2010 Mercedes-Benz Gl 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 2010 Mercedes-Benz Gl, 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
- 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.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
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
ENGINE ALMOST STALLS WHEN COLD. TOOK TO DEALER, DID A SOFTWARE UPDATE. IT IS BETTER BUT STILL NOT RESOLVED. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
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
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.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
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 .