What 66 owners told NHTSA about the 2023 Mercedes-benz Eqs SUV 580 4matic

The contact owns a 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450. The contact stated that while attempting to charge the vehicle, the contact became aware that the vehicle failed to begin charging as expected. After a visual inspection, the contact observed that the charging port appeared to be damaged, showing signs consistent with electrical burns. The messages "Charging station fault" and "Limited availability" were displayed. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V372000 (Electrical System); but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 16,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ODI 11651117

I am writing to formally document and express serious concern regarding a lighting issue with my Mercedes-Benz EQS, which presents a significant safety hazard for both me and my family. Since December 2024, I have been facing a recurring problem with a dark shadow or image that appears while driving, particularly noticeable after dark. This shadow often resembles the shape of a person and unexpectedly enlarges or shifts, creating an alarming visual that demands immediate attention while driving. On numerous occasions, I have instinctively applied the brakes suddenly, believing that someone was standing in front of the vehicle, only to realize it was a visual distortion. This is not only disturbing but also dangerous, especially when driving at higher speeds or in traffic. Due to this ongoing issue, I have been unable to use the vehicle for commuting to work and have avoided driving it during family outings after dark. It has affected my daily routine, my family’s comfort, and our overall trust in the vehicle's safety. In the past few months, I have visited multiple authorized Mercedes-Benz dealerships—including San Jose, Stevens Creek, and Fremont—all of which confirmed the presence of the shadow issue. I have also shared the concern with a Mercedes Product Manager, and the email correspondence is attached for reference. Despite their acknowledgment of the issue, all parties have stated that this visual distortion is "as per design" and that they are unable to offer a solution. I was further informed that this issue exists across all Mercedes-Benz EQS vehicles, and therefore, nothing can be done. This is unacceptable. A known design flaw that causes visual confusion and repeated panic braking should not be dismissed. The fact that multiple dealers acknowledge the problem but claim it cannot be fixed raises serious questions about product safety and accountability. Mercedez is not helping at all This is a clear safety defect and needs to be addressed seriously.

NHTSA ODI 11649760

Two weeks ago, I returned back from work and later on in the evening was driving to go to grocery store when the car seemed to get pulled to one side and started shaking when driving around 40MPH. Not knowing what was going on, I turned back and slowly drove it back home. Next morning, I thought may be there is low tire pressure ( even though it was in range), I slowly drove to get air filled. After that coming home the car started pulling on the left side and shaking around 40MPH speed. So I slowly drove it back home with flashers on and then towed it to the dealership not knowing what was going with it. Car has only 6700 miles on it. Dealership looked at it and said that the left rear strut was broken and right rear strut is damaged. No other damage to the car. They think I might have drove over 'some object'. I have the same drive to work for 10 years, I drive about 2 to 3 times a week to work. There is no major trenches or big bumps on the road. Majority of drive is freeway driving of about 25 miles plus. This is brand new luxury vehicle, and I would know if I drove over some thing so big to cause such a major damage. At no point I drove over any thing major - otherwise I would not have thought of 'tire problem' initially. I am really shocked that driving for 40 years, I have never encountered such an issue. My concern is that the car is so smooth driving that it had such a major damage without driving over any large potholes etc. Not sure if other Mercedes EQS has had similar issues. Dealership states that this is not covered under warranty. I just want to make sure that there is no significant manufacturers defect in these parts to cause such a mjaor damage to the struts without any other damage to the underside of the car. I am glad that I did not get into any major accident but dealing with such breakage of car part is beyond my understanding of how such a thing can happen without one realizing that it had happened. Thank you for your attention

NHTSA ODI 11618816

2023 Mercedes EQS 450 Normal Recuperation driving around 40 mph suddenly the brakes were applied and seat belts engaged with no apparent reason or obstacle. It was for a second and released so no damage except the scare and jolt of the brake. The internet is full of discussions about this Phantom Braking with electric and non-electric vehicles of all brands. This is the first incident in the 3 months that we have owned this sedan and we will be taking it to the Mercedes dealership soon. This car is always giving warning lights and sounds with so many safety features.

NHTSA ODI 11616685

The contact owns a 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS450. The contact stated while driving over a bump in the roadway and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to immediately stop, causing the braking distance to become extended. The contact stated that the failure occasionally occurred while braking without driving over a bump in the roadway. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 1,000.

NHTSA ODI 11616387

- Emergency braking, Yes available. - It's a fatal issue. My family and I are at collision risk. - No they always say “Not duplicate the issue” -Inspected by the dealer. - the collision warning Sound went off. I was driving on the highway by speed 60 mph and no cars were behind me and the car in front of me was so far and suddenly the emergency brake sound went off and the car suddenly stopped with hard and terrified brake and all the seat belts had tightened up.

