Mercedes BENZ GLE Class Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls β NHTSA data
Comparing used Mercedes BENZ GLE Class options? We analyzed 10 model years (2017β2026) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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Model-year trends show patterns β they can't tell you whether this car was crashed, flooded, or rolled back. A VIN check can.
- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Mercedes BENZ GLE Class has 465 owner complaints and 0 safety recalls across model years 2017β2026. The most reported issue area is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. 2020 drew the most complaints; 2023 drew the fewest.
- Make
- Mercedes BENZ
- Model
- GLE Class
- Model years analyzed
- 2017β2026 (10 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 465
- Safety recall campaigns
- 0
- Crash-related complaints
- 31
- Fire-related complaints
- 6
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2020 (123 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2023 (31 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Reliability signal
- Poor
By model year
Mercedes BENZ GLE Class: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used β lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record β lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
NCAP crash test ratings for this model are not yet loaded or this vehicle was not tested in the years analyzed. NHTSA tests a subset of new vehicles each year. Check nhtsa.gov/ratings directly for the latest results.
What the complaint data suggests
PoorThe MERCEDES BENZ GLE CLASS has 465 NHTSA complaints and 0 recalls on record. 31 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 465 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 0 federal recall campaigns
- 31 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Oct 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
0 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
No NHTSA recalls were found in our database for this model. Always verify open recalls using your specific VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2017β2026. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 465 NHTSA complaints β these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
465 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
The vehicle is shifting into neutral when putting it into drive. I was told the transmission valve body broke and transmission control unit for 9-speed transmission (VGS) has to be replaced. The fault codes include P073E00, gear cannot be engaged, and U012600, Communication with the steering column module has a malfunction. The vehicle only has 77,488 miles on it.
Trailer recognition module shows fault B164213, "The output for the left rear turn signal lamp has a malfunction. There is an open circuit." The vehicle has 77,488 miles.
The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE450. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, there was an abnormal banging sound coming from the roof. While looking in the rear-view mirror, the contact saw a dislodged trim piece striking a vehicle behind. After stopping to inspect the vehicle the contact discovered that the plastic front roof panel trim piece had detached from the vehicle. No further info was available regarding the second vehicle. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V854000 (STRUCTURE). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 52,000.
The P06DA00 code in Mercedes-Benz vehicles is a common issue involving the oil pump solenoid, often caused by a faulty wiring harness. If this is caused by faulty wiring harness then this should be a recall since it is common and happens to all vehicles like mine. I have been told that this needs to be a recall. Oil Pump Gear: Found faulty oil pump control valve present and requires replacement. Recommend replacement of engine oil pump control valve. The oil pump gear is attached to the oil pump shaft and used to spin the oil pump. The oil pump is used to circulate the engine through the engine.
Panaramic glass roof exploded while traveling on highway sending glass all over the car and highway. Sounded like a gun shot right above my head. Fortunately the sunshade was closed at the time and I was able to safely exit the highway to clean up the mess and no one was injured but it could have been very dangerous!
Sunroof part behind the windshield came off due to the bond adhesive deteriorating and cause part coming off and causing road hazard
Read 14 more owner reports
The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes Benz AMG GLE43. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, there was a whistling sound coming from the sunroof. The contact stated that while taking an exit, the roof panel detached from the vehicle. The contact stated that a dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was determined that the roof panel needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V197000 (STRUCTURE); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 63,754.
The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE43. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the engine oil pump control solenoid, resulting in possible damages to the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 100,000.
My safety and others safety was put at risk when I was driving on the freeway. The front glass panel between the windshield and panoramic sunroof detached from the vehicle. It sounded as if the entire sunroof shattered and something crashed into the vehicle causing myself to swerve, duck for cover and nearly crash into the median causing a near accident with my passenger as a witness. The car directly behind me was noted to swerve almost hit the median following the noise. In the moment I had no idea what happened until I had to pull off the freeway to assess what happened. This is when noted the the front panel between the windshield and panoramic sunroof was noted to be broken off. The vehicle was recently inspected by an official Mercedes Benz service department prior to this and then by an official Mercedes Benz Body Shop following the damage. There was no warning lamps or any symptoms or signs of damage prior to this failure. There is several noted recalls on other VIN models for Mercedes GLE 43 for this exact same issue of failure to this specific front roof panel but for some reason my vehicle VIN is not included. It is noted that the front roof panel between the windshield and panoramic roof may not have been bonded on correctly or the bond can deteriorate and can detach from the vehicle causing a road hazard and increasing risk for a crash.
