What 65 owners told NHTSA about the 2023 Mercedes-benz Eqs

There are several issue with the 2024 Mercedes EQS. I had the car have a full system failure and stop in the middle of the road with no warning. It could not even be towed. Apparently coolant was leaking without any warning. This caused a complete system failure- car wouldn't power on, couldn't be towed, couldn't be pushed to a safe location- nothing. The next most concerning issue is car automatically locks itself within seconds and with the key inside and with a passenger inside. My baby was trapped in the car. I came out of the driver seat and the key was in my purse. This could've resulted in a fatal incident. I live in [XXX] where we have a lot of heat. What if my key and phone were both in the car and my daughter was trapped. The car has locked automatically with key still in the car on multiple occasions. The car shuts off on its own within 2 minutes while passengers are inside. Again, as a parent this is deeply concerning and can lead to a fatal incident and overheating The lane correction is extremely harsh and many times wrong pulling the car in the wrong direction and with a lot of force INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11747379

The contact owns a 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS AMG 4MATIC. The contact stated that while driving at a slow speed, the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. While exiting the vehicle, the vehicle shut off. The vehicle automatically locked after closing the door. The contact's child became locked inside the vehicle on several occasions. The contact's husband was able to unlock the doors with his phone. The contact had previously been stranded for three hours. The vehicle was towed on a flatbed to the local dealer, and a software check was performed. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the coolant level was low. The contact was informed that the anti-theft system was working as designed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 47,000.

NHTSA ODI 11747382

Odometer Fraud. The contact leased a 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450 X4. The vehicle was a dealer sale. After returning the lease vehicle to the dealer, he was informed the odometer closure was not available during the drop-off and it would be emailed. The contact stated that the vehicle was returned with the mileage at 17,000. The inspection report also indicated that the odometer reading was 17,000. The contact received a bill that indicated that the mileage was 7,000. The finance office was contacted, and they informed him to return to the dealer. The dealer indicated that the discrepancy was not his problem. The police were contacted, and a report was filed.

NHTSA ODI 11736095

While making a left turn at low speed, I applied the brakes, but the vehicle did not respond as expected and instead appeared to drift, surge, or accelerate forward. The vehicle struck a fire hydrant and a bus stop pole before crashing into a tree. Airbags deployed and both occupants sustained injuries. I suspect a possible malfunction involving braking, propulsion, electrical, or speed control systems. No final cause has been determined. The vehicle should still be available for inspection. Mercedes-Benz USA has opened a case regarding this incident.

NHTSA ODI 11731921

I am reporting a serious safety issue with my 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV. On multiple occasions, the vehicle has suddenly lost power and completely stopped while driving on the freeway without warning. During these incidents, a red warning symbol appeared on the dashboard (a red turtle icon), indicating a critical malfunction. These failures created extremely dangerous situations, as the vehicle lost the ability to maintain normal driving speed in active freeway traffic. At the time of these incidents, my three children were in the vehicle, which significantly increased the risk of a serious accident. This issue has occurred multiple times, suggesting a serious and recurring defect. The sudden loss of power combined with dashboard warning signals presents a major safety hazard and could lead to severe injury or fatal accidents. I no longer feel safe operating this vehicle and request that this issue be investigated as a potential safety defect.

NHTSA ODI 11725988

Several times, the car's "panic braking" has randomly slammed the brakes and tightened the seat belt. After the first few times, I took it to Mercedes and they re-uploaded software which was hard for them for some reason. It fixed the problem. Luckily, I had always been on small streets. But today, the panic braking happened again, only this time, I was on a major road (4 lanes at 35 mph) and, with nothing around me, no cars in front of me, the panic braking and seatbelt tightening happened so violently that I was thrust forward with enough force to hurt my hip. Nothing severe no doctors needed. I will take it back into Mercedes for another review but what if there had been someone behind me or I hadn't been wearing my seat belt. I would have been hit hard or gone through the windshield. (I was wearing my seatbelt and always do). This has happened at least 5 times since I've owned it.

NHTSA ODI 11726004

The contact leases a 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS450. While driving at 35 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly stopped with no other vehicle or object nearby. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions; however, the cause of the failure could not be determined. The contact was informed that it was a common failure and that other vehicle owners had sustained injuries due to the failure. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving 10-15 MPH and approaching a red traffic light, the failure recurred, almost causing the vehicle to be rear-ended. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 8,000.

NHTSA ODI 11716672

On the date of purchase, while driving approximately 50 mph, the vehicle’s hood opened unexpectedly, obstructing my visibility and causing the vehicle to leave the roadway and enter a ditch. State Police responded, and the vehicle was towed immediately. This incident presents a serious safety defect. The is vehicle is certified by Mercedes Benz and purchased from Mercedes Benz Dealer.

