Poetheraven1

I have a 2008 MB C350W which has had both the driver and front passenger Takata Airbags on recall. Takata has filed chapter 11 and MB claims it cannot fix the recall because they don't have the parts (this has been going on for 2 years now). How much would it cost me to have the bags replaced? It doesn't seem like Mercedes wants to fix this life threatening defect and Takata is trying to get out from under their poor product by getting chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. My vehicle has already depreciated $30,000.00 because I am afraid to drive it (it has only 3,000 miles). So how much to have someone else replace both the airbags? Does anyone know?

ItalianJoe1

They are free, but the new parts are not available, so paying someone isn't going to make them available.

MB has never had a case relating to the takata units, but Takata was ordered to recall them all and MB uses them so they got recalled too. No fear in driving your car.

Poetheraven1

Since the Tekata bags are not available, I doubt that getting a replacement wouldn't cost something. My question was/is, how much to purchase replacement (non tekata) bags and getting them installed, or is this not possible?? I am really disappointed in MB for not having addressed my issue as of this date.

ItalianJoe1

Nobody else makes them, even the new ones are produced by the same company (or what's left of it), but they don't use the suspect ignitor design.

Your drivers side bag comes complete with the steering wheel center section, so no chance of finding it from a second source. The ones in the passenger side are just a box bolted under the dash and could theoretically be made by anyone, but Takata has, under the terms of their bankruptcy/restructuring, been required to replace all the affected ones, so no other company would bother getting into that market. Takata is paying other companies to build airbags in some applications, but they have to continue selling new ones in order to make a profit to afford the 80 million replacements they have to do for free.

Poetheraven1

Thanks for the information, ItalianJoe1. Sounds like I am just screwed. I'm in a catch 22 where there are no bags available (according to MB), so they claim they can't replace mine, and Takata seems to not be making them. I tried reading the notice I received from them concerning the Bankruptcy but just don't follow all that is going on. What seems to me is that Takata is selling off their business to some others who are not acquiring the airbag liability, but are taking everything else. Since they are essentially bankrupt, they claim they don't have the wherewithal to produce and replace all the defective bags throughout the world. Which to my understanding is that I drive the MB350 and take a chance on being killed if involved in an accident, or keep my MB350 in the garage and look at the pile of junk that is useless to me. Given the circumstances, I probably couldn't even sell it due to the safety issue. Its like me taking several thousand dollars a year and lighting a bond file with them. Since I bought the MB350, it has depreciated over $30K, and I've only drivin it 3,000 miles in the almost 10 years I've had it. That equates to me spending $3,000.00 per year to look at the thing I can't use. I guess I'm so mad at Takata and MB that I could chew nails.

BF_JC230

I mean they did express "sincerest apologies for the inconvenience and uncertainty."...that you could have your face blown off like 18 other people with Takata products. (I KNOW MB has no known issues, doesn't matter.)
How much more do you want?! You want to feel safe?!

I asked for a later model, non affect airbag AND steering wheel (as so many have the same spline) to be swapped in and I would forgo the aesthetics...nope.

You don't like driving a car that they put in WRITING where "metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material, which may resultin injury or death to vehicle occupants."

Poetheraven1

Thanks for the recall notification. Although this notification doesn't apply to my vehicle, I used the shown url to access the MB site that did have the recall notice affecting both the drivers and passengers airbags of my car. I have made a copy of it for my files. Not sure what help keeping copies of this may be, unless it is supporting documentation for my next of kin should I be killed by the flying shrapnel in the event of a collision. Someday, maybe they'll actually fix the problem if the car doesn't disintegrate first...

ItalianJoe1

^^^ we actually get a lot of 203 ones in, so if you have an older car it should be available. The 204 ones have been super rare though.

Poetheraven1

Mine is a 2008 and according to my local MB dealership, they don't have the parts to repair mine, and additionally, they told me that mine would be one of the last ones addressed. This really seems like p poor customer service by MB. They sold me the car, it was defective and a safety risk, and thus, they should be responsible for fixing it. I know they don't control Takata, but to fix cars manufactured after mine and leave me swinging in the breeze does not speak well of MB.

ItalianJoe1

We haven't fixed almost any 204 models, almost all of them are pre-2007. It affects the older cars first, as they would have had time for humidity to compromise the propellant in the airbag.
You can always sell your car. Or drive it and don't worry about it, like the 80 million other owners of the cars with affected airbags.

tjts1

Can you swap in an air bag and wheel from the pre facelift models? Those were manufactured by Autoliv, not takata.

Poetheraven1

And I can always be the one unlucky one that gets killed when the airbag explodes. I suppose I can sell the car if I want to violate the law or open myself up to a law suit by selling it with a known safety issue. The suggestion by tjts1 may have some merit, I'll have to look into the possibility of doing his suggestion, if the Autoliv bags are compatible with the 2008 MB350C.

ItalianJoe1

It's not against the law to sell a car with a recall, only to not disclose it or deny that it has one.

You're being awfully unrealistic here.

Poetheraven1

And that is going to give me a fair value for the car to have a dangerous defect that isn't or won't be fixed by MB? No, I think you are the unrealistic one here. Now that you have digressed the conversation, I believe that this should be the end of it. Please don't waste my time, or other MB owner's time, with non productive answers. I actually have gotten the answer I was looking for. There is no alternate solution, and MB doesn't respond to their customers, certainly not in a timely manner. 2 years is more than enough time to have resolved this issue.

ItalianJoe1

My airbags work