NHTSA (USA)High Risk
The 2018 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLA45 has 7 recalls, the most serious including a roof panel that can detach and become a road hazard, a steering universal joint that can separate and cause total loss of steering control, and a driver airbag that can deploy without warning.
The roof panel issue appears twice: once as an original manufacturing defect where the adhesive bonding the front panel between the windshield and panoramic sunroof can deteriorate and allow the panel to break free, and once because a prior repair attempt on some vehicles was not completed correctly, leaving those panels equally at risk of detaching. On the steering side, the universal joint in the steering shaft can work loose over time and separate entirely, leaving the driver with no ability to steer the vehicle. The spontaneous driver airbag deployment recall covers a separate concern where the bag fires without a crash, creating an injury risk and potentially causing the driver to lose control.
Two recalls involve the passenger seat sensor that determines whether the front passenger airbag should fire or stay off. In one case, the sensor may be miscalibrated and fail to deploy the airbag in a crash, reducing protection for the front seat passenger. In the other, the sensor may fail to recognize a child seat in the front passenger position and leave the airbag active when it should be suppressed, raising the risk of injury to a child in a crash. Finally, the automatic emergency call system can malfunction after a crash and send responders to the wrong location, delaying help when it is most needed.
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At a glance
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 steering shaft bore hole may be oversized, allowing the universal joint bearing to move excessively and potentially separate over time.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the steering shaft and replace it if necessary at no cost 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
The communication module software may fail to send your vehicle's correct location to emergency services when the eCall system activates during a crash.
What the fix does
A dealer will update the communication module software, or the update will be sent over-the-air, at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front passenger seat's occupant detection system may be improperly calibrated, which could prevent the front passenger air bag from deploying in a crash.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger seat cushion at no charge to restore proper air bag deployment.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The system that detects front passenger seat occupancy may not be properly set up, so the front passenger air bag might not turn off when a child seat is present.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front passenger seat cushion at no cost to recalibrate the occupant detection system.
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.
