• Mercedes-Benz is recalling nearly 20,000 vehicles due to the possibility of the battery moving during an impact involving the vehicle.
• That could cause the battery to become disconnected, disabling functions like emergency calls and door unlocking.
• 11,837 CLS-Class models are included in the recall, as well as 7,861 E-Class vehicles.
Mercedes-Benz is recalling some 20,000 CLS-Class and E-Class vehicles. The reason: the vehicle's 12-volt battery could move out of place in the event of an accident.
The battery is located in a compartment in the rear of the vehicle, near the spare tire. If the battery were to move and its connections were to break, several of the vehicle's functions would cease to function, such as the emergency call system after a collision, the seat adjustment, the hazard lights, and the automatic door unlocking.
Obviously, this is a safety issue.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) explains that due to a design problem, the 12-volt battery support may not withstand certain forces in a crash.
In all, 9,741 CLS 450s from the 2019-2022 model years are affected, as well as 2,096 AMG CLS 53 versions from the 2019-2021 model years.
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As for the E-Class, we're talking about 3,428 E450s from the 2021 and 2022 model-years, as well as 4,433 E53 AMG editions from 2019 to 2022 model years. All models targeted by the campaign were produced between January 8, 2018 and August 23, 2022.
The first red flag came in early 2021 when, during an in-house test, the company witnessed the movement of a 12-volt battery during an planned crash. The automaker was unable to replicate this result in subsequent tests, but it has developed a new battery holder capable of providing additional protection. On September 23, it decided to issue a recall.
Owners of affected vehicles will be notified by November 29. They will be invited to their service centre where an additional bracket will be installed free of charge to ensure that the battery remains in place in the event of an impact.