NHTSA Complaint #11452172 — 2017 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS450

ENGINE issue reported to NHTSA

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Fire

Complaint Details

ODI Number 11452172
Vehicle 2017 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS450
Component ENGINE
Date of Incident
Date Filed
Mileage N/A miles
Crash No
Fire Yes
Injuries 0
Deaths 0
Vehicle Towed No
State WA

Consumer Description

Our car, Mercedes GLS 450, caught on fire after pulled into the garage from a short drive on local streets, which resulted a total loss on our house. After pulling into the garage, the home link didn't work when tried to use it to close the garage door. Upon coming out of the car, smoke came out from under the hood and soon after it became flame. We attempted to extinguish the fire with a fire extinguisher as it appeared with hood still closed and fire immediately came back. By the time the firefighters came, there was a full fledged fire. The fire has burned the car beyond recognition and the garage was burned too. The fire and smoke has caused a total loss on our house. There were NO warning lights or warning messages at all before smoke or fire started. Investigators hired by Mercedes Benz inspected the burnt car and concluded the fire was due to a missing oil cap. While questionable the oil cap was the source of the fire, it seems the GLS 450 didn't have a sensor for missing oil cap to trigger a warning light or warning message, which is what some less sophisticated cars have because modern engines have positive crankcase ventilation. If indeed missing oil cap could cause full fledged fire, shouldn't Mercedes put a sensor to warn the customers? There is a recall, see link below, on almost all Mercedes model cars in Jan. 2022 for the reason that the car could catch on fire. Our GLS was built just two months before the starting timeline on the recall and it caught on fire and burned our house. Could it be coincidence or did our car catch on fire due to the exact same reason on this recall? (https://www.forbes.com/sites/zacharysmith/2022/01/04/800000-mercedes-benz-owners-warned-their-cars-could-catch-fire/)

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