TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE - CERTAIN HIGH END GL MODEL HAVE OPTIONAL EASY THIRD ROW ENTRY. THE SECOND ROW IN SUCH MODELS FOLDS WITH A TOUCH OF A BUTTON. HOWEVER WHEN FULLY DEPLOYED - THE SECOND ROW SEAT'S HEAD REST IN SUCH MODELS PREVENT PROPER INSTALLATION OF KID'S CARSEAT ' SUCH THAT THE UPPER PART OF THE CARSEAT IS PROJECTED FORWARD. I AM 6 FEET AND CAN EASILY PUT THE WHOLE OF MY FORARM BEHIND MY KID'S CARSEAT AFTER INSTALLATION. THE RESULT IS ' A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE FORWARD POSITIONING OF THE KID'S CARSEAT. MY KID HAS REPORTED NECK SPRAIN MULTIPLE TIMES. THE ISSUE DOES NOT RESOLVE WITH USING A BOOSTER ONLY (WITHOUT BACKREST) OR WITH CAR'S HEADREST NOT DEPLOYED ' AS IN ALL SITUATIONS THE CAR'S HEAD REST STILL PUSHES MY KID'S HEAD FORWARD. I BELIEVE THAT IT'S A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE AS WELL. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN WIDELY REPORTED ONLINE. I GUESS MERCEDES TOOK NOTE OF IT AND AS PER THE LOCAL DEALER - THEY HAVE FIXED IT IN THE NEWER MODELS (2016 ONWARDS). IN ORDER TO FIX MINE - MY FIRST PLAN WAS TO REMOVE THE SECOND ROW HEADREST (THE ONE ON WHICH I INSTALL MY KID'S CARSEAT). DEALER TOLD ME THAT IT'S NOT POSSIBLE - AND INSTEAD RECOMMENDED A RETROFIT. QUOTE WAS $1300. GIVEN THAT IT'S PRIMARILY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT I CALLED MERCEDES USA - THEY REPLIED PROMPTLY. BASICALLY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE AND OFFERED ME $350 IN SERVICE CREDIT, BUT EXPECTED ME TO SHELL OUT THE REMAINING $ 950 OUT OF MY POCKET. WHEN I TOLD THEM THAT IT'S UNFAIR TO DO SO ' AS IT'S PRIMARILY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT ' THE AGENT BASICALLY TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD INSTEAD BE HAPPY THAT THERE'S A REMEDY AVAILABLE AND THAT ALSO AT MY LOCAL MERCEDES DEALER. HE TRIED TO USE MY CURRENT MILEAGE (62K) AS A JUSTIFICATION FOR NOT PICKING UP THE COST - EVEN THOUGH THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MILEAGE AND MY VEHICLE HAS AN UNLIMITED MILEAGE WARRANTY UNTIL 08/2020.
NHTSA ODI 11045127