116K Mercedes GLE And GLS Models Are Recalled Due to a Fire Risk Under the Passenger Seat

There is a chance that a 48-volt ground wire will break free, but as of right now, no injuries or property damage have been reported, says Mercedes.

A frightening recall has been issued by Mercedes-Benz for 116,020 SUVs manufactured between 2019 and 2024. There's a chance that a loose 48-volt ground cable will come loose, and the location has enough electricity to get rather hot. A fire could break out if temperatures rise too high. Furthermore, the cable can be found beneath the front passenger seat. Whoa.

Thankfully, Mercedes doesn't include any documented cases of accidents, injuries, or property damage brought on by this problem. It affects cars in the GLC and GLS classes, including the sleek Maybach GLS600 and high-performance AMG trims. The recalled cars are broken down by year and trim level here.

Mercedes-AMG GLE53             2021-2024
Mercedes-AMG GLE63 S          2021-2024
Mercedes-AMG GLS63             2021-2023
Mercedes-Benz GLE350           2023-2024
Mercedes-Benz GLE450           2020-2024
Mercedes-Benz GLE580           2020-2023
Mercedes-Benz GLS450           2019-2023
Mercedes-Benz GLS580           2020-2023
Mercedes-Maybach GLS600    2021-2023

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data suggest that there's a possibility that the assembly did not completely tighten this high-voltage ground connection. Mercedes eventually concluded that the connection might have come loose due to rework directly related to the cable or work done nearby after conducting investigations based on field reports to identify a precise cause.

Either way, the 48-volt ground cable under the passenger front seat is loose and can get very hot.

As previously stated, Mercedes is not aware of any injuries or property damage resulting from this issue; nonetheless, between August 2022 and late November 2023, 31 field reports pertaining to the matter were received.

Mercedes announced the recall because hot electric cables under seats could pose a risk to people's safety. Thus, the reason why your heated seat seems a little too warm might not have to do with the temperature setting.

Dealer experts will examine the ground cable and tighten it if needed. This is an easy fix. Direct owner communication of the recall is scheduled to begin in May, with dealer notification beginning on March 22. The NHTSA reports that the following vehicles are also part of the recall: Mercedes-Benz GLE580 from 2020–2023, GLS450 from 2019–2023, GLS580 from 2020–2023, and Mercedes-Maybach GLS600 from 2021–2023.

There have been no crashes or injuries linked to the problem that MBGAF is aware of. On May 14, 2024, the manufacturer will begin informing customers. The company claims that unsecured wiring may have resulted from mechanical work done close to the manufacturing process.

The carmaker hasn't been able to prove a clear connection to this effect, though. According to Mercedes, the loose connection problem could potentially impact all of the recalled vehicles. The car won't inform drivers unless the link has already come free, according to the recall notice. In these situations, a warning about the 48-volt power supply may appear in the instrument cluster of the car. The impacted vehicles' owners can bring them to a dealership, where a dealer will check and tighten the wiring at no cost to them.

Due to a faulty transmission, the manufacturer recalled over 105,000 GLE and GLS cars last month. It recalled about 32,000 cars with faulty fuses in the same month. The German automaker has recalled an additional 250,000 cars due to defects.

Time will show if everything is going to be alright with the wave of new plug-ins coming out. The NHTSA reports that MBGAF recalled 478,175 automobiles in the US last year. In total, it recalled around 23.7 million automobiles from all the manufacturers with defective fuses.

PHOTOS: Mercedes-Benz

Boris Georgiev has been a journalist for over a decade now, but for the last few years, he decided on cars and motorsport. He has been attending different events and car shows, expanding his knowledge and automotive expertise. Having driven various Mercedes-Benz models throughout his life, he naturally finds himself attracted to the brand. Boris is now a true Benz expert and reports the latest stories about the company. Please follow him on X for more Mercedes-Benz tweets.