A compact electric utility vehicle with seating for up to 7, the Mercedes-Benz EQB has been hit with a recall caused by a deviation at the front electric drive unit supplier. Made by ZF Group Electrified Powertrain Technology, said front electric drive unit may feature an improperly welded spur gear.
Mercedes-Benz USA estimates that 283 such vehicles had been shipped to the United States market, with said vehicles produced for the 2022 model year between February 18, 2022 and January 23, 2023. Affected models include the all-wheel-driven EQB 300 (183 units) and EQB 350 (100).
The only EQB that comes with front-wheel drive in this part of the world is the 250+, with the + at the end standing for maximum range. Currently listed by the configurator as a 2023 model, the EQB 250+ is good for no more than 245 miles (349 kilometers) on a full charge. The 300 tops 232 miles (373 kilometers), while the 350 offers 221 miles (356 kilometers). All three feature 70.5-kWh batteries.
As per documents published by the federal watchdog, the cast material of the spur gear within the front electric drive unit may not meet the German automaker's material requirements. If the iffy weld fails, the spur gear would rotate freely from the differential assembly, meaning that the park pawl won't function as intended. Thankfully, the parking brake will keep the vehicle stationary.
In case of weld failure, the driver might notice loud rattling noises. Mercedes-Benz AG started looking into field reports alleging weird noises coming from the front axle in June 2022, but in typical fashion for the Stuttgart-based automaker, Merc initially shrugged it off as nothing to be worried about. Come November 2023, ongoing field monitoring revealed that a failed weld may lead to a park pawl malfunction, thus prompting further investigation.
Photo: Mercedes-Benz
At the beginning of May 2024, the three-pointed star finally acknowledged that a park pawl malfunction may increase the risk of a crash. What's more, it further constitutes a noncompliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 114. Adding insult to injury, the supplier remedied the recall condition in production back in January 2023.
Mercedes-Benz AG is aware of 5 service reports, field reports, and warranty claims related to this problem. Looking at the glass half full, the company isn't aware of property damage or injury reports. Dealers will be notified of the recall campaign tomorrow, May 17, whereas owner notification letters will be mailed no later than July 9, 2024.
Mercedes-Benz USA delivered 671 units of the EQB in the first quarter of 2024 as opposed to 5,666 units of the fossil-fuel GLB. The all-electric and internal-combustion models are based on the MFA2 platform for front-biased vehicles, meaning that EQB and GLB are technically similar to the GLA and EQA, the A-Class Sedan, and the CLA Coupe.
Of those nameplates, the A-Class Sedan was discontinued after the 2022 model year due to abysmally poor sales. This, in turn, means that the GLA is the most affordable Merc in the US market as of May 2024, sporting a starting price of $41,850 (sans destination charge). The GLB is $44,450 at the very least, whereas the EQB starts at a somewhat peppered $52,750 for the 250+ grade.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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