Mercedes-AMG G 63 4x4 Squared Hit With Recall Over Differential Housing That May Break

As per documents published by the NHTSA, the German automaker started investigating said issue last month. Merc determined that something may be off with the rear axle's housing following an internal test, which showed traces of fracturing on the housing. Detailed analyses were subsequently started together with Oberaigner Powertrain, the Austrian supplier of the 4x4 Squared's rear axle.

Although said analyses are still ongoing, Mercedes did initiate a campaign to address every single potentially affected vehicle still accessible to the Stuttgart-based manufacturer. In November 2023, the automaker also became aware of a customer complaint from outside the US market, which might be related to the aforementioned problem.

Fast forward to December 2023, and Merc finally decided to recall the G 63 4x4 Squared due to the potential safety risks posed by the rear axle going kaput while driving. Prior to contacting the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on December 15, the automaker became aware of a second customer complaint, this time from the US.

As you might have guessed by now, there is no remedy available for said condition. Be that as it may, MBUSA customer assistance will instruct owners to park their off-road leviathans until a remedy becomes available. Dealers will be instructed to have the vehicles inspected for inspection. If available, loaner vehicles will be offered at no cost whatsoever.

Dealers and owners will be notified no later than December 21 and – get this – February 13, respectively. That's a heck of a long time to wait for a Merc-branded envelope to arrive by first-class mail, and it's downright infuriating once you remember how much the G 63 4x4 Squared costs in comparison to the G 63. More specifically, the recommended price used to be $350,050 for the 2022 model.

Both 2022 and 2023 models are recalled, with their production dates ranging from March 5, 2021 (even though the G 63 4x4 Squared was revealed in June 2022) to December 1, 2023. It's nigh-on impossible to tell when a G 63 4x4 Squared was manufactured without the automaker's help, but fret not because you can determine whether your vehicle is affected or not by running the VIN on the NHTSA's website.

Assembled by Magna Steyr in Austria rather than Mercedes-Benz in Germany, the G 63 4x4 Squared is listed with no fewer than three part numbers for the rear axle in the report below. Said part numbers are A4633509301, A4633509401, and A4633509601.

The most capable G intended for civilian use, the 4x4 Squared offers a whopping 13.8 inches of ground clearance, portal axles front and rear, independent suspension up front, and a solid axle out back. Under the hood, the G 63's twin-turbo V8 will have to suffice. In this application, it produces 577 horsepower and 627 pound-feet (850 Nm) of twist.