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2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLB35
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Overview
Our database contains 5 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLB35, most frequently naming the brakes, engine and other / unspecified categories. 8 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 213 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
View as table
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 2021 | 1 | 1 |
| Apr 2023 | 1 | 2 |
| Jan 2025 | 1 | 3 |
| May 2025 | 1 | 4 |
| Jun 2025 | 1 | 5 |
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Brakes116.7%
- Engine116.7%
- Other / unspecified116.7%
- Powertrain (other)116.7%
- Suspension116.7%
- Visibility116.7%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Safety recalls
8 campaigns cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govCOMMUNICATION: AUTO CRASH NOTIFICATION; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION
Recent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
The contact owns a 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLB35. The contact stated that while reversing down the driveway at approximately 4 MPH, the contact turned the steering wheel to the left and the vehicle started losing motive power. The contact stated that the RPMs were extremely high and the vehicle almost stalled. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent and occurred at slower speeds between 3 and 6 MPH. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the driver's side front axle had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to a manufacturer's recall for replacing the front axle integral carrier. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and advised the contact that the vehicle was not included in the manufacturer's recall selection. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 11667631
- Incident
- Jun 2, 2025
- Mileage
- 55,000 mi
On 4/13/25 while driving my car on the highway, along with my 2 young children, I began to hear what initally sounded like a "flapping" noise. I rolled the windows down and after a minute or 2 the sound got lounder. There was never a warning or any type of safety icon that appeared on the control panel, nor any driving performance issue before hand. Shortly after the initial noise I could tell the car was struggling to accelerate. I wasn't near an exit during this time and began to panic in fear the car would shut down and I had no safe place to pull over on that stretch of highway. The noise turned into a banging within another min or so and I finally noticed an exit up ahead. Almost immediately as I excited the highway, the car completely shut down with me having practically no control of the steering wheel and unable to put the car into neutral. I coasted to the stop sign at the end of the exit ramp. The car would not restart after 2 attempts, I stepped out to see a massive amount of oil coming from under the car. The car recently had the 4th cylinder head replaced in Jan 2025 and was in the shop for almost 1 month. I was assured the engine was safe to drive after that repair. It has remained unserviced at the dealership since 4/13/25 and was informed it has catastrophic engine failure due to a thrown rod with Cylinder 2 being the "source of the failure." The dealership has quoted a $28k+ repair bill and Mercedes corporate has refused to replace it with a "goodwill" gesture. Only offering $1,500 toward repairs and no reimbursement for any of the 4 rental cars Ive obtained since my vehicle has been inoperable. I was not informed at the time of my purchase about any defects on the M260 engines faulty cylinder head & Mercedes extending a warrenty due to such. They are refusing to accept liability for the cacade of damage & ultimate engine failure steming from now cylinder 2. This event risked the lives of my children's and myself due to Mercedes negligence.
- NHTSA ID
- 11660562
- Incident
- Apr 13, 2025
The contact owned a 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLB35. The contact stated while driving at 35 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that neither the dealer nor an independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was serviced months before the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 52,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 11638919
- Incident
- Jan 16, 2025
- Mileage
- 52,000 mi
I was driving home on a residential street at approximately 30 MPH. I heard a loud pop or bang sound coming from the top middle area of my windshield. I checked for any windshield damage, observed none. I thought the whole noise strange as nothing had hit my car or windshield. A couple days later I noticed that the glass panel between the windshield and sunroof, was completely shattered, with a horizontal crack running across the panel. I also noticed that the framing between the panel and windshield was not right. It sort of was "popped" outward. There was no warning regarding this failure. I had hand washed the vehicle 3 days prior and everything looked fine. I have had conversations with my local dealer regarding this issue and so far, am getting considerable push back, that this is my problem. Even though this problem seems very similar to the once experienced by the MB 2017-2020 C class, where this panel failed, and the sunroofs blew off. I am taking the car in to the dealer today for them to look at.
- NHTSA ID
- 11516008
- Incident
- Apr 4, 2023
The contact owns a 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLB35. The contact stated he became aware that 3 out of 4 of the wheel-hub caps were missing. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V800000 (Wheels) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 22,000. Consumer is still waiting for trim replacement.
- NHTSA ID
- 11440675
- Incident
- Nov 7, 2021
- Mileage
- 22,000 mi
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Complaint Temporary no start condition with check engine light and multiple warning messages. When performing a quick test, the following fault code is stored in Y3/14 ‑ Transmission control for 8‑speed dual‑clutch transmission (DKG): P24F100 The wake‑up line of the control unit has a short circuit to positive. Cause Possible signal timing between EZS control unit and Transmission Control Unit (DKG) Remedy As of 7/15/2026, new SCN coding is available for the EZS control unit. IPR will advise to open a TIPS case for EZS (N73), this is due to GLA models requiring support for SCN coding procedure. GLB (X247) and CLA (118) No TIPS case necessary. 1. SCN coding of EZS Control Unit 2. Clear all faults and perform extended road test with multiple drive cycles GLA (H247) Special function password required. 1. Verify if special procedure Central Locking ‑ Development Data is present in EZS (figure 1) 2. Submit a TIPS case to the Powertrain Inbox with the following information: ‑ Initial Quick Test w/ freeze frame data ‑ IPR Result ‑ DKG Control Unit Log ‑ EZS Control Unit Log ‑ Initial EEPROM data ‑ EZS special procedure menu If the vehicle has had this LI performed and P24F100 has returned, please submit a TIPS case to the Powertrain Inbox.
