German luxury automaker Mercedes-Benz has initiated a recall of a significant number of S-Class vehicles in China due to a software problem. The announcement was made by China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) on their website today.
The recall affects a total of 32,786 imported S-Class and EQS vehicles produced between June 14, 2021, and March 22, 2023. The recall was prompted by a software glitch in the internal monitoring program of the electronic stability system (ESP). This flaw could cause the system to incorrectly detect a malfunction at the start of the driving cycle, resulting in limited functionality of the vehicle’s dynamic control system, as stated in the official announcement.
To address this safety concern, Mercedes-Benz will provide a free software upgrade for the ESP control unit of the affected vehicles through authorized dealers.
The announcement did not specify the exact number of regular S-Class vehicles and EQS electric vehicles being recalled.
This recall represents the latest setback involving the EQS model. In August 2022, Mercedes-Benz recalled a total of 11,908 vehicles in China, including 660 EQS electric vehicles. The previous recall was related to a potential issue with the traction tie-down points on the vehicle’s front and rear bumpers, which could cause the tie-down rings to loosen.
Mercedes-Benz introduced the EQS electric sedan to the Chinese market in December 2021, with a starting price of RMB 881,000 yuan ($122,100). The EQS SUV was launched in China in February this year, starting at RMB 910,500 yuan.
Mercedes-Benz, along with other foreign automakers, has faced challenges in China’s competitive new energy vehicle (NEV) market. According to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), BYD and Tesla had the highest retail sales in the NEV market between January and June, with 1,154,573 units and 294,105 units, respectively. Notably, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi were absent from the top 10 list of NEV retail sales, while Nio secured the 10th position.
