Mercedes recalls AMG One hypercars—Hamilton and Russell may be affected
What's the story
Mercedes-Benz has issued a major recall for its AMG One hypercar, a vehicle that has been plagued with development issues since its concept was unveiled in September 2017. The production version of the car was launched in June 2022, but deliveries only started from January 2023. Now, the German automaker is recalling nearly all of the limited production run due to a potential fire risk.
Impact
Recall due to potential fire risk
The recall, as per Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority (Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt or KBA), is due to a defect that could affect up to 219 cars. The problem stems from the active rear spoiler's hydraulic line, which may be missing a pin lock. If not fixed, this issue could lead to hydraulic fluid leakage and ignition on hot components nearby.
Resolution
Recall affects nearly 80% of all produced units
The KBA has asked Mercedes-AMG to check the recalled cars for the presence and correct installation of the split pin. The inspection and repair process is expected to take around 90 minutes per vehicle. Since only 275 units of this hypercar were made, nearly 80% of all production is affected by this recall. Most of these cars are in Germany where 183 owners will have to contact Mercedes-AMG and book an appointment at a workshop.
Clarification
Two AMG Ones caught fire
Despite two reported cases of AMG One catching fire, the KBA has clarified that these incidents are not linked to this particular defect. The first vehicle was destroyed in a trailer fire in the UK in May 2023, while the second one burned on the roadside just a few weeks ago in Germany.This hypercar counts several Mercedes F1 stars among its owners, including Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg, and George Russell.