The A class is a key part of CEO Dieter Zetsche’s goal of catching rivals BMW and Audi.

Daimler is recalling more than 6,000 of its new Mercedes-Benz A-Class hatchbacks because of problems with the passenger airbag.

About 6,000 cars in Germany are affected, plus an unquantified figure outside its domestic market, Daimler said on Tuesday.

“The market launch in Germany was in September of last year. In other European markets it was launched much later, so the overall number won’t be that much higher,” a Daimler spokesman said of the recall.

In certain cases it is possible that the airbag would not deploy properly in the case of an accident, he said, confirming a report in German magazine Auto Motor und Sport.

The spokesman said the problem arose at a supplier, adding that no Mercedes customers have been hurt as a result.

The recall is a blow for Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche because last year’s launch of the new family of compact cars was a major plank in his strategy of reclaiming ground lost to rivals BMW and Audi.

The move marks Daimler’s second recall within a month. The automaker said on May 6 it is recalling the new Mercedes Citan van to repair the airbag system following “unsatisfactory” tests.

Daimler aims to regain the top spot in luxury car sales by the end of the decade after falling behind BMW eight years ago and Audi in 2011.

Mercedes beat sales growth at its main rivals last month, thanks mainly to demand for the compact A- and B-class models.