Image: Mercedes-BenzAccording to the Mercedes-focused blog mb.passion, which is typically well-informed about the brand, the manufacturer reportedly informed workshops this past Monday about an upcoming high-voltage battery replacement programme. The affected models are the EQA 250+ and EQB 250+, which feature a 70.5 kWh battery pack with cells from the Chinese supplier Farasis Energy mounted in the underbody.Under certain conditions, these cells can develop an internal short circuit, which may lead to a vehicle fire. Mercedes had previously addressed this issue with a software update for the battery management system, but this significantly reduced the usable energy content and charging performance. As a result, a consumer law firm filed a lawsuit, as the vehicles no longer delivered the originally advertised specifications after the update.As mb.passion now reports, ‘the previous measures were internally regarded solely as a temporary solution, not as a technical final fix.’ The definitive solution is a complete battery replacement, during which the problematic Farasis cells will be fully exchanged. The entire battery replacement is expected to take around eight hours of labour, equivalent to a full working day. It remains unclear which manufacturer will supply the new batteries, and the article does not specify details such as the energy content, range, or charging behaviour of the replacement battery.At this stage, the information remains internal, shared by Mercedes with its dealerships. A recall by the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt) is expected ‘shortly’, followed by the usual communication with affected customers. Once the battery is replaced with a new, technically sound unit, customers will not only regain the vehicle’s originally promised specifications—rather than the software-limited version—but may also see an improvement in the vehicle’s residual value.The approach and communication from Mercedes-Benz have caused considerable frustration among affected customers. For example, in North America and China, measures such as complete battery replacements have already been announced, while in Germany, only the software update was provided. This update did not fully resolve the issue but merely reduced the likelihood of it occurring—while also compromising the vehicle’s performance.Update 25 February 2026The report by mb.passion on battery replacement in the Mercedes EQA and EQB 250+ has been confirmed. An entry for the two models is now listed in the KBA recall database. According to this, 51,729 vehicles in the Mercedes-Benz ‘243 series’ are affected worldwide, 4,677 of them in Germany. The affected vehicles were produced between 20 February 2021 and 30 July 2024. The EQA and EQB are no longer in production.The faulty batteries with an energy content of 70.5 kWh, which were installed in the 250+ model variants, use cells from the supplier Farasis Energy. In the worst case, a short circuit in the high-voltage battery can lead to a fire. The high-voltage batteries are therefore now being replaced. The KBA database does not specify which cells will be used. It is also still unclear when exactly the replacement campaign will start and how long it will take. Under the heading ‘Measures’, the KBA states the following restriction regarding the replacement of the batteries: “as soon as the replacement parts are available.” Until then, customers should not charge the vehicle above 80 per cent and should only park it outdoors.The KBA reference number for the recall is 16136R, and the manufacturer’s recall code is 4794004.mbpassion.de (in German), mbpassion.de, kba-online.de (both in German, update)
