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NHTSA Opens Probe into 2000-02 M Class Vehicles

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December 28, 2010

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation into concerns that 2000-2002 Mercedes Benz M Class vehicles have a defective warning light that could result in drivers being unable to disengage the cruise control, reported The Detroit News.

NHTSA said in a notice posted Monday on its website that the investigation covers 137,400 vehicles. The agency said the failure of the brake lamp warning light could potentially lead to "the inability to disengage the cruise control using the brake pedal."

NHTSA said it has received 15 vehicle owner questionnaire reports alleging the brake lamp switch failed. Some said the failure resulted "in an inability to shift the vehicle out of park gear position" while others said it "led to an inability to disengage the cruise control system once enabled and set."

Daimler AG's Mercedes Benz unit issued a technical service bulletin in May 2005 to address the issue.

NHTSA is opening an investigation to determine whether a recall is necessary and whether the bulletin fully addressed the issue.

Topics:M Class NHTSA Mercedes-Benz Industry

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