— A Mercedes-Benz class action lawsuit has been filed over radiator guards that are allegedly needed to protect against damage from rocks and other debris that cause damaged radiators and coolant leaks.
According to the Mercedes class action lawsuit, these models were formally equipped with wire mesh guards or injection-molded ABS plastic to protect the aluminum radiators from rocks and pebbles.
- 2016-present Mercedes-Benz AMG GT
- 2016-present Mercedes-Benz AMG C43
- 2016-present Mercedes-Benz AMG C63
- 2016-present Mercedes-Benz AMG CLS63
- 2016-present Mercedes-Benz AMG E43
- 2016-present Mercedes-Benz AMG E63
- 2016-present Mercedes-Benz AMG S63
- 2016-present Mercedes-Benz AMG S65
- 2016-present Mercedes-Benz AMG SL63
- 2016-present Mercedes-Benz AMG SL65
- 2016-present Mercedes-Benz AMG SLC43
- 2016-present Mercedes-Benz AMG SLC63
- 2016-present Mercedes-Benz AMG G63
- 2016-present Mercedes-Benz AMG G65
- 2016-present Mercedes-Benz AMG GLC43
- 2016-present Mercedes-Benz AMG GLC63
- 2016-present Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE43
- 2016-present Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE63
- 2016-present Mercedes-Benz AMG GLS63
The Mercedes class action alleges the front bumper covers and air inlets were equipped with protective grilles prior to 2016 model years, which allegedly means Mercedes knew the vehicles needed the guards.
Rocks that strike the radiator cause leaking coolant which leads to insufficient coolant system pressure, a warped head and catastrophic engine failure.
California plaintiff Hagop Hadjian purchased a new 2016 Mercedes-Benz AMG C63S, but within the first year he allegedly noticed fluid was leaking and a warning appeared about low coolant.
The plaintiff took his vehicle to a Mercedes dealership on March 27, 2017, and complained about the coolant leak and low coolant warning.
The technician performed a coolant pressure test and allegedly found, "INTERCOOLER FOR LOW CIRCUIT TURBO SYSTEM HAS A TINNY (sic) HOLE FROM ROAD SOME MATERIAL. ESTIMATE PROVIDED. CUSTOMER DECLINED REPAIR, CLIENT WAS ADVISED THE (sic) THIS COULD CAUSE MORE DAMAGE EVEN TO THE ENGINE IF NOT REPAIRED.”
Even though the vehicle was less than a year old and had only 9,000 miles on it, the class action lawsuit says the Mercedes dealer refused to cover repairs under warranty.
The plaintiff says he took his vehicle to a different Mercedes dealership which agreed to cover the labor costs for replacing the low-temperature turbo radiator in his vehicle, but charged him $1,050 for the repair.
However, the plaintiff alleges his radiator is still exposed to rocks and debris because there are no guards or covers to prevent the problem.
In May 2019, Mercedes-Benz announced Service Campaign 2019040010 for E-Class and GLC-Class vehicles to install grilles to protect the radiators.
"Daimler AG (“DAG”), the manufacturer of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, has determined that on certain Model Year (“MY”) 2018-2019 E-Class and GLC-Class (213, 253 platform) vehicles, the installed stone chip guard does not correspond to current production specifications. As a result, this may allow stones to contact the radiator." - Service Campaign 2019040010
According to the Mercedes class action lawsuit, owners may have to pay up to $80,000 to replace engines that fail due to overheating from coolant leaks, and even replacing damaged radiators and associated components gets expensive.
The class action also alleges Mercedes must know about the problems based on customer complaints and the "sheer number and cost of engine and radiator replacements."
The Mercedes-Benz class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division: Hadjian, et al., v. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC.
The plaintiff is represented by Berger Montague PC, and Capstone Law APC.