What 21 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Mercedes-benz B-class E-cell

THIS IS AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE. IN NORMAL OPERATION, WHEN THE CAR IS SLOWING, AND ALMOST AT A STOP, IT COMES OUT OF REGENERATIVE BRAKING MODE, AND ENTERS THRUST MODE, SO THAT IF THE BRAKE IS RELEASED WHEN STOPPED, THE CAR WILL BEGIN TO ROLL. IN THIS VEHICLE, SOMETIMES THE CAR EXITS REGENERATIVE BRAKING MODE AND ENTERS THRUST MODE WHEN SLOWING AT HIGH SPEED, SUCH AS WHEN EXITING A HIGHWAY RAMP. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, AS BRAKING IS MOMENTARILY AND UNEXPECTEDLY LOST WHEN IT IS NEEDED MOST. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND ANY ISSUES OR FAULT CODES. AS THE ISSUE IS INTERMITTENT, I AM STUCK. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11324238

THIS IS AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE. WHEN SLOWING DOWN THE PADDLE SHIFTERS CAN BE USED TO PUT THE CAR IN 'D-' MODE, FOR MORE AGGRESSIVE ENGINE BRAKING. THIS INCREASES THE RATE OF DECL WITHOUT USING THE MECHANICAL BRAKES. THIS HAS WORKED WELL FOR FOUR YEARS AND 65,000 MILES. TODAY THERE WAS A 'ONE TIME' MALFUNCTION. I DID THE USUAL 'D-' 'DOWN SHIFT' TO SLOWDOWN FROM 30 MPH, IN TRAFFIC, FOR RED LIGHT. THE CAR DID NOT AGGRESSIVELY SLOW DOWN AND I APPLIED THE BRAKES. I NOTICED THE CAR NEED EXCESSIVE BREAK PEDAL PRESSURE TO MAKE WHAT SHOULD BE A NORMAL STOP. I GLANCED DOWN AT THE POWER METER AND IT IS INDICATING POWER IS STILL BEING APPLIED TO THE MOTOR. THE INDICATOR WAS HALF WAY TO THE FIRST TIC AND DROPPING AS I SLOW DOWN. THIS IS ABOUT 25 AMPS POWERING THE MOTOR, NOT RECHARGING THE BATTERY. THIS AGGRESSIVE BRAKING INCIDENT IS NOT RELATED TO COLD THE WEATHER BATTERY PROTECTION MODE WHERE ENGINE BREAKING IS DISABLED UNTIL THE BATTERY REACHES MINIMUM OPERATING TEMPERATURE. THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE WAS 40F. TO RECAP, WHILE APPLYING THE MECHANICAL BRAKES, THE ELECTRIC MOTOR WAS STILL PRODUCING POWER AS INDICATED BY THE AMMETER, STOPPING THE CAR REQUIRED MORE THAN THE USUAL AMOUNT OF BRAKE PRESSURE.

NHTSA ODI 11182457

BEGINNING AT ABOUT 4500 MILES WE BROUGHT THE CAR IN TO THE SHOP AFTER COMING TO A STOP; WE CALL IT THE 'CLOMP!' IT WILL UNEXPECTEDLY ROCK FORWARD CREATING A VERY UNSAFE FEELING. THEN THE FOLLOWING MONTH, THE 'CLOMPING' PRESENTED ITSELF AGAIN SO MY WIFE RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO DEMONSTRATE. A FEW WEEKS LATER, THE CAR BEGAN MAKING A LOUD TURBINE NOISE, AND THE ROCKING FORWARD AFTER COMING TO A STOP RE-PRESENTED ITSELF AGAIN SO WE RETURNED THE CAR TO SERVICE. THEN THE FOLLOWING MONTH THE CAR CONTINUED TO RANDOMLY LUNGE FORWARD AFTER COMING TO A STOP, MY WIFE CALLED THE SERVICE CENTER AND THEY PICKED IT UP AND PROVIDED HER WITH A LOANER WHICH WE'VE BEEN DRIVING EVER SINCE (JUNE 15TH). AT THIS POINT WE HAVE LOST ALL FAITH IN THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE AND HAVE REQUESTED A FULL REFUND. I WAS REFERRED TO MBUSA, BUT THEY HAD ME ON HOLD FOR OVER 30 MINUTES BEFORE I HAD TO HANG UP. I THEN INSISTED THAT THE DEALERSHIP INITIATE A REFUND WITH MB USA. WE WERE TOLD THAT IT WOULD TAKE 3-4 WEEKS TO HEAR A REPLY, HOWEVER SURPRISINGLY WITHIN JUST ONE WEEK WE RECEIVED A DISAPPOINTING NOTICE FROM MBUSA THAT OUR REQUEST WAS REJECTED. AFTER NOT HEARING ANY FURTHER RESPONSE FOR AWHILE, ON SATURDAY THE 5TH OF SEPT MY WIFE AND I RETURNED TO MB ESCONDIDO TO TRY TO GET SOME ANSWERS, AND HOPED TO AT LEAST UNCOVER ANY OPTIONS THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE SETTLED DIRECTLY THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP. MY WIFE AND I AGREED TO TAKE THE CAR ON A TEST DRIVE WITH A SERVICE TECHNICIAN TO SEE IF THE PROBLEMS WERE ACTUALLY RESOLVED, AND DURING THE TEST DRIVE CONFIRMED THAT THEY HADN'T. DURING THE DRIVE WE EFFECTIVELY RECREATED THE 'TRANSMISSION CLOMPING' AND RANDOM LUNGE FORWARD AFTER COMING TO A STOP AND THEN RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP WITH THE CAR MAKING A OVERLY LOUD FAN NOISE, SIMILAR TO THE LOUD TURBINE NOISE PREVIOUSLY HEARD BEFORE HAVING THE COMPRESSOR REPLACED. I HAVE A VIDEO I CAN EMAIL

NHTSA ODI 10778580