The GL450 has the balance shaft problem .It skipped timing and caused major engine failure.. This problem is prevalent for the M273 engine. The parts wear prematurely. The timing is affected and the 4 cam power train misaligns. The engine quits and the repair is usually over 4000.00. It produces 1208 1200 codes along with misfire codes. I feel Mercedes Benz Corp is responsible and has liability for the loss. Thank You. [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
- NHTSA ID
- 11441117
- Incident
- Nov 1, 2021
- Mileage
- 153,000 mi
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Mar 1, 2018
THE FOLLOWING CONDITION APPEARED WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. (I PUT A DATE OF 1/1/18, IN THE BOX BELOW, BUT THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED AT LEAST A DOZEN TIMES SINCE THEN, AND I FIND IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE ANY MORE). AT HIGHER SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION WILL DOWNSHIFT TO BY ITSELF INTO 1ST GEAR SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. EVEN AT FREEWAY SPEEDS RPMS WILL SUDDENLY JUMP UP TO "RED-LINE" LIMITS AS THE DOWNSHIFT OCCURS FROM 7TH GEAR TO 1ST GEAR. THE VEHICLE MUST BE BROUGHT TO A COMPLETE STOP AND ENGINE MUST BE TURN OFF AND RESTARTED FOR TRANSMISSION TO ENGAGE PROPERLY. IT'S VERY DANGEROUS WHEN OTHER VEHICLES ARE FOLLOWING OR IN ADJACENT LANES TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS. ALSO, AFTER DRIVING AT HIGHER SPEEDS, VEHICLE RPMS DROP SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. TRANSMISSION BASICALLY DISENGAGES AND WILL NOT RE-ENGAGE EVEN WHEN GAS PEDAL IS PRESSED. ENGINE MUST BE TURNED OFF COMPLETELY AND RESTARTED FOR TRANSMISSION TO ENGAGE. EQUALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION - ESPECIALLY WHEN DECELERATING ON FREEWAY OFF-RAMPS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED (ALL SERVICE RECORDS ARE AVAILABLE), AND I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER (BOUGHT NEW IN LATE 2006). THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 117,500 MILES AS OF FEBRUARY 2018. WHAT ALARMS ME THE MOST IS THAT I HAVE SEEN MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME VEHICLE REPORT EXACTLY THE SAME DANGEROUS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. EVEN MY INDEPENDENT MECHANICS SAYS ITS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM. I SAY IT'S A DANGEROUS PROBLEM. I SHOULD KNOW, IN PART BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN REGISTERED TRAFFIC ENGINEER FOR OVER 39 YEARS, AND WAS A PAST RECIPIENT OF A NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION FELLOWSHIP IN HIGHWAY SAFETY.
- NHTSA ID
- 11075715
- Incident
- Jan 1, 2018
- Mileage
- 117,000 mi
EngineSteering
Filed Oct 7, 2014
I HAD JUST STARTED DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD 2 MILES AND GOING AROUND 25-30 MPH AND THE CAR SHUT OFF AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. THERE WAS CARS BEHIND ME AND I WAS ABLE TO PUT MY HAZARDS ON. THANKFULLY CARS WERE COMING UP TO STOP SIGN SO I WAS ABLE TO STEER OFF ROAD. STARTED CAR UP AND DROVE A LITTLE FURTHER AND CAR SHUT DOWN AGAIN AND LOCKED STEERING REPEATED 4 MORE TIMES TIL WAS ABLE TO GET HOME. I WAS GETTING READY TO GET ON FREEWAY WITH MY YOUNG KIDS IN THE CAR COULD HAVE BEEN SO DANGEROUS. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10643079
- Incident
- Oct 3, 2014
- Mileage
- 70,000 mi
Driver assistanceEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Jan 16, 2014
I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND MY TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO NOT SHIFT OUT OF THIRD GEAR GOING UP A HILL.. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AFTER THIS HAPPENED ANOTHER 10 TIMES AND THEY SAID IS A INTAKE FLAP NOT CLOSING PROPERLY AND THAT THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. NOW ITS HAPPENING SO OFTEN IM AFRAID TO PUT MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR ON ACCOUNT THAT EVERY TIME IT STOPS SHIFTING WHEN I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AND LOSE ALL POWER. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10560172
- Incident
- Dec 24, 2012
- Mileage
- 79,000 mi
EnginePowertrain (other)Steering
Filed Jan 2, 2013
