2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS Problems: 16 Known Issues

On the 2022-2024 Mercedes-Benz EQS Front eATS (PSM), many EQS and EQS SUV owners report frequent 'Battery Malfunction' and 'Malfunction - Towing is not permitted' (Do Not Tow) dashboard messages, in some cases once or twice a month during the first 20,000 miles. The message appears to be a catch-all for several underlying conditions. In milder cases the car still drives and the warning self-clears or resolves with an ignition/12V reset; in severe cases the car refuses to shift into Drive, Neutral or Reverse and is immobilized. A subset of these events trace to a front electric motor 'interlock' fault that prevented the car from being put in Park and required Mercedes to replace the front electric drive motor under warranty. Owners frequently note multiple dealer visits and long parts waits before resolution.

On the 2022-2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS, nHTSA recall 23V405 covers certain 2022-2023 EQS 450, EQS 580 and AMG EQS vehicles. A development-process deviation could make the electric-drivetrain fault-management software respond improperly to a detected fault at a specific electric-drive plug connector, deactivate the drivetrain and cause loss of propulsion. Multiple warning messages appear when the event occurs.

On the 2022-2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS, automatic emergency braking false activation is the single largest NHTSA complaint category on the 2022 EQS (19 AEB complaints plus 14 service-brake complaints in the Lemberg Law tally of NHTSA data), with owners describing hard, unprompted braking at 40-75 mph on clear roads, sometimes repeatedly (one Florida owner logged four events between April and December 2022). Mercedes addressed one root cause with Service Campaign 2023040017 covering 24,840 model-year 2022-2023 C-Class (W206), EQS (V297) and S-Class (W223) vehicles: the driving-assistance control unit software could initiate brake applications when the radar/camera stack encountered uniquely shaped civil superstructures parallel to the roadway at roughly 26-33 feet (large overhanging bridge abutments). MBWorld EQS and EQS SUV owners also report shadow-triggered events and dealers declining to act without a service bulletin, so not every report is covered by the campaign.

On the 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS, on 2022 EQS sedans equipped with the heated leather steering wheel (recall also covers 2021-2022 C-, E-, S-Class, SL, CLS and AMG GT 4-Door), a software error in the hand detection control unit could stop the capacitive hands-off detection from recognizing that the driver's hands were off the wheel while Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC was engaged. With detection deactivated, DISTRONIC's escalating take-the-wheel warnings and the Active Emergency Stop Assist sequence (which brings the car to a stop and calls first responders if the driver is unresponsive) do not function, increasing crash risk. MBEQClub owners separately report nuisance 'hands on steering wheel' notifications, the flip side of the same capacitive-rim system.

On the 2022-2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS, filed June 5, 2025, this recall covers 2022-2025 EQS sedans and EQS SUVs (plus EQE, EQE SUV and S-Class) whose Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System software can emit the wrong external pedestrian warning sound in reverse, so the vehicle fails FMVSS 141 minimum-sound requirements for hybrid and electric vehicles. Pedestrians and cyclists may not recognize that the near-silent EQS is backing up. The US population is small (94 vehicles reported at filing) but the campaign spans 2022-2024 EQS sedans and 2023-2025 EQS SUVs.

On the 2022-2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS, a small but official campaign: Mercedes-Benz USA recalled six vehicles - five 2022-2023 EQS 450/450+ and one 2022 EQS 580 - after rework found the bolts securing the rear seat belt buckles to the body may not have been tightened properly. An unsecured buckle anchor may not restrain a rear occupant in a crash. Because only six cars were involved, this is a VIN-check item, not a fleet-wide pattern - it is listed here so the campaign number is on record and not confused with the vehicle's larger software recalls.

On the 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS, on 7,558 US-market 2022 EQS 450 and EQS 580 sedans (4,285 EQS 450, 2,522 EQS 580, plus S-Class variants; built April 20, 2021 to February 27, 2023), the Electronic Stability Program software could erroneously detect a fault in the ESP pump motor power supply at the start of a driving cycle. When triggered, the car limits or disables its dynamic control systems - anti-lock braking, electronic brake-force distribution, acceleration slip regulation and ESP - and the speedometer displays 0 mph regardless of actual speed. Mercedes logged 96 US field reports before filing; the issue was first identified in January 2022 and the fix entered production May 1, 2023.

On the 2022-2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS Electric, the EQS experiences parasitic 12V battery drain when parked for extended periods, preventing the car from waking up or responding to the key fob. Despite having a massive high-voltage battery, the 12V system powers critical wake-up circuits and can discharge in as little as 7-10 days of inactivity.

On the 2022-2024 Mercedes-Benz EQS, a recurring pattern on 2022-2024 EQS sedans and SUVs is DC fast charging (Level 3 / CCS) that fails or stops after a few minutes with a 'Charging Error' on the dash and in the Mercedes me app while Level 1/2 AC charging still works. Dealers have traced these cases to the DC charge connection unit (the 'Direct Current Charge Connection C/Unit' behind the charge port) and replaced it under warranty; one MBEQClub owner's unit failed after 4.5 months and about ten DC sessions, and an MBWorld EQS SUV owner had the DC control unit replaced after Level 3 stopped working. The inverse case - AC charging dead while DC works - points to the onboard AC charger instead. Owners and dealers note many charging faults are software-side and clear with an update, so the hardware diagnosis should come after the software check.

On the 2022-2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS, the 56-inch MBUX Hyperscreen and central display are a frequent complaint among EQS owners, who report lag, frozen screens, full blackouts and random reboots, especially on early 2022-2023 cars. A frozen Hyperscreen temporarily disables navigation, charge planning, climate control and the reversing/360 camera view, which is a real usability and safety annoyance. German owners on motor-talk.de have documented total MBUX failures mid-trip (e.g. a complete blackout during a Switzerland-Poland drive). Over-the-air updates frequently stall partway and sometimes require the car to sit at a dealer for a manual flash. Most cases are software rather than a hardware defect, though heat exposure and rare failing display hardware are also cited.

On the 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS, mercedes-Benz USA recalled 8,530 vehicles - 2022 EQS 450, EQS 580 and AMG EQS 53 plus 2021 S-Class - because a software error in the MBUX multimedia system could leave the central display inactive after the car is unlocked. With the display dark, the rearview camera image is not shown when reverse is selected, violating the FMVSS 111 requirement to show the image within 2 seconds. Mercedes opened its investigation in November 2021; the affected production window was July 13, 2020 to January 19, 2022. This is distinct from the general Hyperscreen freeze/reboot behavior already documented: it is a specific start-up display initialization defect with a federal recall attached.

On the 2022-2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS, filed May 2, 2023, this recall covers 2022-2023 EQS 450, EQS 450+, EQS 580 and 2022 AMG EQS 53 (plus 2023 EQE 350 and S580e). The high-voltage battery monitoring system software could fail to alert the driver when the traction battery develops a malfunction, meaning the car keeps operating with a degraded or faulted pack and no dashboard warning, increasing injury risk. It is the mirror image of the later 24V372000 BMS-overload shutdown recall (already documented): that one shuts the pack down, this one hides a real fault. NHTSA lists it as an FMVSS 305 noncompliance under the electrical system.

On the 2022-2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS Electric, eQS owners report range drops of 30-40% in temperatures below 32°F, at or above the roughly 20-30% cold-weather penalty seen across other EVs. The large battery and HVAC system draw heavily on available energy, and the heat pump system underperforms in extreme cold.

On the 2022-2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS Electric, the optional rear-axle steering system on the EQS can log a fault and switch to a safe mode, triggering a steering fault warning and losing the rear-steer reduced turning circle. On the EQS (297) Mercedes documents fault code C112502 in the rear axle steering control unit (N68/4), caused by the ESP control unit sending an error signal on the FlexRay bus rather than by a mechanical failure.

On the 2022-2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS, eQS owners report low-speed clunking over bumps, uneven ride height, and a ride quality that drifts from floaty to harsh as mileage builds, traced to the AIRMATIC air-suspension system (worn sway-bar links, bushings, air struts, or compressor/valve-block degradation). On EQS SUVs in particular, premature rear shock-absorber/damper replacement has been documented, often within the first one to two years, accompanied by noise and degraded comfort. The very heavy curb weight combined with rear-axle steering also accelerates inside-edge tire wear when alignment drifts. These are wear/durability concerns rather than safety recalls but can be expensive once out of warranty.

On the 2022-2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS, the EQS uses electrically presenting flush door handles that pop out as the driver approaches. Owners widely report handles that fail to extend, require multiple pulls, or do not present at all, occasionally locking the owner out of the car. The handles are not heated and can freeze solid in winter, and forcing a frozen handle can damage the presentation motor. Some failures are software glitches (handle won't present on touch but works with the key fob), while others are mechanical/motor failures, with several owners reporting repeat handle replacements within months. This is a known issue across the keyless-go Mercedes range and is highly relevant in cold EU climates.