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2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS recalled for infotainment issue

A screen could inadvertently show TV programming or the internet while the car is being driven, which increases the risk of driver distraction.

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The Mercedes-Benz EQS is one of the sleekest-looking cars on the market today.

Antuan Goodwin/Roadshow

The Mercedes-Benz EQS is a lovely piece of design and engineering. A flagship-caliber luxury sedan that happens to be all electric, it delivers boatloads of refinement and more features than you'll know what to do with. Unfortunately, some of that cutting-edge tech has resulted in a recall.

On Nov. 29, the automaker reported a software-related safety issue to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a notification that popped up on Thursday. The problem affects certain cars that have an active and connected Mercedes Me account. The concern is, the MBUX infotainment system may allow TV programming or the internet to be displayed on an interior screen while the vehicle is in motion, which could be a major driver distraction. And we all know what that can result in. Yep, crashes, and nobody wants that.

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If you want screens, the EQS has 'em.

Antuan Goodwin/Roadshow

The good news is, only a handful of cars are affected by this problem, just 227 vehicles including EQS 450 and EQS 580 variants from the 2022 model year, as well as a couple S-Class trims, specifically the 2021 S580 and 2022 S500. Mercedes-Benz has already taken care of the issue by updating a computer server, which has corrected the problem without requiring owners to take their cars to a dealership. No deaths or injuries appear to have resulted from this fairly minor defect.

Owners of affected cars will be notified via letter starting in late January, though it sounds like they won't have to do anything about the issue since, you know, it's already been addressed by the manufacturer. If you want more information about this recall, the NHTSA campaign number is 21V-931. You can contact the government organization by calling 1-888-327-4236 or you can reach out to Mercedes-Benz directly at 1-800-367-6372.

2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS is the future of electric luxury, today

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Craig Cole Former reviews editor
Craig brought 15 years of automotive journalism experience to the Cars team. A lifelong resident of Michigan, he's as happy with a wrench or welding gun in hand as he is in front of the camera or behind a keyboard. When not hosting videos or cranking out features and reviews, he's probably out in the garage working on one of his project cars. He's fully restored a 1936 Ford V8 sedan and then turned to resurrecting another flathead-powered relic, a '51 Ford Crestliner. Craig has been a proud member of the Automotive Press Association (APA) and the Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA).
Craig Cole
Craig brought 15 years of automotive journalism experience to the Cars team. A lifelong resident of Michigan, he's as happy with a wrench or welding gun in hand as he is in front of the camera or behind a keyboard. When not hosting videos or cranking out features and reviews, he's probably out in the garage working on one of his project cars. He's fully restored a 1936 Ford V8 sedan and then turned to resurrecting another flathead-powered relic, a '51 Ford Crestliner. Craig has been a proud member of the Automotive Press Association (APA) and the Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA).

Article updated on December 10, 2021 at 1:55 PM PST

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Craig Cole Former reviews editor
Craig brought 15 years of automotive journalism experience to the Cars team. A lifelong resident of Michigan, he's as happy with a wrench or welding gun in hand as he is in front of the camera or behind a keyboard. When not hosting videos or cranking out features and reviews, he's probably out in the garage working on one of his project cars. He's fully restored a 1936 Ford V8 sedan and then turned to resurrecting another flathead-powered relic, a '51 Ford Crestliner. Craig has been a proud member of the Automotive Press Association (APA) and the Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA).
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