2015 Mercedes-Benz GL350 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 2015 Mercedes-Benz GL350, 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
- Driver assistance228.6%
- Fuel system228.6%
- Engine114.3%
- Interior & seats114.3%
- Visibility114.3%
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
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES-BENZ GL350W. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND ENGAGED THE CRUISE CONTROL. WHEN THE DRIVER TAPPED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE SPEEDOMETER WENT TO ZERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THEY WERE SAFELY ABLE TO PULL OVER ONTO THE SHOULDER. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED, IT RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION AND THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE OFF SLOWLY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO COGEN MERCEDES-BENZ FT. PIERCE (4500 S US-1, FORT PIERCE, FL 34982, (772) 617-0819) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT NO FAILURE COULD BE FOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,300.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES-BENZ GL350. WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THE CONTACT APPLIED FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN AND CRASHED INTO A PALM TREE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS WAITING TO DETERMINE IF THEY WOULD SEND A TECHNICIAN TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000.
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
WHILE THE VEHICLE IS TURNED ON BUT STATIONARY (E.G. STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT IN LIGHT TRAFFIC) I BEGAN TO SMELL DIESEL EXHAUST IN THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE ODOR WAS VERY STRONG AND I HAD TO LOWER THE WINDOWS IN ORDER TO BREATHE. THE MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK NEAR THE TURBO. I HAD TO REPLACE THE FUEL INJECTOR AND LEAK LINE, IN ADDITION TO ALL PIPE SEALS AT TURBO.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES BENZ GL350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK STARTED TO LEAK ONTO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE STALLED BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE HELPED THE CONTACT BY PLACING FUEL IN THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FUEL LEAK PREVENTED THE CONTACT FROM BEING ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED TO CLEAN UP THE FUEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND IT WAS DETERMINED THE FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,300.
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
Took to South Bay Mercedes dealer in Torrance because of engine light on. Cause: "Obsolete CDI Control Unit Software" Repair: "Updated to latest software version" Charge: $224.99 because "not covered by Emissions Warranty Extension" Do not understand how Mercedes Benz does not provide a critical software upgrade for free or under a recall? Modifications to the diesel engine and its software done less than a year ago.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
On Mercedes GL350, the trunk/ hatch door will not open from outside. It just stopped working. Therefore, I tried to open it from inside, but there is no manual latch inside to open the trunk/ hatch door. It is a safety issue. The dealer, Mercedes Benz of Richmond, 8225 West Broad Street, charged $235 to open the hatch door. The dealership billed total $1322.48 (after 10% discount $1219.66) to replace the latch and its motor. Kindly help the GL350 owner to have latch installed inside open the door in case of emergency.
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
A BLANKET OF SNOW/ICE FORMED ON MY ROOF DURING THE MORNING. IT WAS NOT REMOVABLE DUE TO FREEZING AND BONDING TO THE ROOF. AS THE CAR HEATED UP INSIDE, THAT BLANKET BECAME LOOSE. WHEN I HIT MY BRAKES ON THE ROAD, THE BLANKET CAME DOWN THE FRONT WINDSHIELD BLOCKING MY VIEW OF THE ROAD. THE WIPERS STOPPED AND WOULD NOT WORK BECAUSE WHEN THEY DO NOT RETURN TO THE PARK POSITION, THEY DO NOT REPEAT THEIR WIPING MOTION. ALSO, THE LIP AT THE REAR OF THE HOOD CAUGHT AND KEPT THE BLANKET OF SNOW IN PLACE AS I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A STOP. MORE CONCRETELY, THE WIPERS ARE FLIMSY RUBBER AND DO NOT WIPE IF ANY OBSTRUCTION PREVENTS THEM FROM COMING TO THEIR DOWNWARD POSITION AT THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD. TURNING THE WIPER ON-OFF SWITCH HAS NO EFFECT. THIS PROBLEM CAN CAUSE CRASHES WHEN THE DRIVER'S VIEW IS OBSTRUCTED AND THE WIPERS DO NOT REMOVE THE OBSTRUCTION. I HAD TO EXIT THE CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND WIPE THE SNOW AWAY WITH MY HAND AS CARS WERE GOING PAST ME SPLASHING ME. I ALSO NOTICED THAT BOTH FRONT WIPERS WERE CAKED WITH ICE. THIS MEANS THAT WHEN I REMOVED THE SNOW FROM THE WINDSHIELD, THE WIPERS ONLY SMEARED ICE AND SALT ALL OVER THE WINDSHIELD AND I COULD NOT SEE THE ROAD CLEARLY. THE FIX IS EASY AS TO STALLED WIPERS. THE SYSTEM MUST BE REPROGRAMMED SO THE WIPERS CONTINUE TO WIPE EVEN IF THE WIPERS DO NOT RETURN TO THE PARK POSITION (BECAUSE OF ACCUMULATED SNOW, FOR EXAMPLE). AS TO ICED-OVER WIPERS, THE MANUFACTURER MUST INSTALL HEATING ELEMENTS IN THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD OR INSIDE THE WIPERS OR PROVIDE FOR DUCTED HEAT (FROM THE MOTOR). I AM WRITING THIS REPORT BECAUSE THE CAR IS AN ALL WHEEL DRIVE DIESEL TRUCK INTENDED FOR HEAVY DUTY USE IN ALL ENVIRONMENTS AROUND THE GLOBE. HOWEVER, I CANNOT SEE THROUGH THE FRONT GLASS IN A MINOR SNOW STORM IN NEW YORK CITY. WHAT IF I CRASH AND CAUSE A FATALITY? AM I TO BLAME BECAUSE I COULD NOT DEAL WITH THE SNOW? *TR
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 .