Mercedes Illuminated Star Badge Behind Massive Recall For Two SUVs

Mercedes-Benz is recalling thousands of its high-riding vehicles in the United States due to faulty electrical systems. The voluntary recall was spotted on the NHTSA website along with the details of the issue.

Specifically, the recall blames the optional illuminated Mercedes-Benz star logo in the front grille as the source of the fault, prompting the automaker to recall a total of 12,799 GLE-Class and GLS-Class units manufactured from December 8, 2018 to February 2, 2020.

According to the document, the "star logo's electrical ground connection may not be installed properly, potentially affecting the function of other components that share the same ground connection, such as the power steering control unit, wiper motor, and/or the left headlight." In order to fix this, dealerships will have to relocate the ground point and re-do the connection.

Fortunately, no accidents involving the owners of the affected units were reported to Mercedes-Benz. The document also said that the issue was reported to Mercedes as early as last year and immediately conducted an investigation. However, the coronavirus pandemic delayed the process due to personnel furloughs.

The Mercedes GLE-Class is the most affected by the said defect. A total of 9,642 GLE units are part of the recall, specifically GLE350, GLE450, and GLE580, all for the 2020 model year. On the other hand, a total of 3,157 GLS-Class units are included in the said recall.

Mercedes dealers are supposedly notified at this point, with owner notifications to follow. The fix is expected to start by December 8, 2020. If you suspect that your Merc SUV is part of this defective batch, we suggest that you contact your dealer immediately or call MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.