Ever since cars had roofs automakers have been looking for ways to let the sun shine in.
Some of the earliest sunroofs were really solid metal panels that could be removed, slid back or tilted, but the idea was to allow drivers and passengers to catch some rays.
Sunroofs got more sophisticated over the decades and while its pretty cool to have some natural lighting in your ride, they can be a pain if something goes wrong.
Mercedes (DDAIF) is having a problem with sunroofs. Mercedes-Benz USA, the German automaker's U.S. distributor for passenger cars, is recalling about 123,696 vehicles due to problems with sunroofs, according to a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Mercedes determined that the bonding between the glass sunroof panel and the sliding roof frame might not meet specifications in certain model year 2001 to 2011 C-Class, CLK, E-Class and CLS vehicles.
Cezary Kowalski/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Separation of Glass Panel 'Cannot be Ruled Out'
The adhesion of the bond might deteriorate gradually overtime, the filing said, and the specified durability requirements of the bond would not be guaranteed. As a result, separation of the glass panel from the vehicle "cannot be ruled out."
"This could increase the risk of a potential accident and/or injury for other road users," the filing said,
Due to a production deviation at a supplier, glass panels might have been bonded without proper application and or ventilation of the primer bonding agent. The correct usage of the primer is necessary in order to ensure the specified strength of the bonded joint.
Mercedes said it launched an initial investigation in 2017 based on isolated field reports from outside the U.S., claiming that the sliding roof panel detached from the vehicle.
Initial tests were inconclusive and Mercedes looked for vehicles in the global used car market.
The company also reviewed its suppliers' production records and found that the supplier had changed the process of prior application several times over the course of the full production, including having changed the drying time for the bonding agent.
In 2019, Mercedes recalled nearly 750,000 vehicles for the same model years due to a similar issue.
This was the same year that NHTSA find Mercedes-Benz USA up to $20 million for violating the agency's list of recall procedures.
Mercedes Pays Hefty Fine
NHTSA said the automaker 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.
The agency also found that Mercedes-Benz USA did not update NHTSA on when it would begin repairs and had continuing trouble with its VIN, or Vehicle Identification Number, lookup tool.
The penalty included an up-front payment of $13 million, with an additional $7 million deferred penalty payable if specified conditions are not satisfied.
Mercedes-Benz USA also agreed to meet regularly with NHTSA to discuss recall execution and reporting issues, as well as the performance of MBUSA’s VIN lookup tool.
Turning to electric vehicles, Mercedes-Benz in November added an option for buyers of its Mercedes-EQ electric models -- the Mercedes-EQ-EQE and Mercedes-EQ-EQS., where they will have to pay an annual subscription for extra speed.
The feature is called "Acceleration Increase," according to Mercedes-Benz USA, the American subsidiary of the German car manufacturer.
In that same month, Mercedes lowered the prices of two electric models in China by $33,000 in response to a similar move by rival EV maker Tesla (TSLA).
