Mercedes car owners sued over cracking wood trim
The lawsuit alleges that some Mercedes-Benz SUVs have hidden interior defects that cost owners thousands of dollars to repair.
Here's What We Know
The class action lawsuit is filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. It concerns all Mercedes-Benz ML, GL, GLE, GLS, GLC, and GLK models from the 2013 to 2022 model years. The appeal alleges that the automaker breached implied warranties by selling vehicles with wood trim that is prone to cracking. It further alleges that Mercedes knowingly concealed the defect.
Examples of a defect in the wood trim on the interior of Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Source: Classaction.org
One of the plaintiffs is Jennifer Monilaw. In July 2019, she purchased a 2013 GL from an authorized Mercedes dealer. In late 2020, she noticed that the veneer trim was starting to crack. But the dealer informed her that this defect was not covered under warranty and replacing the trim would be expensive.
Other Mercedes-Benz owners have also experienced similar problems. The cost of replacing interior trim elements is estimated at more than $1,000. At the same time, owners are finding it more difficult to sell their cars on the secondary market because of the apparent defect.
The trial on this claim is not yet over. A jury will decide the further fate.
Source: Carcomplaints
