Mercedes sunroof disaster strikes again, more than 33,000 vehicles lost

Mercedes-Benz first issued a recall for the same sunroof issue in late 2019

Who doesn’t love skylights? They can dramatically brighten the interior of any car and provide much-needed airflow with minimal noise. However, sunroofs can deteriorate over time, causing a variety of problems, and owners of more than 33,000 Mercedes-Benz models in the United States just received bad news: Their sunroofs may be malfunctioning.

Late last month, Mercedes recalled 33,456 vehicles nationwide after determining that the bonding material used between the glass roof and sliding sunroof could deteriorate over time. If the adhesive wears down enough, the entire glass panel has the potential to separate from the vehicle. This poses significant risks to other road users and forces car manufacturers to respond.

Read: Mercedes recalls 105,000 SUVs over stall risk, potential pedal breakage issues

This recall affects some 2001-2011 C-Class, CLK, E-Class and CLS vehicles, including 2007-2009 AMG E53, 2003-2005 CLK320, 2006 CLS, 2003-2009 E320 and AMG CLK55, AMG CLS55, etc. models and AMG CLS63 models. The affected cars were produced between May 18, 2000, and July 19, 2010.

Mercedes blamed the issue on production deviations at its supplier, with the glass panels possibly being glued “without the correct use of primer and/or ventilation.” Owners of affected vehicles may notice excessive wind noise.

affected vehicles

The brand has been aware of potential issues with certain sunroofs since 2017, when it received isolated field reports from outside the United States of roof panels coming off. An investigation began, and while initial tests were inconclusive, Mercedes determined in mid-2019 that the supplier had changed the drying time of the adhesive used. The recall was first launched in December 2019, but in 2020, some vehicles not included in the initial recall were found to have multiple sunroof damage. In 2021, Mercedes issued a second recall, but has since found the fault again affecting many models covered by the second recall.

Owners of affected models will receive the latest recall notice on January 18, 2025. Dealers have been asked to check the glass panel bonding and replace the sliding sunroof if necessary.