NHTSA (USA)High Risk
At a glance
The 2016 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLA45 has 6 recalls, the most serious involving a roof panel that can detach from the vehicle at speed and become a road hazard, a clutch weld that can crack and cut power without warning, and a driver airbag that can deploy unexpectedly.
The roof panel issue appears in two related recalls. The first covers vehicles where the adhesive bonding on the front roof panel, the section between the windshield and the panoramic sunroof, can deteriorate and allow the panel to break free while driving. The second covers vehicles where a prior repair attempt to address that same bonding problem may not have been performed correctly, leaving the panel still at risk of detaching. On the drivetrain side, this recall covers a single vehicle built in November 2015: the dual-clutch transmission contains a weld between the clutch disk and hub that can crack, causing the transmission to lose drive power and the car to stop unexpectedly in traffic. The airbag recall involves the driver-side frontal airbag deploying without a crash, which can startle the driver, obstruct vision, and raise the risk of losing control. There is also an engine-related concern where a starting current limiter can overheat, causing surrounding components to melt and potentially starting a fire in the engine bay. Finally, a software fault in the emergency call system can cause it to transmit an incorrect date, time, and vehicle location to emergency responders, which can delay help from reaching the right place after a crash.
At a glance
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What can fail
The front roof panel between the windshield and panoramic sunroof may have been improperly bonded during a prior repair, causing the panel to detach from the vehicle.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front roof panel at no charge to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front roof panel between the windshield and panoramic sunroof may not be properly bonded to the vehicle from a previous repair, risking separation.
What the fix does
The dealer will remove and replace the front roof panel using proper bonding materials and procedures at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A software error causes the eCall emergency system's date and time to be incorrect, which may result in an inaccurate vehicle location being sent during an emergency call.
What the fix does
Mercedes-Benz will send a remote software update to your vehicle. Dealers will verify the update worked or install a new communication module software at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The driver's airbag may deploy unexpectedly if the steering components lack proper grounding and the airbag clockspring is broken, allowing electrostatic discharge to trigger deployment.
What the fix does
Dealers will add grounding to the steering components to prevent electrostatic discharge from triggering the airbag.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
When the engine or transmission won't start, the starter motor keeps trying to turn over. This repeated effort can cause the starting current limiter to overheat.
What the fix does
A dealer will install an additional fuse in the electrical line to the starter motor to protect against overheating.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The dual clutch transmission has a defective weld between the clutch disk and hub that may crack, causing loss of power to the wheels and stopping the vehicle.
What the fix does
The dealer will replace the dual clutch transmission at no charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.