Two drivers of Mercedes-AMG cars have filed a class action lawsuit against the luxury automaker, alleging that the AMG logo on their driver’s seat becomes so hot that it literally brands them and causes physical burns.
Gabriel Lahijani and Karendeep “Karina” Bath claim the front seats of certain Mercedes-AMG vehicles suffer from a design defect. According to the court document filed in the U.S. District Court of California’s Western division, the raised metallic AMG logo is positioned where it is “reasonably expected to contact an occupant’s upper back, neck, or shoulder.”
Documented Injuries and Medical Evidence
Lahijani, a resident of Los Angeles, leased a new 2026 Mercedes-AMG E-Class vehicle. The suit states he received second-degree burns on his back on May 31 after entering his vehicle while wearing a tank top. A board-certified dermatologist later documented first- and second-degree burns, specifically describing the injury as “AMG inscribed.”
Roughly six weeks later, Bath reported a similar experience. After parking her Mercedes-AMG vehicle in Los Angeles, she returned to the driver’s seat where her shoulder immediately touched the logo, causing a burning sensation. The lawsuit notes that in 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.”
Legal Demands and Corporate Context
The plaintiffs are seeking compensation for medical expenses, pain, suffering, and emotional distress. Furthermore, they want Mercedes to pay for the removal of the metallic logo from other owners' vehicles. Mercedes-Benz could not be reached immediately for comment regarding the filing.
This legal challenge follows a significant settlement in December, where Mercedes-Benz USA and parent company Daimler AG agreed to pay $149.6 million. That case involved allegations of installing secret devices in hundreds of thousands of diesel vehicles between 2008 and 2016 to bypass emissions tests by optimizing controls only during testing environments.
