RoadVitals

2010 Mercedes-Benz Gl

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
4
Latest Jan 20, 2012
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
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InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
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Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
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Overview

Our database contains 4 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2010 Mercedes-Benz Gl, most frequently naming the body & structure, engine and fuel system categories. 10 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.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Body & structure120.0%
  • Engine120.0%
  • Fuel system120.0%
  • Suspension120.0%
  • Visibility120.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Visibility
Filed Jan 20, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MERCEDES BENZ GL470. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS DURING A SNOW STORM WHEN SHE REALIZED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE EXTREMELY THIN AND COULD NOT REMOVE THE SNOW FROM THE WINDSHIELD DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE DEFROSTER WAS ALSO ACTIVATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE HAD TOO CONTINUOUSLY STOP THE VEHICLE, EXIT AND CLEAN THE WINDSHIELD IN ORDER FOR HER TO HAVE CONTINUED VISIBILITY OF THE ROADWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 19,000.

NHTSA ID
10444697
Incident
Jan 20, 2012
Mileage
19,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Apr 22, 2011

THIS IS A DIESEL-ENGINE 2010 MERCEDES GL350 PURCHASED IN AUGUST 2010 (8 MONTHS AGO). IT IS CURRENTLY INOPERABLE AND THE DEALER IS CITING COMPLETE FUEL SYSTEM CORROSION DUE TO WATER IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE FIRST INDICATION OF A PROBLEM WAS A CHECK-ENGINE LIGHT AND THE VEHICLE GOING TO "LIMP MODE" (WHERE THE COMPUTER KEEPS THE CAR AT 20 MILES PER HOUR WITH LOW POWER - A DANGER ON THE HIGHWAY AND ON HILLS). FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT OR INJURY DUE TO THE ONSET OF LIMP-MODE. BUT THE ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR IS $15,492.03 AND WARRANTY IS BEING DENIED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF THE ISSUE OF WATER IN THE FUEL PRIOR TO THE COMPLETE CORRUPTION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM AND THEREFORE NO OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ANY POTENTIAL CORRECTIVE ACTION TO MINIMIZE DAMAGE. ALL DIESEL USED IN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AT VARIOUS RETAIL LOCATIONS IN CALIFORNIA. THUS FAR NO DETAIL HAS BEEN GIVEN AS TO HOW MUCH WATER WAS IN THE FUEL, HOW LONG THIS CORROSION PROCESS MIGHT HAVE TAKEN, OR WHETHER THERE WERE ANY MALFUNCTIONS IN ANY PART OF THE SYSTEM (E.G., FUEL AND WATER FILTERS AND/OR WARNING NOTIFICATIONS) THAT LED TO THIS EXTREME OUTCOME. GIVEN THE EXTREME EXPENSE OF THE PROBLEM, AND THE MANY QUESTIONS STILL REMAINING AS TO THE CAUSE, WE THOUGHT IT IMPORTANT TO BRING THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE NHTSA.

NHTSA ID
10397848
Incident
Apr 7, 2011
Mileage
12,760 mi
Body & structureSuspension
Filed Sep 16, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MERCEDES-BENZ GL 550. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAILGATE MOTION SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED. WHEN CLOSING THE TAILGATE AND THERE WAS AN OBJECT IN THE PATH WAY OF IT AN ALARM WILL SOUND AND THE TAILGATE SHOULD REOPEN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IF CHILDREN WERE IN THE AREA OF THE TAILGATE CLOSING THE TAILGATE A SERIOUS INJURY COULD OCCUR. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THE SUSPENSION WAS MAKING A CLANKING NOISE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING A TURN. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE LOWER BALL JOINT REPLACED ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THAT REPAIR DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER TO REPLACE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHICH ALSO DID NOT REMEDY THE ISSUE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FRONT STRUTS ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE FINAL ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE FAILURE WAS WHEN THE DEALER SPRAYED WAX ON THE SUSPENSION AND THE BALL JOINTS. THE CONTACT HAS CALLED THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE SUSPENSION AND TAILGATE BUT THEY HAVE NOT RESPONDED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT THE MANUFACTURER WAS IGNORING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.

NHTSA ID
10356024
Incident
Sep 1, 2010
Mileage
5,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jun 16, 2010

ENGINE ALMOST STALLS WHEN COLD. TOOK TO DEALER, DID A SOFTWARE UPDATE. IT IS BETTER BUT STILL NOT RESOLVED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10336564
Incident
May 12, 2010
Mileage
53,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

LI46-20-P

STEERING; STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)

MERCEDES-BENZ: THE STEERING IS LEAKING IN THE AREA OF INPUT SHAFT, BECAUSE OF WEAR ON A SEAL RING. MODEL 164/251. *RM UPDATED 2/1/12. *PE

LI-05-20-P

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

MERCEDES-BENZ: THE MALFUNCTION LIGHT IS ON WITH MULTIPLE POSSIBLE TROUBLE CODES STORED. THERE COULD BE A PROBLEM WITH THE CAMSHAFT AND/OR SCORING OF A PISTON. *RM

LI-07-10-P

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

MERCEDES-BENZ: THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT IS ON WITH STORED TROUBLE CODES. IDLE SPEED LIMITS WERE SET TOO NARROW. *RM

LI-27-60-P049270

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

MERCEDES-BENZ: THE AUTO-TRANSMISSION SWITCHES TO LIMP HOME MODE OR HAS NO POWER. THERE ARE MULTIPLE POSSIBLE FAULT CODES. A PISTON MAY BE DAMAGED. *RM

SB-20101100005

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

MERCEDES-BENZ: SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR HEATER LINES. *RM

SB-32-25-82

SUSPENSION:FRONT:SHOCK ABSORBER; SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM; SUSPENSION:REAR:SHOCK ABSORBER; SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM

MERCEDES-BENZ: SHOCK ABSORBER PROCEDURE. *RM

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

Mercedes-Benz Gl by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2011320—
2010Viewing400—
2009100—
2008130—
2007320—
2006020—

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.