Mercedes-Benz Warns 800,000 Customers Of Fire Risk, Says Part Shortage Will Delay Fix 

German newspaper Bild reports Mercedes-Benz has notified owners of its luxury automobiles that a defective coolant pump could spark a fire, adding an immediate recall wasn’t possible because snarled supply chains have made the parts unavailable. 

Bild reviewed the letter sent to 800,000 Mercedes-Benz customers owners affected by the defect that said: “the risk of a fire could not be ruled out.”

The letter explained the parts to fix the defect aren’t available because of supply chain issues. It said a recall was not possible until the components could be procured. 

“In the meantime, the affected vehicle should be driven in a particularly prudent manner and usage reduced to the bare minimum.

The owner of a vehicle affected by a recall should always contact the nearest Mercedes-Benz service partner immediately,” the letter said. 

The defective coolant pump affects customers who own certain GLE/GLS, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, GLC, CLS, and G-Class models. There is no timetable given when customers will have their cars repaired. 

The German automaker has been hit with shortages of semiconductors will continue to grip the industry in the coming quarters. Shipping bottlenecks have also made it difficult for the company to source parts.

However, Mercedes technology chief Markus Schaefer told reporters Monday ahead of the presentation of the EQXX concept vehicle that supply chain constraints should ease in the second half of the year.