Mercedes has decided to recall 219 Mercedes-AMG One models out of a total of 275 due to fire risk. The recall is listed under reference number 15209R in the catalog of the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA).
Exactly one month ago, the internet was flooded with images of a Mercedes-AMG One that caught fire on a road in Germany. The owner, a German citizen from Oldenburg, reported hearing a bang while driving, and shortly afterward the car was engulfed in flames. Another car caught fire in May 2023 while being transported on a truck.
Because of these incidents, Mercedes has decided to recall 219 Mercedes-AMG One units. Why only 219 out of the 275? Production of the Mercedes-AMG One began in August 2022, totaling 275 units, with the first unit delivered on January 16, 2023. As of now, all 275 vehicles have been delivered.
Surprisingly, according to KBA data, 183 of the 219 units are in Germany. It’s rather unusual that such a hypercar, priced at €2.7 million plus VAT, has found so few buyers globally. Of the 219 affected cars, only 36 were sold outside of Germany.
Referring back to recall number 15209R, the official KBA site states:
“Missing cotter pin locks on the hydraulic line of the rear spoiler can lead to the leakage of hydraulic fluid, which can ignite on hot components.”
To fix this issue, the installation of the cotter pin locks on the hydraulic line of the rear spoiler will be checked in the workshop and corrected if necessary.
The KBA site also mentions that no incidents involving any Mercedes-AMG One are officially known. However, does this mean the car that caught fire in Germany had a different cause?
At the time, the cause of the fire in the Oldenburg owner’s car was unclear. It was speculated that the fire could have been triggered by the 8.4 kWh battery or one of the electric motors.
This recall negatively impacts the prestige of the hypercar. The Mercedes-AMG One was launched five years behind schedule, as adapting the Formula 1 engine for normal driving and meeting emissions standards took much longer than anticipated. Then, during the international test drive on a circuit, the car unexpectedly entered limp mode. And later came the two fire incidents mentioned above.
The Mercedes-AMG One is one of the most complex hypercars ever built. Its propulsion system is incredibly sophisticated and includes:
- A single-turbo V6 engine, electrically assisted and based on the current F1 engine. It has four camshafts controlled by spur gears, and pneumatic valve springs to handle high engine speeds. The combustion engine produces 574 PS at 9,000 rpm, with a redline of 11,000 rpm.
- An MGU-H-style electric motor (Motor Generator Unit – Heat) of 90 kW, placed between the exhaust gas turbine and the compressor turbine, directly on the turbine shaft. It accelerates the compressor to 100,000 rpm before exhaust gases reach it.
- A second electric motor, similar to F1’s MGU-K (Motor Generator Unit – Kinetic), with 120 kW, is directly connected to the V6’s crankshaft through a spur gear. This motor is powered by a high-voltage Li-Ion battery.
- Two front electric motors, each delivering 120 kW at 50,000 rpm, individually drive the left and right front wheels. These are also powered by the same Li-Ion battery.
The total system output is 1,063 PS.