Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC.: Steering › Hydraulic Power Assist › Hose, Piping, and Connections
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. reported this defect to federal regulators on Sep 17, 2008 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 125,228. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
MERCEDES-BENZ IS RECALLING 125,228 MY 1998-2004 M-CLASS VEHICLES. THE HOSE CLAMP USED TO SECURE THE POWER STEERING FLUID COOLING HOSE TO THE POWER STEERING FLUID COOLER MAY NOT PROVIDE SUFFICIENT CLAMPING FORCE FOR THIS CONNECTION.
The risk
THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING FLUID MAY RESULT IN DIMINISHED POWER STEERING OVER TIME AND ULTIMATELY CAN DAMAGE THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THIS COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
The remedy
AN EARLIER RECALL REPAIR PERFORMED ON THESE VEHICLES MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT TO PREVENT A FUTURE LEAKAGE OR FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING HOSE CONNECTION (PLEASE SEE 03V121). SINCE IT IS NOT POSSIBLE THROUGH INSPECTION TO IDENTIFY SPECIFIC VEHICLES THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY REPAIRED, ALL VEHICLES REPAIRED PRIOR TO NOVEMBER 15, 2003, WILL BE REPAIRED AGAIN. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING NOVEMBER 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.
7 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 Mercedes Benz M Class | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 Mercedes Benz M Class | 10 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 2002 Mercedes Benz M Class | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 Mercedes Benz M Class | 5 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| 2000 Mercedes Benz M Class | 25 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 1999 Mercedes Benz M Class | 18 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 1998 Mercedes Benz M Class | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
What this page is, and what to do next
A recall is not an opinion. It is a Part 573 report a manufacturer is required by federal law to file once it decides a defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety, and it commits them to repairing the vehicle at no cost to the owner. The three passages above are the manufacturer’s own wording as published by NHTSA.
This page describes the campaign. It cannot tell you whether one particular car has already been through the shop — that is tracked by VIN, and only the manufacturer knows it. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a franchised dealer, quoting campaign number 08V465000.
Full record for the 2004 Mercedes Benz M Class → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →