Mercedes BENZ GLS Class Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used Mercedes BENZ GLS Class options? We analyzed 10 model years (2017–2026) 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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- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Mercedes BENZ GLS Class has 189 owner complaints and 0 safety recalls across model years 2017–2026. The most reported issue area is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. 2017 drew the most complaints; 2023 drew the fewest.
- Make
- Mercedes BENZ
- Model
- GLS Class
- Model years analyzed
- 2017–2026 (10 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 189
- Safety recall campaigns
- 0
- Crash-related complaints
- 10
- Fire-related complaints
- 14
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2017 (41 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2023 (10 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Reliability signal
- Poor
By model year
Mercedes BENZ GLS 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 — 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 — 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 GLS CLASS has 189 NHTSA complaints and 0 recalls on record. 10 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 189 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 0 federal recall campaigns
- 10 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: Aug 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 2017–2026. 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 189 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
189 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.
I have been receiving errors that visibility is reduced. Lane departure system is not working and car has brake suddenly in moderate traffic despite not being close to vehicle ahead of me.
The contact owns a 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLS450. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormally loud sound coming from the roof of the vehicle. The vehicle was pulled over to the shoulder lane and the contact discovered that the sunroof glass had shattered. No warning lights were illuminated. A dealer was contacted, and the dealer suggested that the insurance provider be contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
Car has been auto braking even though there is nothing in front of the car. This is extremely dangerous and could lead to serious rear end collisions. There are many similar complaints on online forums and Mercedes (and their lawyers) do nothing. Link to video: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The vehicle caught fire while parked and running in the driveway of my home. There were no modifications, no accident, and no external cause. The fire occurred without warning and posed a serious safety risk to occupants and property. The vehicle was under manufacturer warranty at the time of the incident. The fire caused damages to my house too. There were no warning lamps or messages. Benz has not done an investigation yet.
The car has on 5+ occasions had the collision avoidance system shut down (photos of dash showing this are available and have been shared with the dealer). There were no weather incident at the time. Lane following........ same type of thing also shared with dealer. Most disturbing is on multiple occasions, with the speed control engaged driving on the interstate at 65 to 70 mph, the speed limit indicator on the dash changed to 40 (no speed limit change) and the car went into hard breaking mode until I disengaged the system. (also reported to dealer) Each time the car went into the shop, they "checked the systems" and found no faults and made no repair except on one occasion, they "flashed" the software. The car went into the dealer with 67,000 miles on June 3, 2025 with a promise that they would get to the bottom of this issue. The car was returned after a full "testing" and for good measure, one software update and the replacement of a forward facing camera lens. For each item submitted, they reported no history of any faults and found nothing wrong with the car. The car was returned [XXX] at [XXX]. On [XXX] going 60 mph in traffic, the speed limit indicator jumped to 80 mph and the car immediately and rapidly accelerated until I shut the system down. I took a photo of the dash showing the 80 MPH indication. There are NO locations in Virginia that have an 80 mph speed limit. Also, on several occasions, an alert comes up the the car has been in an accident..... when parked in my garage and a bogus date. Other software glitches happen on a periodic basis INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Vehicle lost power while driving on a busy freeway and came to a complete stop and would not restart resulting in it being struck by a vehicle in the rear. More information available in the collision center pre estimate scan and full estimate.
Read 14 more owner reports
While backing out of steep driveway, the car computer screen blinked saying "updating" then screen went blank, lost power, I could not brake. We have a row of trees at the back of our driveway that stopped the car ( with damage) or else we would have rolled into our neighbors basement all. Tree limbs poked a hole in bumper, cracked left tail light, and damaged the back hatch. Mercedes is saying User fault. I have been driving for 45 years without a ticket, wreck or causing an accident, and I am not a liar. If this blanking of the computer screen happened on a highway , a whole family could be killed, or caused a MULTI-car accident. I am concerned about OTHERS welfare. sent 8/17/2024
As I approached a red light and removed my foot from the gas pedal to brake, my dashboard displayed several alarming messages: “Active Brake Assist Functions Limited See Owner's Manual,” “Active Blind Spot Assist Inoperative,” “To Deselect P or N Depress Brake and Start Engine,” and “Traction Control Inoperative See Owner's Manual.” Subsequently, all dashboard lights illuminated, the engine turned off, and the car shifted into neutral from drive, preventing me from restarting it. Despite turning on my hazard lights, I was stuck in the middle lane while the light turned green. My husband recorded the event on his phone. Eventually, the car restarted, and we continued to his doctor’s appointment. After the appointment, which lasted approximately 45 minutes, I noticed the check engine light was still on when we got into the car. Despite this, I drove home and then to the dealership, where I explained the situation and showed the video to the service writer. Later that day, our service writer informed me via text that there were “No faults in system that would indicate issue that would cause vehicle stalling” and suggested a transmission update recall might be related. I requested the code for the check engine light but was told “no code stored for check engine light.” Given these circumstances, I have several pressing concerns: My car turned off in the middle of a busy street and wouldn’t restart immediately, creating a hazardous situation. This incident poses a significant safety risk. What if this had occurred on a freeway or my daughters were driving my car? The dealership's assertion that no issues were found is hard to believe given the clear malfunctions and present check engine light. Mercedes-Benz's response has not addressed my concerns about the vehicle's safety. A car should not "just turn off while actively driving." I am not at all comfortable with the dealership’s statement that “sometimes this can just happen.” This should NEVER happen
When coming into the proximity of devices along the highway that transmit radio/communication signals, message appears with several indicator symbols illuminated, “Temporarily Unavailable-Sensors are Dirty”. None of the ADAS functions work until you stop and restart the engine, or sometimes will return in a few 3-5 minutes or it may be an hour if you don’t restart the car. The dealer is aware this is a problem with Merc Benz but has no solution. Besides being a nuisance this can be very dangerous if assuming systems are working.
