HVAC Class action suit
 

Anyone get their class action suit post card in the mail? I got one for my 2019 GLC 300.... stating 2016-2019 faulty HVAC systems mold and odor issues...

so far mine shows no signs of this problem... anyone having issues with there's?

Whereabouts are you located? I too have a 2019 GLC (Coupe) - no letter or notice - but I am in Canada so the suit may not be valid here.


There is a user who was losing their mind in the forums about this concern about a year ago - denouncing the entire brand over this issue.

As if by spending a certain amount of money on a vehicle = there should be ZERO flaws.


The solution everyone spoke about (and I to have used and never had a problem or even the slightest smell of mold) is to ensure you leave you HVAC system with 'A/C ON' and in 'Auto'. When the car turns off - the system apparently keeps running for a bit and dry's everything out which prevents any mold or bad smell from developing.

i received a postcard. any idea what the fix is? thankfully i don't have the problem

i have that issue. My car smells every single day in the morning. It goes away in a min after the air is turned on. It sucks!!

We got post cards on two cars yesterday. Never had the problem on either one.

Is this US only? Because I have the same issue in my car and I'm in Canada.

I can't say for sure... maybe it's just USA.... unfortunately we sue everything.. my 2011 ML350 had a musty smell at time.. that system had a drying mode the condenser fan would run several minutes after it was turn off in park.. but my 2019 GLC 300 doesn't;t seem to do that . but nor do zi have a musty smell yet,,,,, I'm approaching my first summer with it.. so time will tell...

I turn off just AC a minute before reaching destination 3 years no smell

Mercedes HVAC Settlement

Thank you for your email. Any Class Member who wishes to make a reimbursement claim for a past repair must submit a completed and signed Claim Form, along with certain items of proof. Claims forms can be downloaded or submitted online at www.MercedesHVACSettlement.com, or you can request one be mailed to you.

Along with your claims form, you must submit the following proof:

Documentation showing that the vehicle received a past repair, the reason for the repair, and the cost of the repair. Examples include, but are not limited to, repair orders, repair invoices, or other similar service center records. A repair shall not qualify for reimbursement if the invoice or other documentation either omits the reason for the repair or describes an odor source other than moldy or mildew odors originating from the HVAC system; Reasonable documentation that you paid for the repair, such as a credit card statement, an invoice showing a zero balance, a receipt showing payment, or other such proof; and Proof that you owned or leased the vehicle at the time of the repair, such as a copy of the vehicle title, vehicle registration, bill of sale, vehicle lease agreement, insurance documentation, or financing documentation.

The amount of reimbursement you may receive for past repairs varies depending on the time period during which the past repair occurred and you cannot be reimbursed for an expense if you were already reimbursed for it by Mercedes or Daimler.

If the repair was performed by an Independent Service Provider, the following conditions and requirements also apply:

You must provide proof that within a six-month period prior to the first past repair performed by the Independent Service Provider, the vehicle was diagnosed by an Authorized Service Center as having moldy or mildew-y odors originating from the HVAC system. The maximum reimbursement for a single past repair performed by an Independent Service Provider shall not exceed $300. If there were multiple past repairs performed by an Independent Service Provider, the total reimbursement shall not exceed $900. No reimbursement will be paid for replacement of the evaporator if it was replaced by an Independent Service Provider.

You must submit a Claim Form to qualify for reimbursement for past repairs.

For repairs that occurred before May 11, 2020, you must submit your Claim Form (online or postmarked) by July 25, 2020. For repairs that occur between May 11, 2020 and December 7, 2020, you must submit a Claim Form within 75 days of the date of the repair.

You may submit a claim online at www.MercedesHVACSettlement.com, or, if you are unable to complete the claim online, you may download a Claim Form from the website or request that a Claim Form be mailed to you. You may be asked for additional information. Follow all instructions on the Claim Form and make sure to inform the Settlement Administrator of any changes in your address after you have submitted your Claim Form.

Regards,

Mercedes HVAC Settlement Administrator
c/o JND Legal Administration
Toll-free: 844-924-0851

This is one of the simplest ways to avoid the smell. The other method is to spray AC evaporator coil spray onto the evaporator coil when the cabin filter is replaced. Nearly every car brand out there has had issues with this on and off. It's been one of the number 1 complaints of people with my model of Tesla, and the engineers reprogrammed the software so that your fan blower runs for a bit of time after you stop driving. Owner complaints have gone way down now. Basically, it's like your furnace in your house. The moist and dark environment where the evaporator coil sits is ripe for bacteria and mold growth. This is why many homeowners have installed UV light systems. Unfortunately, that is not really a solution for cars (yet).

Incidentally, my wife's 2016 GLC had this smell for the first year or two on and off and then it magically went away (dealer sprayed the coil?).

I just know that I will never replace a cabin filter again without spraying the coil near where the filters sit. It's stupid easy insurance against bacteria and mold growth.