NHTSA Campaign ID: 23V854000 is an expansion of campaign ID 21V197000 but is still too narrowly focused and needs to have the investigation re-opened. While driving at highway speed the glass panel on the body that is attached between the windshield and panoramic sunroof experienced an unexpected and total adhesive failure causing the glass body panel to become airborne and projectile at highway speed. Luckily it landed on the highway and shattered without injury. The two recall campaigns reference this exact failure on cars where the panel has been previously replaced, however there is no information to suggest the original need for a previous repair. In this case, the vehicle did not have a previous repair on record, yet Mercedes claims this problem only exists in previous repair scenarios and refuses to complete the repair under the recall. Logically, one of these two things MUST be true: 1.) The adhesive failure is born from the assembly process in the factory, in which case the recall should be expanded under the same safety concerns as the previously cited campaigns and Mercedes should be compelled to make the repair. 2.) There was a previous repair done to this glass on the vehicle and proper records were not maintained by Mercedes, in which case it falls into the scope of the previously cited campaigns and Mercedes should be compelled to make the repair. I attempted to work directly with Mercedes on this but after escalation, they denied the request for repair under courtesy repair or under recall scope. I'm hoping for help from the NHTSA as simple logic suggests that either the vehicle should already be in scope of the recall, or that the recall scope is too narrow and was not properly investigated. Mercedes attempted several illogical excuses in an attempt to avoid responsibility, but they strained credulity at best. This same complaint even appears several times on the NHTSA page for this vehicle make/model, and the report doesn't list VIN.
I had reported prior about My engine light warning. I now have a letter stating that the warranty on this was extended due to a recall that applies to my vehicle. I would like to add that my vehicle is a AMG and shows a different vehicle in your system when I enter the vin number.
The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE 400 equipped with Continental Tires, Tire Line: Cross Sport, Tire Size: 265/45/R20, DOT Number: AFXKWBBM2523. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear passengerβs side tire inadvertently exploded. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The tire failure mileage was 12,000. The approximate vehicle failure mileage was 86,000. The VIN was not available.
Seat belt light on on dash, seat belts secured. Can bus system scan reports both front seat belt powered pretensioners are setting fault codes. Hard faults. Recall on identical problem issued on 2019 models . Purchased auto 06/24 Used. I have 2 Mercedes : 2023 GLC / 9000 miles and 2019 amg gle coupe 4.3 51,000miles. Are seat belt powered pretensioners covered under this Recall???? Please reply? [XXX] [XXX] or [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Car caught fire in the engine compartment and was extinguished by the fire department
The glass panel between the windshield and sunroof became detached wile driving on the highway appears to be a factory defect where that the adhesive used failed and allowed this to fall off . This narrowly missed a vehicle behind me avoiding a catastrophic accident. This should be replaced and recalled by the Dealer . Thank you
intermittent inability to shift gears which progressively gets worse wirh complete failure at some point. Inability to shift from reverse to drive has left me in many unsafe situation including failure in the middle of the road. Both manufacturer car dealership and independent mechanic verified the shift column control module needs to be replaced; however, part is not currently available from Meredeces-Bez and there is no ETA. The shift column control module is tied to the air bag system and therefore could potentially also fail. Both car dealership and independent mechanic confirmed this is a recurring issue in various models. The day my car was taken to the dealership one other car had to be towed in due to car not shifting leaving car inoperable.
