When Mercedes-Benz introduced the eCall system, it looked very promising – automatically calling emergency services when you need help? I’ll take. The only problem is that the system has a failure, and that failure resulted in the recall of 1.3 million vehicles.
Yes. That’s because the eCall system was sending emergency responders to the wrong place. Somehow, after an accident, the vehicle’s location would be transmitted incorrectly, which meant that emergency personnel would rush elsewhere only to discover that there were no injured Mercedes-Benz waiting for help. Worse still, the passengers in the crashed car were not getting the help they needed.
According to a chronology of eventsMercedes-Benz first became aware of the problem in 2019, but did not have a record of other similar incidents to compare. At the time, it was a single instance in Europe that could have been caused by a variety of problems. Even so, Mercedes started an investigation to see where the problem was coming from and how to fix it.
But by mid-2020, the problem was inevitable. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) notes that there is a small chance that not all collected cars will have the eCall failure, but it is not a risk worth taking. Ultimately, it determined that it expects 100 percent of the 1,292,258 vehicles collected to have some problem with the eCall system.
Mercedes-Benz USA is recalling certain classes 2016-2021 CLA-Class, GLA-Class, GLE-Class, GLS-Class, SLC-Class, A-Class, GT-Class, C-Class, E-Class , S-Class, CLS, SL, B, GLB, GLC and G class vehicles. You can always check the NHTSA website and enter your VIN to see if your vehicle has been impacted.
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Mercedes intends to resolve the issue through a remote software update, but you will still need to take your vehicle to the dealership to repair it.