Mercedes SUVs Seized By Chinese Customs for ‘Insufficient Brakes’
U.S.-built Mercedes GLE & GLS models headed to China are currently being held up amid trade war blows.
Tariffs and related international trade jargon are all the rage in the news these days. This is especially true in regards to the U.S. and its biggest apparent rival, China. The latest in this heated war actually involves a handful of German SUVs, albeit ones built in America. According to a recent Reuters report, Chinese customs are holding on to a number of Mercedes GLE and GLS models over a “potential safety issue.”
According to a purported customs document circulating on social media, this safety issue involves the rear brakes, which officials have deemed “insufficient.” Thus far, no complaints involving the brakes on these models have been reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) here in the U.S.
No word on what, exactly, the problem actually entails. Or how many vehicles are affected. So far, all a Daimler spokesperson would say is “we are working with the relevant authorities to resolve the issue,” which they call “entirely technical.”
While we’ll take Daimler’s word for it, the latest spat in what has proven to be a growing trade battle between the U.S. and China is proving to be quite cumbersome for multiple parties. As the U.S. attempts to raise tariffs in an effort to reduce trade deficits, China is fighting back. Most recently, they threatened to impose a 25 percent tariff on all goods imported from the United States. An amount that totals around $16 billion dollars. In response to these murky trade waters, Daimler cut their profit forecast in June.
The latest development in the ongoing dispute appears to be much ado about nothing. But you can bet we’ll be eagerly awaiting a better explanation of what’s really going on.
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