While driving it goes to neutral by it self
The car radar system apparently had a glitch and locked up the wheels while I was driving 25 mph. Yes, it is available for inspection. We are afraid to drive the car, it is just sitting. The car locked up so suddenly it made the rear wheel come off and rear of car fell to the ground. I was bruised by the seatbelt from the sudden stop. The dealer acted like they were unable to inspect it, I had the car towed there since it is under warranty. They said it had been in an accident. It had not been in an accident. I had to have policemen direct traffic until the tow truck arrived since the car was literally stopped in the middle of the street. We had an independent shop verify the issue and replace the tire and wheel that had fallen off. The car has had multiple warning messages about active brake assist inoperable, engine overheating, etc. The dealer has not been responsive at all. Seems they are trying to dodge responsibility.
I heard a very loud boom. It scared me. The sunroof exploded. I did not see anything in the road or any object flying toward me. Then I heard cracking and the sunroof started falling in above me. Thankfully, the fabric cover kept the glass from falling on me. Otherwise, the glass would have fallen on me. I could see pieces of glass. I pulled over and looked at the glass. I started towards my home and the shattered glass started flying off behind me and towards the car behind me. I did not want it to cause issues for them so I slowed down to about 30 mph so the glass would not continue to crack and fly off behind me and put on my hazard lights. My daughter called within 30 sec to a minute after it happened. She said when I clicked on the phone (through the car speaker) she heard me say a few words and the cracking of the glass. She called at 4:17 on May 24th, 2023. It was a clear sunny day. When my husband looked at the sunroof and noticed the glass coming up as opposed to caving in. So he said something did not fall through it it had to explode. We did call the dealership and they said they did not have an appointment until June 6th. My husband said we would have to clean up and take most of the glass out to be able to drive it. We did that and put cardboard over it so bugs could not get it. There was no damage to any other part of the windshield or car.
Car went into limp mode which causes loss of acceleration on major highway. This same issue of going into limp mode happened August of 2022 when the vehicle has less than 1000 miles. The car has 5750 miles and the temperature gauge showed yellow. Then the the yellow engine light came on and then the car went into limp mode where the engine loses power.
I had been driving the car for about ten minutes when the 48v battery malfunction light came on. Within seconds, another warning appeared that said coolant was too hot, and the acceleration stopped accelerating and then went to a complete stop in the middle of the road. I didn't have time to pull over. It was dark and we were completely stalled. I turned the car off, put my hazards on, and waited a minute. When I restarted the car, it worked fine and I was able to make it home. If this had happened on the interstate, I would not have had time to make it to the side of the road. The car only has 25,000 miles on it.
The contact owns a 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLS450. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. Additionally, the power steering was inoperable. There were several unknown warning lights illuminated; in addition to the check engine warning light being illuminated. The driver was able to pull over safely stop after coasting the vehicle. The vehicle was restarted; however, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the dealer. The dealer diagnosed the failure with the accelerator pedal, pin connector, and an unknown electrical failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 200. The VIN was not available.
The front vehicle hood keep saying it open but is lock keep getting a message saying is open I am afraid is might come out lock and cause me to an accident
I am reporting a serious safety defect in my 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLS450. My vehicle experienced low oil pressure warnings and engine warning lights, which were diagnosed as a faulty oil pump solenoid valve. The repair required removing major engine components, resulting in a cost of $5,000 that I paid personally. It is important to note that Mercedes-Benz updated the valve design in the following model year, indicating that the company was aware of a defect in the original design. This demonstrates that the failure is recurring and not isolated, creating a serious safety risk—low oil pressure can lead to catastrophic engine failure while driving, endangering the driver and passengers. I request that NHTSA: Document this as a potential safety defect. Investigate the prevalence of this issue. Consider initiating a recall or safety notice for affected GLS450 vehicles.
When I attempt to shift from park to to drive or reverse or even neutral the car wont respond. this has happened a couple of times in the last two months. I press on the brake in order to shift and it wont respond to any commands . I then have no choice but to turn off the car and then turn it back on. that usually works. this is unsafe if i was at an open parking lot or even on the street doing a U-turn and I don't turn right then having to reverse and the car doesn't respond. very scary stuff.
The panoramic sunroof spontaneously shattered while driving down the road. The glass blew out from the inside out. There didn't appear to be any issues with the sunroof before this. As far as safety, just the noise of the explosion was enough to surprise the driver causing a jerking of the steering wheel into the opposite lane of traffic which could have caused a head on collision. If the sunroof shade would have been open, the glass would have came down the drivers and passengers as they were going down the road. Saying this was distracting is an understatement. I called the local Mercedes dealership and was completely dismissed by them. They said it would have to be repaired by a glass company which is incorrect. The glass was replaced by the local collision center.
See attached document for complaint.
Showing 20 of 189 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact Mercedes BENZ GLS 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 — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used Mercedes BENZ GLS 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 — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Mercedes BENZ GLS Class has 189 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 GLS 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. 10 of the Mercedes BENZ GLS Class's 189 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — 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 — 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 GLS Class vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Mercedes BENZ GLS 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 — 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 GLS 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 GLS Class reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the Mercedes BENZ GLS Class reliable?
Poor. The Mercedes BENZ GLS Class has 189 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 GLS Class years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2017 (41 complaints), 2020 (38 complaints), 2021 (37 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 GLS Class problems?
Top reported issues: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (55 complaints); UNKNOWN OR OTHER (38 complaints); ENGINE (35 complaints).
Does the Mercedes BENZ GLS Class have recalls?
No NHTSA recall campaigns are currently on record for the Mercedes BENZ GLS Class. Always verify with a VIN check as recalls can be added at any time.