DaimlerChrysler recalls Mercedes-Benz cars

The world's fifth biggest carmaker DaimlerChrysler AG has recalled 1.3 million Mercedes-Benz cars worldwide due to problems in their power and braking system, the company said in an e- mailed statement.

Globally, the company has recalled passenger cars with six and eight-cylinder petrol engines -- E-Class and CLS-Class -- built between June 2001 and November 2004, to check the voltage regulators in the alternator and replace them if necessary.

On E-Class vehicles produced from January 2002 to January 2005, new battery control unit software will enhance the on-board power supply.

In addition, the braking systems on E-Class, SL-Class and CLS- Class models from the production period between June 2001 and March 2005 are also going to be updated.

However, the CLS-Class in Indonesia was only launched in Jakarta on Friday and therefore would not be affected by the electrical and braking system faults, PT DaimlerChrysler Distribution Indonesia's deputy director of marketing planning and communication Yuniadi Hartono said on Friday.

DaimlerChrysler's head of Mercedes-Benz, Eckhard Cordes, explained that the recall was to emphasize the products' quality initiative.

"We are now producing the best product quality ever, and our aim is to ensure that those vehicles in the hands of customers that are the cause of complaints achieve a standard of quality that reflects our highest expectations," he said in the statement.

Bloomberg reported that Mercedes-Benz has plunged in customer- satisfaction surveys in Germany and the U.S., partly because of technical flaws.

DaimlerChrysler has lost sales to Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW) AG and Toyota, and profits in the fourth quarter fell 63 percent to 526 million euro (US$684 million) as earnings at the Mercedes Car Group luxury unit collapsed.

Mercedes-Benz customers in Indonesia are advised to call 021- 74702222 for further information. -- JP