GLE 450 48 volt update Issues
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From: USA
2021 GLE450W4 SUV
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GLE 450
I'm new to this forum and found it after having my own 48 volt breakdown at speed yesterday. I have a 2021 GLE 450 with over 13k miles on it. Yesterday, in morning rush hour traffic, the orange 48 volt warning popped up on the dash, followed almost immediately by the red temperature warning. When I went to accelerate to move around traffic and get to the shoulder, the accelerator was totally unresponsive. With some guy tailgating me (at 80), I wasn't thrilled to be without throttle control.
After a less-than-satisfactory experience with MB Connect and their Roadside Assist, I got the car back to the dealer where the responses I received were varied. The Service Rep admitted that he had dealt with a couple of these in the past year and that there was no recall, just dealing with them on a case-by-case basis. The Sales Manager, who I like, attributed the accelerator issue to what he "believed" was an intentional safety engineering design by MB. The Service Manager stated that there had been a small number of cases with these batteries and in many cases it was more so an issue with contacts (discussed elsewhere here) and that MB was aggressive in initiating recalls way before other manufacturers. At this point, I just want my 450 back in good order.
After a less-than-satisfactory experience with MB Connect and their Roadside Assist, I got the car back to the dealer where the responses I received were varied. The Service Rep admitted that he had dealt with a couple of these in the past year and that there was no recall, just dealing with them on a case-by-case basis. The Sales Manager, who I like, attributed the accelerator issue to what he "believed" was an intentional safety engineering design by MB. The Service Manager stated that there had been a small number of cases with these batteries and in many cases it was more so an issue with contacts (discussed elsewhere here) and that MB was aggressive in initiating recalls way before other manufacturers. At this point, I just want my 450 back in good order.
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From: Boise
2024 GMC Canyon Denali..... 2018 Audi SQ5
I'm new to this forum and found it after having my own 48 volt breakdown at speed yesterday. I have a 2021 GLE 450 with over 13k miles on it. Yesterday, in morning rush hour traffic, the orange 48 volt warning popped up on the dash, followed almost immediately by the red temperature warning. When I went to accelerate to move around traffic and get to the shoulder, the accelerator was totally unresponsive. With some guy tailgating me (at 80), I wasn't thrilled to be without throttle control.
After a less-than-satisfactory experience with MB Connect and their Roadside Assist, I got the car back to the dealer where the responses I received were varied. The Service Rep admitted that he had dealt with a couple of these in the past year and that there was no recall, just dealing with them on a case-by-case basis. The Sales Manager, who I like, attributed the accelerator issue to what he "believed" was an intentional safety engineering design by MB. The Service Manager stated that there had been a small number of cases with these batteries and in many cases it was more so an issue with contacts (discussed elsewhere here) and that MB was aggressive in initiating recalls way before other manufacturers. At this point, I just want my 450 back in good order.
After a less-than-satisfactory experience with MB Connect and their Roadside Assist, I got the car back to the dealer where the responses I received were varied. The Service Rep admitted that he had dealt with a couple of these in the past year and that there was no recall, just dealing with them on a case-by-case basis. The Sales Manager, who I like, attributed the accelerator issue to what he "believed" was an intentional safety engineering design by MB. The Service Manager stated that there had been a small number of cases with these batteries and in many cases it was more so an issue with contacts (discussed elsewhere here) and that MB was aggressive in initiating recalls way before other manufacturers. At this point, I just want my 450 back in good order.
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From: Colorado
'21 AMG53 wDPP & ARC, 19 GLC300 - Former-03 C240,2 ML BlueTecs,20 GLE450 E-ABC,15 Cayenne D,17 Macan
I'm new to this forum and found it after having my own 48 volt breakdown at speed yesterday. I have a 2021 GLE 450 with over 13k miles on it. Yesterday, in morning rush hour traffic, the orange 48 volt warning popped up on the dash, followed almost immediately by the red temperature warning. When I went to accelerate to move around traffic and get to the shoulder, the accelerator was totally unresponsive. With some guy tailgating me (at 80), I wasn't thrilled to be without throttle control.
After a less-than-satisfactory experience with MB Connect and their Roadside Assist, I got the car back to the dealer where the responses I received were varied. The Service Rep admitted that he had dealt with a couple of these in the past year and that there was no recall, just dealing with them on a case-by-case basis. The Sales Manager, who I like, attributed the accelerator issue to what he "believed" was an intentional safety engineering design by MB. The Service Manager stated that there had been a small number of cases with these batteries and in many cases it was more so an issue with contacts (discussed elsewhere here) and that MB was aggressive in initiating recalls way before other manufacturers. At this point, I just want my 450 back in good order.
After a less-than-satisfactory experience with MB Connect and their Roadside Assist, I got the car back to the dealer where the responses I received were varied. The Service Rep admitted that he had dealt with a couple of these in the past year and that there was no recall, just dealing with them on a case-by-case basis. The Sales Manager, who I like, attributed the accelerator issue to what he "believed" was an intentional safety engineering design by MB. The Service Manager stated that there had been a small number of cases with these batteries and in many cases it was more so an issue with contacts (discussed elsewhere here) and that MB was aggressive in initiating recalls way before other manufacturers. At this point, I just want my 450 back in good order.
I sure wouldn't want to overheat an all-alloy engine. So I would want a definitive answer about that.
If you were in fact, overheating, the engine would likely go into a protective mode (limp home or other) and could describe your situation.
Let's hope the dealer can read codes and decipher your problem, and describe it, along with the solution, to you. It may not be the battery.
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GLE 450
GLE 450 48 volt update Issues; cont'd.
The overheating issue could well result from a 48v system problem, since the water pump is driven with 48v.
I sure wouldn't want to overheat an all-alloy engine. So I would want a definitive answer about that.
If you were in fact, overheating, the engine would likely go into a protective mode (limp home or other) and could describe your situation.
Let's hope the dealer can read codes and decipher your problem, and describe it, along with the solution, to you. It may not be the battery.
I sure wouldn't want to overheat an all-alloy engine. So I would want a definitive answer about that.
If you were in fact, overheating, the engine would likely go into a protective mode (limp home or other) and could describe your situation.
Let's hope the dealer can read codes and decipher your problem, and describe it, along with the solution, to you. It may not be the battery.
TLDR: They performed MB's multitude of prescribed tests; notably, they removed, replaced, and retorqued all bolts at various battery contact points. So far, so good.
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Joined: Oct 2009
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From: Colorado
'21 AMG53 wDPP & ARC, 19 GLC300 - Former-03 C240,2 ML BlueTecs,20 GLE450 E-ABC,15 Cayenne D,17 Macan
Got the 450 back after almost two weeks in the shop. (See the included PDF if you're interested in the minutiae of the repairs.)
TLDR: They performed MB's multitude of prescribed tests; notably, they removed, replaced, and retorqued all bolts at various battery contact points. So far, so good.
TLDR: They performed MB's multitude of prescribed tests; notably, they removed, replaced, and retorqued all bolts at various battery contact points. So far, so good.
Did you get a recall notice?
I also saw last Monday, an article that stated that 17 cars had been produced with a faulty ground screw, and that those 17 cars would be recalled. Don't know if the article was accurate.
Last edited by mikapen; Dec 7, 2021 at 11:57 AM.
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GLE 450
I was told by the Service Manager, at that time, that there was no recall. The low incidence of reported issues had not reached a threshold where they would issue a recall. FWIW, the SM tried to convince me that MB was actually very aggressive in issuing recalls, i.e., they don't wait around for a blowup, but would rather act pre-emptively. Don't know how accurate that statement is.
