Mercedes-Benz is recalling nearly 125,000 coupe and sedan models for a potential defect in its sunroof panels that could allow them to separate from the vehicle while driving. Broadly speaking, the campaign covers a variety of 2001-2011 C-Class, CLK, E-Class and CLS models — including AMG variants where applicable. According to Mercedes, the participating vehicles may have been transported with insufficient bonding between the glass panels and the sliding roof frame, which could have caused them to separate.
“Due to a production deviation by the supplier, the glass panels may be bonded without proper application and/or ventilation of the primer (adhesive),” the automaker said in its defect notice. “The correct use of primers is necessary to ensure the specified strength of the bonded joint. In this case, the adhesion of the bond may gradually deteriorate over time. Therefore, the specified bond durability requirements cannot be guaranteed. Therefore, the possibility of the glass panel detaching from the vehicle cannot be ruled out. This may increase the risk of potential accidents and/or injuries to other road users.”
Here’s the full list of models covered by the campaign, taken directly from the Mercedes-Benz recall notice:
- C230/2002-2007
- C240/2001-2005
- C280/2006-2007
- C320/2001-2005
- C350/2006-2007
- CLK320/2003-2005
- CLK350/2006-2009
- CLK500/2003-2006
- CLK550/2007-2009
- CLS550/2006-2011
- E320/2005-2009
- E500/2003-2006
- E550/2007-2009
- AMG C32/2002-2004
- AMG C55/2005-2006
- AMG CLK55/2003-2005
- AMG CLS55/2006
- AMG CLS63/2007-2011
- AMG E55/2003-2006
- Mercedes-Benz E63/2007-2009
- E350/2006-2009
When the panel starts to fail, owners may notice increased wind noise or a noticeable gap between the panel and the mechanism, Benz said. The company will reimburse owners who have had the problem fixed outside of the factory warranty, and will provide new parts to owners whose vehicles show signs of diminished adhesion. Look for a notice to be distributed by the end of February 2023.
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