Mercedes recall: Airbags spontaneously inflate, child harness missing

The RACQ has urged Mercedes Benz owners to check whether their car has been recalled after it was revealed airbags in one SUV could spontaneously inflate. Product Safety Australia reported Mercedes-Benz Australia recalled 13 examples of its GLA SUV due to a fault which caused the front passenger airbag to randomly inflate.

RACQ spokesperson Lauren Ritchie said Mercedes Benz owners should check to see if their vehicle was compromised.

“The affected GLA SUVs were sold between 1 June and 29 October in 2020 while the hatchbacks and sedans include those manufactured between 1 September and 26 November last year,” Ms Ritchie said.

“For the GLA SUVs the fault means the airbag could deploy, injuring the occupants and potentially causing a crash.

“While there hasn’t been a record of this happening in Australia, it’s best to contact your dealer immediately and get it fixed for free.”

Ms Ritchie said meanwhile 19 examples of its A-Class hatchback and sedan have been recalled due to a missing rear seat belt bracket used for fastening a child restraint.

“The missing component means you can’t attach your child seat to the ISOFIX holder and if you have a crash, your child won’t be properly restrained,” she said.

“It could lead to serious injury or death, so make sure you get your vehicle checked out before you put a child in the car.”

Drivers could stay up to date with the latest vehicle recalls at Product Safety Australia.