Mercedes recalls EQA and EQB in China due to battery fire risk

The battery issues with the EQA and EQB are now also affecting Mercedes in China. The local joint venture Beijing Benz is recalling 19,481 locally produced electric vehicles of the EQA and EQB series in China due to a fire risk posed by the high-voltage batteries. However, China is implementing a different measure in response compared to Europe.

Mercedes benz eqb eqa facelift min — Image: Mercedes-Benz

The issue, which has been known for about a year, affects the two discontinued models: a short circuit in the high-voltage battery can, in the worst-case scenario and under specific external conditions, lead to a fire. In the US and Europe, Mercedes-Benz addressed the problem with a software update for the battery management system. However, this measure has faced criticism from multiple users, and a lawsuit is pending before the Regional Court of Dortmund, Germany. The claimants argue that despite the software update and charging restrictions, the risk persists—no definitive technical solution has been found to date. Additionally, the update has been accused of increasing charging times and permanently reducing the range by up to 11 per cent.

As Chinese media now report, nearly 20,000 units of the EQA and EQB models, produced locally in China by Beijing Benz, are also subject to the recall due to the fire risk. Specifically, vehicles manufactured between 1 April 2021 and 12 March 2024 are affected—a period that closely aligns with the affected US models. While different markets may use various battery variants from different cell suppliers, meaning not all markets are necessarily affected by battery issues, the announcement by China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) confirms that the locally built models are indeed affected in this case.

According to the SAMR, inconsistencies in the high-voltage battery production process have reduced the reliability of the vehicle batteries. Furthermore, the control strategy of the existing battery management system software can lead to the overloading of individual battery cells. This increases the risk of internal short circuits, which could result in vehicle fires and pose safety hazards, as stated in the announcement.

The recall in China is scheduled to begin on 25 June 2026. However, as CnEVPost reports, “Beijing Benz will replace the high-voltage batteries in affected vehicles through authorised dealers.” In other markets, Mercedes has so far only implemented the aforementioned software update—no battery replacements have been offered.

cnevpost.com