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Model file · Mercedes-BenzUpdated · 22 sources

Selling a Mercedes-Benz EQS you don't want to repair

On the EQS, owners complain about the brakes before the battery. Service brakes are the component named most in NHTSA's file, 28 of 112 complaints, with forward collision avoidance next at 23. Those 112 complaints also report 27 injuries and 9 crashes.

A white Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV parked on a city street in front of a chain-link fence
Photo: Kevauto · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Years in EPA data
2022-2027
Complaints to NHTSA
112 (as of Oct. 10, 2026)
Component named most
Service brakes (28)
Injuries reported in complaints
27
Recall campaigns
18
Sedan battery (Wikipedia)
108 kWh lithium-ion
Body styles in EPA data
Sedan and SUV

An EQS that is wrecked, won't power on or needs a repair you'd rather not pay for can be sold the way it is. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, with free pickup anywhere in the US.

What the complaints say

The EQS has one generation so far. The EPA lists sedan and SUV versions under the EQS name, from the EQS 450 Plus up to the Maybach EQS 680 SUV. Wikipedia describes the sedan as a full-size electric liftback on the EVA platform, with a direct-drive automatic and a 108 kWh lithium-ion battery.

The 2022 and 2023 hold 99 of the 112 complaints. On both, service brakes lead: 12 on the 2022 and 14 on the 2023. The 2023 complaints also report 16 of the 27 injuries.

Complaints and recalls by model year

EQS counts come from NHTSA's records as of October 10, 2026. Recent cars are still early, so their counts are low. Each recall campaign shows up under every year it names.

Model yearComplaintsCrashesInjuredRecall campaignsTop components
2022425514Service brakes 12, forward collision avoidance 11, electrical 6
2023574168Service brakes 14, electrical 12, forward collision avoidance 11
202412063Electrical 2, structure 2, service brakes 2
20251002Power train 1

The 18 recalls, grouped by what they fix

No recall here is filed under service brakes. Most vehicle counts are for campaigns that also include EQE, S-Class or other Mercedes models, so they are not EQS-only numbers.

Battery and drive (3). 23V309: battery monitoring software may not warn the driver of a problem (2022-2023). 24V372: battery management software update (2023-2025). 23V405: a drivetrain software error may cause a loss of drive power (2022-2023).

Fuse boxes (2). 24V115 replaced the main fuse boxes on 2023-2024 cars across many Mercedes lines. 25V255 went back to cars that got the wrong fuse box under that recall.

Driving aids (2). 23V360 updated the electronic stability program software on 2022 cars. 22V189 updated the hand detection software for DISTRONIC on cars with a heated leather steering wheel.

Lights, screens and software (6). Rear turn signals, hazards and reverse lights that a software error could switch off (22V167); a rearview camera that might show no image (22V493); an infotainment system that might allow the TV to be switched on (21V931); emergency call software (21V00J); an overhead control panel that could shut off for good (22V190); and the pedestrian alert sound (25V366).

Small hardware batches (5). Tow ring threads too shallow (22V467, 2,526 cars, all EQS); a ground connection on the front-left frame member (22V112, 24 cars); a camera and mirror poorly attached to the windshield (23V074, 3 cars); rear seat belt buckle bolts (23V464, 6 cars); and side-curtain air bag brackets on a single 2023 EQS 450+ (24V960).

The 2022 is listed in 14 of the 18.

Selling an EQS whole

  1. Write down the VIN and mileage, whether it's the sedan or the SUV, and what's wrong.
  2. Get an offer online, or call (877) 421-6008.
  3. Let us know the location and if it can be pushed. A large EV that won't turn on can still go on the truck; the driver just has to hear about it first.
  4. Leave it complete, battery, wheels and all. You sell the whole car as it sits. Mention anything removed.
  5. Have the EQS title and your photo ID on hand. Leased EQS? Read selling a leased car first, since the leasing company holds the title.

Repair or sell?

  1. Check recalls at NHTSA's lookup. Most of these notices say the dealer fixes it at no cost.
  2. Brake complaint? Get it inspected and quoted. The bad brakes guide covers when it's worth it.
  3. Battery or drive unit? Outside a recall, get a written quote and read EV battery failed before approving it.
  4. Weigh the quote against the car's value once fixed, and sell as is if the repair eats most of it.

Other Mercedes flagships: the S-Class, the EQE, or every Mercedes-Benz model.

Questions people ask

Which EQS model year has the most NHTSA complaints?
It's the 2023, at 57 complaints on October 10, 2026. Then the 2022 at 42, the 2024 at 12 and the 2025 at 1. The latest EQS years are too new to have built up many reports.
Is there a brake recall on the EQS?
None of the 18 recall campaigns is filed under service brakes, even though brakes lead the complaints. Two recalls touch driving systems: 23V360 updated the electronic stability program software, and 22V189 updated the steering wheel hand-detection software for DISTRONIC.
Does this cover the EQS SUV too?
The EPA lists both the sedan and the SUV under the EQS name, and this page uses the complaints and recalls filed under EQS. To see what applies to your exact car, run its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Will you buy an EQS that won't power on?
Yes. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, and pickup is free anywhere in the US. Tell us whether it's the sedan or the SUV, that it won't power on, and where it sits.

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from one of these. Checked October 11, 2026.

  1. NHTSA complaints flat file (FLAT_CMPL.zip), downloaded October 10, 2026 nhtsa.gov
  2. NHTSA: Check for recalls by VIN nhtsa.gov
  3. EPA fuel economy data: EQS sedan and SUV versions fueleconomy.gov
  4. NHTSA recall 23V309: battery monitoring software nhtsa.gov
  5. NHTSA recall 24V372: battery management software nhtsa.gov
  6. NHTSA recall 23V405: electric drivetrain software nhtsa.gov
  7. NHTSA recall 24V115: main fuse boxes nhtsa.gov
  8. NHTSA recall 25V255: fuse boxes repaired under 24V-115 nhtsa.gov
  9. NHTSA recall 22V167: rear signal software nhtsa.gov
  10. NHTSA recall 22V493: rearview camera software nhtsa.gov
  11. NHTSA recall 21V931: MBUX television activation nhtsa.gov
  12. NHTSA recall 21V00J: emergency call software nhtsa.gov
  13. NHTSA recall 22V190: overhead control panel nhtsa.gov
  14. NHTSA recall 25V366: pedestrian alert sound software nhtsa.gov
  15. NHTSA recall 22V467: tow ring thread nhtsa.gov
  16. NHTSA recall 22V112: ground connection nhtsa.gov
  17. NHTSA recall 23V074: camera and mirror attachment nhtsa.gov
  18. NHTSA recall 23V464: rear seat belt buckle bolts nhtsa.gov
  19. NHTSA recall 24V960: side-curtain air bag brackets nhtsa.gov
  20. NHTSA recall 22V189: DISTRONIC hand detection software nhtsa.gov
  21. NHTSA recall 23V360: electronic stability program software nhtsa.gov
  22. Wikipedia: Mercedes-Benz EQS (body, platform, battery, plants) en.wikipedia.org