RoadVitals

2011 Mercedes-Benz GL450 Suspension Problems

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

Data refreshed

Suspension 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 May 13, 2026
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.
16%
of 55 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.
0
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 suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2011 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 suspension

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

Suspension
Filed May 13, 2026

Air compressor fail

NHTSA ID
11737595
Incident
Feb 5, 2026
Suspension
Filed Apr 5, 2021

WE WERE STOPPED AT A RED STOPLIGHT, OUT OF NOWHERE THERE WAS A LOUD EXPLOSION, SHOOK THE WHOLE CAR AND SANK, THE FEELING LIKE WE WERE IN A SINK HOLE OR LIKE A TIRE BLEW BUT THE TIRE WAS FINE. A LOYD HISSING SOUND ENSUED. THANK GOD, WE WERE AT A STOP LIGHT AND NOT IN A SPEED THAT COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY.

NHTSA ID
11406490
Incident
Apr 5, 2021
Mileage
80,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Sep 5, 2018

MY 2011 GL450 MERCEDES SUV IS DRIVING SIDEWAYS ONE FRONT AND ONE BACK SUSPENSION AIRBAGS ARE NOT WORKING I FEEL LIKE MY CARE IS GOING TO FLIP OVER WHEN I TURN. THIS IS A HAZARDOUS PROBLEM. CAN CAUSE ACCIDENTS A DEATHS NOT ONLY ON THE DRIVER BUT OTHER PEOPLE ON THE ROAD

NHTSA ID
11124629
Incident
Aug 29, 2018
Mileage
93,000 mi
Fuel systemSuspension
Filed Jul 30, 2018

RECALL THE AIR SUSPENSION BAGS KEEPS BUSTING ALSO I CAN'T TELL HOW MUCH GAS IN MY TANK I REPLACE THE BACK AIR SUSPENSION AIR BAG AND NOW THE FRONT HAS GONE OUT I ALSO REPLACE THE SUSPENSION LEVELING VALUE THE CAR BOUNCES WHEN DRIVING

NHTSA ID
11114529
Incident
May 26, 2018
Suspension
Filed Feb 4, 2018

THE AIRMATIC SYSTEM EXPLODED WHILE THE CAR WAS AT THE MERCEDES BENZ DEALIER IN MODESTO, CALIFORNIA PARKED TO HAVE THE BREAKS REPAIRED .. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER THE CAR IS NO OPERABLE DUE TO ONE OF THE VARIOUS AIRMATIC CONTROLES EXPLODED WHILE PARKED WAITING BEING SERVICES. THE EXPLOSION WAS LOUD AND KEEPT THE CAR BOUNCING FOR A COUPLE MINUTES WHILE THE OTHER AIRMATIC CONTROLES WERE DEFLATING DUE TO THE EXPLOTION. MORE INFORMATION CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE MERCEDES BENZ DEALER IN MODESTO CALIFORNIA SINCE THE EXPLO TION OCCURRED AT THEIR SHOP

NHTSA ID
11066844
Incident
Feb 1, 2018
Mileage
104,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Nov 21, 2017

MY FRONT AIR STRUTS, REAR AIR SPRINGS AND SHOCKS, SUSPENSION AIR COMPRESSOR, AND VALVE BLOCK WENT OUT AFTER OWNING THE VEHICLE FOR 4 MONTHS. I'VE GOTTEN ALL THOSE COMPONENTS REPLACED AND I AM STILL HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE SUSPENSION. MY CAR ROCKS FROM SIDE TO SIDE, LEANS ON THE LEFT SIDE WHILE DRIVING AND I CAN FEEL EVERY BUMP AND ROUGH SPOT IN THE ROAD.

NHTSA ID
11047924
Incident
Aug 7, 2017
AirbagsElectricalSuspension
Filed Jan 31, 2017

THIS CAR WAS SOLD TO ME AS A CPO VEHICLE FROM MERCEDES BENZ OF GREENWICH WITH 32K MILES IN 2014. SINCE OWNERSHIP ALL AIRBAGS HAVE FAILED AND BEEN REPLACED EXCEPT THE RECALLED TAKATA STEERING WHEEL AIR BAG. THE CURTAIN AIR BAGS, REAR AIRBAGS ETC. ARE NOW ON THE SECOND REPLACEMENT. THE COMPUTER FAILED WHILE DRIVING AND THE DASHBOARD WENT COMPLETELY BLACK AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALERSHIP HAS TOLD ME THAT THIS YEAR VEHICLE HAS CONTINUAL PROBLEMS AND FAILURES. IT THE SOUND LIKE THE CAR SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED. I WAS TOLD TO SELL THE CAR PRIVATELY SINCE THE VALUE HAS PLUMMETED.

NHTSA ID
10948750
Incident
Jan 25, 2017
Other / unspecifiedSuspension
Filed Oct 30, 2013

WERE TOLD BY A MECHANIC AT BETTEN IMPORTS IN GRAND RAPIDS, MI, THAT THE SUSPENSION WAS STUCK IN THE 'LOW' POSITION, CAUSING THE TIRES TO BECOME CUPPED AND PITTED. AFTER KEEPING THE VEHICLE FOR ONE WEEK, BETTEN'S SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT IT WAS BAD TIRES AND NOT THE SUSPENSION. ONLY ALL SEASON TIRES AVAILABLE FOR THIS BODY TYPE ARE NOT ADEQUATE FOR WINTER DRIVING, AND MAKE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE IN ANY PRECIPITATION HAZARDOUS. DRIVER HAD UPS DRIVER TRAINING EXPERIENCE, AS WELL AS, ON THE ROAD SALES DRIVING EXPERIENCE. VEHICLE BOUNCES AROUND THE ROAD AND TIRES BECOME CUPPED AND PITTED. DRIVER DID NOT HAVE THESE ISSUES WITH ANY PREVIOUS VEHICLE. HAD TO REPLACE THE TIRES THREE TIMES BEFORE 44000 MILES. WE ARE NOT SURE IF THIS IS REALLY AN ISSUE WITH THE TIRES, OR IF THERE IS A SUSPENSION ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE, SPECIFICALLY, OR THE MODEL OF THIS VEHICLE, IN GENERAL. VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN THE WINTER. *TR

NHTSA ID
10550093
Incident
Jan 2, 2012
Mileage
18,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Jun 16, 2011

FRONT END NOISE. BROUGHT TO DEALER WHO REPLACED THE RIGHT STRUT. 2 MONTHS LATER SAME NOISE ON LEFT SIDE. DEALER REPLACED THE LEFT STRUT. AWAITING RESULTS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10407151
Incident
Apr 15, 2011
Mileage
12,000 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 .