Water is getting into my spare tire wheel in the truck, Board is wet and causing moisture in truck. I took my car in as this was a recall and they said they already closed it and they refused to inspect it. This also damages the fuel pump which I just had to replace which is defected as well. Costumer service is really going down with Mercedes.
I PURCHASED MY 2019 IN 2023. LEASE RETURN. I HAVE OPENED THE SUNROOF MAY 5 TIMES SINCE PURCHASING. THE SUNROOF NO LONGER OPENS DUE TO A DEFECTIVE RAIL SYSTEM. THIS SYSTEM IS NOT READILY ACCESSIBLE AND HAS TO BE FIXED BY REMOVING THE THE CEILING INSIDE. THE PARTS AND LABOR CHARGE HAS BEEN QUOTED AT $3400. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO 2 DEALERSHIP AND CALLED A 3RD TO GET AN PHONE ESTIMATE. EACH SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME THAT THIS HAPPENS TO MOST OF THE 2019 GLE COUPES BUT HAS BEEN RESOLVED IN THE NEWER MODELS. I ASKED IS THIS SOMETHING I COULD HAVE CAUSED AND THEY EACH SAID NO, THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE RAILING SYSTEM. A FAILING SUNROOF RAIL SYSTEM COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE INTERNAL WATER DAMAGE OVER TIME DUE THE SUNROOF NOT CLOSING CORRECTLY. EXTENDED WARRANTIES DO NOT COVER THE RAILING SYSTEM ONLY THE MOTOR OF THE SUNROOF.
I purchased a Certified Pre Owned Mercedes 2019 GLE 43 AMG from West Covina Mercedes-Benz Dealership in 2020 with 8,252 miles on it. This year I started to hear a noise upon accerlating which later lead to a rough acceleration. It feels like my car is struggling to get going. I took it to get diagnoised by three different mechanics and they have all mentioned that; Directory Control Valve & harness need to be replaced. I took it to the Mercedez Benz West Covina to have the service completed and I asked if it falls under any warranty as I was 34,981 miles and they stated no. They also stated that no recalls were made. After looking on KBB to see how much my car is worth I see that there are recalls for the GLE under this exact part. Also upon service they reccommend resealing the cam covers due to the engine over heating. I specifically requested them to inspect the valve but they werent able to. I do believe this make and model is part of the manufactuer recall/defects that falls under campaign 23V445 and would like this to be investigated. Kbb also states it falls under this recall but when you call to verify by vin this will not show up in MBUSA system. Attached documents.
Having issues with my car upon accerlation. 35-38 mph I hear a noise briefly that is hard to pin point as it doesn't happen every time I accelerate. Took it in to find the cause and was told that its just my tires making a noise. however I have taken to a few mechanics and tire shops and told me that it wouldn't cause my car to be sluggish. tires are basic wear and tear.
Showing 20 of 465 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact Mercedes BENZ GLE Class
These pages show model-year patterns across 10 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations β hereβs what each number actually tells you about a used Mercedes BENZ GLE Class, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is β but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Mercedes BENZ GLE Class has 465 complaints on record across 10 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Mercedes BENZ GLE Class has 0 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 31 of the Mercedes BENZ GLE Class's 465 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions β a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Poor) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable β simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Mercedes BENZ GLE Class vehicles on the road β not any specific car. Two Mercedes BENZ GLE Class vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage β NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Mercedes BENZ GLE Class has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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Mercedes BENZ GLE Class reliability β frequently asked questions
Is the Mercedes BENZ GLE Class reliable?
Poor. The Mercedes BENZ GLE Class has 465 NHTSA owner complaints and 0 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which Mercedes BENZ GLE Class years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2020 (123 complaints), 2021 (83 complaints), 2017 (75 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common Mercedes BENZ GLE Class problems?
Top reported issues: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (107 complaints); ENGINE (107 complaints); UNKNOWN OR OTHER (82 complaints).
Does the Mercedes BENZ GLE Class have recalls?
No NHTSA recall campaigns are currently on record for the Mercedes BENZ GLE Class. Always verify with a VIN check as recalls can be added at any time.