Mercedes Benz said the problem could mean that the emergency services are not getting the “correct current location” of the vehicle. The eCall system is designed to automatically notify emergency services when the car crashes and to forward location information directly to them.
“During this product monitoring, Mercedes-Benz found that the HERMES communication module for the emergency call system (eCall) did not meet the specifications for certain vehicles from various series.
“In rare cases this can mean that in the event of an accident-related temporary voltage drop in a vehicle, the communication module may not communicate the correct current position when an emergency call is made / triggered.
“All other functions of the automatic and manual emergency call function remain fully functional.
“Mercedes-Benz is therefore recalling the affected vehicles in order to update the software of the HERMES communication module.
The EU has decided to introduce the eCall systems for all new vehicles from 2018 in order to shorten response times for emergencies.
The technology can only provide basic data such as vehicle type, fuel consumption, time of accident and location.
The device increases the cost of manufacturing each new car by around £ 72 but provides additional protection for drivers in the event of a major accident.
Full Mercedes recall vehicle list:
- CLA class, GLA class, GLE class, GLS class, SLC class
- A class, GT class, C class, E class, S class, CLS class
- Vehicles of the SL-Class, B-Class, GLB-Class, GLC-Class and G-Class
