Takata Recalls
What is the Takata recall?
Mercedes-Benz AG was informed that Takata submitted a "Defect Information Report" to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on January 25, 2016, reporting a potential safety defect for SDI and PSDI-5 driver-side airbag inflators. Takata's investigation of affected inflators to date indicates that exposure to certain environmental conditions (several years of exposure to persistent conditions of high absolute humidity), could lead to over-aggressive combustion in the event of a driver's-side air bag deployment.
Starting on May 16th, 2016, Takata submitted additional "Defect Information Reports" to NHTSA that included PSPI-2 front passenger side airbag inflators.
Mercedes-Benz Canada submitted the first of several “Notice of Defect” reports to Transport Canada starting in April 2016. These reports indicated that on certain vehicles, the driver and/or passenger frontal airbag inflators could produce excessive internal pressure during airbag deployment causing them to rupture and potentially allow metal fragments to be propelled towards vehicle occupants and increase their risk to injury. This could also damage the airbag module and prevent it from deploying as intended. The failure of the airbag to fully deploy during a crash could increase the risk of personal injury.
Additional Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. This recall campaign involves the Takata PSDI-5, or SDI (driver-side), and PSPI-2 or SPI (passenger-side) inflators.
The inflator is a device contained within the airbag assembly. It contains solid propellant wafers that are ignited in the event airbag deployment is necessary. When ignited, the wafers combust and create an inert gas that inflates the airbag.
Various suppliers are used, and the driver-side airbag modules with integral inflators are generally specific to each model or model line. Some other suppliers are Autoliv and TRW
An illuminated SRS lamp can be caused by numerous components or even low battery voltage. An authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer is best suited to diagnose and repair your vehicle as soon as possible if the SRS light is illuminated.
Since this Takata recall affects multiple OEMs and millions of vehicles nationwide, the volume of replacement parts required is extraordinarily large, which is why parts are being prioritized starting with areas of “High Absolute Humidity” where the potential risk for an airbag rupture during deployment is considered to be the greatest.
The issue with the recalled Takata inflators does not result in inadvertent airbag deployments. Rather, the issue concerns the potential for a rupture during deployment. Visit your authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer if your SRS light is illuminated. A properly functioning airbag system is designed to supplement the seatbelt in protecting occupants in a crash.
For the affected Takata inflators only, in a crash in which an air bag deployment is necessary, the air bag inflator housing may rupture. In the event of an inflator rupture, metal fragments could pass through the air bag material, which may result in injury or death to vehicle occupants.
This recall was launched as a precautionary measure. We have had no incidents with our vehicles and there is no reason to stop driving your vehicle.
We will attempt to minimize any inconvenience and will inform the vehicle owners when parts are available.
Each Airbag needs to meet strict Canadian crash and safety design requirements and must be certified for the application. Therefore, it is not a simple change of supplier. We do not yet have other suppliers producing inflators to replace affected Takata-supplied inflators.
Interim letters will notify owners of status, and a second letter will be mailed when parts are available. With the receipt of the second letter, our customers will be asked to contact their local authorized Mercedes-Benz dealership to arrange for an appointment to complete the repair.
Yes. We are in the process of obtaining the necessary parts to launch the recall. Once they are available, you will be sent a second letter asking you to schedule an appointment with your authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer to perform the repair.
No, you do not need the owner letter to have this recall completed.
Any customers who are potentially affected will receive an interim letter. Until they receive the letter, they can check if their vehicle is affected by entering their VIN into the following site: https://www.mercedes-benz.ca/recalls
Mercedes-Benz utilizes the services of an industry provider who obtains mailing information for Recalls based upon each Province’s registration or title information for the vehicle. It is important to keep both your registration and title ownership and address information updated with your corresponding Province’s registration office and our Mercedes-Benz Customer Service team. If you lease your vehicle, the lessor appears as the owner of your vehicle, and will receive the Recall notification. To comply with Federal Regulations, it is the responsibility of the lessor to forward a copy of the notice to the lessee within 10 days of receipt.
When an adequate inventory of replacement parts becomes available, a second owner notification letter will be mailed to owners of registered vehicles. As replacement part supply increases, the owners of remaining affected vehicles will be notified.
We are working with Takata and our German headquarters to secure parts for the recall repair. At this point we do not have any information to share when specific parts will become available.
Once a determination of safety defect or noncompliance is made, Federal Regulation requires auto manufacturers to notify the government promptly—regardless of parts availability.
No. There is no symptom that would indicate if your vehicle has an air bag inflator that is potentially at risk of rupturing during deployment in a crash.
No. Continue to drive with your seatbelt fastened and all occupants properly seated.
The Takata PSDI-5 or SDI (driver-side), and PSPI-2 or SPI (passenger-side) inflators from the identified production ranges are affected.
No. This condition only applies to the driver and/or front passenger airbag inflator. (check your VIN on https://www.mercedes-benz.ca/en/recalls). Other Takata airbags in the vehicle are not affected by this condition.
There have been no incidences of an airbag rupture in any Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
The data collected and examined by NHTSA indicates that long-term exposure to combined high heat and humidity creates the potential risk that a Takata inflator can rupture. A vehicle that only “winters” in a hot and humid location is not subjected to the same sustained periods of heat and humidity as a vehicle that has been driven in these conditions year-round for a prolonged period.
In a crash where the air bag system deploys, the air bag inflator housing may rupture. In the event of an inflator rupture, metal fragments could pass through the air bag material, which may result in injury or death to vehicle occupants. To date, we are not aware of any instances of ruptured inflators in Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
Authorized Mercedes-Benz Dealerships will replace the affected driver-side and/or passenger-side airbag on the affected vehicles when parts become available.
The current estimate is about an hour (driver-side), and up to three hours for the passenger-side airbag, depending on the model.
Other models are not included because this recall pertains specifically to vehicles equipped with the Takata PSDI-5 or SDI, and PSPI-2 and SPI inflators.
We are not aware of any cases with the failure mode reported by Takata on SDI, PSDI-5, SPI, or PSPI-2 airbag inflators in any of our vehicles.
The airbag replacement will be conducted free of charge to customers.
Yes. We are not aware of a ruptured inflator in any of our vehicles associated with this recall. However, when you receive a letter asking you to have this service performed by an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer, please do so as soon as possible. If you are not the only driver of this vehicle, please advise all other drivers of this important information.
The affected vehicles were identified based on the “Defect Information Report” submitted by Takata.
No. Since we haven’t had any instances of this occurring in our vehicles and are doing the recall in an abundance of caution, there is no reason to offer a loaner vehicle.
No. First of all, Federal Regulations prohibit airbag disablement. Also, as a leader in the safety field, we believe that the driver and passengers are always safer with the protection of the airbag when a collision event warrants a deployment. The airbag is designed to supplement the seatbelt and other restraint components. For these reasons, we will not allow dealers to disable airbags.