2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class Speed Control & Cruise Problems

This is a known issue with GLE 450 48v batteries over heating and causing loss of power and all function to control the vehicle. , For an unknown reason my vehicle was not part of a recent recall and probably should have been. I experienced the issue today and escaped tragedy. My battery light came on, then off, then a bright red battery light came on across the dashboard…then all of a sudden, my car lost all power with no warning. All while driving on the freeway 394! Luckily traffic was light and I was able to coast halfway up an off ramp. Then I got an overheating message. Reports show all cars were recalled, however mine wasn’t part of the recall!! I would like an investigation to include all cars in the years and models not just some of them.

The adaptive cruise on the Mercedes has a habit of harsh braking during stop and go traffic. It's not a natural braking manev8, instead it's jarring and I feel like it could cause a rear end with how jarring it is. Many other users are experiencing the same.

The transmission with the Auto Start/Stop 48v system is very clunky and not smooth at low speeds. I'm unable to park in my garage or parallel park with the Auto Start/Stop feature enabled which is by default for reduced emissions. I fear hitting pedestrians/people at crosswalks, causing damage to my house inside my garage when parking, and/or other vehicles when parallel parking because the transmission is so clunky, it causes the vehicle to surge or lurch forward very harshly in such a way that I could cause damage to another vehicle or even hit a pedestrian or person at a crosswalk. There's something inherently wrong with the 48V auto start/stop when it engages and disengages with the transmission causing it to surge or lurch forward uncontrollably and dangerously.

I was turning on to a busy street and the throttle became unresponsive. I verified the car was in drive. There was no engine noise when pressing the accelerator pedal. I stopped the car and shifted to park and then back to drive and the car responded normally.

1. After coming to a stop, foot placed on the pedal to accelerate through a neighborhood security gate, the car would not accelerate despite how hard I depressed the gas pedal. After approximately 3-4 seconds the car finally accelerated. 2. When coming to a stop the vehicle has a very hard “clunk” in the transmission to stop. Vehicle was taken to the dealership but they could not replicate the problem at the time so car was given back to me with “non replicable” issues.

1. FIRST MESSAGE: 48V BATTERY MALFUNCTION 2. SECOND MESSAGE: STOP THE VEHICLE COOLANT IS NOT WORKING VEHICLE IS OVERHEATING. 3. LOST POWER, I COULD ONLY DRIVE 10 MILES PER HOUR. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BY A SEMI TRUCK. THERE ARE SEVERAL ONLINE OCCURRENCES REPORTING THESE SAME MESSAGES. IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN A VEHICLE LOSES ALL POWER WHILE ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED. MERCEDES AWARE OF A BULLETIN WITH THIS ISSUE.

I WAS TRAVELLING ON HIGHWAY WITH ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL ON. WHEN NEAR THE EXIT, I PRESS THE OFF BUTTON FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL. TO MY SURPRISE, THE CAR DIDN'T SLOW DOWN, AND INSTEAD MAINTAIN THE ENGINE POWER TO KEEP THE CAR IN SET SPEED. I TRIED THE OTHER SETTINGS (OFF, CANCEL, SPEED DOWN) OPTION BUT NOTHING IS RESPONSIVE. SINCE I AM ON THE OFF RAMP ALREADY, I HAVE TO STEP ON THE BRAKE (THIS DOES FINALLY STOP THE CRUISE CONTROL) TO SLOW DOWN THE CAR. AFTER I COME TO A STOP AT THE STOP LIGHT, I NOTICE THAT THE AR VIEW CAMERA HAS A CONDENSATION IN THE CENTER OF THE CAMERA LENS (SEE FIRST PICTURE WITH 11/10 DATE). AT THE SAME TIME, MULTIPLE WARNING MESSAGE APPEAR ON DASH, INCLUDING "ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL INOPERATIVE", "ACTIVE LANE KEEP ASSIST INOPERATIVE", AND A FEW OTHERS. THE CRUISE CONTROL INDICATOR REMAIN ON AND ACTIVE ON THE DASH (BUT SYSTEM ISN'T WORKING) UNTIL I GOT TO A SAFE LOCATION TO RESTART THE CAR. ALL ERROR MESSAGE WAS CLEARED AFTERWARD. A FEW DAYS LATER (11/16), I HAD THE CAR AT THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. I MENTIONED THE ISSUE BUT THEY SAID THEY ARE UNABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG AND CAMERA LENS WAS CLEARED AT THAT TIME. AFTER I GOT HOME, I NOTICE THERE ARE CONDENSATION AGAIN ON THE CAMERA LENS (SEE SECTION PICTURE WITH 11/16 DATE).

