Mercedes Recalls 1.3 Million Cars Over Emergency Call Glitch

More and more new cars come with the option of emergency call technology that will alert authorities in event of a crash or crisis. It helps if the tools can give them your actual location.

Mercedes recently announced it is recalling some 1.3 million cars that the company says come equipped with defective, according to Engadget. A glitch might prevent them from accurately reporting the car’s location when needed.

“If there is a drop of the power supply to the communications module during a crash, the automatic eCall system may register the location of the vehicle’s last ignition cycle, rather than its location at the time the eCall system is activated,” Mercedes said in a recall notice. “Emergency responders may be dispatched to an inaccurate vehicle location, increasing the risk of injury following a crash.”

The recall includes a wide range of Mercedes models, from the A-Class to the S-Class, and spans model years 2016 to 2019.

Mercedes says it will start fixing the issue in early April, either through over-the-air updates or by asking owners to bring their cars in to local dealerships.

Legal Rights and Options for California Car Owners and Lessors

The tech glitch poses a unique problem for Mercedes drivers, but it also reflects the ongoing problems that major auto manufacturers have in simply putting cars on the road that work as intended.

General Motors and Mercedes recently announced that the companies are recalling a wide range of vehicles, for example, because of faulty tires that could increase the risk of an accident. They are not alone: car manufacturers around the globe recall millions of vehicles per year because of serious problems that could lead to crashes.

Fortunately, car owners and lessors in California have some valuable protections under the state’s lemon law. The law requires car manufacturers to perform various repairs on vehicles while they are under warranty and to buy back or replace cars that the company is unable to or refuses to fix. 

There is no specific number of repair requests or attempts that must happen before the buyback or replace requirement kicks in. That is one reason why it is important to consult a seasoned California lemon law attorney.

How an Orange County Lemon Law Attorney Can Help

If you are a California car owner driving a lemon, an Orange County lemon law attorney at Bickel Sannipoli APC can help. Our firm is dedicated to ensuring that the manufacturer fixes the vehicle and can maximize the value of your buyback.

We are pleased to be able to represent people across the state. Our attorneys understand the significant stress that can come with haggling with car dealers and manufacturers. Our lawyers work aggressively to resolve these cases for the people that we represent.

Our offices are conveniently located in San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with an Orange County lemon law attorney.