What 66 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Mercedes-benz E-class

On August 12, 2023, my husband pulled into the E43 into the garage with my two kids. When my son got out of the car, he noticed smoke coming out of the front of the car and notified my husband. He popped the hood and tried to put it out with the fire extinguisher but the smoke got overwhelming and he called 911. Fire department came and put out the fire. After the incident we did a search to see if there was a recall we missed but we only found an article published by Mercedes in December 2021 acknowledging their cars may catch on fire but no recall was done.

NHTSA ODI 11548118

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 MERCEDES BENZ E400. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THEY WERE SMELLING A BURNING ODOR EMITTING FROM THE ENGINE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE AUTOMATIC DRIVING WAS ACTIVATED THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE TO HIGHER SPEEDS. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PRESS THE VEHICLES BRAKES OBSESSIVELY. THE VEHICLE'S SIDE VIEW MIRRORS ALSO FAILED TO ROTATE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN A FAMILY MEMBER WAS OBSERVING THE VEHICLE THEY FOUND THE ENGINE TO HAVE BEEN DAMAGED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER (MERCEDES-BENZ OF COCONUT CREEK 4250 FL-7, COCONUT CREEK, FL 3307; (954) 406-1167) WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S BATTERY HAD MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND OPENED A CASE REGARDING THE MATTER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE 21,000.

NHTSA ODI 11407108

I WAS DRIVING IN THE FLORIDA TURNPIKE TRAVELING FROM MIAMI I STOPPED AT A SERVICE STATION TO GO TO THE RESTROOM AND WHEN I CAME BACK MY CAR HAD A FIRE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. I HAD TO GET THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER FROM THE GAS STATION, OPENED THE HOOD AND PUT DOWN THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND THE ENGINE WAS NOT RUNNING. MY CONCERN WAS NOT JUST MY SAFETY BUT THE FACT THAT I WAS SO CLOSE TO THE GAS STATION. THERE WAS 0 WARNING AND NO ERRATIC BEHAVIOUR FROM THE CAR BEFORE THIS.

NHTSA ODI 11164363