According to documents released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, vehicles manufactured for the years 2021 to 2023 may have a loose ground cable with a voltage of 48 volts. These vehicles were assembled between October 21, 2021, and April 4, 2023. If the connection is loose, there is a risk of increased electrical resistance and high electrical currents, which could potentially lead to a fire.
The loose ground cable issue was caused by a deviation in the vehicle assembly process. However, it is important to note that this condition has not resulted in any fires, injuries, or other significant incidents. Mercedes-Benz’s American division has been made aware of three field reports filed between September 2022 and December 2022. To address this issue, a change has been made to the vehicle assembly process starting from April 7, 2023.
It is worth questioning why Mercedes-Benz took until February 2024 to recall potentially affected vehicles when the issue was identified earlier. Initially, torque data from quality control testing indicated that the ground connection’s bolt had the correct amount of torque. However, Mercedes-Benz continued to investigate the disparity between the field reports and their own data.
Dealers have been instructed to check the torque of the bolt and retighten it if necessary, following the correct specifications. Owners of the affected vehicles can expect to receive letters from Mercedes-Benz by mail no later than April 9. To determine if their vehicles are subject to the recall, owners can easily enter their Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on either the NHTSA’s website or Mercedes-Benz’s website.
In terms of the vehicle models mentioned earlier, Mercedes-Benz has discontinued the E-based CLS in favor of the GT 4-Door Coupe. The 213-series Executive Class has been replaced by the 214 for the 2024 model year. The sixth-generation Executive Class is built on the MRA II platform, which is also used for the C-Class, CLE-Class, and GLC.
The latest E-Class was unveiled to mixed reviews in April 2023 and was priced at $62,300 for the E 350 4MATIC in the US market in January 2024. The E-Class is available with four- and six-cylinder engines, all of which feature 48-volt assistance.
In the near future, the four-door sedan will be joined by the All-Terrain model. The All-Terrain is essentially a wagon on raised suspension, similar to the T-Modell station wagon. It is differentiated from the T-Modell by its black cladding. Pricing for the All-Terrain has not yet been announced. The previous generation of the All-Terrain starts at $71,250 for the E 450 4MATIC, which is powered by a mild-hybrid turbo six engine.
As for the GT 4-Door Coupe, which actually has five doors due to its liftback design, Mercedes-Benz exclusively markets it under the Mercedes-AMG brand. The 43 and 53 series feature non-AMG six-cylinder engines, while only the 63 series, including the plug-in hybrid S E Performance, are equipped with AMG engines. The M177 engine, which is shared with Aston Martin, is used in the GT 4-Door Coupe.
According to the Source autoevolution.com