Mercedes-Benz has issued an urgent recall for 292,000 vehicles because of a potential issue with the brakes. The "do not drive" recall covers certain ML, GL, and R-Class vehicles from 2006 through 2012.
The automaker said that corroded brake boosters could result in a loss of braking power and increase the likelihood of a crash.
"In rare cases of very severe corrosion, it might be possible that a strong or hard braking application may cause mechanical damage in the brake booster, whereby the connection between the brake pedal and brake system may fail," the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration warned in the recall notice. "In such a very rare case, it would not be possible to decelerate the vehicle via the brake pedal. Thus, the risk of a crash or injury would be increased. The function of the foot-activated parking brake is not affected by this issue."
Mercedes noted it has not received any reports of crashes due to the issue.
Mercedes said it would pay for owners to have their cars towed to a dealership for inspection. If the brake booster needs to be replaced, the Mercedes will also cover the cost of a rental vehicle until the repair is completed.
You can check to see if our vehicle is subject to a recall by visiting nhtsa.gov/recalls and entering your VIN number.