Mercedes-Benz
is recalling more than 8,000 of its new executive C-class saloons in
the UK because of a steering-wheel fault which safety officials say
could affect control of the car in ‘extreme’ cases.
It
is part of a world-wide recall of 28,000 of the brand new cars which
only went on sale in Britain in June priced at between £26,855 and
£38,120.
Production
of the car began in January ahead of this summer’s first deliveries.
Those sold in the UK are built at Mercedes-Benz’s factory in South
Africa but the problem also affects those built in Germany.
Achtung! Mercedes-Benz is recalling
more than 8,000 of its new executive C-class saloons in UK because of
steering-wheel fault which safety officials say could affect control of
the car in ‘extreme’ cases
The
problem lies with the steering column coupling lock - a form of
protective ‘sleeve’ which binds in the steering column to the steering
rack at its base.
The
German luxury car-maker is writing to customers and asking them to take
their cars for a 30 minute fix to ‘click’ the steering lock sleeve back
into place.
Of the 8,145 cars in the UK built up to September 22nd, some 5,500 are with customers and the rest in dealer showrooms.
The
Government’s car safety watchdog VOSA, the Vehicle and Operator Services
Agency notes: 'It is possible that the steering column coupling lock
may not have been installed correctly. The driver will receive warning
of the issue by noise.
But it also notes: 'In extreme circumstances, it is possible that steering control of the vehicle could be affected.'
As
a remedial action it has called for all affected vehicles to be
recalled to be checked over. If necessary the steering coupling should
be replaced, says VOSA.
Mercedes-Benz says it has had no reports of any accidents - in the UK or worldwide - in relation to the problem.
A
spokesman said: 'If the steering column coupling is unlocked, the worst
that can happen is that you will hear a noise. There have been no
reports of steering problems.
'We’re
not telling people to stop driving their cars. It’s a 30 minute fix to
click the steering coupling’s locking sleeve back into place. Some were
not clicked into place at the factory.'
Recall: The problem lies with the steering
column coupling lock - a form of protective 'sleeve' which binds in the
steering column to the steering rack at its base
In
its recall letter to customers, Mercedes-Benz says: ‘At Mercedes-Benz
we continuously monitor the performance of our vehicles and pay
particular attention to any issues that could have an impact on your
safety.
'Despite
careful quality control during the production of our products, a
technical problem has unfortunately been identified which we would like
to resolve immediately.'
The
note continues: 'We have established that on some cars it is possible
that the steering column coupling may have been installed incorrectly.
‘In this condition, noises and restrictions in steering movement may
become noticeable.'
But it also acknowledges: 'In extreme cases the steering control of the car may be affected.
‘As part of a safety recall campaign, we wish to check the steering column coupling as a precautionary measure.'
Mercedes-Benz
asked owners to contact their nearest Mercedes-Benz dealership for the
remedial work to be carried out free of charge.
It
said the recall was being monitored by the Driver & Vehicle
Standards Agency which is part of the Department for Transport.
Mercedes-Benz
added: ‘We would like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience
this action may cause and we would also like to assure you of our
continued commitment to improving our customer service.’
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