Some diesel-powered Mercedes-Benz cars recalled due to leakage in coolant pump

SINGAPORE — A "very limited" number of diesel-powered Mercedes-Benz cars in Singapore are being recalled due to a leakage in the coolant pump that could cause overheating. 

Responding to queries from TODAY, a spokesperson from Daimler Southeast Asia, which is the parent company of Mercedes-Benz, said that the owners of the affected vehicles would be contacted directly by an authorised dealer.

These vehicles "should be driven with particular care and use should be limited to the minimum required level". 

The technical defect was first reported in early January by German newspaper Bild. 

It reported that Daimler had sent out a letter to about 800,000 Mercedes-Benz owners affected by the defect worldwide and said that "the risk of a fire could not be ruled out".

Daimler Southeast Asia said that the affected models here are:

• Certain GLE/GLS (167 platform)
• C-Class (205 platform)
• E-Class (213 platform)
• S-Class (222 platform)
• S-Class (223 platform)
• E-Class Coupe/Convertible (238 platform)
• GLC (253 platform)
• CLS (257 platform)
• G-Class (463 platform) vehicles

The coolant pump in these models might have a leakage between the vacuum system and the coolant circuit, it added.

"In this case, ingress of coolant into the vacuum system might damage various components. Should electrical switch valves come in contact with the coolant among other things, the temperature of the respective parts might, in isolated cases, increase over time due to an electrochemical reaction." 

The company is working to resolve this issue by rolling out a software update and replacing the component parts from the middle or end of this month.