The American division of Mercedes-Benz is recalling 1.29 million vehicles because of a problem with its eCall emergency call system, which can send wrong location information to emergency personnel after an accident, potentially delaying a rescue at a critical time.
In a statement to Reuters on Saturday, the automaker said that “a temporary collapse of the communication module’s power supply caused by an accident could cause the vehicle’s position during a potential emergency call to be incorrect.” However, “other functions of the automatic and manual emergency call function remain fully operational,” he added. Mercedes-Benz USA informed the outlet that it was not aware of any occurrences of property damage or personal injury resulting from the problem.
The recall, which will begin on April 6, covers a wide range of vehicles from model year 2016 to 2021, including CLA Class, GLA Class, GLE Class, GLS Class, SLC Class, Class A, GT Class, Class C Vehicles, Class E, Class S, Class CLS, Class SL, Class B, Class GLB, Class GLC and Class G, according to a filing with the National Road Traffic Safety Administration. The automaker plans to fix the problem through a free software update that can be installed remotely or at a dealership.
Last year, Mercedes-Benz in Europe investigated a report by the Mercedes-Benz eCall center about a single incident in which the eCall system sent inaccurate location data to its vehicle, reports Reuters. In the company’s lengthy investigation and review of its eCall software, it uncovered additional incidents where the wrong position of the vehicle was relayed. Mercedes-Benz USA did not immediately return Gizmodo’s request for comment.