CarGuru

Just picked up the mail and had a recall notice for our car. It has something to do with the rear seatbelt pretentioner & LATCH system? Anyone else?

-Ryan

Krytech

That blows! I'm not picking up mine till mid Jan., so hopefully they'll either fix it before had (since it hasn't even been built yet) or the dealer can fix it before I pick it up. I have two young ones I need to 'strap' in the back.

peabers

Uh oh.... my little one's seat is hooked up with the LATCH system in the W204 right now. Time to motor 'round in the Subaru instead.

CarGuru

Just as an FYI my car was one of the first ones out, actually we were the second owners in Sacramento to have a new W204 so some of you that just got your cars might have been fixed you might want to check. What sucks as a rule I normally pass off at the first run of a new car or the entire new MY altogether.

-Ryan

aansonsit

Recall notic to me: LET ME DRIVE!!! From:My Wife

2-many-carz

I thought the recall stated that the LATCH system was fine, and to use it. The recall is for the outward rear seatbelts, not the LATCH system.

oblu

Whew, immediate worry diverted.

430752

Google the NHTSA website and then ferret around for recalls, mb, 2008 , c-class and this recall will pop up. As I recall, and *disclaimer* you must do your own due diligence and not rely on my memory, it was for approx. 5,300 2008 c-classes in the usa and pertained to the outboard seatbelts as a poster above mentioned. It said to use the latch system in instance of children. In typical lawyer fashion, it said that the recall was due to possible setabelt failure and that injury may result. Do you think?

I imagine the number 5,300 (approx.) had to be the first several shipments of cars before the factory caught on and retooled. So, anyone with early cars is affected, and I'm guessing anyone who buys a car on the lot today. When the "switch-over" will occur is anyone's guess as to current dealer inventory, but I'd think it safe that anyone who ordered a car (or whose build date) is before the recall (probably a couple weeks before even) is safe. Seems minor in any event, more like it just didn't conform to usdot regs, but who knows.

In the meantime, how about egg on your face? Price of postage on thousands of letters: $2,014.00 Price of 5,300 new seatbelts: $26,500. Price of a safety recall in the first three months of your product launch when you promised the world a mercedes benz? Priceless.

jrct9454

If you read the recall description at NHTSA carefully, you'll see this is all about securing child seats. If you don't use them, it's not an issue, and certainly not unsafe for anyone using the rear seat belts in a normal fashion.

More info, less dramatics....

peabers

Well, that is a concern for some of us here on the forum. Personally, I have a child seat in the back of my car and I would be very concerned if there was a recall relating to its security.

oblu

Actually, reading what the recall is, this is a very big deal for owners that have children in boosters. Latch is only good up to 40lbs. After that, it's seatbelt to secure the booster/forwarding facing seat.

Units affected, 5823?!?! That's like a 30min run on the production line isn't it?

Chi-Benz

Agreed Peabers. Just curious, how is removing/entering the car seat from/to the smallish backseat going for you? Did you put the car seat behind the passenger side?

Basically is there enough room? My wife has said that the backseat will be too small, especially when she wants to sit back there with our son in the seat. I don't know if she would be comfortable sitting behind me (at 6'1 with my seat reclined generously).

Anyone with infant seats or older please feel free to chime in!

I either convince her that there is plenty of room (and it's 4-matic safe) or it's the 2nd gen MDX for me...

430752

Yeah, that was one of the main reasons I bought a Merc was the perceived safety. I have a young daughter, maybe 25 pounds, and another one in a few months. I use the latch system, but will soon enough need the belts. And, if they can't get a belt right, I wonder about the latch system - and other stuff.

Edit - to add info on car seats: I have a forward facing toddler seat (in between the rear facing infant seats with the seat that latches to a base unit and a booster seat). Anyway, the forward facign seat fits fine behind the passenger side. No probs in the seat fitting. Maybe a bit of a squueze getting child in and out, but the sequeeze is at the doorway, not the seat, and not to the child, but to my big egg-head and broad shoulders. In other words, if it is at all difficult its because of my size and not baby's size or front seat spacing issues. (Of course, these problems don't exist on my wife's Honda Pilot, but that's a whole different car/truck with room to spare). However, I do wonder if the infant seat (the removable cradel seat which latches into a base unit) will fit since that kind of chair is deeper. It should fit, but doea look tight. Will let you know in march just how it is!

oblu

Forward facing is fine as long as you don't get a tank-pod Britax. Rear facing looks like it would be an extreme challenge. Or have to go on the passenger side with seat pushed up.

Oddly enough, sitting back there as a human there's more room than my old e90. But room for my son in his forward facing seat is less. I think it had to do with the e90 having more of a sculpted rear seat, so his car seat sat further down and gave him more leg room. Either that or the e90 is slightly longer inside?

Joey_G_1975

Canadian recall notice:

http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/recal...p?recno=16587&

Edit - I asked my dealer about the recall and she said not to worry because the car is dealt with at the port before it gets to the dealer.

peabers

Right now, I am using the Eddie Bauer 3-in-1 carseat in a rear-facing configuration for my 9 month old. He is on the passenger side. It's not very difficult getting him in and out of the car because the door opens wide and I just have to watch his head. There is enough room left in the front for a 5' 10" adult (my size) but my knees are against the dash. My wife who is 5' 4" can sit there no problems... but she normally sits behind me so I feel like a chauffer. Legroom is not as good as the TL ( I lost 4" of space there) but still reasonable for her. The Panoramic Roof is the boon for the little one as well as her.

marakbai

Good find Joey_G_1975 thanks for the update!

oblu

My kid loves it in both of our cars.

nikels

i have the britax marathon rear facing on the passenger side.. passenger seat is pushed all the way up to accomodate.. you can still fit someone in the front seat.. as long as they're 5ft 6-ish or less. i figured in 3 months, it'll go forward facing and the front passenger seat will be usable again.

one other thing, the britax is wide.. too wide that i can't use the 60 split fold down..it's like one inch too wide.. when it goes forward facing, i'll be putting it on driver's side so i can at least use the 40 split fold.