About an hour ago I jumped in my new 2021 GLE 53 with 3600 miles to go get it washed and it wouldn’t start. It gives me a 12v battery error.

Mercedes Road Side Assistance is going to send someone to try to jump start it, but based off of what I’ve read on these forums I’m not very hopeful it will work. I’ll let everyone know if it’s that easy.

Road side just tried to jump it and nothing. He said the codes are showing an issue with the 48v system. It’s going to be towed.

Hope it turns into a quick fix. I’m sure you are frustrated, annoyed and disappointed.

Sorry to hear about this and makes me nervous about my 450's 48V also. Wish MB does a recall to get all these issues with 48V fixed once and for all.

Please keep us updated.

What month was your car built? I have a new 53 AMG built 4-21 middle of the month. Thx.

6/21

Not what you want to see after having the vehicle 5 weeks.

OUCH!! Recent build and I thought they had corrected the bad 48V battery issues- maybe not.

That’s what I was hoping too, but doesn’t look like it.

Please keep us posted on what happens. Thx.

Will do. The first step is to get a loaner tomorrow morning. I was texting with my sales rep earlier and he kept saying “if they have a loaner“ I’ll get one. Not sure what that means but I’ll find out in the morning.

Getting a bit worried that even though MB is aware of this issue for quite a long time, they have not yet implemented a solution given that an April build still has 48V battery issues. Hard to understand why this is. I have an AMG 53 with build in Aug with Sept/Oct delivery expected. I have an option to wait for a 22 for delivery in November. What are the chances this would be fully addressed in the 22s? Would you wait? I know there will be a small price increase (not determined yet) but considering the total price, it is certainly worth waiting if this is fixed. What are you more in the know hearing about this?
Thanks in advance.

Just to clarify, the original poster with the problem has a car built in June of this year. My 53 was built in April of this year and I have had no issues but now I am worried as I thought MB had solved the 48v battery problem. If it was me, I would wait for a 2022 model both for the battery issue and when it comes time for resale, I think the 22 will be worth more than a 21 even factoring the increase in price. Good luck!!

It wasn’t easy hearing the MB Road Side Assistance guy say he has dealt with several of these so far this year including 5 he could not jump start (like mine) that were also the 48V system.

Double OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was attacked by the usual 3 cheerleaders in this forum when I called these one-sixty-lemons and warned others not to buy one. How do you feel about that O.P?

If they don't, they "will' get you a rental car.

+1 strong do not buy rating on the V167 in my view.

One year after the V167 facelift, this platform will still carry a caveat emptor warning. The V167 launch and 48V system across platforms have been sequential flops for MB.

If the 48V system is successful on the W223 then the coast might start to clear on it.

My vehicle replacement horizon is around the V167 facelift+1 or 2 years timeframe. I think MB will likely not get my business, but rather Porsche, Audi or BMW. I need/want a midsize SUV and I do not accept the current level of unreliability of the 48V system.

The 4 banger M264 in the GLE 350 hasn’t proven itself yet to be free of piston cracking found in the predecessor M274 on which the M264 is based. This unfortunately rules out the V167 350 for me.

I’m not sure if your question is rhetorical. I didn’t see any of the “attacks” so can’t comment on that. I don’t even know who the “usual 3 cheerleaders” are. The research I had done made it look like there weren’t issues with the most recent builds (mine being June). I’m also not familiar with the term “one-sixty-lemon”.

So unless you have something to add I’m not sure the way I “feel about that” really matters.

Recently had my 350 in for service, and was chatting with the service advisor, he said he sees a lot of 48 volt failures. I'm not sure what flavor of lithium battery MB is using but eventually it WILL fail. All batteries regardless of type and management have a finite life.

Well, I went to the service department this morning. They confirmed that it was 48V system, but I assume they are going off of what they can read remotely (and prior experience) because the service advisor said the car hadn't been looked at yet. He confirmed with the parts department that the part was not in stock at the dealership and would take 3-4 days to get, but they need to get it in the shop before they are allowed to order it officially. He did say there was somewhere that had "plenty of stock" and that's where it would be coming from.

There were keys on his desk already for a GLE 450 for the exact same problem and he said he has seen it several times, but mentioned that none of the ones replaced have come back a second time for it. Also, my concerns for a loaner came true. There were no loaners available this morning. He said they normally have around 100 loaners on site and they are down to about 50. Due to shortages the sales team has sold a lot of their normal loaner vehicles. They setup an Uber ride for me and said they will have a loaner available this afternoon.

I'd wait the extra month or two and get a 22.

I agree. I had a chance to order a 2021 450 and it would have been a late August-mid Sept delivery. I opted for the 22 to be delivered late Sept-early Oct. I figured the price increase would be mitigated by the newer model value. Didn't think it was wise to get a 2021 ten minutes before the 2022s came out. That's just me. I also thought there would be a greater chance of the gremlins being worked out on a newer build. The downside in my case is that at least one option that I wanted shows as "delayed" which I assume is due to the chip situation which I am told by outsiders might improve before the late Sept build. I can live without the delayed option, but if anything else is delayed and/or deleted, I might refuse the deliver and wait out the situation.

I am in the same situation as you. Have a '22 order slated for end of September/early October and I was told outright the Augmented Reality option is just not going to happen. Don't really care for that option either. It was on the "nice to have" list but not a deal breaker. But same as you if they delay or delete anything else maybe just gotta play the waiting game or simply look at other brands. Hopefully they do fix some of the issues people have seen in previous MY builds.

My local dealer said it is not a done deal that the AR will be deleted. I did want it after seeing it in loaners and demos, but I don't think I will ditch the deal at this point. Again, have to see what else shakes out. I read somewhere on this forum that they were deleting it from late 21 builds so they would have them for 22s. Who knows at this point. I'm also hoping that the increase is reasonable. One dealer told me he thought it would be between 500 and 800. Have read that it could be as much as 3% which is approx $2k.