NHTSA Campaign 08V465000

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS

Issued by MERCEDES-BENZ USA, LLC. · Reported Sep 17, 2008 · 125,228 vehicles affected

What's wrong

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.

Consequence

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.

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.

Vehicles affected by this recall

Make Model Year Units
MERCEDES-BENZ M CLASS 1998 125,228
MERCEDES-BENZ M CLASS 1999 125,228
MERCEDES-BENZ M CLASS 2000 125,228
MERCEDES-BENZ M CLASS 2001 125,228
MERCEDES-BENZ M CLASS 2002 125,228
MERCEDES-BENZ M CLASS 2003 125,228
MERCEDES-BENZ M CLASS 2004 125,228

Source: NHTSA Campaign 08V465000 on nhtsa.gov. To check the current repair status for a specific vehicle, use our free VIN decoder.