Mercedes to recall 351,000 vehicles to fix Takata airbags
Mercedes-Benz will recall 351,218 vehicles to fix potentially defective airbags made by Takata Corp., China’s quality watchdog said.
The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said Friday on its website that it was concerned about risks from possible defects in the airbag inflators.
According to official Chinese estimates, more than 20 million cars in China have airbags made by Takata, which have been linked to 16 deaths and 180 injuries globally.
The airbags have the potential to deploy with too much force and spray shrapnel.
The defect led to the biggest global recall in automotive history and eventual bankruptcy of Takata, which was burdened with liabilities worth $10 billion (65 billion yuan).
The recall by Mercedes-Benz and its Chinese joint ventures will begin Oct. 15 and will include domestically built and imported vehicles produced from 2006 through 2012.
Mercedes’ recall follows similar Chinese recalls last month by General Motors and Volkswagen AG.
In July, the Chinese watchdog asked the three automakers to recall vehicles in China affected by potentially faulty Takata airbags. Until then, the automakers had proposed recalling a small number of vehicles for tests and analysis.
The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said Friday on its website that it was concerned about risks from possible defects in the airbag inflators.
According to official Chinese estimates, more than 20 million cars in China have airbags made by Takata, which have been linked to 16 deaths and 180 injuries globally.
The airbags have the potential to deploy with too much force and spray shrapnel.
The defect led to the biggest global recall in automotive history and eventual bankruptcy of Takata, which was burdened with liabilities worth $10 billion (65 billion yuan).
The recall by Mercedes-Benz and its Chinese joint ventures will begin Oct. 15 and will include domestically built and imported vehicles produced from 2006 through 2012.
Mercedes’ recall follows similar Chinese recalls last month by General Motors and Volkswagen AG.
In July, the Chinese watchdog asked the three automakers to recall vehicles in China affected by potentially faulty Takata airbags. Until then, the automakers had proposed recalling a small number of vehicles for tests and analysis.