NHTSA ODI 11615719

Description of Incident: While attempting to reverse out of my driveway, I experienced a catastrophic and life-threatening malfunction with my vehicle. I was in reverse gear when the car came to an abrupt, extremely forceful stop, which caused the vehicle to jerk violently forward. This sudden and unprovoked halt put me and my passenger at risk of serious injury. My foot was on the brake the entire time. As the car stopped so unexpectedly, I shifted into Drive in an attempt to inch forward. However, despite my foot remaining firmly on the brake, the car accelerated at full power, without warning, and with no input from me to do so. The car then drove directly into the foundation of my house, causing significant damage. Despite applying constant pressure to the brake, the vehicle failed to stop or respond. This malfunction resulted in the destruction of my home’s foundation and caused bodily injury to both me and my passenger. This was a life-threatening event and could have resulted in severe harm or death to anyone nearby. The car’s acceleration while my foot was still on the brake indicates a severe safety risk and defect in the vehicle’s systems, which also places others at risk.

NHTSA ODI 11615797

So I've had to have 1 tire replaced already working on number 2. First one not sure what the problem was, but this tire is having problems holding air. It'll hold air for about 9 hours then the gauge on inside of car comes in saying low tire pressure.

NHTSA ODI 11615686

My 2023 EQS 580 randomly stops while driving. It has happened 5+ times while traveling at speeds between 10-25mph. My dealer here in Atlanta has replaced the front sensor which didn't resolve the issue. I am thankful that so far the vehicle has not stopped on city streets and not highways. There are no warnings just a hard stopped like other complaints state. I comtacted Mercedes support but they have not been helpful. The vehicle is back at the dealer..

NHTSA ODI 11612984

Mercedes Benz USA has been equipping their 2023 EQS580 4Matic Sedans with Summer tires. It makes the vehicle very unsafe while driving in Winters. These are the tires which are not supported by the tire manufactures on their websites, but only supported by Mercedes Benz USA on their website. I am trying to report this so that it can be looked into. This could be a reason for creating car crashes. There was no logical reasoning given to me on why this is the case. The tires given to me is not rated to be driven below 45 degrees Fahrenheit. How can a manufacturer expect for anyone to drive a vehicle, safely, with these stock tires.

NHTSA ODI 11611254

I now have experienced a third incident (within 30 days) where the audio and communications fail in my 2023 EQS580. This causes the car phone, radio, and other audio mediums to become inoperable. This has happened on three separate times during the month of June, and I placed the vehicle in service at the dealership each successive time; the vehicle was released on June 4th, June 10th, and July 3rd). Please see attached picture. Additionally, as I have conveyed to Mercedes-Benz (via the app and via email), as well as the service team at the Mercedes-Benz dealership/service center here in Honolulu, after the service department worked on the vehicle in early June, the app no longer functions as it did before being serviced. Specifically, I can no longer add charging pauses via the app. Whenever I attempt to add a charging pause during the app, the Mercedes Me app crashes and closes. I have deleted the app and reinstalled several times; to no avail. In addition to the dealership not being able to correct the problem, I have contacted Mercedes-Benz several times, to no avail. The "Customer Care Center" representatives merely send my call to the voicemail of the Customer Care Expert (James), and he has yet to return ANY of my calls. Ownership of this expensive car is now an exhausting headache, as it does not operate in the manner in which it was advertised

NHTSA ODI 11599950

Two weeks ago, we got warning messages about the Active Steering function being inoperative and the Active Emergency Stop function being unavailable. Additionally, the driver side rear tire has consistenly lost air pressure repeatedly since the car was purchased in the fall of 2023. The dealer examined the car and was unable to replicate any of the issues and returned the car to us without any repairs or modifications being done. Yesterday, we were driving on [XXX] going from Winter Park to Granby around 60 MPH. Suddenly, we heard something that sounded like a bomb - a large BOOM followed by the sound of shattering glass. We looked up and it appeared the sunroof had shattered. If the interior screen was not closed, we would have been rained on by glass. We got off at the next exit and saw that the glass on the roof was shattered and large pieces were missing. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11599183

