NHTSA complaint: 2023 MERCEDES-BENZ EQE 350+ — FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Description of Incident: On January 19, 2026, this vehicle was involved in a severe frontal collision. Despite significant structural damage resulting in a total loss (GEICO Claim: 0445628610101151), multiple critical safety systems failed to activate. Specific System Failures: SRS (Airbags): None of the 10 airbags deployed despite a high-energy impact that met deployment thresholds. Active Brake Assist: The system failed to monitor traffic or apply autonomous braking to reduce impact severity. Steering/Stability Assist: No steering intervention or collision warnings were provided during the pre-crash phase. GUARD 360: Collision detection monitoring failed to log the event. Safety Risk: The failure of the airbags to deploy during a high-energy impact represents a catastrophic failure of safety systems mandated by FMVSS 208 and directly increased the risk of occupant injury. Warning Symptoms: The dashboard was clear of all safety faults. No SRS or restraint system warning lights were present prior to the incident. Inspection Status: As of January 22, 2026, the vehicle is being held at Mercedes-Benz of Stevens Creek (San Jose, CA). It is awaiting a formal technical inspection from Mercedes-Benz Corporate. The vehicle is available for NHTSA inspection.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation