Faulty contacts are causing a fire risk at Hyundai and Mercedes (week 26/25)

02/07/2025

This week’s recalls:
– Hyundai, Mercedes – fire risk
– Citroen, Volkswagen – airbags
– Kia – vacuum pump

Overview of the recalls in the 26th week of 2025

Five recalls for 16 models of four makes were published via EU Safety Gate in week 26 of 2025. Four recalls for four models of four brands were released by the German Motor Vehicle Authority (KBA).

Mercedes-Benz has announced two recalls, with one each for Citroen, Kia and Volkswagen in the European Safety Gate system this week.

Ford, Hyundai, Jeep and Volkswagen are recalling via the German KBA.

Isn’t that your car? See also the recent recalls of other makes.

Risks of fire twice

Hyundai is recalling over 50,000 H1/Starex vans built between 2010 and 2018 due to a faulty electrical connection to the generator. This can result in a short circuit in the fuse box, potentially causing a fire.

An improperly modified fuse box can lead to the failure of systems connected to the fuses, including restraint systems and instrument clusters. This issue affects more than 4,500 Mercedes vehicles across ten model series — see the table at the end of the article for details. Loss of vehicle propulsion or fire without warning is not excluded.

Find out which other cars are at risk of catching fire. Our database contains over a thousand records!

Deadly airbags

Following the tragic accident reported a week ago, in which a female driver was killed by an airbag, Stellantis issued a press release urging owners to stop using their cars until the airbags have been checked and, if necessary, replaced. Earlier alerts for the Citroën C3 and Citroën DS3 were updated via Safety Gate this week. Volkswagen is also recalling Touareg and Tiguan models due to airbag issues this week.

Vacuum pump

The vacuum pump may be damaged when starting the engine of Kia Sportage SUVs manufactured in Slovakia between September 2022 and June 2023. This could result in increased force being required to depress the brake pedal, which could increase stopping distances and the risk of an accident.

Details on this week’s Safety Gate recalls can be found in the table below.

We write about the German KBA recalls in the following articles:

What we’ve written about in recent weeks:

What did we write about a year ago:

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Rapex Recalls announced in the 26 week of 2025

Make, Model (years)	Problem
Citroen C3 (2009 – 2017)	The propellant in the driver and passenger airbags can deteriorate.
Citroen DS3 (2009 – 2017)	The propellant in the driver and passenger airbags can deteriorate.
Kia Sportage (2022 – 2023)	The vacuum pump in the engine may be damaged.
Mercedes-Benz A-Class (2024)	The length of the brake hoses on the rear axle is incorrect.
Mercedes-Benz CLA (2024)	The length of the brake hoses on the rear axle is incorrect.
Mercedes-Benz C-Class (2023)	An improperly reworked fuse box may lead to breaks in contact.
Mercedes-Benz CLE (2023)	An improperly reworked fuse box may lead to breaks in contact.
Mercedes-Benz E-Class (2023)	An improperly reworked fuse box may lead to breaks in contact.
Mercedes-Benz EQS (2023)	An improperly reworked fuse box may lead to breaks in contact.
Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV (2023)	An improperly reworked fuse box may lead to breaks in contact.
Mercedes-Benz EQE (2023)	An improperly reworked fuse box may lead to breaks in contact.
Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV (2023)	An improperly reworked fuse box may lead to breaks in contact.
Mercedes-Benz GLC (2023)	An improperly reworked fuse box may lead to breaks in contact.
Mercedes-Benz S-Class (2023)	An improperly reworked fuse box may lead to breaks in contact.
Mercedes-Benz SL (2023)	An improperly reworked fuse box may lead to breaks in contact.
Volkswagen Tayron (2024 – 2025)	The head airbags in the second row of seats may not be correctly installed.

Where now?

What should an owner do if there's a recall?

Please note that the recall may not apply to all vehicles produced in a given period. If you think your car might be affected, you should immediately contact an dealer or workshop officially authorised to perform repairs on behalf of the manufacturer and ask for the details. You can use our sample request text. After reporting the vehicle's VIN code, you will find out if the defect is present on your car, or if it has already been resolved by the previous owner if the car was purchased second-hand.

More about

Recalls and Reliability

If you wish to know more about the eventual problems of a specific car (e.g. real mileage, potential traffic accident damages, odometer rollback, repairs, etc.), in that case, we suggest going to this page.

Check the vehicle's history