Auto blog

Mercedes recalling 33k C-Class and CLS-Class models in separate campaigns

Mercedes-Benz is recalling over 33,000 vehicles in the US in separate actions affecting two of its model lines. The larger campaign covers 30,141 examples of the 2015 CLS400 and CLS400 4Matic; 2012-2015 CLS550 and CLS550 4Matic; 2012-2014 CLS63 AMG and 2014-2015 CLS63P AMG. On these vehicles, the LED taillights do not sufficiently illuminate around the sides, and therefore they run afoul of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard. According to documents posted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (as a PDF, here), "this is due to a software coding issue which leads to the non-activation of a certain LED in both taillamp units." An update of the programming by the dealer fixes the problem. The other recall covers 3,039 units of the 2015 C300 4Matic and C400 4Matic for two possible problems with the fuel delivery module of the fuel tank. First, the locking plate for the part might loosen on some of these vehicles, and that can cause a fuel leak, which is obviously dangerous. Also, the electric wires going into the component might be pinched, which can lead to failure of the fuel pump. Dealers will inspect the models for both issues and will repair any faults they find. Mercedes did not tell NHTSA when owners would receive notification about either of these campaigns when the company submitted the documentation to the agency on March 10. Autoblog reached out to company spokesperson Christian Bokich via email for more information. "We currently expect to be in touch with customers by late March. Customers may continue to drive their vehicles until the recall is performed," he said. Related Video: RECALL Subject : Rear Side Marker Illumination/FMVSS 108 Report Receipt Date: MAR 10, 2015 NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V137000 Component(s): EXTERIOR LIGHTING Potential Number of Units Affected: 30,141 All Products Associated with this Recall Vehicle Make Model Model Year(s) MERCEDES BENZ CLS400 2015 MERCEDES BENZ CLS550 2012-2015 MERCEDES BENZ CLS63 2012-2015 Details Manufacturer: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. SUMMARY: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2015 CLS 400 and CLS 400 4matic, 2012-2015 CLS 550 and CLS 550 4matic, 2012-2013 CLS 63, 2014 CLS 63, and 2014-2015 CLS 63P. The affected vehicles have LED tail lights that may not light on the sides, reducing the rear side visibility of the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No.

Eight Mercedes Fuso Canter E-Cell trucks now in service

Portugal is far better known for its scenery and seascapes (not to mention some of its alcoholic beverages) than its place as a vehicle-testing center. But the European country is serving just that purpose for Daimler's Mercedes-Benz division and a new line of trucks. And they are of the battery-electric variety. Daimler has sent eight of its Mercedes-Benz Fuso Canter E-Cell battery-electric trucks for customer-trial purposes to various parts of the Western European country. And these customers include the Portuguese cities of Lisbon, Porto and Abrantes as well as delivery company Transporta. These entities will be testing trucks that have about a 60-mile single-charge range and deliver 150 horsepower. The trials for the trucks, which have 14-foot beds, will last one year. Daimler hasn't released a whole lot of details on further development or sales possibilities of the model. The hybrid version of the Fuso Canter debuted in the fall of 2009 and was under the Mitsubishi badge at the time, even though it was 85-percent owned by Daimler. That model is said to boost fuel economy relative to conventionally-powered trucks by as much as 23 percent. Take a look at Daimler's press release on the Fuso Canter E-Cell and its Portugal testing below. Zero emission and quiet as a whisper: eight new Fuso Canter E-Cell in customer trials Eight Fuso Canter E-Cell in real-life testing with customers for a year Locally emission-free and virtually noiseless Powerful, high-torque electric motor Battery capacity ensures range of more than 100 km Highlight of anniversary year for the Canter assembly plant in Tramagal, Portugal The drive system to suit: Canter Euro VI, Canter Eco Hybrid and Canter E-Cell The cleanest technology, whatever the application: Fuso is a pioneer of "green" drive systems in the commercial vehicle sector. The Daimler subsidiary in Japan is the home of Daimler Trucks' centre of competence for hybrid technology, and with this experience behind it, Fuso has also been responsible for developing the new battery-electric-powered "Zero Emission" Canter E-Cell. The first all-electric light-duty truck, produced in a small series, runs emission-free and almost silently. The Canter E-Cell for Europe is manufactured at the Tramagal plant in Portugal. Eight vehicles have now been released for customer trials.

2015 Chinese Grand Prix shines bright sun on the dark days of racing

Yes, we tuned into the Formula One Grand Prix in Shanghai China to see a race. But we all know we really tuned in to see if Ferrari, or any other team, could make it a competitive race with Mercedes-AMG Petronas. Based on qualifying, things didn't get off the best of starts: Lewis Hamilton made it four-out-of-four at the front, leading all three Free Practice sessions and then taking pole position in his Mercedes. Nico Rosberg is making the most of his time in the simulator, getting closer to Hamilton as the months go by. This time he lined up in second, just 0.042 in arrears. Ferrari did its best to temper expectations after Malaysia. Even though Sebastian Vettel qualified in third, almost a second behind Hamilton, the Scuderia's race pace is still considered a danger. Kimi Raikkonen's final hot lap went sour in Turn 3 and dropped the Finn to sixth place on the grid. In between the Ferraris, Williams is another team desperately working to maintain its advantage, and both of its drivers capitalized on Raikkonen's misfortune. Felipe Massa took fourth, Valtteri Bottas was in fifth. Daniel Ricciardo led the Infiniti Red Bull Racing charge in seventh, ahead of Romain Grosjean in the Lotus earning a spirits-lifting eighth. The two Saubers continue to show how good the Ferrari engine is, with Felipe Nasr taking ninth position and teammate Marcus Ericsson in tenth. Yet when the lights went out, so did the racing, for the most part. At the end of the first lap, because of some excellent moves by Raikkonen on both Williams' and a terrible start by Ricciardo that dropped him to seventeenth, the order was Hamilton, Rosberg, Vettel, Raikkonen, Massa, Bottas, Grosjean, Nasr, Ericsson, and Pastor Maldonado in the Lotus rounding out the top ten. At the end of the race, the only positions that had changed were the final two: Ricciardo had a laps-long battle with Ericsson, passing, getting repassed, then passing again to take ninth for good, with Ericsson finishing tenth. Maldonado suffered the worst in a battle with Jenson Button in the McLaren, when Button misjudged the entry into Turn 1 for a pass and clouted the back of the Lotus. Button was able to finish but Maldonado had to retire. Yes, there were some decent moments in between, like Bottas getting by Massa at the start, then Raikkonen getting past Massa in the first few corners and the Finn's move on Bottas also letting Massa through.