Mercedes-Benz is recalling over 33,000 older luxury cars in the U.S. because an issue with deteriorating adhesive may allow their glass sunroof panels to slowly detach and thus risk flying off the vehicle at speed. If the safety campaign sounds familiar, it’s because many of the affected models were previously recalled for the exact same problem some three times over the past four years.
The problem specifically affects 33,456 cars built between model years 2001 and 2011 and sold new in the U.S.; it’s unclear how many examples, if any, are covered by this latest recall in Canada. The nameplates that fall under the campaign include C-Class cars in sedan, coupe, and wagon body styles; E-Class sedans and wagons; CLK-Class Coupes; and CLS-Class sedans.
On only about 10% of the 33,456 vehicles recalled, Mercedes-Benz estimates, the adhesive holding the sunroof panels to their frames may begin to fail, which could cause a leak or, depending on the severity of the problem, possible detachment of the glass sunroof panel from the vehicle. If this occurs, the sunroof could fly off at speed, posing a road hazard.
Before this happens, drivers may notice the sunroof becoming partially detached from the vehicle, or may hear an odd wind-related noise while driving. The fix, executed by your local Mercedes dealer, is a simple inspection and, if necessary, replacement of the panel.
Mercedes-Benz is recalling these vehicles a fourth time not because the prior fixes didn’t work, but because some owners have yet to bring their car in for the repair at all. The first time Benz launched a safety campaign to address this defect was 2020, when it called back some 744,852 cars in the U.S. That was followed by a smaller recall in 2021, of 11,356 U.S. cars; and finally a recall of 123,696 cars Stateside in 2022. Here’s hoping this new campaign is the last it has to issue.
Sign up for our newsletter Blind-Spot Monitor and follow our social channels on X, Tiktok and LinkedIn to stay up to date on the latest automotive news, reviews, car culture, and vehicle shopping advice.