- Mercedes-Benz is recalling 33,000 cars in the US due to faulty sunroof bonding issues.
- Models affected by the recall include various C-Class, E-Class, and AMGs from 2001-2011.
- Owners of impacted vehicles will receive notification of the recall by January 2025.
Who doesn’t love a sunroof? They significantly brighten the interior of any car and provide much-needed airflow with minimal noise. However, sunroofs can deteriorate over time, leading to all kinds of problems, and the owners of more than 33,000 Mercedes-Benz models in the US have just been hit with bad news: their sunroofs may be faulty.
Late last month, Mercedes issued a recall for 33,456 vehicles across the country after determining that the bonding material used between the glass sunroof and the sliding roof may deteriorate over time. If the adhesive wears away enough, there’s a chance the entire glass panel can separate from the vehicle. That poses a significant risk to other road users and has forced the carmaker to respond.
Read: Mercedes Recalls 105,000 SUVs Over Stalling Risk, Potential Pedal Break
The recall impacts select 2001-2011 C-Class, CLK, E-Class, and CLS vehicles, including models like the 2007-2009 AMG E53, 2003-2005 CLK320, 2006 CLS, 2003-2009 E320, and AMG CLK55, AMG CLS55, and AMG CLS63 models. The impacted cars were manufactured between May 18, 2000, and July 19, 2010.
Mercedes has blamed the issue on a production deviation at a supplier where the glass panels may have been bonded “without proper application and/or ventilation of the primer.” Owners of affected vehicles may notice excessive wind noise.
Impacted vehicles
The brand has been aware of potential issues with certain sunroofs since 2017 when it received isolated field reports from outside the US about roof panels detaching from vehicles. An investigation began and while initial tests were inconclusive, Mercedes determined by mid-2019 that the supplier had changed the drying time for the bonding agent used. A recall was first launched in December 2019, but in 2020, several damaged sunroofs were observed in vehicles that fell outside the scope of the initial recall. A second recall was issued in 2021, but once again, Mercedes has since found the fault impacts many models not covered by this second recall.
Owners of impacted models will be alerted to this latest recall on January 18, 2025. Dealers have been asked to check the glass panel bonding and replace sliding roofs if necessary.
