Collective proceedings against Daimler AG / Mercedes-Benz Group over emissions defeat devices used in Euro 5 and Euro 6 diesel vehicles, including OM 642 V6 and OM 651 four-cylinder engines.
In April 2024 the Amsterdam District Court ruled the DEJF admissible to bring the collective action against Daimler / Mercedes-Benz AG. Substantive briefing is now under way; oral hearings on the merits are expected in 2026.
Additional models may be added as investigations continue.
Mercedes-Benz vehicles with the OM 651 four-cylinder engine, manufactured between 2008 and 2018.
Engine · OM 651Larger Mercedes vehicles with the OM 642 V6 diesel, primarily in the GLE, ML, S-Class and E-Class.
Engine · OM 642Smaller A-, B- and CLA-class vehicles with the Renault-derived OM 622 engine, manufactured between 2012 and 2018.
Engine · OM 622The DEJF alleges that Daimler / Mercedes-Benz Group manufactured and sold diesel vehicles equipped with software designed to cheat European emissions tests, in violation of EU Regulation 715/2007 and Dutch consumer law. The German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) has issued multiple recalls of Mercedes diesel models since 2018 specifically because of impermissible defeat devices found in OM 642 and OM 651 engines.
Independent testing has identified at least four kinds of defeat device strategies in Mercedes diesel vehicles, including a temperature-based ‘thermal window’ that reduces emissions control outside a narrow temperature range, a Bit 13 / Bit 14 strategy that disables AdBlue dosing after a set distance, and a slipguard system that detects test cycles.
Mercedes-Benz Group has consistently denied that its emissions control strategies amount to unlawful defeat devices, while implementing voluntary and mandatory recall campaigns for hundreds of thousands of vehicles in Europe. The DEJF position is that these recalls do not adequately compensate owners for the diminished value, increased fuel consumption, and increased wear caused by retrofit fixes.
The foundation filed a writ in 2020 alleging consumer fraud and breach of EU emissions law. Following the April 2024 admissibility decision the foundation is now in substantive briefing, with merits hearings expected in 2026.
Active proceedings grouped by jurisdiction. Most recent entries appear first.
Writ of summons served on Daimler AG (now Mercedes-Benz Group AG) and Mercedes-Benz Nederland B.V.
Amsterdam District Court — admissibility ruling. The court ruled the DEJF admissible to bring the collective action against Daimler / Mercedes-Benz Group. Mercedes-Benz had questioned the legality of the foundation’s participation; the court rejected those objections.
Substantive hearings on the merits expected in 2026.
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