When it comes to cars, “branding” always has to do with marketing and product positioning and all that, and nothing to do with hot irons searing designs into hides. Well, most of the time that’s not what “branding” refers to – but in this case, it is indeed the latter as Mercedes-AMG is currently subject to a class-action lawsuit that alleges its cars are quite literally leaving their mark on customers.
The suit centers on the fact that some of the decorative elements inside the cars can heat up so dramatically in direct sunlight that even brief contact with them can burn markings into unprotected skin, resulting in something that very much resembles a branding mark.
Two customers in southern California have raised the issue, both alleging that a metal badge sewn into the upper seat area on many AMG models soaked up enough sun to become a second-degree burn waiting to happen and providing evidence of their injuries.
According to the court filings, one driver in Los Angeles — Gabriel Lahijani — climbed into his leased car wearing a tank top on his way to the gym and was instantly burned on contact with the badge:
“Mr. Lahijani sought urgent-care treatment and was diagnosed with a second-degree burn. A board-certified dermatologist subsequently documented first- and second-degree burns with crusting and deflated bullae, described the injury as ‘AMG inscribed,’ attributed it to the interior car-logo plaque, photographed it, and advised Mr. Lahijani concerning wound care, likely discoloration, and possible scarring”
The second recorded incident occurred a few weeks later, with Mercedes owner Karendeep “Karina” Bath. Although the model of AMG isn’t recorded, the suit indicates it has the same badge in the same seat-back location and inflicted a similar injury:
“After parking her Mercedes-AMG vehicle on Ventura Boulevard in Los Angeles, Ms. Bath returned to the vehicle and, while wearing a sleeveless top, entered the driver’s seat. Her shoulder immediately contacted the raised AMG logo badge on the seat, causing a burning sensation. She did not initially realize she had been burned; over the following days, a mark in the shape of the AMG logo darkened and became visible on her skin, consistent with a thermal contact burn.”
@karinabath What are going to do about this @mercedesbenzusa @Mercedes-Benz ? #mercedesamg #mercedesbenz #mercedes #amg ♬ Saxophones getting louder – Sped Up – AntonioVivald
Their suit hinges on the fact that a shiny metal badge located in an area that would catch a lot of sunlight — especially in southern California — without any thermal protection or warning constitutes a hazardous defect.
Whether ultimately successful or not, the issue is one that arguably should have been anticipated. Even in spots around the world that see fewer sunlight hours and less intense sun than Los Angeles, different areas of your car’s interior can heat up at different rates and quickly become uncomfortable to touch.
Darker finishes naturally heat up quickly in direct sunlight, but also radiate heat more readily and cool down just as rapidly. You may have found your probably-black steering wheel becoming very hot when you first get into the car but cooling down once you set off, or settled into some toasty black leather seats.
Shiny metal components reflect a lot of light but smaller ones also heat up rapidly due to high conductivity and low specific heat capacity, as those of us with aluminum gear shift knobs may have discovered. When surrounded by insulating materials, such as in a seat back, the chance of them becoming dangerously hot increases, and placing them in a position against which you’re likely to rest a part of your body could be a recipe for a painful experience – as seems the case here.
In the meantime, if you’ve got a Mercedes-AMG or other car with such a decorative feature, maybe at least toss on a t-shirt before hopping into the driver’s seat after your car’s been baking in the sun.
Top graphic images: Mercedes-AMG
Summer-sunny time? Affix white cloth medical tape. Done dusted.
Oh yes, physics!
Not surprised someone forgot that on a douchy Mercedes.
Experinced that myself the other day, during another heatwave day in southern France: Seats sittable, steering wheel touchable, cabin blower and open doors quickly moved the sauna air out. But the seatbelt buckle: Ooowww!
Related, I have a semicircular scar on my leg from a Mini Cooper S.
“Let’s go brandin’!” –AMG, probably
Not that I need another reason to dislike the kind of cars Mercedes/AMG currently sells, but thanks anyway.
THIS HAPPENED TO ME TOO! In my old S213 E63s Wagon I got in my car on a beach day and the AMG badge on the seat burned my skin something fierce. I didn’t get a cool AMG brand out of it but I did get a pretty terrible burn. I didn’t think to sue Merc but hey I’ll join a class action why not? Ever since that day I started using one of those umbrella style windshield covers in my Escalade.
That shit HURT.
Shouldn’t the ‘burn’ on that woman’s skin be the AMG logo reversed? That should be a backwards G, not a normal-looking A.
it was being shown through a mirror.
Brand loyalty
First, it’s branding. Soon they’ll be screaming on tiktok “l’m all shiny and chrome.”
You can’t have push buttons, but you can have big gaudy (button-like) chunks of plastic on your seats.
Thing is, most of the owners/lessees of these vehicles probably wish these were plastic. Plastic cools off quickly. These are either cast aluminum or a die cast zinc alloy. In a hot car. On a hot day. It’s like putting a hot wheels on your dash for 8 hours, then grabbing it when you try to leave work when it’s 90+F and sunny. Or having a metal shift knob and forgetting to put the sunshade up. Except this is a permanent part of the car located right in the small of your back. No better way to show your love for AMG than branding yourself, I guess.