Luxury automaker Mercedes-Benz has announced a voluntary recall in conjunction with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for approximately 14,912 electric vehicles sold in the United States. The recall affects various models from the 2023 model year or newer, including the Mercedes-AMG EQE, Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV, Mercedes-AMG EQS, Mercedes-Benz EQE, EQE SUV, EQS, EQS SUV, and Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV.
The issue at hand involves the battery management system software, which can become overloaded with diagnostics requests from other control units. This overload can lead to the contactors of the high-voltage battery opening, potentially causing a loss of propulsion without warning on the instrument cluster. The loss of propulsion could occur while driving, increasing the risk of an accident. Although the problem temporarily resolves itself after the vehicle is restarted, it can reoccur without warning.
In response to the recall, Mercedes-Benz will be contacting affected owners with instructions to schedule an appointment with a dealership. The software update to address the issue will be performed free of charge.
This isn’t the first time Mercedes-Benz electric vehicles have faced software-related recalls. Last year, the EQE, EQS, and EQS SUV were recalled due to the potential deactivation of the electric drivetrain caused by a fault in the software management response logic. Additionally, a separate recall was issued for another group of EQS EVs due to a fault in the ESP monitoring software.
A similar recall involving high-voltage battery management software was announced in China last year for imported EQS EVs manufactured between 2021 and 2022. Mercedes-Benz has advised affected customers to act promptly on the recall instructions to ensure the safety and performance of their vehicles.