NHTSA ODI 11714687

My Mercedes EQS SUV has experienced repeated safety-related defects. The brakes have intermittently locked up while driving, creating a serious safety concern. The vehicle also vibrates at highway speeds on the freeway. These issues have occurred on two separate occasions. Despite multiple service visits, the dealership has been unable to diagnose or repair the problems. During the first incident, they reset the software. During the most recent incident, multiple software error warnings appeared simultaneously, indicating system malfunctions (see images for documentation). The vehicle has now been at the Mercedes service center for over two weeks, with required parts on backorder from Mercedes and no estimated repair timeline provided.

NHTSA ODI 11708709

during car drive on freeway 202 from Queen Creek to Scottsdale in Arizona on 01/03/2026, estimate speed 65 mph, my sunroof was blowup and totally broken on many small glasses w/out any reasons.

NHTSA ODI 11708653

The vehicle throws a “charging fault” error when I try to charge my vehicle with a high speed charger. I tried two different chargers and two different locations with the same result. The safety risk is a faulty high voltage battery system. I have not taken it to the dealer yet. This just happened today. My understanding is that this is a fairly widespread issue and MB is denying all warranty claims and blaming the charging station. The only warning is the “charging fault” message on the dash display.

NHTSA ODI 11707193

While the vehicle was stationary and connected to a DC Fast Charging station (Electrify America), a thermal event occurred at the charging interface. The charging connector overheated and thermally fused (welded) to the vehicle's high-voltage charging inlet. The connector could not be released by the vehicle or the station. A technician dispatched by the charging network was unable to remove the connector using standard release protocols. The technician confirmed the equipment had failed and was forced to use physical leverage to pry the fused connector off, resulting in the fracture of the vehicle's charging receptacle. I couldn't charge the vehicle anymore and so I took it to the Mercedes dealership. The certified manufacturer diagnosis confirmed the failure was caused by a "loose connection" and thermal defect in the external charging station cable, not the vehicle. The high-voltage receptacle was destroyed. This failure mode presents a critical safety risk of fire and entrapment, as the vehicle could not be disconnected or moved during the thermal event.

NHTSA ODI 11705614

While traveling cross-country from Chicago, IL to San Diego, CA, my Mercedes-Benz EQS experienced a battery and system malfunction in Erick, Oklahoma at approximately 11:17 PM. At the time of the incident, the vehicle displayed approximately 93 miles of remaining range. I stopped to charge the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to initiate charging and subsequently lost power. Following the shutdown, the vehicle doors would not unlock. The vehicle appeared to have no usable electrical power, and there were no visible or audible instructions provided regarding emergency exit procedures. I was unaware of any mechanical emergency door release and could not reasonably locate one during the shutdown. As a result, the vehicle effectively trapped its occupants. Both my phone and my passenger’s phone were fully discharged, leaving us unable to contact roadside assistance, emergency services, or any outside help. We remained confined inside the vehicle for several hours overnight. I eventually fell asleep and woke up around 4:00 AM extremely cold. The outside temperature was approximately 31°F, and the vehicle had no heating capability due to the system shutdown. Extended confinement in freezing temperatures without heat created a serious risk of hypothermia or medical emergency. This situation caused me to experience a panic attack, and I developed a severe cough afterward, which I believe was related to cold exposure. At approximately 4:00 AM, the vehicle briefly powered on for a few seconds, which allowed me to unlock and open the door and exit the vehicle. After exiting, I attempted to have the vehicle’s battery jumped, but this was unsuccessful. The vehicle remained completely inoperable. I then had to pay approximately $700 out of pocket for towing to a Mercedes-Benz dealership, despite the vehicle still being under warranty. In order to continue my trip to California, I was forced to rent a vehicle at my own expense (approximately $400), in addition to incurri

NHTSA ODI 11705086

This afternoon, while I was driving on freeway at a normal speed (75 miles/hour) with an ample distance (30 feet) from the car in front of me , I suddenly felt a huge impact. It was so violent that I immediately thought my car was hit by the car behind me. I stopped the car on freeway and called 911. But from the back mirror, I did not see any damage on the car behind me. I got out to inspect my car but did not see any collision damage. According to my online search, this model - Mercedes-Benz EQS - has a frequently reported issue of "Phantom Braking" from the Forward Collision Avoidance System. It was very startling and dangerous experience for me. Now 5 hours later I still feel the pain in my neck and back from the impact. Please address this issue to save lives.

NHTSA ODI 11702392

My panoramic sunroof shattered with no warning and no apparent impact. It exploded outward, while traveling at a high speed on the highway. It was late and there were no other vehicles on the road at the time. I was not near an overpass.

