Mercedes-Benz recalls nearly 60,000 GLS SUV units in North America
German luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz has recalled as many as 59,574 units of its GLS model in North America to rectify an issue with the third-row seat. The affected SUVs were manufactured between 2018 and 2022. The company claimed that the issue was first discovered in February this year. It also said no injuries or crashes were reported because of this problem.
Why does this story matter?
The Mercedes-Benz GLS is one of the most popular SUVs among affluent people across the globe due to its road presence, tech-biased cabin, and overall robust build quality. However, the German marque had to issue a recall for the model due to a manufacturing defect in the third-row seat's locking mechanism. Luckily, no accidents because of the issue have been reported so far.
What was the impact of the recall?
Certain Mercedes-Benz GLS units were recalled in North America to rectify an issue caused by incorrectly-positioned springs in the locking mechanism of third-row seats, which could prove fatal during an accident. Around 51,998 units of GLS and GLS450 models, 5,212 units of the GLS580 variant, and 2,364 units of the Mercedes-AMG GLS63, all manufactured between September 18, 2018, and July 14, 2022, were affected.
The SUV has a chrome-slatted grille and all-LED lighting setup
The Mercedes-Benz GLS has a typical SUV silhouette and flaunts a long and muscular bonnet, a large chrome-slatted grille, swept-back LED headlights with integrated DRLs, a wide air dam, and silvered skid plates. On the sides, it is flanked by roof rails, ORVMs, chromed window lining, and 21-inch alloy wheels. Wrap-around LED taillamps and dual exhaust tips are available at the rear end.
It is offered with a 330hp, 3.0-liter diesel engine
In India, the GLS draws power from a 3.0-liter, six-cylinder diesel engine that churns out a maximum power of 330hp and a peak torque of 700Nm. The mill is mated to a 9-speed, "9G-TRONIC," torque converter gearbox with a "4MATIC" all-wheel-drive system.
The seven-seater cabin gets 64-color ambient lighting, panoramic sunroof
On the inside, the GLS has a luxurious seven-seater cabin with a dual-tone dashboard, premium leather upholstery, 64-color ambient lighting, a panoramic sunroof, multi-zone climate control, and a leather-wrapped multifunctional steering wheel. The SUV houses a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12.3-inch MBUX infotainment panel. The passengers' safety is ensured by nine airbags and a host of ADAS functions.
