German automaker Mercedes recalls 1M vehicles worldwide due to fire risk

Mercedes is recalling about 1 million cars and SUVs worldwide because a starter part can overheat and cause fires.

The recall covers certain C-Class, E-Class and CLA cars and GLA and GLC SUVs, all from 2015 through 2017, including nearly 308,000 in the US.

The German automaker reported 51 fires worldwide, with about 30 in the United States. The company has no reports of any injuries.

Mercedes said in US government documents released today that if for some reason the engine and transmission won't turn over, a current limiter in the starter motor can overheat from repeated attempts to start the vehicles. That can cause the current limiter to overheat and melt nearby parts.

Mercedes began investigating the problem last June after getting field reports of "thermally damaged" current limiters.

Owners will be notified this month and again when replacement parts are available in July. It will take about an hour for dealers to install another fuse to prevent the problem. The repair will be done free of charge.