• Mercedes is recalling 7,362 EQB SUVs for their high risk of catching fire due to faulty battery packs.

Mercedes-Benz recently announced a recall of the 2022 to 2024 models of the EQB SUV. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the units are likely to suffer a battery issue, which could lead to fire.

The agency revealed that the EVs carried the early-production batch of battery cells that were prone to failure. The same cells had a high risk of short-circuiting. The advisory stated that 7,362 units of the EQB SUV had the fault.

The notice indicated that current fluctuations during charging had a high chance of triggering the problem. It could happen whether the vehicle is parked or driven.

Mercedes claimed that it had not received reports of fires or warranty claims related to the mentioned defect in the US. However, similar incidents in international markets prompted the investigation.

To address the matter, the battery supplier has apparently rectified the defect for vehicles produced after January 24, 2024. As a remedy for the affected EQB SUV models, authorized Mercedes dealerships and service centers will install updated battery management software free of charge.

While waiting for a fix, Mercedes advised EQB SUV owners to limit their autos’ maximum charge to 80%. This means owners will not be able to optimize their EVs’ 200-mile electric range until the luxury automaker has remedied the problem.

Mercedes will begin notifying affected customers by mail as early as April 1.