The German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) issued an administrative order to Daimler AG on Friday evening, June 21 2019, by which the company is requested to a recall of specific variants of the model Mercedes-Benz GLK 220 CDI 4MATIC with Euro 5 emission standard that were approved in 2011 and produced between June 2012 and June 2015.
According to the legal view of KBA, the specific calibration of the coolant thermostat in the engine control used here is not in compliance with the applicable regulations.
In Daimler AG’s opinion, the functionality in question is admissible. Therefore, the company will file an objection (Widerspruch) against the order. Irrespective thereof, Daimler will implement the measure now ordered by KBA and will continue to fully cooperate with the authority.
Daimler has presented the functionality to KBA in May 2018 and thereafter explained it in detail in further meetings since summer 2018. As already known and also described in the risk and opportunity report in the interim report for the first quarter of 2019, KBA had initiated a hearing with respect to this functionality with reference to the GLK 220 CDI 4MATIC with EU 5 emission standard in April 2019.
In Europe, about 41,000 Mercedes-Benz GLK 220 CDI 4MATIC with EU 5 emission standard from the production period June 2012 through June 2015 are specifically affected by the order (thereof 22,500 vehicles in Germany). The vehicles are part of the voluntary service measure that had been announced in the summer of 2017 and which is already ongoing.
What are the next steps?
Mercedes-Benz customers do not have to take any action for the time being. They will be informed in writing about next steps if their vehicle is part of the recall.
As mentioned before, the company will file objection against the order, but will implement the ordered measure and will continue to fully cooperate with the authority.
As already known, the functionality is contained in different types with different engines of Mercedes-Benz diesel vehicles. The company will clarify what possible further effects arise from the aforementioned order.
Update October/November 2019: Following an internal review, the Company also reported the GLK 200/220 CDI 4x2 with emission standard Euro 5 (production period 01/2012-06/2015) to KBA, the emission behavior of which is comparable to the set of facts in the GLK 220 CDI 4MATIC as criticized by the authority. KBA extended the administrative order in September 2019 to this vehicle model. In total, around 15,700 vehicles in Europe are affected, approximately 9,700 of which are in Germany. The same applies to certain vehicles of the model E 250 CDI 4 MATIC of the emission standard Euro 5 (production period 11/2010 to 09/2011). There are less than 1,000 vehicles affected in Europe. The review continues.
Note: The number of GLKs affected was updated in this report: around 41,000 vehicles in Europe (instead of 42,000 initially), thereof 22,500 vehicles in Germany (instead of initially around 17,500).
As at November 2019
