Takata recall twenty-two months and counting!! Manufacturer has not produced replacement parts, and recall cannot be completed due to unavailable remedy. Interesting that Mercedes benz has continued to produce and sell millions of vehicles in that time, but they cannot produce new airbags.
2011 Mercedes-Benz R-Class airbags problems
moderate 11 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Complaints
11
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
When does it fail?
Of the 11 airbags complaints filed for the 2011 Mercedes-Benz R-Class, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Of the 5 model years of Mercedes-Benz R-Class we track for airbags problems, this one carries the most owner complaints on file — 11.
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 8 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of this 2011 R-Class report a critical safety defect: Takata-supplied frontal airbag inflators that can rupture during deployment, scattering metal shrapnel into the cabin. NHTSA campaign 16V081000 (issued February 2016) covers the defect; the recall notice specifies that in a crash requiring airbag deployment, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking driver and other occupants, causing serious injury or death.
The core complaint across eleven narratives is the chronic unavailability of replacement parts. Owners cite timelines of 12 to 24+ months after recall notification with no remedy available. Mercedes issued multiple letters promising repair dates (March 2018, then September 2018, then June 2018) that were missed. Owners report making repeated dealership appointments only to be turned away with word that parts are not in stock, despite service departments sometimes claiming parts are available when called in advance.
One owner reports the vehicle remained under recall for over 12 months unrepaired before the NHTSA lookup tool dropped the active recall status—raising questions about remedy completion. Owners describe deterioration in vehicle value, insurance rate increases due to the safety issue, and prolonged anxiety about driving an unrepaired vehicle with a known life-threatening defect. One owner reports an illuminated airbag warning light; another describes visible "shrapnel in our dash."
Failure modes owners describe
Takata defective frontal airbag inflator — rupture risk with metal fragmentation
The Takata-supplied frontal airbag inflator can rupture on deployment, ejecting metal shrapnel into driver and passenger compartments. NHTSA campaign 16V081000 (issued February 2016) identifies the hazard: in a crash requiring airbag deployment, the inflator may rupture, with fragments striking occupants and causing serious injury or death.
When: Upon airbag deployment in a crash; part of NHTSA campaign 16V081000 issued February 2016
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light illuminates; Metal fragments visible in dashboard (per complaint #5: 'shrapnel in our dash')
Codes mentioned: NHTSA Campaign 16V081000, MFG Recall #2016020003
Repairs/costs cited: Recall remedy requires replacement of frontal airbag inflator. Owners report parts unavailable at dealerships for extended periods (12–24 months after recall notification); multiple appointment cancellations due to parts shortage cited across narratives.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 16V081000 (AIR BAGS); Mercedes-Benz issued multiple recall letters with changing timelines (March 2018, then September 2018, then June 2018, then 'SOON'). NHTSA granted manufacturer extension for remedy completion. As of complaint dates (2018–2019), remedy parts remain unavailable.
Synthesized from 11 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 11 most recent
Takata recall #16v081 mfg recall #2016020003 recall date feb 11,2016 my wife is the primary driver of this vehicle, and I have great fear for her safety every time she gets behind the wheel. Please advise when this will be remedied.
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-benz r350. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v081000 (air bags). An unknown dealer was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not available for the recall remedy. The manufacturer was not notified. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Takata recall: this vehicle was involved in a recall campaign for over 12 months and was never repaired due to lack of available parts. The NHTSA VIN lookup tool now lists no active recall on the vehicle. Why not? When will parts be available? How could ke this possibly be taking so long? Perhaps it been so long that NHTSA's long-term memory has failed.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-benz r350. The contact took the vehicle to lober Mercedes-benz (4255 west touhy avenue, lincolnwood, il 60712, (847)-675-1000) to be repaired per NHTSA campaign number: 16v081000 (air bags). When the contact arrived at the dealer for the scheduled repair, the dealer stated that the part was not available. The contact stated that the driver's side air bag…
Takata recall. Vehicle recall remedy taking excessive amount of time. No remedy available, no accountability available, no non-bankrupt parts supplier available, and no action by NHTSA available. Time to hold daimler benz responsible for this nonsense.
"takata recall" for a year and a half, I have been trying to have my car repaired, but Mercedes benz here in reno (and fairfield, california as well) has refused to repair it with the statement that parts are not available. I have called the service department and been told the parts are in stock. I have made appointments, but when I show up for the repair, I am told parts are not available.…
Takata recall remedy remains unavailable. Letters from Mercedes benz claimed that the remedy would be available in june 2018. Well, they first said march 2018, then said that was an error. Thinking is hard. It is june 2018, and no remedy. Mercedes continues to produce and earn money on tens of thousands of vehicles each month. They could not be inconvenienced to produce parts for their old…
Takata recall, as I received 2 recall letters that has lied to me and keep giving me no time table on when it will be repaired, first letter I received was december 2017 it stated the airbags will be repaired in march 2018, then I received another letter the following month january 2018 the second letter now states it will be repaired sometime in september 2018, now I strongly believe I'm…
Takata recall this vehicle has airbags safety recall by takata, the defected airbags on this car was discovered 2015, this safety recall should have been disclosed to me before I purchased the vehicle it should have been disclosed to me before I even went on a test drive, this car shouldn't have been sold at all until the airbags are replaced the vehicle is unsafe to drive, airbag light comes…
Had airbags trouble with your 2011 Mercedes-Benz R-Class?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2011 Mercedes-Benz R-Class?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 11 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $1,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Based on the 11 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 69,675 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2011/Mercedes-Benz/R-Class.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.