The Consumer Protection Commission (CPC) of Zimbabwe has issued a public alert regarding the recall of the Mercedes-Benz GLE (167) model, following concerns raised by South African authorities over a potentially dangerous fault in the vehicle’s high-voltage starter-alternator system.
According to the CPC, the alert comes after a media statement released by the National Consumer Commission (NCC) of South Africa on 7 April 2025, which was also communicated through the COMESA Competition Commission.
The manufacturer, Mercedes-Benz South Africa, has confirmed that the processor in the vehicle’s high-voltage starter generator control unit may face sporadic overload. This could cause the system’s monitoring function to wrongly detect a fault, potentially leading to the deactivation of the generator. In such a scenario, the vehicle may experience an unexpected loss of propulsion power without warning, posing a serious risk of accidents.
The affected GLE (167) vehicles were produced between 2022 and 2025. While the recall is being led by Mercedes-Benz South Africa, the NCC has indicated that some of the vehicles may have been exported to countries within the Southern African Development Community (SADC), including Zimbabwe, as well as other COMESA member states.
In response, the CPC is urging all affected Zimbabwean consumers to contact any authorised Mercedes-Benz dealer to have their vehicles inspected or repaired free of charge.
For further information, consumers may contact the CPC Director for Research and Public Affairs, Mr. K. Mudereri, at +263 719 176 506 or the Acting Director for Compliance and Investigations, Mr. J. Sibanda, at +263 719 176 473.
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