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MERCEDES BENZ GL450. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START HOWEVER, ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WERE ILLUMINATED FOLLOWED BY A WARNING CHIME. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS A LEAK FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THE TECHNICIAN RECOMMENDED A FLUID FLUSH AND REPLACING THE POWER STEERING SEAL, STEERING COLUMN MODULE, WIRING HARNESS, AUXILIARY BATTERY AND TRANSMISSION. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT AN OIL CHANGE WAS NEEDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 103,000. KMJ
- NHTSA ID
- 10490739
- Incident
- Dec 11, 2012
- Mileage
- 103,000 mi
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT-- CAUSED BY TIMING CHAIN AND SPROCKET WEAR-- COMMON ISSUE WITH MANY MERZ OF THIS TYPE OF ENGINE. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10439305
- Incident
- Sep 28, 2011
- Mileage
- 105,000 mi
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MERCEDES BENZ GL450. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL SPORADICALLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WOULD FIRST POWER DOWN AND THE LIGHTS WOULD FLICKER ON AND OFF BEFORE STALLING. THE DEALER WAS IN THE PROCESS OF DIAGNOSING THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER PROMISED TO CALL THE CONTACT BACK WITH SOME ASSISTANCE FOR REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 10433954
- Incident
- Jan 1, 2011
- Mileage
- 1,000 mi
MY 2007 MERCEDES-BENZ GL-450 WITH 36,900 MILES SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND WAS BARELY RESPONSIVE WHILE DRIVING HOME YESTERDAY (2/17/2010), AND THEN THE CAR REQUIRED 3 OR 4 ATTEMPTS TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE AS I WAS TRYING TO BACK INTO MY DRIVEWAY. I DROVE THE CAR TO THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP THIS MORNING. THIS PROBLEM FIRST HAPPENED A FEW MONTHS AGO (AUGUST 2009 AT 34,500 MILES) DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING WITH MY FAMILY IN THE VEHICLE WHILE WE WERE OUT OF TOWN ON A VACATION TRIP. WE HAD TO REPEATEDLY PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY, TURN THE CAR OFF FOR AWHILE AND THEN RESTART, TO GET THE VEHICLE TO HAVE SUFFICIENT POWER TO GET HOME AND TO THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP. AT THAT TIME THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP REPLACED A CAMSHAFT SOLENOID MAGNET. THIS PROBLEM IS SO DANGEROUS THAT WE HAVE NOW LOST CONFIDENCE THAT WE CAN SAFELY TAKE THIS VEHICLE ON A VACATION TRIP. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10311851
- Incident
- Feb 17, 2010
- Mileage
- 36,900 mi
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MERCEDES BENZ GL450. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THIS FAILURE HAS OCCURRED PREVIOUSLY. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 11,139.
- NHTSA ID
- 10212299
- Incident
- Nov 27, 2007
- Mileage
- 11,139 mi
BrakesEngine
Filed Sep 13, 2007
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MERCEDES BENZ GL450. THE CONTACT HEARD A SQUEAKING NOISE WHEN HE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE STOPPING DISTANCE INCREASED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE, HOWEVER, THEY GRINDED THE EDGES OF THE BRAKE PADS TO REDUCE THE SQUEAKING NOISE. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6,600. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED CHAMFERING THE BRAKE PADS TO ALLEVIATE THE NOISE. THE DEALER STATED VEHICLE LOW ON OIL. UPDATED 09/2807 *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10202934
- Incident
- Jan 2, 2007
- Mileage
- 4,000 mi
ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS THE 'CHARGE AIR HOSE' CONNECTING TO THE TURBO INTERCOOLER SYSTEM ON MY 2007 MERCEDES GL320CDI HAS FAILED. THE HOSE HAS BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES TOTAL. ACCORDING TO INTERNET MESSAGE BOARDS THERE ARE NUMEROUS FAILURES THAT MB HAS FAILED TO FIX INCLUDING MINE. ON ALL OCCASIONS OF THE INCIDENT MY ENTIRE FAMILY HAS BEEN IN THE VEHICLE. WHILE UNDER ACCELERATION THE HOSE FAILS AND FORWARD SPEED IS LOST. ON TWO OCCASIONS I HAVE BEEN ON THE INTERSTATE AND DRIVING ON THE INCLINE OF A HILL WHERE OTHER VEHICLES WERE BEHIND ME. IT IS NOT SAFE. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10192444
- Incident
- May 21, 2007
- Mileage
- 6,500 mi
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.