On December 31, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia allowed the core fraud and some warranty claims to proceed against Mercedes-Benz USA LLC and Mercedes-Benz Group AG in a lawsuit brought by Lieff Cabraser and co-counsel. The suit alleges a safety defect in many 2010-2022 models across the Mercedes-Benz vehicle line, including Classes C, E, GLK, G, CLS SLK/SLC, and SL relating to corrosion of the subframe and related parts, including brake lines, rear springs, and control arms.

As the Complaint notes, plaintiffs brought the lawsuit to force Mercedes to warn consumers about a dangerous defect in the rear subframes and adjacent parts of their vehicles, and compensate them for their damages arising from the defect. Plaintiffs allege that the vehicle subframes and nearby parts prematurely rust and corrode, costing consumers thousands of dollars in repairs that Mercedes has refused to cover. The rust and corrosion can adversely affect driveability, lead to corrosion of other components on the underside of the vehicles, or cause the rear subframes to fail while the vehicles are in motion. As a result, thousands of owners have paid out of pocket for repairs and related costs, while many more are still unknowingly driving unsafe vehicles.

The Complaint further alleges that Mercedes has known of the defect for many years, including through consumer complaints made directly to Mercedes, complaints made to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration’s Office of Defect Investigation, and complaints posted on public online vehicle owner forums, as well as other internal sources unavailable to plaintiffs and their counsel without discovery. In addition, the Complaint details that despite Mercedes’ refusal to acknowledge the defect or fully pay for the repairs it requires, Mercedes’ authorized dealers have told owners who complain that premature corrosion is a common problem with Mercedes vehicles. Because the corrosion occurs “from the inside out,” the defect is not apparent even to a trained mechanic until the rear subframe is dangerously corroded, near total failure, and has rendered the vehicle unsafe to operate. Replacing the rear subframe typically costs from $3,500 to more than $10,000, if additional components are impacted.

If you own or lease one or more of the affected Mercedes vehicles, we urge you to contact an experienced vehicle defect and safety lawyer at Lieff Cabraser today about your legal rights. There is no charge for our confidential review of your case, and the information you provide will help us hold Mercedes-Benz accountable for all relevant defect dangers and any attendant safety violations.