Severe safety issue involving my 2023 Mercedes. On [XXX] around 2pm, I experienced a terrifying incident while driving northbound on [XXX]. At approximately 59 mph, with clear weather and no vehicles nearby, a loud blast suddenly erupted from my vehicle, a sound similar to a shotgun blast or fireworks. I was in shock and initially unsure of what had occurred, as there were no cars around me, and my vehicle continued to operate normally. I looked up to see that the sunroof glass had inexplicably exploded. The sunroof blind was closed, and all windows were shut during the incident. I had been driving for about 20 minutes when this occurred. Remarkably, there was no glass inside the car; around 90% of the sunroof glass simply vanished. Fortunately, the sunroof blind was closed, which likely prevented severe injury to me or potential passengers. There were no cracks, chips, or issues with the sunroof before this incident. I now sometimes experience aftershocks whenever I encounter a pothole or any sudden jolt while driving. Given the severity and randomness of this occurrence, I am gravely concerned about the potential risk this defect poses to other drivers and their passengers. -The sunroof glass is available for inspection upon request. -The sudden explosion of the sunroof put my safety at risk, as the loud noise and unexpected nature of the event caused significant shock. If the sunroof blind had been open, glass shards could have injured me or any passengers. - The vehicle has been inspected by the manufacturer; they are not willing to correct the issue. -There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure. The incident occurred without any prior indication or warning. I urge the NHTSA to investigate this matter promptly to ensure the safety of all motorists. Such an explosive failure of a vehicle component while driving is not only alarming but could have catastrophic INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11598076

Car stopped abruptly on a two lane highway and a flashing warning came up that said electrical failure. Car jerked to a stop. Had to be towed to the dealership. Very dangerous. A friend has the same car and it happened to him twice. The cars do not need to be on the road until absolutely corrected. Needs a recall.

NHTSA ODI 11592833

I was stopped at a stop sign and when the light turn green I pressed the accelerator to move forward unfortunately, the vehicle hard braked for no reason. At first, I thought someone hit me from behind since there was no one in front of me but that was not the case. The braking was so violent that it caused my neck to snap back and forth, which caused the back of my head to hit the seat head support. I was going no faster then 10 mph but not slower then 5mph. In turn, the vehicle is available for inspection. My safety was at risk because I had no control or indicator that the braking was going to automatically brake on its own. The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by the dealer or independent service center because the incident happened today (Sunday) therefore, I plan on making an appointment as soon as possible to see if they can identify any defects. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others since I plan on taking it to the Mercedes dealer where I purchased the vehicle. There were NO warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to failure.

NHTSA ODI 11588360

The vehicle pre collision automatically stops the car completely five times with no car or any objects in the front. I took the car to Mercedes dealership to see if they can find the issues, but they can’t. On 04/07/2024 I had my wife record while I’m driving and we got video of the car just completely hard breaking on its own with no cars in the front. I am worry that another vehicle will rear end me at higher speed when it does happen again.

NHTSA ODI 11581634

Just over two months owning the vehicle (bought [XXX]) I was driving on a smaller highway at roughly 35 mph when the car suddenly came to a stop. There were no obstacles front or behind or the sides. It threw me forward. I was aching and in shock, but needed to get out of the left lane so I pushed the gas pedal and the car moved so I could pull into the left turn lane. I did not know what happened. I did not see any lights on the dash. I was not sure what to do but knew I needed to get off this busy road and the Mercedes dealership was just up the road. I carefully drove to the dealership and explained in detail what happened. The Mercedes dealership told me they got a whole new program for the car sent from Germany and they wiped the previous program and put a new one on my car and that the problem was resolved. On [XXX] as I was driving down the road the same incident happened again. It threw me forward and this time I saw a little red triangle on the dashboard that was only there for a second. There were no obstacles in the road or to my front rear or sides. I sat stunned and shaking and thankful that I wasn’t rear-ended. I again contacted Mercedes and told them that now I am too frightened to ever drive this car again. They told me there was nothing found wrong and to come get i- It is safe enough to drive again. If I had been on the highway at the time, I certainly would have been in a horrific accident, possibly resulting in death. I checked to see if there were previous reports of this to NTSB and there were. I contacted Mercedes USA and they did an investigation and deemed that my car does not qualify for replacement. I didn’t have three strikes to qualify for the lemon law even though it is a life or death situation. They drove the car back to me today. I do not feel safe in that car and never will again. I believe it should be recalled. This is not only an EV issue as my sales rep had a C class ‘23 and it happened to him. Please stop a death. Recall! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11580937

SEE UPLOADED FILE SENT TO MERCEDES-BENZ. INCLUDES DESCRIPTION OF INCIDENT

NHTSA ODI 11579341

When operating the vehicle, the MBUX system will switch the User Profile without warning. When doing this it will reposition the driver seat for the new profile which causing interruption to the driver operating the vehicle. During the unexpected change the driver seat and the external mirrors will reposition to the switched User Profile. This has been reported to the Dealer (Mercedez Benz of Tampa) numerous times. The MBUX System was updated by the dealer Service Dept. (04 Jan - 10 Jan 2024) but has not resolved the problem. The dealer has been informed this presents a safety issue due to the unexpected User Profile switch and the changes to the driver's seat position and external mirror positions. Despite text messages to Service Technician and Sale Associate the reports has been ignored. There's no consistency or predictable method to know when the issue happens. It has happened multiple times since purchasing the vehicle on 21 August 2023 and multiple times since the MBUX System was updated 04 Jan - 10 Jan 2024.