NHTSA ODI 11702169

The contact owns a 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS580 4Matic. The contact stated that the vehicle was designed with Level 2 Semi-Autonomous Driving System and was purchased brand new. The contact stated that the first failure had occurred in the first month of purchase. The contact stated that while driving with the Adaptive Cruise Control with the Stop-and-Go Mode engaged, the set speed changed radically. The contact stated that while the speed was set to 60 MPH, the speed decelerated to 20 MPH unintendedly. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the cause of the failure could not be determined. The contact stated that a staff at the dealer advised the contact that it was a known issue with similar vehicles. The contact stated that the failure recurred while the dealer was test-driving the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle back to several dealers on several occasions and the contact was provided a loaner vehicle; however, the same failure occurred with the loaner vehicles. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200.

NHTSA ODI 11701566

I am submitting this complaint to raise a serious safety concern regarding the Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 SUV. This vehicle is sold and delivered without a spare tire and without run-flat tires. This design choice is dangerous and creates a foreseeable risk of severe harm to motorists. Recently, my wife and I — both senior citizens — suffered a tire failure in a remote area with no cellular service. Because the EQS 580 SUV was equipped with neither a spare nor run-flat tires, we were completely stranded. We were forced to walk miles to find a cell signal to call for help. This was a frightening and potentially life-threatening situation. It is entirely foreseeable that tire failure may occur in remote areas or where cell service is unavailable. A modern vehicle sold in the United States should not leave occupants with no means of mobility or self-rescue in such a situation. This issue poses a heightened danger particularly to: Senior citizens Families with small children Physically disabled individuals Anyone traveling in rural or emergency-prone environments A flat tire in these circumstances can result in individuals being stranded, exposed to the elements, injured, or worse. Someone could easily die in such a situation. In addition, Mercedes-Benz did not disclose at the point of sale that the vehicle lacks both a spare and run-flat tires. Had we been informed, we would not have purchased this vehicle. The manufacturer and dealer have a duty to warn consumers of a safety-critical limitation that eliminates an essential emergency capability. To my knowledge, it is unheard of — for a modern SUV, especially a premium vehicle marketed for safety and long-distance comfort, to be delivered without any means of addressing a tire failure. This is a serious consumer safety issue, and I respectfully urge NHTSA to investigate. A requirement for either a spare tire, run-flats, or clear disclosure at the point of sale is essential to protect the driving public.

NHTSA ODI 11698426

My name is [XXX] , While driving around 60 mph on the hwy the vehicle suddently hit the brake coming to a complete stop, with no cars in close proximity fearing that vehicle behind would hit me i steped on the accelerator and was able to drive to safety with my [XXX] daughter and [XXX] classmate that was riding to scholl with us. vehicle was towed to the dealer(mercedes-benz of sannta Rosa CA) where they inspected it. no warning lamps INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11696808

I recently noticed that the charging port is showing signs of melting, which is both concerning and potentially hazardous. This issue is affecting the functionality and safety of my vehicle, and I am deeply disappointed that such a problem has occurred. The charging port is a critical component of the high-voltage system. Its failure poses significant safety concerns such as overheating, sparking, and charging failure, or even potentially catch on fire. I have bring my vehicle to Walter's Mercedes of riverside @ 3213 Adams St, Riverside, CA 92504 which dealership claim it's not cover under warranty. I acquired my Mercedes-Benz vehicle in March/2024, and it is still under warranty. I've always charge the vehicle by manufacturer recommendation and use the charging station Mercedes provided which is Electrify America, Given the nature of the issue, I believe it falls under the warranty coverage or manufacture defect recall.

NHTSA ODI 11687662

The vehicle went to catch on fire and the electrical socket burnt so it could no longer charge. The airbag showed malfunction passenger side door. Multiple times the collision warning has malfunction and alerted there was a collision when none occurred.

NHTSA ODI 11679815

Active Emergency Stop Assist Inoperative warning has shown up more than once and the dealer can not duplicate the warning or repair. It is causing frequent phantom braking and sudden stops both in normal driving use and cruise control.

NHTSA ODI 11674402

Emergency braking system and violent seat belt retraction activated in error with no other vehicle in front of on my car . As I have vertigo and a pacemaker the seat belt retraction snapped my head forward in tightening my body but not my head resulting in severe head movement causing extreme dizziness. Also the rapid seat belt retraction place strong pressure on my pacemaker

NHTSA ODI 11668476

The sunroof shattered and before that the eye brow shattered, as well. No hits to the glass. With the sunroof I wasn’t even on a highway.

NHTSA ODI 11658112

Car turns off completely while driving with "Battery malfunction" and "Towing not permitted" error. This happened while driving on a highway at the end of a bridge going downhill so I was able to pullover to the shoulder before the vehicle came to complete stop but if this happened while on the bridge going uphill, that could've been extremely dangerous as there was no shoulder to pull over to. This has happened about 5 times already and we've taken it to the dealership. They upgraded the vehicle's software at one point saying that would address the issue, but the issue keeps happening. I don't feel safe driving this vehicle knowing that the vehicle can come to a complete stop at any time without any warning.

NHTSA ODI 11651560

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