A Mercedes-Benz electric vehicle EQE caught fire while driving, and Mercedes-Benz claimed that the driver simultaneously stepped on the brake and accelerator.
A consumer in Changsha, Hunan, China, spent 470,000 yuan to buy an EQE350 new energy vehicle on November 30, 2022. Unfortunately, on the evening of February 26, 2024, the car, which had traveled 33,000 kilometers, caught fire spontaneously during driving. Mr. Zeng and his friends took immediate measures after noticing smoke from the rear wheels of the vehicle. There was already open fire at the rear wheels of the vehicle, but fortunately, the fire was finally put out successfully.
Subsequently, the 4S store and the manufacturer’s technicians inspected the vehicle and issued a report in early March. The report pointed out that the driver simultaneously depressed the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal within 18 minutes, causing excessive friction between the brake disc and the brake pad, which led to spontaneous combustion. The conclusion of the report is that the overheating of the vehicle brake disc is due to the improper operation of the driver, and the vehicle brake system operates normally according to the design, so the producer should not be held responsible for this accident.
However, the consumer does not accept this conclusion. He said that his friend has 9 years of driving experience and works in safety, and it is impossible to step on the accelerator and the brake at the same time, and even for 18 minutes. He also mentioned that although he sought the help of a third-party appraisal agency, the 4S store refused to provide more detailed data on the grounds of confidentiality.
At present, Mr. Zeng and the Mercedes-Benz dealer are still in further negotiations. The dealer representative said that in addition to the above report, the fire department also issued a fire accident identification report for this incident, also pointing out that it was caused by overheating of the brake disc, which caused the fire.
The dealer said that they understand the customer’s concerns and are willing to find a third-party appraisal agency that both parties trust to retest the vehicle. At the same time, the dealer also emphasized that some data are indeed confidential and cannot be directly provided to customers, but they are willing to carry out necessary inspections and repairs with the customer’s authorization. Currently, both parties are still in further negotiations.