I SET THE DISTRONIC CRUISE CONTROL TO 45 MPH. IT SUDDENLY RESET ITSELF TO 70 MPH AND STARTED TO QUICKLY ACCELERATE TO 70 MPH WHILE SHOWING THE SPEED LIMIT TO BE 70 MPH WHEN THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT WAS 45 MPH. I RESET THE CRUISE CONTROL TO 45 MPH. WHEN THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT WENT TO 50 MPH, THE CAR QUICKLY STARTED ACCELERATING TO 80 MPH AND SHOWED THE SPEED LIMIT TO BE 80 MPH ON THE DASHBOARD DIGITAL DISPLAY. I QUICKLY SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES TO REGAIN CONTROL. I FINALLY FIGURED OUT THAT UNDER THE SQUARE SPEED LIMIT SIGN, WAS A ROUND KILOMETER SPEED LIMIT SIGN, AND MY CARS CAMERAS WERE ERRONEOUSLY READING THE KILOMETER SIGN AS A MPH SPEED LIMIT AND ADJUSTING THE CRUISE CONTROL TO THE WRONG, HIGHER SPEED. VERY DANGEROUS AS I ALMOST WENT THROUGH A RED LIGHT TRYING TO ADJUST THE SPEED DOWN USING THE STEERING WHEEL BUTTONS. I WAS CAUGHT OFF GUARD AND DIDN'T THINK TO DISENGAGE THE DISTRONIC CRUISE CONTROL. THIS HAPPENED TODAY ON BEN HILL GRIFFIN PKWY ABOUT 4 MILES SOUTH OF RSW (FORT MYERS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT) AS I WAS DRIVING MY FAMILY TO THE AIRPORT. NOTE: MY CAR HAS THE MERCEDES DRIVER ASSISTANCE PACKAGE

While driving on the interstate in the right lane with adaptive cruise set at 70mph the cameras will occasionally read the off ramp/exit speed limit signs and brake hard to decelerate to the posted off ramp speed limit. This creates an opportunity for a rear end collision. Additionally, the adaptive cruise will “see” vegetation or guard rails on the opposite side of the road, while in a turn, and brake as if to avoid a collision when no hazard exists. Many instances of the two anomalies.

THE PROBLEM HAPPENED ON A BUSINESS TRIP TO AND FROM KANSAS CITY MO. AND MINNEAPOLIS MN. THE CRUISE CONTROL HAS A FEATURE THAT CAN READ ROAD SPEED LIMIT SIGNS AND CHANGE THE SET SPEED TO MATCH THE INDICATED SPEED. THIS FEATURE CAN BE TURNED ON OR OFF BY USING THE INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM. ON THIS TRIP TO KANSAS I HAD THIS SIGN RECOGNITION FEATURE TURNED OFF. THE PROBLEM IS THAT ON AT LEAST 12 OCCASIONS DURING THIS 900 MILE TRIP THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD ARBITRARILY CHANGE THE SET SPEED FROM 70 MPH TO 45 MPH APPLYING THE BRAKES TO REDUCE TO THE 45 MPH SPEED. THE MERCEDES DEALER WHO I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM SAYS THAT THEY CANNOT FIND ANY MALFUCTION. I WAS NEARLY REAR ENDED BY A LARGE TRUCK THAT I HAD JUST PASSED AND RETURNED TO THE RIGHT LANE. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THIS SYSTEM IS WORKING AS DESIGNED. I GUESS THIS SYSTEM HAS KILL SO MERCEDES OWNERS BEFORE ANY THING IS DONE.