Mercedes-Benz is recalling nearly one million cars that were sold around the globe between 2004 and 2015 over concerns that the brakes could fail, the company said on Monday.
The immediate recall affects the ML and GL series of sport utility vehicles, both of which are popular with drivers in the United States, as well as the R-Class luxury minivans, Mercedes said in an emailed statement.
Tests showed that advanced corrosion in the joint area of the brake booster housing in some of the vehicles could cause problems with the braking mechanism, the company said.
“After extended time in the field and in conjunction with significant water exposure, this corrosion might lead to a leakage of the brake booster,” it said. The problem could lead to “an increase in the brake pedal forces required to decelerate the vehicle and/or to a potentially increased stopping distance.”
Customers who bought one of the cars will be contacted with further information, Mercedes said. More than 933,400 vehicles are affected, said Germany’s Motor Transport Authority, the agency that issued the recall.
Mercedes said it was recalling the cars for inspection, and had no way of knowing exactly how many would have corrosion damage.
The German auto giant is not the only manufacturer struggling with braking issues. In the United States, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is looking into complaints from more than 750 Tesla owners who have reported problems with the cars’ brakes. Known as phantom braking, the issue causes a car to decelerate without warning and at random, according to NHTSA.