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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 10 (Thursday, January 16, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4846-4847]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-00969]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2025-0001]

Denial of Motor Vehicle Defect Petition

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 
Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Denial of petition for a defect investigation.

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SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the reasons for the denial of a defect 
petition, DP23-003, submitted on July 2, 2023, by Aldelberto A. Cordova 
(the ``Petitioner'') to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). 
The petition requests that NHTSA (the ``Agency'') investigate an 
alleged defect in the ``ISG 48-volt on-board electrical system,'' which 
resulted in a warning light illumination and an inability to start the 
Petitioner's 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC300. The Petitioner further 
requested a recall for 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC300 vehicles based on this 
issue. After conducting a technical review of the Petitioner's 
submissions, reviewing complaints related to MY 2023 Mercedes-Benz 
GLC300 warning light illumination as well as the inability to start a 
vehicle, and reviewing information provided by Mercedes-Benz regarding 
the ISG 48-volt system, NHTSA has concluded that the issues raised by 
the petition do not warrant a defect investigation at this time. 
Accordingly, the Agency has denied the petition.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Alexa Ardron, Vehicle Defects 
Division D, Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590. Phone: (202)-819-4554. Email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

 Introduction

    Interested persons may petition NHTSA requesting that the Agency 
initiate an investigation to determine whether a motor vehicle or an 
item of replacement equipment does not comply with an applicable motor 
vehicle safety standard or contains a defect that relates to motor 
vehicle safety. 49 U.S.C. 30162(a)(2); 49 CFR 552.1. Upon receipt of a 
properly filed petition, the Agency conducts a technical review of the 
petition, material submitted with the petition, and any additional 
information. 49 U.S.C. 30162(a)(2); 49 CFR 552.6. The technical review 
may consist solely of a review of information already in the possession 
of the Agency or it may include the collection of information from the 
motor vehicle manufacturer and/or other sources. After conducting the 
technical review and considering appropriate factors, which may 
include, but are not limited to, the nature of the complaint, 
allocation of Agency resources, Agency priorities, the likelihood of 
uncovering sufficient evidence to establish the existence of a defect, 
and the likelihood of success in any necessary enforcement litigation, 
the Agency will grant or deny the petition. See 49 U.S.C. 30162(a)(2); 
49 CFR 552.8.

Background Information

    In a letter dated July 2, 2023, Aldelberto A. Cordova (the 
``Petitioner'') submitted a petition requesting that NHTSA initiate an 
investigation into an alleged defect in the ISG 48-volt on-board 
electrical system, which allegedly resulted in warning light 
illumination and an inability to start the Petitioner's 2023 Mercedes-
Benz GLC300 vehicle.

[[Page 4847]]

Thus, the scope of ODI's review was directed to those GLC300 vehicles.
    NHTSA has based its decision on a review of the material cited by 
the Petitioner in his petition, information submitted by Mercedes-Benz 
in response to an Agency request, and other pertinent information in 
NHTSA's databases.

Summary of the Petition

    The Petitioner alleged that Model Year (MY) 2023 Mercedes-Benz 
GLC300 vehicles equipped with the 48-volt ISG system can experience a 
failure resulting in the illumination of warning lights and an 
inability to start a vehicle. The Petitioner enclosed the following 
information with the petition:
     A description of the check engine light illuminating;
     A description of communications with a dealership about 
illumination of the check engine light;
     Copies of select Mercedes-Benz Service Campaign Bulletins;
     A listing of Mercedes-Benz vehicles that are covered under 
a recall for ISG-48V system issues;
     Excerpts from internet consumer chats that reported no-
start conditions;
     A service invoice at a Mercedes-Benz dealership;
     Listings of Mercedes-Benz Xentry system communications; 
and
     Listings of allegedly related NHTSA recalls.

Office of Defects Investigation Analysis

    ODI conducted the following actions while evaluating the Petition:
     Examined the Petition and its enclosures;
     Reviewed the Petitioner's vehicle history;
     Sent an Information Request letter to Mercedes-Benz and 
reviewed Mercedes-Benz's response to that letter; and
     Searched for similar complaint traffic in NHTSA's consumer 
complaints database.
    In its August 24, 2023 response to NHTSA's Information Request 
letter, Mercedes-Benz stated that:
     The cause of the condition reported by the Petitioner was 
a software deviation in the Central Powertrain Controller (CPC);
     The CPC is separate from and independent of the 48V mild 
hybrid ISG system;
     The CPC condition in question may cause intermittent no-
start conditions; and
     Mercedes-Benz has an active software campaign to correct 
the CPC software deviation.
    ODI conducted a search of NHTSA's consumer complaint database and 
did not find support for a related stalling trend in the subject 
vehicles.
    Based on available information, it appears that the defect alleged 
by the Petitioner may be caused by a software error in the CPC 
software, which is a system separate and independent from the 48-volt 
system.
    ODI concentrated its evaluation on conditions that could lead to a 
loss of motive power during a drive cycle, and the CPC condition only 
takes place during a vehicle's startup. Based on this distinction, 
coupled with the absence of a loss of motive power while driving in the 
Petitioner's vehicle, and an absence of other applicable loss of motive 
power allegations in the subject vehicle population in general, ODI 
finds no basis on which to open a related safety defect investigation 
at this time.
    Mercedes-Benz has an ongoing service campaign to resolve the CPC 
software error, which caused the illumination of the engine lights and 
the no-start condition.
    After thoroughly assessing the material submitted by the 
Petitioner, information in NHTSA's databases, and information submitted 
by Mercedes-Benz in response to an ODI Information Request regarding 
the Petitioner's allegations, and in consideration of the action 
Mercedes-Benz is taking to address the software issue, NHTSA does not 
find that a formal investigation is warranted at this time. 
Accordingly, the Agency is denying the petition. As with all potential 
motor vehicle safety risks, NHTSA will continue to review any new 
information or incidents as they are submitted to the Agency.
    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 30162(d) and 49 CFR part 552; delegations of 
authority at CFR 1.95(a) and 49 CFR part 501.\1\
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    \1\ The authority to determine whether to approve or deny defect 
petitions under 49 U.S.C. 30162(d) and 49 CFR part 552 has been 
further delegated to the Associate Administrator for Enforcement.

Eileen Sullivan,
Associate Administrator for Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 2025-00969 Filed 1-15-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P
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