NHTSA ODI 11575009

The door handles of the car open and close from the body automatically. However there are no sensors or safety measures before the door handles go back into body. Mulitple times my children were about to open door but handles started closing into body. Luckily they removed hands before getting fingers crushed.

NHTSA ODI 11575012

when I was driving on freeway at 40-50 miles/hour with my daughter I started getting messages " Risk of vehicle rolling away" "Active Emergency Stop Assist currently unavailable" " Service required do not change transmission position". I got scared and moved to side safety lane in heavy running traffic. Car stopped and I tried to restart the car but car will not start at all and was getting all those messages. The car has been with the mercedes dealership from last 15 days and Initially after 5 days they mentioned that car needs software udpate and after another week they mentioned car needs replacement of Power Electronics Module.

NHTSA ODI 11573909

Please note that back in April 2023 my car was lawfully parked, and other SUV (Mercedes MB) was backing up and touch my front bumper. Because of that impact my front plastic grill got cracked and damaged front camera. The estimate to repair was almost $3000.00. I might assume it was a large impact, but yesterday during carwash when my car was not moving, car in front (another small SUV) suddenly rolled back and simple touched my front bumper. Because of that impact i got similar damage - front plastic grill is cracked and front camera is damaged. please note that other car didn't hit plastic grill as bumper is located further front. Its just of impact to front bumper to force front plastic to crack or poorly design of the components. I have both videos of impacts that i can provide upon request. I uploaded estimate from prior accident

NHTSA ODI 11573091

On two separate occasions, while driving my 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450 SUV, my vehicle abruptly came to a stop on the highway. The sudden and intense phantom braking caused me to experience whiplash on both occasions, even though there was no imminent collision threat. What was particularly concerning is that my car usually alerts me to any potential dangers and prompts me accordingly, but in these instances, it came to a halt unexpectedly. I reported the issue to the Mercedes-Benz of Annapolis Service Center, only to be told by my service advisor that this was a normal and preventive measure to avoid collisions. To my surprise, he even compared it to his experiences with a non-Mercedes vehicle. Strangely, this wasn't the first time I encountered such an incident; the initial occurrence was in a loaner vehicle provided to me due to other functionality issues with my car. To date, both the Mercedes service centers in Annapolis and Arlington have not taken my concerns seriously, which is deeply troubling. It's alarming that there are others like me facing similar problems, and there seems to be a lack of information on where and how to report these incidents for a resolution. The question remains: must someone be seriously injured or killed before Mercedes takes accountability for these potentially dangerous episodes? My vehicle is presently at the Mercedes-Benz service center in Annapolis, addressing various hazardous functionality issues, including phantom braking, pulsating brakes, and a range of other concerns. Once I receive the service records, I am happy to provide them for review. 1st incident:[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11567345

I drove the EQS without issue for six months. Then, about a month ago while I was in reverse backing out of my garage, the car slammed on brakes and the seat belt forcefully engaged. It felt as if I hit a brick wall. There was nothing behind me--nothing in the driveway. Then last Sunday, October 29, 2023, I was at a stop light and began accelerating down an off ramp. Nothing was in front of me; however, the car slammed on brakes again--with the selt belt forcefully engaging, and I came dangerously close to getting rear ended. My husband turned off the automatic emergency breaking system, and we got an appointment with the Mercedes dealership. They had the car all day on Tuesday and Wednesday (Oct. 31 and Nov. 1), and basically, the dealership is saying they cannot make any repairs because they cannot replicate the issue.

NHTSA ODI 11553160

Vehicle would start and then shutdown. It would display the battery malfunction error. You would need to reset the vehicle with the key in order to activate/start the vehicle again. Dealer said they need to replace the MUC but Mercedes told the dealer to try a software update before. The vehicle is still not running the more recent software RL_NTG7_E316.505_22092AC3. Other vehicles are running E330. I don’t believe the dealer updated my software and this issue could happen and caused the vehicle to become disabled somewhere which would case an issue.

NHTSA ODI 11546108