NHTSA Complaint #11232921 — 2014 MERCEDES BENZ B-CLASS ELECTRIC

THE "MALFUNCTION" LIGHT APPEARED AND VEHICLE LOST POWER IMMEDIATELY. AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, THEN SWITCHING THE IGNITION OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN, THE CAR OPERATED NORMALLY AND THE "MALFUNCTION" LIGHT DISAPPEARS. THIS OCCURRED THREE TIMES: DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING (55 MPH), ON A COUNTRY ROAD (45 MPH), AND AT ALMOST A STOP (5 MPH). ONE OCCURRENCE WAS IN THE EARLY EVENING ON A HOT DAY AND TWO WERE EARLY IN THE MORNING WHEN TEMPERATURES WERE COOL. TWO OF THESE FAILURES WERE VERY DANGEROUS CIRCUMSTANCES AND IT IS VERY LUCKY THAT NO ONE WAS NEARBY ON THE ROAD AT THAT TIME. SINCE IT IS A FULLY ELECTRIC CAR IT LOSES MOMENTUM VERY QUICKLY AND I HAD TO DESPERATELY LOOK FOR A TURNOUT AT ONCE. ONE TIME MY TWO YOUNG CHILDREN WERE IN THE BACK SEAT OF THE CAR. MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THE CAUSE TO BE THE DRIVE UNIT AT A COST OF $9,000. THEY CLAIM THIS IS A DIFFERENT PROBLEM THAN THE PREVIOUS RECALL (WHICH THE CAR HAD COMPLETED). I HAVE READ THROUGH THE PREVIOUS RECALL INFORMATION AND IT SOUNDS VERY MUCH LIKE WHAT THIS CAR IS DOING. I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THE NHTSA INVESTIGATE WHETHER THE PREVIOUS RECALL ACTUALLY FIXED THE PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS 30,000 MILES BUT MERCEDES BENZ REFUSES TO FIX THE CAR BECAUSE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED IN DECEMBER 2018 (SEVEN MONTHS AGO). THEY ONLY OFFER A 4 YEAR/50,000 MILE WARRANTY (WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST).