GLS-Class SUV

Segment
SUV

Another major automotive recall seems like a regular news day in these modern times. Perhaps this is progressive to protect car buyers and issue recalls even if the potential for failure is slim. This time around Mercedes-Benz is dropping a bomb recalling almost 1 million of its vehicles around the globe due to problems with aging braking systems, adding to the existing Mercedes recall we covered.

Mercedes-Benz officials have said that the problems will affect some of their line of older SUVs with faulty braking, including older Mercedes-Benz GL-Class, R-Class, and ML-Class models. In total, the recall names 993,407 older Merc models. But what is affecting the braking systems in Mercedes-Benz products? It appears it has much to do with rust.

The German-based company makes among the finest automobiles in the world but has identified a problem with an issue it refers to as "advanced corrosion" in metal braking system components. And this is a large cross-section of model years affected from 2004 all the way to 2015. The focus of the recall is not around the brakes themselves but on the hydraulic brake booster with rust forming around it. Mercedes went on to clarify what the recall is and how the company will address the issue after notices are sent out.

"We have found that in some of those vehicles, the function of the brake booster could be affected by advanced corrosion in the joint area of the housing," Mercedes-Benz said in an official statement. "It might be possible for a particularly strong or hard braking maneuver to cause mechanical damage to the brake booster," the MB statement added.

"In such a very rare case, it would not be possible to decelerate the vehicle via the [brakes], thus the risk of a crash or injury would be increased," meaning the company maintains the issue could be a rare one but aims to find out the extent of the issue of older Benz products on the road.

This comes on the heels of another substantial Benz recall where the Emergency Calling system inside the Mercedes might not work affecting nearly all models with the tech. Mercedes-Benz will be contacting owners directly in various countries around the world and the process is fairly simple. MB technicians will inspect the area for corrosion and replace parts as necessary.