The defect
MERCEDES-BENZ IS RECALLING 125,228 MY 1998-2004 M-CLASS VEHICLES. THE HOSE CLAMP USED TO SECURE THE POWER STEERING FLUID COOLING HOSE TO THE POWER STEERING FLUID COOLER MAY NOT PROVIDE SUFFICIENT CLAMPING FORCE FOR THIS CONNECTION.
The risk
THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING FLUID MAY RESULT IN DIMINISHED POWER STEERING OVER TIME AND ULTIMATELY CAN DAMAGE THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THIS COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
The remedy
AN EARLIER RECALL REPAIR PERFORMED ON THESE VEHICLES MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT TO PREVENT A FUTURE LEAKAGE OR FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING HOSE CONNECTION (PLEASE SEE 03V121). SINCE IT IS NOT POSSIBLE THROUGH INSPECTION TO IDENTIFY SPECIFIC VEHICLES THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY REPAIRED, ALL VEHICLES REPAIRED PRIOR TO NOVEMBER 15, 2003, WILL BE REPAIRED AGAIN. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING NOVEMBER 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by ODI
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz M-Class | 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 |
Components: STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
Other steering recalls in 2008
62 of the 683 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2008 concerned the steering; MERCEDES-BENZ USA, LLC. filed 55 campaigns in all.
| 08V682000 19 Dec 2008 | MERCEDES-BENZ USA, LLC. |
| 08V610000 24 Nov 2008 | PREVOST CARS, INC. |
| 08V616000 24 Nov 2008 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 08V578000 3 Nov 2008 | MONACO COACH CORPORATION |
| 08V577000 3 Nov 2008 | VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC |
| 08V571000 29 Oct 2008 | WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES, INC. |
| 08V566000 28 Oct 2008 | AUTOCAR, LLC |
| 08V575000 24 Oct 2008 | TADANO AMERICA CORPORATION |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2008