VEHICLE BATTERY WARNING LIGHT CAME ON INSTRUCTING TO STOP DRIVING VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY. LIKE SO MANY OTHER OWNERS WHO HAVE FILED COMPLAINTS, MERCEDES DEALER-MECHANIC SAID THAT COOLANT HAD GOTTEN INTO BATTERY AND DRIVE UNIT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. ESTIMATED COST $12,000 - RENDERING CAR TOTALLED. INDEPENDENT EV SPECIALIST HAS PRESSURE TESTED COOLING SYSTEM AND FINDS NO LEAKS. FORTUNATELY, I WAS IN A SAFE PLACE AT THE TIME I NEEDED TO STOP THE CAR. IF I HAD BEEN OUT ON THE FREEWAY DURING HEAVY TRAFFIC OR AT NIGHT, THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN UNSAFE. IF THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH THE COOLANT AND DRIVE UNIT, IT LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT PROBLEM COULD LEAD TO FIRE, IF NOT POTENTIAL CRASH IF DRIVER LOSES POWER IN CONGESTED TRAFFIC AT HIGH SPEED. AS AN ALL ELECTRIC CAR, BRAKES AND TRANSMISSION RELY ON POWER TO SAFELY BRING CAR TO A STOP.
NHTSA ODI 11281161