Mazda RX-8, VW Tiguan and Merc S-Class recalled

6149 vehicles have been recalled including the Mazda RX-8 and new Volkswagen Tiguan.

Volkswagen's just-launched Tiguan SUV, Mazda's fan-favourite RX-8 sportscar and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class luxury coupe have been caught in a recall encompassing 6149 vehicles for a bevy of faults including faulty seat construction, potential fuel pump leaks and defective seat belts.

Some versions of the Volkswagen Tiguan mid-size crossover, launched in September, have been identified as having a processing error during second-row seat manufacturing, leading to possible defects in the welds and compromising seat frame strength in a collision.

The owners of the 707 affected vehicles will be contacted by Volkswagen to organise the inspection and repair work if required – free of charge – and customers are also encouraged to contact the Volkswagen Group Australia Customer Experience Centre with any concerns.

Mazda has also indicated that 5401 RX-8s built between July 2003 and March 2009 will need repairs to replace their fuel pump retaining rings.

According to the Japanese carmaker, inadequate heat insulation could lead to excessive heating from the exhaust and subsequent failure of the retaining rings and, with the addition of extra force from the rubber pump gasket, could result in a fuel leak.

Owners will be contacted by post to organise repairs free-of-charge at a Mazda dealership of their choice and involves the installation of extra heat insulation and a replacement of degraded pump rings.

Mercedes-Benz has also recalled a small number (41) of its two-door S-Class coupe models built from November 2015 to March 2016 for a possible seatbelt component failure.

In some instances, incorrect programming in the rear control modules has stopped hand-over unit retraction, leading to damage on the extended arm and exposing a sharp edge. The fault could also prevent the seatbelt properly restraining the occupant in the event of a collision.

Although Mercedes has not indicated if the fault will be remedied with a software or hardware fix, owners will be contacted by Mercedes-Benz Australia and a solution will be issued cost-free.

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