2019 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLC43 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2019 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLC43, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Other / unspecified330.0%
- Steering330.0%
- Electrical220.0%
- Engine110.0%
- Suspension110.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
I regret buying the car. It has a fatal flaw with a steering defect that makes the front wheels easily skip (crabbing suspension) when turning. These should be recalled. Examples 1. [XXX] 2. [XXX] 3. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Whenever I turn my wheels at an angle, there’s a juddering and knocking sound. It feels as if the axle will eventually break. This can pose a safety concern.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
I regret buying the car. It has a fatal flaw with a steering defect that makes the front wheels easily skip (crabbing suspension) when turning. These should be recalled. Examples 1. [XXX] 2. [XXX] 3. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Whenever I turn my wheels at an angle, there’s a juddering and knocking sound. It feels as if the axle will eventually break. This can pose a safety concern.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
A FEW TIMES MY KEY WILL NOT FUNCTION TO START THE CAR. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE BATTERY. BUT THE DISPLAY ON MY LCD ALSO OFTEN DOES NOT FUNCTION WHEN ON CAR PLAY. THE STEERING IS JERKED WHEN I TURN THE WHEELS AS THEY SEEM TO GET STUCK ON THE PAVEMENT. OFTEN HAPPENS WHEN I AM BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AND SOUNDS AS IF I AM HITTING SOMEONE. FEELS LIKE IT TOO
I PURCHASED A 2019 GLC AMG 43 AS A XMAS GIFT FOR MY WIFE. IT WAS BLACK WITH A VIBRANT BROWN INTERIOR. I WAS CONCERNED THAT THE ELECTRONICS(BACKUP CAMERA, BLUETOOTH, MUSIC, ENTERTAINMENT CONSOLE) WERE NONFUNCTIONAL. HOWEVER, THE EXPLANATION THE SALES REPRESENTATIVE GAVE ME WAS SUFFICIENT AT THE TIME. HE SAID MERCEDES WAS UPDATING THEIR COMPUTER SOFTWARE AND WE SHOULD BE GETTING AN UPDATE ON JANUARY 2, 2019. NEEDLESS TO SAY, IT WAS NOT TRUE! THE SERVICE MANAGER EXPLAINED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS MISSING THE "BRAIN." THE COMPUTER SYSTEM THAT COMMUNICATES WITH THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN OUR VEHICLE?YES! WE WERE SOLD A VEHICLE THAT WAS NOT READY FOR PRODUCTION. IT'S UNSAFE, AND RATHER THAN BEING OFFERED ANOTHER COMPARABLE VEHICLE FOR BEING SO NEGLIGENT AND INCONVENIENCING ME AND FAMILY, THE GENERAL MANAGER HAS AVOIDED SPEAKING WITH US ALL TOGETHER. I HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATING WITH MERCEDES USA TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. AT ONE POINT OF THE TRANSACTION WE WERE ASKED TO POSSIBLY CONSIDER TAKING THE REFURBISHED VEHICLE BACK AFTER ITS REPAIRS. NONE OF THESE GUYS MAKING THE RECOMMENDATION WOULD TAKE A VEHICLE THAT THEY BOUGHT BRAND NEW AFTER IT HAS HAD MAJOR SAFETY AND ELECTRICAL ISSUES. THIS IS MERCEDES LONG BEACH SICK IDEA OF WORLD CLASS SERVICE! TO ADD SALT TO THE WOUND, IT'S NOW BEEN OVER 3 WEEKS AND WE MUST MAKE A CAR PAYMENT ON A VEHICLE THAT SITS IDLE WAITING FOR MISSING COMPONENTS. UNFORTUNATELY, WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR MERCEDES TO DO THE RIGHT THING. THIS WILL BE THE LAST MERCEDES MY FAMILY AND I WILL PURCHASE
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
2:19 PM ARRIVED POMPANO MERCEDES-BENZ TO PICK UP MY SERVICED VEHICLE ( 10,000 MILE SERVICE). 2:23 PM RETURNED MERCEDES-BENZ LOANER PROVIDED BY DEALERSHIP. 2:30 PM SERVICE ADVISER BRINGS CAR INSIDE THE SERVICE AREA, AND PROVIDES ME A RECEIPT OF THE SERVICE PERFORMED. 2:30 PM I LEAVE THE INSIDE SERVICE AREA AND GO TO DRIVE-THROUGH MC DONALDS (IN THE SAME COMPLEX AS DEALERSHIP). I DID NOT STOP, OR GET OUT OF THE CAR. 2:35 PM I LEAVE THE MC DONALDS DRIVE-THROUGH IN THE SAME COMPLEX AS MERCEDES DEALERSHIP AND ENTER THE I-95 SOUTH TOWARDS HOME/OFFICE.2:35 PM ' 2:58PM DRIVING I95 SOUTH FOR 20 OR SO MINUTES, I CAME TO A STOP IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. UPON STOPPING I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, AND MOVED TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER. THERE WERE NO UNUSUAL WARNINGS OR READINGS FROM THE CAR. I PULLED THE HOOD LATCH ON THE INSIDE, AND GOT OUT AND APPROACHED THE FRONT OF THE CAR TO PULL THE LEVER AND OPEN THE HOOD. I HEARD A 'POP' IN THE ENGINE, AND SMOKE INTENSIFIED, AND WAS GETTING DARKER, SO I BACKED AWAY FROM THE CAR (MOVING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD) AND BEGAN FILMING WITH MY PHONE. 2:59 PM I PHONED 911 FEARING A FIRE. I TOOK A VIDEO OF LIQUID DRIPPING FROM UNDER THE ENGINE, WITH SMOKE GROWING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. 2:59 PM (AGAIN)I PHONED 911 AGAIN BECAUSE THE SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD IS DARKER, AND I TOOK ANOTHER VIDEO WHILE WAITING. AS I WAS CALLING 911, THE CAR BURST INTO FLAMES UNDER THE HOOD, AND INSTANTLY THE FLAMES BECAME HIGHER THAN THE HEIGHT OF THE CAR. 3:00 PM VIDEO OF CAR FIRE INTENSIFYING AS I STEPPED AWAY FROM CAR (WITH 911 ON SPEAKER AS I REPORT IT'S A FULL FIRE AT THIS POINT). 3:02PM (PHONE TIME STAMP) I RAN A SHORT DISTANCE FROM CAR AND CONTINUED TAKING (2) VIDEOS OF THE INCIDENT. FLAMES HAD MOVED FROM THE ENGINE, TO THE INTERIOR IN THIS SHORT TIME. CONTINUED MULTIPLE VIDEOS UNTIL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED 3:13. THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY THE FIRE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
I regret buying the car. It has a fatal flaw with a steering defect that makes the front wheels easily skip (crabbing suspension) when turning. These should be recalled. Examples 1. [XXX] 2. [XXX] 3. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .