current (not enough current or voltage to trigger the ignitor) through the ignitor to verify the integrity of the ignitor as well as the interconnnecting wiring.

If you’ve ever launched an Estes model rocket then you are familar with this setup. Or if your doorbell has a light in the push button.

The SRS faults on modern MBs are latching faults and cannot be cleared except with Xentry. Any break in the continuity of the cable in the clock spring should trigger an SRS that won’t go away.

Yes it is a major safety issue but there are mechanisms in place in the system to alert for this failure.

__________________
The OM 642/722.9 powered family
Still going strong
2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech