2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS Complaints

LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 08/24/2026

The vehicle has experienced recurring intermittent failures of Active Brake Assist and Active Blind Spot Assist. The systems may function normally and then unexpectedly become unavailable, with warning messages appearing in the vehicle. The primary driver was nearly involved in an accident during one occurrence when Active Brake Assist unexpectedly became unavailable. No collision occurred, but the loss of the braking-assistance function created a serious safety concern. The problem has been inspected by authorized Mercedes-Benz dealers on multiple occasions. During an April 2026 dealer visit, the dealer documented both the Blind Spot and Active Brake Assist warnings, stored communication fault codes involving the front radar sensor/DISTRONIC, a bent front radar sensor bracket, and a loose front grille. The problem later recurred, and the vehicle was returned to a Mercedes-Benz dealer on August 27, 2026. The vehicle remains at the dealership and is available for inspection. The dealer now states that the front radar/module mounting bracket is cracked and attributes the condition to outside impact. The vehicle has never been in an accident and there is no visible damage to the front emblem or exterior front of the vehicle. When asked how the dealer determined that an impact caused the bracket damage, the owner was told that the DTC report supported that conclusion, but the dealer declined to provide a copy of the report. During the same discussion, a Mercedes-Benz service consultant stated that the bracket is very flimsy and can crack from something as minor as leaning on the vehicle. This raises concern that the mounting bracket for a safety-related radar system may be unusually susceptible to damage during ordinary use. The recurring failures affect systems related to collision warning, automatic braking assistance, and blind spot detection. The vehicle and affected components remain with the Mercedes-Benz dealer and should be available for inspection.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VISIBILITY/WIPER — Filed 07/29/2026

The center console display (MBUX) on this 2023 EQS 450 4MATIC fails while the vehicle is in use. There is no warning lamp, chime or message first. Sometimes it flickers on and off; other times it goes fully blank and stays blank, unresponsive to touch. Owner video shows the display working and then completely blank 0.4 seconds later. When the screen is blank the rearview backup camera is unavailable. Selecting reverse produces no image at all. The rear camera image appears only on that center screen, so the failure removes the rear visibility required by FMVSS 111 and leaves the driver reversing with no camera view in parking garages, driveways and residential streets. An authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer has reproduced and confirmed the failure across five visits, from 7,916 miles in August 2025 to 20,789 miles in August 2026, with 28 days out of service. In May 2026 (RO 1410670) the dealer diagnosed fault B159211, a short circuit to ground on the data line between the head unit and the central display, removed the dashboard and replaced a harness. The technician reported that instead of removing the original short-circuited harness he cut off its connector ends, taped the exposed cables and left that harness inside the vehicle. The failure recurred ten weeks later and was recorded on video on 29 July 2026. On the most recent visit (RO 1418392, 26 August to 3 September 2026) the dealer wrote "tech confirmed customer concern," reviewed the video, and recorded fault B162997: the data line between the reversing camera and the head unit has a malfunction. The entire central display was replaced. The defect has survived a software reflash, a harness replacement and a display replacement. This vehicle was previously repurchased by the manufacturer under California lemon law for a defective rearview camera and was certified in writing as fully repaired before resale. The vehicle, the video and all repair orders are available for inspection on request.

STRUCTURE,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 08/30/2026

I would like to report 3 issues. One, happened yesterday, XXX. Driving on [XXX], in clear weather, no obstacles, no vehicles around, the vehicle engaged emergency breaking and pulled seatbelts as if there was an imminent crash. Second issue, the carpet behind rear doors is separating on both sides, preventing the rear doors from closing normally and it is catching the seatbelt prong. Third issue, the handles retract when children are trying to open the doors, catching their fingers while retracting and causing minor injuries. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 04/24/2026

The electric refrigerant compressor on my 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 4MATIC SUV failed without warning. On this vehicle, the compressor is a dual-function safety-critical component: it provides cabin air conditioning and, more importantly, active cooling for the high-voltage lithium-ion battery pack. I am filing this complaint because a single-point failure in a component responsible for high-voltage battery cooling should not occur on a vehicle of this age and mileage, and because owners receive inadequate warning of the safety consequences when it does. I request that NHTSA investigate the failure rate of the electric refrigerant compressor on 2022–2024 EQS-platform vehicles and evaluate whether the battery thermal management design provides adequate redundancy and driver warning The vehicle was taken to an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer, which confirmed the refrigerant compressor failure and replacing the compressor under warranty. Parts are backordered per Mercedes. The vehicle has been off the road for 28 days The dealer did indicate awareness of similar failures on other EQS vehicles.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER,LANE DEPARTURE — Filed 06/18/2026

There are several issue with the 2024 Mercedes EQS. I had the car have a full system failure and stop in the middle of the road with no warning. It could not even be towed. Apparently coolant was leaking without any warning. This caused a complete system failure- car wouldn't power on, couldn't be towed, couldn't be pushed to a safe location- nothing. The next most concerning issue is car automatically locks itself within seconds and with the key inside and with a passenger inside. My baby was trapped in the car. I came out of the driver seat and the key was in my purse. This could've resulted in a fatal incident. I live in [XXX] where we have a lot of heat. What if my key and phone were both in the car and my daughter was trapped. The car has locked automatically with key still in the car on multiple occasions. The car shuts off on its own within 2 minutes while passengers are inside. Again, as a parent this is deeply concerning and can lead to a fatal incident and overheating The lane correction is extremely harsh and many times wrong pulling the car in the wrong direction and with a lot of force INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES — Filed 06/03/2026

The contact owns a 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS AMG 4MATIC. The contact stated that while driving at a slow speed, the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. While exiting the vehicle, the vehicle shut off. The vehicle automatically locked after closing the door. The contact's child became locked inside the vehicle on several occasions. The contact's husband was able to unlock the doors with his phone. The contact had previously been stranded for three hours. The vehicle was towed on a flatbed to the local dealer, and a software check was performed. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the coolant level was low. The contact was informed that the anti-theft system was working as designed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 47,000.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 02/01/2024

Odometer Fraud. The contact leased a 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450 X4. The vehicle was a dealer sale. After returning the lease vehicle to the dealer, he was informed the odometer closure was not available during the drop-off and it would be emailed. The contact stated that the vehicle was returned with the mileage at 17,000. The inspection report also indicated that the odometer reading was 17,000. The contact received a bill that indicated that the mileage was 7,000. The finance office was contacted, and they informed him to return to the dealer. The dealer indicated that the discrepancy was not his problem. The police were contacted, and a report was filed.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 04/07/2026

While making a left turn at low speed, I applied the brakes, but the vehicle did not respond as expected and instead appeared to drift, surge, or accelerate forward. The vehicle struck a fire hydrant and a bus stop pole before crashing into a tree. Airbags deployed and both occupants sustained injuries. I suspect a possible malfunction involving braking, propulsion, electrical, or speed control systems. No final cause has been determined. The vehicle should still be available for inspection. Mercedes-Benz USA has opened a case regarding this incident.

POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 01/15/2026

I am reporting a serious safety issue with my 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV. On multiple occasions, the vehicle has suddenly lost power and completely stopped while driving on the freeway without warning. During these incidents, a red warning symbol appeared on the dashboard (a red turtle icon), indicating a critical malfunction. These failures created extremely dangerous situations, as the vehicle lost the ability to maintain normal driving speed in active freeway traffic. At the time of these incidents, my three children were in the vehicle, which significantly increased the risk of a serious accident. This issue has occurred multiple times, suggesting a serious and recurring defect. The sudden loss of power combined with dashboard warning signals presents a major safety hazard and could lead to severe injury or fatal accidents. I no longer feel safe operating this vehicle and request that this issue be investigated as a potential safety defect.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 03/21/2026

Several times, the car's "panic braking" has randomly slammed the brakes and tightened the seat belt. After the first few times, I took it to Mercedes and they re-uploaded software which was hard for them for some reason. It fixed the problem. Luckily, I had always been on small streets. But today, the panic braking happened again, only this time, I was on a major road (4 lanes at 35 mph) and, with nothing around me, no cars in front of me, the panic braking and seatbelt tightening happened so violently that I was thrust forward with enough force to hurt my hip. Nothing severe no doctors needed. I will take it back into Mercedes for another review but what if there had been someone behind me or I hadn't been wearing my seat belt. I would have been hit hard or gone through the windshield. (I was wearing my seatbelt and always do). This has happened at least 5 times since I've owned it.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 02/09/2024

The contact leases a 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS450. While driving at 35 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly stopped with no other vehicle or object nearby. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions; however, the cause of the failure could not be determined. The contact was informed that it was a common failure and that other vehicle owners had sustained injuries due to the failure. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving 10-15 MPH and approaching a red traffic light, the failure recurred, almost causing the vehicle to be rear-ended. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 8,000.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE,VISIBILITY/WIPER — Filed 01/19/2026

On the date of purchase, while driving approximately 50 mph, the vehicle’s hood opened unexpectedly, obstructing my visibility and causing the vehicle to leave the roadway and enter a ditch. State Police responded, and the vehicle was towed immediately. This incident presents a serious safety defect. The is vehicle is certified by Mercedes Benz and purchased from Mercedes Benz Dealer.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,WHEELS,SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 12/15/2025

My Mercedes EQS SUV has experienced repeated safety-related defects. The brakes have intermittently locked up while driving, creating a serious safety concern. The vehicle also vibrates at highway speeds on the freeway. These issues have occurred on two separate occasions. Despite multiple service visits, the dealership has been unable to diagnose or repair the problems. During the first incident, they reset the software. During the most recent incident, multiple software error warnings appeared simultaneously, indicating system malfunctions (see images for documentation). The vehicle has now been at the Mercedes service center for over two weeks, with required parts on backorder from Mercedes and no estimated repair timeline provided.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 01/03/2026

during car drive on freeway 202 from Queen Creek to Scottsdale in Arizona on 01/03/2026, estimate speed 65 mph, my sunroof was blowup and totally broken on many small glasses w/out any reasons.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 12/26/2025

The vehicle throws a “charging fault” error when I try to charge my vehicle with a high speed charger. I tried two different chargers and two different locations with the same result. The safety risk is a faulty high voltage battery system. I have not taken it to the dealer yet. This just happened today. My understanding is that this is a fairly widespread issue and MB is denying all warranty claims and blaming the charging station. The only warning is the “charging fault” message on the dash display.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 12/01/2025

This afternoon, while I was driving on freeway at a normal speed (75 miles/hour) with an ample distance (30 feet) from the car in front of me , I suddenly felt a huge impact. It was so violent that I immediately thought my car was hit by the car behind me. I stopped the car on freeway and called 911. But from the back mirror, I did not see any damage on the car behind me. I got out to inspect my car but did not see any collision damage. According to my online search, this model - Mercedes-Benz EQS - has a frequently reported issue of "Phantom Braking" from the Forward Collision Avoidance System. It was very startling and dangerous experience for me. Now 5 hours later I still feel the pain in my neck and back from the impact. Please address this issue to save lives.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 10/28/2025

My name is [XXX] , While driving around 60 mph on the hwy the vehicle suddently hit the brake coming to a complete stop, with no cars in close proximity fearing that vehicle behind would hit me i steped on the accelerator and was able to drive to safety with my [XXX] daughter and [XXX] classmate that was riding to scholl with us. vehicle was towed to the dealer(mercedes-benz of sannta Rosa CA) where they inspected it. no warning lamps INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 03/26/2025

The vehicle went to catch on fire and the electrical socket burnt so it could no longer charge. The airbag showed malfunction passenger side door. Multiple times the collision warning has malfunction and alerted there was a collision when none occurred.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING — Filed 03/02/2024

I am writing to formally document and express serious concern regarding a lighting issue with my Mercedes-Benz EQS, which presents a significant safety hazard for both me and my family. Since December 2024, I have been facing a recurring problem with a dark shadow or image that appears while driving, particularly noticeable after dark. This shadow often resembles the shape of a person and unexpectedly enlarges or shifts, creating an alarming visual that demands immediate attention while driving. On numerous occasions, I have instinctively applied the brakes suddenly, believing that someone was standing in front of the vehicle, only to realize it was a visual distortion. This is not only disturbing but also dangerous, especially when driving at higher speeds or in traffic. Due to this ongoing issue, I have been unable to use the vehicle for commuting to work and have avoided driving it during family outings after dark. It has affected my daily routine, my family’s comfort, and our overall trust in the vehicle's safety. In the past few months, I have visited multiple authorized Mercedes-Benz dealerships—including San Jose, Stevens Creek, and Fremont—all of which confirmed the presence of the shadow issue. I have also shared the concern with a Mercedes Product Manager, and the email correspondence is attached for reference. Despite their acknowledgment of the issue, all parties have stated that this visual distortion is "as per design" and that they are unable to offer a solution. I was further informed that this issue exists across all Mercedes-Benz EQS vehicles, and therefore, nothing can be done. This is unacceptable. A known design flaw that causes visual confusion and repeated panic braking should not be dismissed. The fact that multiple dealers acknowledge the problem but claim it cannot be fixed raises serious questions about product safety and accountability. Mercedez is not helping at all This is a clear safety defect and needs to be addressed seriously.

SERVICE BRAKES,BACK OVER PREVENTION,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 09/21/2024

Description of Incident: While attempting to reverse out of my driveway, I experienced a catastrophic and life-threatening malfunction with my vehicle. I was in reverse gear when the car came to an abrupt, extremely forceful stop, which caused the vehicle to jerk violently forward. This sudden and unprovoked halt put me and my passenger at risk of serious injury. My foot was on the brake the entire time. As the car stopped so unexpectedly, I shifted into Drive in an attempt to inch forward. However, despite my foot remaining firmly on the brake, the car accelerated at full power, without warning, and with no input from me to do so. The car then drove directly into the foundation of my house, causing significant damage. Despite applying constant pressure to the brake, the vehicle failed to stop or respond. This malfunction resulted in the destruction of my home’s foundation and caused bodily injury to both me and my passenger. This was a life-threatening event and could have resulted in severe harm or death to anyone nearby. The car’s acceleration while my foot was still on the brake indicates a severe safety risk and defect in the vehicle’s systems, which also places others at risk.

SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 05/12/2024

I was stopped at a stop sign and when the light turn green I pressed the accelerator to move forward unfortunately, the vehicle hard braked for no reason. At first, I thought someone hit me from behind since there was no one in front of me but that was not the case. The braking was so violent that it caused my neck to snap back and forth, which caused the back of my head to hit the seat head support. I was going no faster then 10 mph but not slower then 5mph. In turn, the vehicle is available for inspection. My safety was at risk because I had no control or indicator that the braking was going to automatically brake on its own. The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by the dealer or independent service center because the incident happened today (Sunday) therefore, I plan on making an appointment as soon as possible to see if they can identify any defects. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others since I plan on taking it to the Mercedes dealer where I purchased the vehicle. There were NO warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to failure.

STRUCTURE — Filed 02/20/2024

Please note that back in April 2023 my car was lawfully parked, and other SUV (Mercedes MB) was backing up and touch my front bumper. Because of that impact my front plastic grill got cracked and damaged front camera. The estimate to repair was almost $3000.00. I might assume it was a large impact, but yesterday during carwash when my car was not moving, car in front (another small SUV) suddenly rolled back and simple touched my front bumper. Because of that impact i got similar damage - front plastic grill is cracked and front camera is damaged. please note that other car didn't hit plastic grill as bumper is located further front. Its just of impact to front bumper to force front plastic to crack or poorly design of the components. I have both videos of impacts that i can provide upon request. I uploaded estimate from prior accident

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 06/11/2023

The automatic emergency braking failed.

SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 07/04/2023

I had a forward collision with 2 cars. My brake has been failed and forward collision warning system failed. I leased the car because of the safety features but I am really disappointed. Since I had my kids in the car with me. It was a really horrible experience and I can't drive the car anymore because of the safety issues.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 01/08/2023

At approximately 10:30 p.m. on January 8, 2023 I, and three passengers (my wife, and another couple), were completing a one hour drive returning from an event in southern California. We traveled on the freeways as we headed home. The speeds on those freeways average between 65 and 75 miles per hour with the flow of traffic. I exited the freeway and pulled up to a traffic light. I made a right turn at the light, then traveled up the road. The weather was clear and dry, and there were no cars either behind, in front of, or beside me as I drove up a cleanly paved and level road at a speed of approximately 35 – 40 MPH. During the drive up the road, the car inexplicably and suddenly stopped, hard, as though I had run into a dense hill of sand. It was a violent and sudden jolting stop, and all four passengers’ seatbelts activated, firmly tightening and restraining us in our seats. My wife’s head whipped back and forth, resulting in an enduring headache for her through the rest of the evening. No one knew what had happened, or why, as there was absolutely no obstruction in the road and no traffic around us. We pulled over and inspected the car and it was in pristine perfect condition with no evidence of any contact of any kind. We looked in the road and it was clear, paved and level. No animals; no objects; no obstruction. When I arrived home I searched online to determine if this had ever before been reported, and it turned up several “hits,” apparently filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) on this very issue, apparently involving both the 2021 and 2022 EQS. My model year is 2023. The discussions I have read point to a possible defect in the Autonomous Emergency Braking System (EBS). It might be the car is sensing something that is not there, and reacting as though it were. At 70 MPH on a freeway, this could be fatal, should the EBS activate suddenly, with no cause to do so, with an ensuing rear-end collision. PLEASE ADDRESS THIS.