Mercedes AMG Drivers Sue Over Seat Logo Burns

Two Mercedes-AMG drivers have initiated a class action lawsuit against the luxury automaker, alleging that the metallic AMG emblem on the front seats poses a serious burn hazard. The complaint, filed this week in the U.S. District Court for California's Western Division, claims the raised logo can overheat and make contact with an occupant's upper back, neck, or shoulder, leading to thermal injuries.

Plaintiffs Gabriel Lahijani and Karendeep "Karina" Bath are seeking compensation for medical costs, pain, suffering, and emotional distress. They are also requesting that Mercedes pay for the removal of the logo from affected vehicles for all class members.

According to the suit, Lahijani, a Los Angeles resident, leased a new 2026 Mercedes-AMG E-Class in May. While wearing a tank top, he sustained second-degree burns on his back after entering the vehicle. A dermatologist later documented the injury, describing it as "AMG inscribed."

About six weeks later, Bath, a resident of Chatsworth, reported a similar incident. After parking her AMG vehicle in Los Angeles, she re-entered the driver's seat in a sleeveless top. Her shoulder touched the logo, causing a burning sensation. In the days that followed, a mark matching the AMG logo's shape appeared on her skin, consistent with a thermal contact burn.

Mercedes-Benz has not yet responded to requests for comment. This lawsuit follows a separate December settlement in which Mercedes-Benz USA and parent company Daimler AG agreed to pay $149.6 million over allegations of installing emissions-cheating software in over 211,000 diesel vehicles sold between 2008 and 2016.