Jan. 21 (Bloomberg) -- Daimler AG, the world's second- biggest maker of luxury vehicles, is recalling more than 9,000 Mercedes-Benz diesel-engine cars in the U.S. from the 2007 model year because a potential sensor problem could cause the cars to lose power.

In certain cars, wires could separate from the crankshaft sensor frame, causing an interruption in the electrical connection to the chip holding the sensor, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a report on its recall Web site.

As a result, the car ``cannot be restarted after failure of the electrical connection in the sensor, increasing the risk of a crash,'' according to the report. Cars in the E, GL, M and R classes are affected, and dealers will begin replacing the sensor next month, the agency said.

Mercedes spokesmen Robert Moran and Christoph Horn didn't immediately return a call or e-mail messages seeking comment. The Wall Street Journal first reported the recall earlier today.

Daimler fell 3.50 euros, or 6.6 percent, to 49.78 euros today in Frankfurt. The shares have declined 25 percent this month.

To contact the reporter on this story: Ryan Flinn in San Francisco at rflinn@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: January 21, 2008 23:25 EST