How to Make a Mercedes Diesel Claim

Mercedes started producing diesel cars after the Second World War. Now, the car manufacturer is faced with over 1 million Mercedes diesel claims at London High Court in relation to alleged defeat devices and cheat software. If you were the vehicle owner of a diesel Mercedes, whether through buying outright, a finance agreement or lease, you can put your name towards a joint claim against the company for compensation.

This article will explore what diesel emissions claims are, why they are necessary and how Mercedes might be affected, just like other car manufacturers. It will also detail how to make a Mercedes diesel claim and how much you could potentially get. With every car manufacturer under the spotlight, it makes sense to see if you’ve been affected.

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What Is a Diesel Car Claim?

Essentially, this is a claim against a car manufacturer that they misled customers about nitrogen oxide (NOₓ) emissions. The standards set have not been adhered to and defeat devices, or emissions cheating software, was fitted to present lower than actual emissions. The illegal devices hid the true pollution of the vehicle, which could have then been mis-sold to consumers. A Mercedes diesel claim is a way of receiving compensation for this mis-selling.

You can be due compensation from a diesel emissions claim for a number of reasons.

Whether making a Mercedes diesel claim or one for Ford or Volkswagen, you are putting your name with other consumers in your position for reparations.

How would you feel if your vehicle had been polluting the environment much, much more than you had thought?

How would this affect your relationship with the manufacturer?

Why Is a Mercedes Diesel Claim Important?

Making a diesel claim ensures that manufacturers are held accountable for their actions. Not only are there considerations for the environment, but the health implications and financial compensation are all part of the same package. Mercedes’ emissions may have been contributing to this harm.

More nitrous oxides deplete the ozone layer, contaminate water sources and have the possibility of causing acid rain. These gases also cause breathing problems and open up the potential for infections and heart conditions. With so many harmful repercussions as a result of excess emissions, a Mercedes diesel claim is much more about receiving financial compensation.

In essence, a Mercedes diesel claim encompasses a whole host of issues, both directly and indirectly affecting you. By becoming part of a group claim against car manufacturers, you can make sure your voice is heard.

Can I Make a Claim Myself?

Any individual going up against a vehicle behemoth is unlikely to receive any compensation, which is why group claims of this type are ideal. The financial aspect of taking a multi-billion pound corporation to court yourself would completely outweigh any reward you might receive. This is why a Mercedes diesel claim, or any other, would only be considered as part of a group litigation order (GLO).

How Is Mercedes Affected?

Origins

After the Volkswagen dieselgate scandal, where claimants received a share of £193 million outside of court, other manufacturers have been under scrutiny. Mercedes is being targeted by almost 300,000 customers in London alone, with at least 35,000 more wishing to also make a Mercedes diesel claim.

Update for 2024

A preliminary hearing at the High Court in December 2023 has opened the doors for a series of mass claims against vehicle manufacturers. Because of the sheer number of Mercedes diesel claims, the manufacturer is likely to lead the case, which will also be against two other vehicle carmakers. This means that more than 1.2 million vehicle owners will be affected in a trial that is due to take place in February 2025.

“This unprecedented High Court hearing illustrates the significance and scale of the vehicle emissions claims; the largest consumer group actions ever brought before the English courts.”

Martyn Day – Senior Partner at Leigh Day

The reason why two more manufacturers are being grouped together is to reduce the length of time it takes for the claim to progress through the courts. With a Mercedes diesel claim being the biggest hearing, it’s likely that there will be some overlap with other carmakers, so it’s a much better use of court time and resources to involve others.

This means that emissions claims have been issued against Vauxhall/Opel, Nissan, Renault, Volkswagen, Porsche, Peugeot, Citroën, Jaguar Land Rover, Ford, BMW, Suzuki, Volvo, Hyundai, Kia, Toyota and Mazda. This is all thanks to consumers being able to make a Mercedes diesel claim.

Manufacturer Response

Mercedes-Benz, however, vehemently denies the allegations, stating:

“We believe that the claims are without merit and will vigorously defend ourselves against them.”

The car manufacturer has agreed to handle all the claims together, but if any settlement is going to be achieved, it will most likely happen outside of court. This simply means that they will not pay out as much for your Mercedes diesel claim as they otherwise would.

Evidence Against Mercedes

According to initial documents shown in court, certain Mercedes vehicles were fitted with technology that lowered nitrous oxide emissions. These defeat devices only worked at certain temperatures. As a result, the prosecution believes Mercedes has no grounds in which to defend itself. Whether you’ve already made a Mercedes diesel claim or wish to do so, the case is still ongoing against them.

2023 - Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA)

In July 2023, the German Federal Motor Transport Authority revealed that Mercedes was guilty of using defeat devices in the E350 diesel engine. According to the authority, a Mercedes diesel claim can be made based on the technology that heavily relied on software to alter the engine’s performance based on outside temperatures.

While Mercedes was quick to point out that software updates had been rolled out to fix the issue, the use of software defeat devices is illegal, as ruled by the European Court of Justice in 2020. Even if your vehicle has been fixed, you may be suffering from reduced fuel efficiency as a result, giving you grounds to make a Mercedes diesel claim.

2021 - Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH)

Back in 2021, the DUH accused the manufacturer of using eight defeat devices across its E-Class series. The engine in question was the OM642, which was meant to comply with Euro 6 emissions standards. They believed you could make a Mercedes diesel claim because the devices reduced the amount of AdBlue used, which is meant to eliminate NOₓ emissions.

Historic Settlements

In essence, making a Mercedes diesel claim relies heavily on the VW emissions scandal. In May 2022, 91,000 joint claimants against VW received a share of £193 million. As the case was settled outside of court, it meant that the manufacturer could pay them off without having to admit any liability. The group diesel car claim against Mercedes is different to the VW settlement in that no software is used that detects when emissions tests are being conducted.

How Much Compensation Will I Get?

Some companies advertise that you can get up to £10,000 for a diesel car claim, but this is heavily disputed. In actuality, it’s hard to predict the compensation per claimant. It largely depends on whether the case is settled outside of court and how much you paid towards the vehicle when you owned it. A Mercedes diesel claim should be at least a few thousand pounds, but it could also be considerably less than this.

How Long Will a Diesel Car Claim Take?

Group litigations against a manufacturer can be a lengthy process and more often than not, court cases can be drawn out over a few years. Appeals can prolong any Mercedes diesel claim settlement, but this is in a scenario where court proceedings are prolonged. Ultimately, your claim could be settled in a matter of weeks, months or years. It really depends on how the case goes.

As Mercedes is due to go to court in February 2024, along with two other manufacturers, a settlement could be reached before this date comes around. If not, you can expect the court proceedings for your Mercedes diesel claim to not be quick, so you may have to be patient.

How to Make a Diesel Claim in the UK

If you’re wondering how you can become a part of the joint Mercedes diesel claim, or any other manufacturer, it’s a lot simpler than you might think. To start with, you need to have been the registered owner of a diesel vehicle between 2009 and 2020. This includes buying it outright, on finance, through hire purchase or otherwise.

Use a Claims Management Company

You’re unable to take legal action against Mercedes by yourself, but you can essentially get someone else to do all the work for you. A claims management company has a team of legal experts at its disposal who will be part of the group claim. You’ll be in safe hands knowing that your Mercedes diesel claim will be processed for you.

Approach a Law Firm

The alternative option is to get in touch with a law firm. Not all of them will be accepting claimants for all manufacturers, so you will have to do some legwork. Similarly, a Mercedes diesel claim may only be accepted within a certain time frame. With law firms, you may have to do extensive research to find out if they will be the best option for you.

If you’re struggling to find out if you qualify for a Mercedes diesel claim, check your eligibility by clicking on the button below.