Daimler recalls 744,000 Mercedes Benz vehicles for faulty sunroofs

German automaker Daimler AG said on Sunday it will recall 744,000 Mercedes-Benz vehicles in the United States from the 2001 through 2011 model years because the sunroof glass panel could detach and pose a hazard.

The large recall covers more two dozen vehicles from C-Class, CLK-Class, CLS-Class and E-Class model lines. The automaker said the bonding between the glass panel and the sliding room frame might not meet specifications and could lead to sunroofs detaching.

Owners who paid for repairs for the issue will be able to seek reimbursements from Daimler. A Mercedes-Benz USA spokesman said on Saturday he did not have a worldwide vehicle total for the recall. Dealers will inspect the glass panel bonding and replace the sliding roof if necessary, the company said.

Last month, Mercedes-Benz USA agreed to a $20 million civil penalty over its handling of US vehicle recalls after a year-long U.S. government investigation into 1.4 million recalled vehicles.

Under the terms of the settlement, the automaker will pay $13 million and faces another $7 million fine if it does not comply with the agreement. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the company failed to notify owners in a timely fashion in some recalls, did not submit all reports and did not launch at least two recalls in a timely fashion.

Daimler AG is a German multinational automotive corporation, headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. Daimler-Benz was formed with the merger of Benz & Cie and Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft in 1926. The company was renamed DaimlerChrysler upon acquiring the American automobile manufacturer Chrysler Corporation in 1998, and was again renamed Daimler upon divesting of Chrysler in 2007.

As of 2014, Daimler owned or had shares in a number of car, bus, truck and motorcycle brands including Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG, Smart Automobile, Detroit Diesel, Freightliner, Western Star, Thomas Built Buses, Setra, BharatBenz, Mitsubishi Fuso, MV Agusta as well as shares in Denza, KAMAZ and BAIC Motor. The luxury Maybach brand was terminated at the end of 2012, but revived in April 2015 as “Mercedes-Maybach” versions of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and G-Class. In 2017, Daimler sold 3.3 million vehicles. By unit sales, Daimler is the thirteenth-largest car manufacturer and is the largest truck manufacturer in the world. Daimler provides financial services through its Daimler Financial Services arm. The company is a component of the Euro Stoxx 50 stock market index. Daimler AG complex in Stuttgart include central company headquarters, Mercedes-Benz and Daimler car plants, Mercedes-Benz Museum and stadium Mercedes-Benz Arena.

Meanwhile, Arabian Automobiles Company, the flagship company of the AW Rostamani Group and the exclusive distributor for Renault in Dubai, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates, is offering drivers in Dubai another reason to start thinking green when considering their electric car purchase.

Arabian Automobiles Renault continuously seek the best for their customers, as proven time and again by the launch of their customer centric initiatives and services. Having recently installed a public electric vehicle charger at Renault’s showroom on Sheikh Zayed Road,  Arabian Automobiles puts the convenience of the community at the forefront.

Michel Ayat, CEO of Arabian Automobiles, said: “The installation of the electrical vehicle charging station comes as a progression of the company’s intention to not only cater to its customers but to the citizens and residents of Dubai as a whole, aligning with National Strategies for sustainability, including Dubai Plan 2021 for a sustainable city that adheres to international best practices in its dependence on renewable energy sources. We are proud to be playing a role in the green transformation of the Emirate and as such have selected to install the station at the Renault showroom on Sheikh Zayed Road as it is accessible to all commuters.”

Customers who have been hesitant to switch to electrical cars can now rest assured that any time they find themselves on Sheikh Zayed Road, they are welcome to conveniently charge their vehicles at Arabian Automobiles Renault’s showroom at no added cost.

 Arabian Automobiles Company (AAC) is the flagship company of AW Rostamani Group. With 50 years in the business, AAC is one of the leading automotive dealers in the GCC and exclusive distributor for Nissan, INFINITI and Renault vehicles in Dubai and the Northern Emirates. Arabian Automobiles is looking back on 50 years of excellence and passion, and forging ahead with its vision to enrich customer lives and remain the trusted automotive brand of choice.

Arabian Automobiles became the first automotive company in the UAE to be awarded the prestigious ‘Dubai Quality Gold Award’ by Dubai Economy in May 2017. In the same year, INFINITI won ‘Best Performing Brand’ in the automotive category of the Dubai Service Excellence Scheme; an accolade previously won by Nissan in 2016 and Renault in 2015. In 2015, Arabian Automobiles received the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum business award for most outstanding performance and in 2013 it became the first private company in the UAE to be inducted into the prestigious Palladium Balanced Scorecard Hall of Fame.

Agencies