A faulty weld in the front drive unit of certain Mercedes EQBs could render the parking pawl useless
- A brittle weld in the front drive unit of 283 Mercedes EQBs in the U.S. could snap.
- If that happens, the parking pawl is rendered ineffective, and the EV might roll away when it is ostensibly in “Park.”
- Mercedes will reach out to affected 2022 EQB 300 and 350 owners, and will replace their front motors free of charge.
The owners of 283 EQBs in the U.S. can expect a letter from Mercedes on July 9, because their vehicles may have a safety defect that allows them to roll away, even when they are supposedly in “Park.”
Mercedes first noticed the issue in June 2022, when it received complaints of drivetrain noises and vibrations from EQB customers outside the States. The automaker started investigating the issue, and determined that the rattling was being caused by a spur gear in the front motor that could break because of a weld that was too brittle.
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That could cause the differential spur gear in the front motor to rotate freely in its assembly, essentially cutting off power to the front wheels. Fortunately, since the problem was isolated to just one axle, the EQB could still drive with the rear motor, and didn’t leave consumers stuck on the road — which is the cause of many a recall.
As Mercedes continued to investigate the issue, it figured out that losing power wasn’t the only potential safety risk associated with this failure, because the parking pawl is located in the front axle of the EQB.
As a result, if the differential spur gear can spin freely, the pawl can’t prevent the front wheels from turning, and the EV might roll away, even if it’s in “Park.” Although the parking brake does still work, consumers might be caught out, and a runaway vehicle is dangerous, so Mercedes is recalling the model.
The issue affects the 2022MY EQB 300 and 350 models, and the owners of these vehicles will be asked to return their vehicle to a nearby dealer, where the front electric drivetrain will be replaced at no cost.
Owners can check if their specific model is affected by this fault on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website, and may notice a loud rattle while driving or changing gears, if their spur gear has already snapped.
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