RoadVitals

2007 Mercedes-Benz GL450 Steering Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Steering reportsComplaints 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.
9
Latest Apr 1, 2017
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
8%
of 115 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL450 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming steering

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Body & structureSteering
Filed Apr 1, 2017

MY TAIL GATE WON'T LOCK MY POWER STEERING IS WAY HARD TO TURN

NHTSA ID
10969890
Incident
Apr 1, 2017
SteeringSuspension
Filed Sep 15, 2015

VEH SUSPENSION FELL, ALMOST LOST CONTROL

NHTSA ID
10763950
Incident
Sep 11, 2015
Mileage
150,000 mi
ElectricalSteering
Filed Feb 11, 2015

WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE HORN INTERMITTENTLY GOES OFF AND WILL NOT STOP. MUST TURN OFF THE CAR TO GET THE HORN TO STOP SOUNDING. THEN, MUST TURN ON THE CAR AND TURN OFF THE CAR A FEW TIMES TO MAKE IT STOP UNTIL IT ALL STARTS HAPPENING, RANDOMLY, AGAIN. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP WHERE CAR WAS PURCHASE AND HAS BEEN ROUTINELY SERVICED AND THEY SAID THE PROBLEM WAS A FAULTY STEERING WHEEL SWITCH. THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THE ISSUE IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE STEERING WHEEL ITSELF. THE COST FOR AN IDENTICAL FACTORY WOOD STEERING WHEEL (WHICH IS WHAT THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW WITH) IS $3,000; IF WE OPTED FOR A LEATHER WRAPPED STEERING WHEEL INSTEAD THE COST WOULD BE $1500. THE OTHER WORKAROUND IS TO PULL THE FUSE AND NOT HAVE A HORN AT ALL. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD NOT COST THIS MUCH TO HAVE A STEERING WHEEL SWITCH REPLACED! THIS IS ESSENTIAL, BASIC EQUIPMENT, AND STARTING HAPPENING ON A VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 40,000 MILES. HAVE CONTINUED TO FOLLOW-UP WITH DEALER TO SEE IF THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL OR IF THEY WILL FIX, BUT MERCEDES IS NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10682780
Incident
Aug 30, 2012
Mileage
38,425 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
ElectricalSteering
Filed Jul 3, 2013

MY MB GL450 2007 CARS HORN STARTED TO RANDOMLY GO OFF FOR NO REASON MULTIPLE TIMES. THIS HAPPENED THREE TIMES, ONCE WHEN I STARTED THE CAR IN GROCERY STORE PARKING LOT, SECOND TIME WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND SCARED OTHER MOTORIST TO PULL OVER. ONLY WAY I COULD MAKE IT STOP WAS TO PULL OVER AND TURN OFF THE CAR. WHEN I TURNED ON THE CAR THE HORN STARTED AGAIN, TURNED OFF, TURNED ON DROVE TO REPAIR SHOP. REPAIR SHOP TOLD ME THE SPRING FOR THE HORN HAD WARN OUT AND THE ELECTRONIC CONSOLE IN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS SHOT. TOLD ME YOU CAN'T ORDER THE PART ANYMORE BECAUSE IT WAS DISCONTINUED, SO, WE HAVE TO ORDER A WHOLE NEW STEERING WHEEL FOR $1,200 PLUS $600 IN LABOR. *TR

NHTSA ID
10523119
Incident
Jul 1, 2013
Mileage
83,000 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
Steering
Filed May 31, 2011

MERCEDES BENZ GL 450 2007. STEERING GOT LOCKED WHILE DRIVING. LATER THE DEALER FOUND OUT IT BECAUSE OF STEERING PUMP PRESSER WENT DOWN. MERCEDES SERVICE WAS NOT HELPFUL ON THIS. I WAS LUCKY THAT NOT MUCH CARS ON THE ROAD WHEN THE INCIDENT HAPPEN. *TR

NHTSA ID
10403748
Incident
Apr 10, 2011
Mileage
72,000 mi
SteeringSuspension
Filed Feb 22, 2011
Fire reported

I HAD BEEN NOTICING THAT THE FRONT OF MY CAR HAD BEEN DROPPING DOWN AND RISING UP SPONTANEOUSLY. WHEN THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK DROPPED DOWN THE CAR BEGAN TO VIOLENTLY BOUNCE UP AND DOWN TO THE POINT THAT I NEARLY HIT MY HEAD ON THE ROOF. THE CAR WAS BARELY DRIVABLE UNTIL IT ROSE UP AGAIN. ON 2/18/2011 I PULLED MY TRUCK OUT OF THE GARAGE AND HEARD AN EXPLOSION AND THE RIGHT FRONT SIDE DROPPED DOWN AND WOULD NOT RISE UP AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE SAID THAT THE AIR STRUTS WERE GONE. THE RIGHT SIDE HAD EXPLODED. HE CONTACTED MANY OF HIS PRIOR EMPLOYEE'S WHO WORK AT MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIPS AND THEY TOLD HIM THEY HAD BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THIS PART. THEY EVEN HAD THE PARTS IN STOCK DUE TO THE DEMAND. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE AND IF I OR MY WIFE WERE ON THE HIGHWAY TRAVELING AT 70 MPH AND THIS OCCURRED, THAT COULD HAVE BEEN A FATAL ROLLOVER. I ALSO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MY POWERSTEERING LOCKING UP WHEN I TURN THE WHEEL.. MY MECHANIC ALSO SAID THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE AND A RECURRENT PROBLEM PART. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE FOR SAFETY AND IT TURNS OUT THIS IS THE FARTHEST FROM IT. I ALSO HAD TO HAVE MY DRIVER'S SEAT REPLACED BY MERCEDES AS IT BURNT A HOLE THROUGH THE LEATHER NEARLY CATCHING MY WIFE'S COAT ON FIRE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10383940
Incident
Feb 2, 2011
Mileage
63,000 mi
Body & structureSteering
Filed Aug 23, 2010

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MERCEDES GL450. THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO TURN INTO A PARKING LOT WHEN THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED AN UNUSUAL CLANKING NOISE. THE STEERING WHEEL THEN LOCKED UNEXPECTEDLY. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A LARGE AMOUNT OF POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR REPAIRS. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE NUMEROUS ISSUES WITH THE CONTROLS FOR THE FRONT POWER SEATS. THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR WOULD NOT CLOSE CORRECTLY AND THE MANUFACTURER ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THE DOORS SEVERAL TIMES TO NO AVAIL. ALSO, THE FRONT DRIVER?S DOOR WAS IMPROPERLY ALIGNMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED ABOUT TWO YEARS PRIOR TO THE MOST RECENT FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 37,500.

NHTSA ID
10351225
Incident
Aug 21, 2010
Mileage
37,500 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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .