2023 Mercedes-Benz EQB Powertrain & Transmission Problems

I am writing to formally notify the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that Mercedes-Benz USA has failed to remedy a known safety defect within a reasonable amount of time, pursuant to 49 U.S.C. § 30120. This notification is submitted in relation to the recall issued under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act regarding the high-voltage battery cells in the 2023 EQB. The manufacturer has acknowledged that an internal short circuit within the battery cells may lead to a vehicle fire while driving or parked. Despite this, a timely and effective remedy has not been provided, leaving me to manage the following severe burdens: • Safety and Psychological Distress: Every time I operate this vehicle, I experience significant anxiety. My primary concern is the safety of my grandchildren; I am constantly haunted by the question of whether I could safely extricate them from the vehicle should it ignite while in motion. • Property and Liability Concerns: I am currently forced to park the vehicle away from other cars and structures to mitigate the risk of a conflagration. I am deeply concerned about my legal and financial obligations should the vehicle ignite and cause damage to third-party property or result in personal injury. • Diminished Performance: The vehicle currently exhibits a decreased mileage range, failing to meet the performance specifications promised at the time of lease. • Breach of Lease Terms: I am required to make full monthly lease payments as per my agreement. However, Mercedes-Benz is failing to uphold their portion of the contract by providing a vehicle that is safe, functional, and fit for its intended purpose. I request that the NHTSA investigate Mercedes-Benz’s delay in providing a definitive remedy and hold the manufacturer accountable for the loss of use and the inherent dangers posed by this defect. A car that "potentially could ignite into flames" at any moment is not a "remedied" vehicle under the law.

The car is subject to a NHTSA recall 26V073. Mercedes has scheduled warranty repair for December 31, 2026, or more than 9 months from now. Our dealer advises that the scheduled date is just a holding date; there is no assurance that the repair will occur on or before that date. Mercedes has also said in writing that "the battery replacement remedy is not yet available" and that we should complain to NHTSA if Mercedes does not fix this problem in a reasonable time. In the meantime, we are instructed to park the car outside and not to charge it more than 80%. (We've programmed it not to charge over 80%.) Even still, we are at risk that the car will burst into flames, potentially while we are in it, possibly with our grandchildren in the back seat. The other solution Mercedes has is that we should lease a different model at three times the cost of our present lease, thereby shifting the cost of this warranty issue onto us.

The vehicle experienced multiple electrical and safety-related malfunctions while driving. On several occasions the instrument cluster and vehicle screens suddenly went black while the vehicle was in motion, causing loss of critical driving information such as speed and warnings. In another incident the vehicle displayed a “High Voltage Malfunction” warning while driving and the vehicle shut down shortly after. This resulted in a sudden loss of propulsion and created a dangerous situation on the road. The vehicle has also displayed a “Coolant Too Hot – Stop Vehicle” warning which required replacement of the coolant pump at the dealership. In a separate event the vehicle lost battery charge unexpectedly after indicating a full charge and had to be towed to a charging station. The vehicle is also subject to Safety Recall 26V073 involving the high-voltage battery. According to the recall notice, the battery may fail due to an internal short circuit which could lead to a vehicle fire while parked or driving. The manufacturer currently does not have a repair available and advises owners to limit the battery charge to 80% and park the vehicle outside when not in use due to the potential fire risk. These repeated failures combined with the unresolved safety recall raise serious concerns about the safety and reliability of the vehicle. The issues began around September 2024 and have continued through multiple repair visits into March 2026.

This safety recall is over six months old and is still unresolved. I have not felt safe driving the vehicle on the highway because of the possibility of complete power loss. I have been forced to keep paying lease payments on a car I can't drive and the manufacturer has been unresponsive. When I plug the car in to charge, all the lights in the house dim. My other EV does not do this so it must be a serious problem with this vehicle.