Mercedes-Benz has added the 2009-2011 E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet to the ongoing Takata campaign.
UPDATE, 21/12/18: Mercedes-Benz Australia has expanded the recall to include more 2010 and 2011 model-year E-Class Coupes and Convertibles, with the tally for those two years alone now sitting at 4103 units.
As with all Takata recalls, affected vehicles are fitted with airbag propellant that can degrade over time through a combination of heat and humidity.
If an impacted vehicle is involved in an accident, internal pressure can make the airbag inflator rupture, sending metal fragments shooting into the cabin. This poses a serious risk of injury, even death, to the vehicle's occupants.
This particular recall concerns the driver and passenger inflators on 270 vehicles sold between May 1, 2009 and September 19, 2011. A VIN list is attached here.
Mercedes-Benz will contact owners of the affected vehicles and advise them to get in touch with their nearest dealer when parts become available.
The Takata airbag recall affects more than 100 million vehicles and nearly 20 automotive brands around the world. Among those are more than five million vehicles in Australia, the equivalent of four years of nationwide sales.
Globally, there have been 20 deaths linked to the scandal, and 230 serious injuries. One Australian motorist lost their life to a faulty Takata airbag in July 2017, one month after another Australian driver was seriously injured.
In February 2018, the recall of vehicles affected by the faulty Takata airbags was made compulsory under law, with affected manufacturers required to replace all defective airbags by the end of 2020. The ACCC earlier this year added some 1.1 million vehicles to the compulsory recall.
According to the Australian Government, the risk of a defective Takata airbag rupturing may arise between 6 and 25 years after it is installed in a vehicle. In areas of high heat and humidity, the risk of rupture may arise between 6 and 9 years.
Concerned owners can check if their vehicle needs a new inflator at www.IsMyAirbagSafe.com.au.
