What 39 owners told NHTSA about the 2023 Mercedes-benz Eqe SUV

I am filing a safety complaint regarding my 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE 350+, which has repeatedly shut down while driving, causing loss of power and reduced braking assistance. This defect has occurred at least five (5) times since I leased the vehicle and has not been corrected despite multiple repair attempts by Mercedes-Benz dealerships. The most serious incident occurred on December 30, 2025, when the vehicle shut down while I was actively driving. The dashboard displayed multiple warning messages including “Towing not permitted – see operator’s manual – malfunction.” As the vehicle powered down, braking assistance was reduced. I narrowly avoided colliding with the vehicle in front of me, and the vehicle behind me nearly struck my car. This was not an isolated incident. Similar shutdowns and malfunctions occurred on: •November 12, 2025 •March 27, 2024 •January 20, 2024 •November 28, 2023 (initial error documented while the vehicle was already being serviced at a Mercedes-Benz dealership) Each time, the vehicle was taken to an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealership. Service records repeatedly state the issue was “fixed” or that “no fault codes were found.” Despite these assurances, the defect continues to occur. I have video evidence of the malfunctions and multiple repair orders documenting repeated unsuccessful repair attempts. The dealership did not offer towing, and I was forced to wait hours or days for the vehicle to regain functionality before driving it to the dealership, which itself posed a safety risk. This vehicle is unsafe to operate. A vehicle that shuts down while driving with loss of braking assistance presents a serious risk of injury or death. Mercedes-Benz has been unable or unwilling to correct this safety defect.

NHTSA ODI 11709572

My Mercedes-Benz EQE has an intermittent but dangerous brake failure. When braking lightly and then needing to brake harder, the brake pedal becomes soft and fades, sinking further with almost no increase in braking power. The vehicle continues moving forward even when pressing the pedal harder. I must quickly release the pedal and press it again to regain braking. This creates a serious risk of crashing, especially at low speeds or in traffic. The issue is happening more frequently. Mercedes-Benz of Encino told me “everything is good,” but the issue continues. Another dealership (Mercedes Keys European) refused to even inspect the vehicle. A loaner EQE I drove for several days did NOT have this issue, confirming my vehicle’s braking system is not normal. This is a major safety defect, and I am requesting NHTSA to investigate.

NHTSA ODI 11701695

I was in bumper-to-bumper traffic traveling West on Interstate 376 in Pittsburgh, PA. The weather was clear and cool, and the pavement where I was driving was dry. I was proceeding through the Fort Pitt tunnel outbound. Given that traffic was stop and go and moving very slowly, I switched my recouperation setting from “normal” to “strong” to enable one-pedal driving using the paddles on the sides of the steering wheel. Immediately after doing so, traffic was inching forward just West of the Fort Pitt tunnel, starting up Greentree Hill. I saw the truck in front of me starting to move forward so I took my foot off my brake (up to that point it had functioned correctly) and the car started moving forward slowly. When the brake lights of the truck in front of me illuminated, I placed my foot on my brake. The brake pedal depressed but the car brakes did not function. I immediately noted that the brakes had not functioned and as a result I pressed harder with my foot on the brake pedal. Nothing happened–the brakes did not function. I then used both feet and pressed as hard as I could against the brake pedal. Again, nothing happened–the brakes did not function. I continued to press as hard as I could with two feet as the car proceeded forward into the back bumper of the truck in front of me. The collision occurred at approximately two miles per hour and the damage to my car was mainly caused by the rear hitch on the truck, which went into my front bumper. Mercedes-Benz USA has inspected the car and stated it did not malfunction, but they did not perform any tests in a manner to recreate the settings of the car that were in place at the time of the incident. The car is currently in their control and that of my dealer. No warning lamps or other symptoms of the problem appeared prior to or during this incident.

NHTSA ODI 11671437

It happen 4 times during normal driving on local roads on nice weather and no car infront . My car just stop violently and make a lound noise as if it hit something .It happen very quick and became normal as if nothing wrong .Reported and brought car to dealer after a week there not found any defects.The 5th times happen when car pull out from driveway with no car around. I belived this a saferty hazard because if it happen during driving on hiway i could get hit from behide for sudden stop.

NHTSA ODI 11664231

September 8th, 2024 @ approximately 3pm My Mercedes EQE 350+ accelerated to a high speed when the front tire touched a curb. The car ran over the curb and into the parking lot. I was able to steer the car but the brakes didn't work. The car kept going through a stop sign and into the intersection. Luckily there were no cars in the intersection and I finally thought to turn the car off. It then stopped. The whole rubber covering over the battery was destroyed from the rocks on the curb. The battery was severely damaged also. The car was at the dealership from Friday Sept 13th until around Oct 9th. They finished their testing and sent the info to corporate Mercedes on Wed Sept. 18th. I finally heard back from Mercedes corporate on Oct 3rd, 2024. They said that they didn't find any malfunctions. During this waiting period I was pressured by the Mercedes dealership to file an Insurance Claim. I said I wasn't filing a claim until I heard back from Mercedes Corporate. There have been several cases online where the same issue has occurred by other Mercedes owners. One was almost exactly the same as mine. The only difference was that the car stopped when the tires were flattened. I have been driving for 50 years and have never experienced anything like this. My nephew was in the car with me and I repeatedly said to him the brakes aren't working. The car was a write off. I had to file an insurance claim.

