Mercedes owners have been urged to return their high-end vehicles due to a significant airbag design flaw.
The airbags could detonate and kill passengers rather than saving them in the case of a crash, according to the recall notice.
To fix the recently identified fault, eighteen privately imported Mercedes-Benz C and E-class cars will need their passenger airbags replaced.
The airbag inflator, which is supposed to inflate the airbag, could explode and send metal particles into the passenger, killing them.
The passenger-side airbag inflator in the car could fail, according to the Product Safety Australia recall.
‘As it gets older, a combination of high temperatures and humidity can cause the airbag inflator propellant to degrade,’ it said.
‘If an affected vehicle is involved in a collision triggering the airbag, the metal inflator housing may explode or rupture under too much internal pressure
‘In the event that a defective airbag inflator ruptures, metal fragments may propel out through the airbag cushion towards the vehicle occupants, causing serious injury or fatality.’
Consumers who were unsure whether the recall affected their vehicles might contact Mercedes-Benz directly, according to the recall notice.
The luxury automaker will have dealers replace any potentially faulty airbags with new ones at no cost to the customer.
‘Owners of impacted cars should contact their local Mercedes-Benz retailer or Mercedes-Benz headquarters directly via the website to arrange for a free replacement airbag inflator,’ according to the recall statement.
According to Product Safety Australia, the impacted coupes and sedans are from the model years 2007 to 2015.