POWER TRAIN
Complaint Intermittent shift feel or thud/clunk noise perceived, such as a brief jerk or transmission reaction during certain driving situations. May be most noticeable when transitioning from a coasting condition to accelerator pedal application. May occur in all drive modes. Cause Dual‑clutch transmissions (DCT) inherently exhibit more dynamic shifting behavior compared to other types of transmissions. This is due to the use of physical clutches for starting and gear changes. In certain situations, dynamic driving behavior can lead to a slight jerk sensation which is a normal technical characteristic of the transmission. A typical example is a "Change of Mind" situation: • The customer is coasting towards a red traffic light. • The traffic light turns green while the vehicle is still coasting. • The customer then presses the accelerator pedal. In these situations, a slight jerk may occur briefly because the transmission must quickly engage the appropriate gear and control the clutches accordingly. Since shift forks are responsible for engaging the gears during shifting, a slight shifting noise may also be noticeable. Please note driving programs S, S+, and M are designed to provide sportier vehicle behavior and are not optimized primarily for maximum comfort, so this operation may be more audible. Remedy Verify the customer's concern and confirm proper transmission operation. If no faults or abnormal operating conditions are identified by IPR (Intelligent Predictive Repair), no hardware replacement is necessary. Inform the customer that the transmission has been designed to provide direct gear engagement and responsive vehicle performance. Under certain operating conditions, brief shift sensations may be perceptible and are consistent with the operating characteristics of the dual‑clutch transmission
POWER TRAIN
Complaint Customers may report one or more of the following: • Transmission malfunction message • Check engine light illuminated • Shifts into N • Concern disappears after ignition cycle When performing a quick test, the following fault code is stored in Y3/14 ‑ Transmission control for 8‑speed dual‑clutch transmission (DKG): P056300 The on‑board power supply voltage is too high. Cause An overvoltage condition is detected exclusively within the transmission control unit, storing fault P056300 once the measured voltage exceeds 16V. Remedy This LI applies if the freeze frame data for P056300 show a supply voltage between 15.75 to 16.50 volts, and no other control units report overvoltage. (figure 1) Long Term Resolution: Software resolutions have been released. Check validity and ensure your Xentry is updated with latest Addons before continuing: 1. Perform software update for Y3/14 ‑ Transmission control for 8‑speed dualclutch transmission (DKG) available software listed in Parts 2. Clear fault memory and perform final test drive If the customer complaint matches this LI and the software currently installed on the vehicle is not listed, please submit a TIPS case to the Powertrain inbox with the following information: ‑ Initial Quick Test w/ Freeze Frame Data ‑ DKG Control Unit Log ‑ Latest EEPROM data ‑ Screenshot of software availability
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; STRUCTURE:BODY
Complaint Tailgate opens unintentionally. Cause Accidental or unnoticed activation of the button to open the tailgate on the vehicle key. EXAMPLE: when stored in trouser pocket, handbag etc. Remedy As of the 6th generation, the vehicle key can be recoded so that the tailgate no longer opens as a result of a long press on the button, but by double‑clicking on the button instead. This reduces the likelihood of the button being activated accidentally or unintentionally. The recoding can be carried out as follows: 1. Add SA Code O19 into VeDoc (O for Oscar, not "zero") • an XSS ticket may be necessary to add the SA code 2. Perform SCN coding of EIS N73 control unit 3. Deactivate the vehicle key (a successful deactivation is indicated by the LED lighting up 2x briefly and then 1x for a long period). 4. Place the vehicle key in the storage compartment on the key symbol and turn on the ignition. IMPORTANT: all other vehicle keys must be outside the recognition range of the vehicle when doing this! Perform steps 3 and 4 successively for all vehicle keys. Notes: 6th, 7th and 8th generation keys can be deactivated as follows: Up to modification year 22/1 by double clicking the "Lock button" As of modification year 22/1, by press and holding the “Lock button", then double‑click the “Unlock button" at the same time. On model series 167, the storage compartment with the key symbol is located in the armrest. The SCN coding from the EZS is only transferred correctly to the vehicle key under the following conditions: Only one vehicle key is located in the vehicle, this key has been deactivated and it is positioned on the marking in the storage compartment for the data transfer. The costs for this adaptation are to be borne by the customer. For the newer BR 174, 178, 244, 248, 520, and 540, a software update must be initiated, as there is no way to perform SCN coding.
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Dear Mercedes-Benz Owner: In our continuing efforts to ensure the proper performance of Mercedes-Benz products and to enhance the satisfaction of our customers, Mercedes-Benz USA is extending the warranty coverage for the Diagnostic Module for Tank Leakage Detection ("DMTL") on your vehicle from the original New Vehicle Limited Warranty of 4 years / 50,000 miles to 15 years/150,000 miles (whichever occurs first). This applies to the vehicle regardless of ownership. Why the Warranty extension? On certain Model Year 2018 - 2024 A / C / CLA / CLS / E / G / GLA / GLB / GLC / GLE / GLS / GT / S / SL Mercedes-Benz vehicles, under certain circumstances, the DMTL may trigger erroneous Diagnostic Trouble Code ("DTC") entries that may result in the illumination of the Check Engine Malfunction Indicator Lamp ("MIL"). Any repairs under this warranty extension must be performed by an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealership. • If your preferred authorized Mercedes-Benz dealership performs a diagnosis and confirms that your vehicle has the issue, the repair will be covered under this extended warranty and performed at no cost to you. • This extended warranty does not apply to any other components or conditions beyond the ones mentioned above, and standard warranty terms apply, including the exclusions with respect to extra expenses, as identified in the Service and Warranty Information booklet.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Complaint 1. General Diagnostic Tips 2. One or More PARK Sensor Activations 3. Red Ring Around Vehicle 4. "Active Parking and Parking Assist Inoperative" on Instrument Cluster 5. Cameras 6. Other Park Topics. Cause Various root causes Remedy See attached diagnostic guide.
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Compare model years
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.