NHTSA ODI 11619675

On [XXX], my wife was driving to a local business here in Las Vegas, NV. Upon her arrival she proceeded to pull into a parking spot she slowed down to pull into the parking spot keeping her foot on the brake at all times when she reached the parking block she firmly pressed the brake to place the vehicle in park. While her foot is still on the brake the vehicle took off at a high rate of speed causing the vehicle to jump the parking block onto the sidewalk where pedestrians walk. The car continued accelerating while her foot was on the brake burning rubber on the sidewalk and the high acceleration caused her to hit the wall of the building. The car came to a stop after hitting the wall, no airbag deployed no warning lights came on the dash went totally out and the seatbelt did not work properly it did not keep her restrained to the seat on impact. Due to the malfunction of the vehicle and its safety equipment my Wife has suffered a concussion, bruising to her chest and breast area as well as strain to her hips. Not to mention the mental trauma she will suffer from for the rest of her life. No inspection has been done as of yet and truthfully I don't think they're too eager to do one and even when they do is it going to be fair and true or down played to protect themselves and their pockets. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11579404

On [XXX] my wife was driving to a place of business here in Las Vegas, NV at approximately [XXX]. She proceeded to pull into a parking spot with her foot on the brake pulling up to the parking block. She never took her foot off the brake preparing to stop once she reached the parking block. Once she reached the parking block she applied the brakes firmly to bring the car to a stop, however, the car took off at a high rate of speed. The car then jumped over the parking block onto the sidewalk my wife continued to apply the brakes but they did not work the car tires kept spinning and eventually caused her to hit the wall of the building. At the time of the incident no warning lights came on the dash because everything went blank, no airbag deployed, no messages came on the car nor did it send any messages to me alerting me that my vehicle was involved in a accident. Due to this vehicle malfunctioning my wife has suffered a concussion, bruises to her breast and chest area and she also has a strain to her hips due to the seat belt malfunction. The seatbelt did not work properly it did not keep her restrained to the seat as designed. The building was of course damaged as a result of this vehicle malfunction. My wife unfortunately has suffered mental and bodily issues she has been traumatized due to this vehicle malfunction she has voiced over and over how this experience has affected her she also has repeatedly stated how this event took place and how it now makes her not ever want to ride in this car or any other electric car ever again. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11579164

THIS IS A SUDDEN ACCELATION INCIDENT in reverse with a brake incident. On January 11, 2024 shortly after 12:00 p.m., I was leaving my home and reversing out of my garage. As the tail of the car went slightly beyond the garage door, it stopped abruptly as if detecting something in the path of the car behind it. As I was looking at the rear camera to see why it stopped and what was in the path and contemplating whether I should get out and go see in person (as I did not clearly see anything in the rear camera) the car started moving again at what felt like a high-speed, backwards as I was still in reverse. I tried to brake but the brakes did not work. So, I started turning so as not to go directly into the home of the neighbor across the street. I turned sharply enough that the car went diagonally into my next-door neighbor's yard to the left of our home. The car continued to move in reverse and I kept steering to avoid the car hitting my neighbor's home. The car hit and knocked over the neighbor's in-ground basketball on the opposite side of the driveway. I believe the car slowed a bit after that impact but kept going in reverse heading back into the street in front of my home. Still steering and hitting the brakes, I remember the car spinning in the street and then had somewhat of an elliptical pattern and was headed back across the yard to my same neighbors home but hit the parkway tree in front of my home and stopped with that impact. Believe electrical failure. Brakes didn't work. Airbag did not deploy. Many sudden acceleration cases end in injury and death. Thankful no children out since middle of day. MBUSA (only) is investigating. Attempted independent review but told that unable because of proprietary software. 5 weeks in and no response to investigation status.

NHTSA ODI 11572481

This vehicle is extremely unsafe to drive and will cause an accident. I am constantly having to fight the steering as the car constantly fights the direction I wish to turn or maneuver. In addition several times I tried to break to slow the vehicle and the brakes did not allow me to engage them. I have been driving since 1980s. If something is not done to get this vehicle off the road quickly someone will get hurt.

NHTSA ODI 11552764

SAFTE CONCERNS: 1. Vehicle has sever severe pulsing/shaking/jerking behavior in motion. So far I have encountered this problem when the vehicle was under 20 mph; 2. Vehicle lightly pulsing/vibrating when braking and does not stop smoothly; 3. Stepping on the gas pedal for 100% acceleration, the vehicle only went up to 30~40% power. BACKGROUND: I purchased this vehicle (with 25miles shown) on 4/21 evening around 9 pm PDT. Saturday 4/22 evening, the first time I took the car out for a drive, I experienced the concern 1 and 2 as stated above then I took it back to the dealership on 4/23 morning. I have recorded videos when vehicle was shaking. I will follow up with video attachments in email. The dealership diagnosed the car and did verify the strange behavior, but said all problems were fixed by the real axel steering software update from 4/24 to 4/25. Please find attached the service report. I then drove the car back with 91 miles shown on the vehicle 4/25 evening. However, 4/25 night, when the vehicle was reaching around 110 mile total mileage, I encountered the same issues again, along with a new one as described in concern 3 above. Through out the whole process, the vehicle was never over 40 mph, so no one got hurt or no accidents happened while the vehicle lost control. However, the issue was random and happened in my drive way, at traffic lights and as vehicle is turning on the roads, these strange behavior could not only risk passengers in the car but also put surrounding vehicles and traffic into risks. The vehicle only throw two error messages ONCE on 4/23 morning: 1) rare steering malfunction 2)auto brake system malfunction.

NHTSA ODI 11519132