The defect
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 GLE300d 4Matic, GLE400 4Matic, GLE350 4Matic, GLE63 AMG, GLE63 AMG Coupe, GLE63S AMG and GLE63S AMG Coupe, and 2017 GLS450 4Matic, GLE550 4Matic, and GLE63 AMG 4Matic vehicles. These vehicles may have excess bulkhead insulation extending into the lower windshield area, possibly affecting the windshield bonding and the full protective function of the passenger's frontal air bag in the event of a crash.
The risk
If the passenger's frontal air bag does not function as designed in the event of a crash, the front seat passenger has an increased risk of injury.
The remedy
MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will remove any excess bulkhead insulation and rework the windshield bonding, as necessary, free of charge. Interim owner letters will be mailed in December 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when the remedy is available in late January 2018. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2018020002. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-877-496-3691.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE63 | 2016, 2017 |
| Mercedes-Benz GLE300D | 2016 |
| Mercedes-Benz GLE350 | 2016 |
| Mercedes-Benz GLE400 | 2016 |
| Mercedes-Benz GLE550 | 2017 |
| Mercedes-Benz GLE63S | 2016 |
| Mercedes-Benz GLS450 | 2017 |
Components: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE | VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE63 | 2016 | 2 | 8 |
| Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE63 | 2017 | 0 | 8 |
| Mercedes-Benz GLE300D | 2016 | 7 | 7 |
| Mercedes-Benz GLE350 | 2016 | 53 | 9 |
| Mercedes-Benz GLE400 | 2016 | 6 | 7 |
| Mercedes-Benz GLE550 | 2017 | 0 | 1 |
| Mercedes-Benz GLE63S | 2016 | 2 | 5 |
| Mercedes-Benz GLS450 | 2017 | 35 | 8 |
Other air bags recalls in 2017
90 of the 810 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2017 concerned the air bags; Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. filed 199 campaigns in all.
| 17V822000 20 Dec 2017 | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. |
| 17V837000 20 Dec 2017 | Nissan North America, Inc. |
| 17V803000 18 Dec 2017 | Ford Motor Company |
| 17V818000 18 Dec 2017 | Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. |
| 17V813000 18 Dec 2017 | Bluecar SAS |
| 17V806000 14 Dec 2017 | Mazda North American Operations |
| 17V807000 14 Dec 2017 | Mazda North American Operations |
| 17V801000 13 Dec 2017 | Hyundai Motor America |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2017