2012 Mercedes-Benz GL550 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 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL550, 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
- Airbags654.5%
- Body & structure19.1%
- Brakes19.1%
- Electrical19.1%
- Exterior lighting19.1%
- Other / unspecified19.1%
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
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
I purchased a this vehicle at a dealership Laurel Ford as is no warranty for $14,000 and not even in a week of me having it the key fob was not working and it’s been giving me problems so now it’s not is not reading the ignition switch and it won’t turn on it’s not drivable, and I have small three kids. I love it but the headache I can’t deal. Please help!!!!
THE TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED ON OUR MERCEDEZ FOR OVER 3 YEARS NOW. WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO RESELL IT DUE TO THE RECALL, VALUATION HAS DECREASED AS WELL DUE TO THE REPAIR NOT BEING PERFORMED BY THE DEALER. SHOULD THIS HAVE BEEN DONE IN A TIMELY MANNER? IT CLEARLY WAS NOT.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
TAKATA RECALL - I HAD HEAD-ON COLLISION ACCIDENT ON 02/03/2015, STEERING WHEEL AND LEG AIR BAG WAS DEPLOYED, BUT CAUSED ME INJURY AFTER IT DEPLOYED TO MY HAND, FINGERS AND KNEES. ONCE LEG AIR BAD DEPLOYED, MY RIGHT KNEED HIT THE SWITCH UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER SEAT AND CAUSED INJURY. MERCEDES DON'T INSTALL THIS SWITCH UNDERNEATH THE SEAT ANYMORE AND I BELIEVE THERE WAS FLAW IN DESIGN AND LOCATION OF THIS SWITCH AND NOW THEY CHANGED THE LOCATION OF SWITCH. THEY MIGHT HAVE FOUND SOMETHING IN THEIR TESTING. PLEASE SEE PICTURES OF MY INJURIES ON FINGERS CAUSED BY STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG AND KNEE INJURY BY LEG AIR BAD HITTING THE SWITCH. I HAVE MORE PICTURES OF ACCIDENT SCENE AND WOULD LIKE TO SHARE. AROUND 8:05 AM I LEFT MY HOME TO GO TO WORK. WHEN I WAS ON BRIDGE NEAR THE FIRE STATION, I SAW SILVER CAR CAME IN MY LANE AND DRIVING TOWARDS ME. I CAME IN MY MIND THAT THIS CAR IS GOING TO HIT ME AND AS IT WAS COMING CLOSER AND THOUGHT CAME IN MY MIND THAT I MIGHT DIE. I MOVED SLOWLY TO RIGHT ON THE SHOULDER OF BRIDGE TO AVOID THE ACCIDENT AND STOPPED MY VEHICLE, NEXT THING I KNOW L HEAR LOUD SOUND, GAS & BURNING SMELL. I THOUGHT MY VEHICLE IS GOING TO CATCH FIRE. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE STRENGTH CAME IN ME AND I WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF MY VEHICLE WALK AWAY 10-15 YARD AWAY FROM MY CAR. POLICE REPORT FILED - YES BOTH CARS DRIVER WERE TAKEN TO HOSPITAL IN AN AMBULANCE. HTTP://WWW.COLUMBIATRIBUNE.COM/NEWS/LOCAL/COLLISION-ON-SCOTT-BOULEVARD-SENDS-TWO-TO-HOSPITAL/ARTICLE_14347E77-9E46-5BE1-90A4-CE8467474D2F.HTML OPENED CASE WITH MERCEDES BENZ - CASE NUMBER: CA767053
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
This is relative to the brake booster recall. Mercedes-Benz conducted a test and there was significant corrosion that exceeded the normal limits allowed. I am still under a stop drive order but I have not been provided any further instruction or provided a vehicle to drive while my vehicle awaits repair or buy back.Customer service representatives have not corresponded with me despite multiple emails and calls over the last 2 -3 weeks. I need A vehicle repaired so it can operate safely or I need another vehicle to drive while awaiting available parts please.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
I purchased a this vehicle at a dealership Laurel Ford as is no warranty for $14,000 and not even in a week of me having it the key fob was not working and it’s been giving me problems so now it’s not is not reading the ignition switch and it won’t turn on it’s not drivable, and I have small three kids. I love it but the headache I can’t deal. Please help!!!!
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ GL550. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE CONTACT ACTIVATED THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TURN SIGNAL, BUT THE SIGNAL FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE "LIGHT MODULE" FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000. UPDATED 06/01/17*LJ *AS
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
TAKATA RECALL - I HAD HEAD-ON COLLISION ACCIDENT ON 02/03/2015, STEERING WHEEL AND LEG AIR BAG WAS DEPLOYED, BUT CAUSED ME INJURY AFTER IT DEPLOYED TO MY HAND, FINGERS AND KNEES. ONCE LEG AIR BAD DEPLOYED, MY RIGHT KNEED HIT THE SWITCH UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER SEAT AND CAUSED INJURY. MERCEDES DON'T INSTALL THIS SWITCH UNDERNEATH THE SEAT ANYMORE AND I BELIEVE THERE WAS FLAW IN DESIGN AND LOCATION OF THIS SWITCH AND NOW THEY CHANGED THE LOCATION OF SWITCH. THEY MIGHT HAVE FOUND SOMETHING IN THEIR TESTING. PLEASE SEE PICTURES OF MY INJURIES ON FINGERS CAUSED BY STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG AND KNEE INJURY BY LEG AIR BAD HITTING THE SWITCH. I HAVE MORE PICTURES OF ACCIDENT SCENE AND WOULD LIKE TO SHARE. AROUND 8:05 AM I LEFT MY HOME TO GO TO WORK. WHEN I WAS ON BRIDGE NEAR THE FIRE STATION, I SAW SILVER CAR CAME IN MY LANE AND DRIVING TOWARDS ME. I CAME IN MY MIND THAT THIS CAR IS GOING TO HIT ME AND AS IT WAS COMING CLOSER AND THOUGHT CAME IN MY MIND THAT I MIGHT DIE. I MOVED SLOWLY TO RIGHT ON THE SHOULDER OF BRIDGE TO AVOID THE ACCIDENT AND STOPPED MY VEHICLE, NEXT THING I KNOW L HEAR LOUD SOUND, GAS & BURNING SMELL. I THOUGHT MY VEHICLE IS GOING TO CATCH FIRE. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE STRENGTH CAME IN ME AND I WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF MY VEHICLE WALK AWAY 10-15 YARD AWAY FROM MY CAR. POLICE REPORT FILED - YES BOTH CARS DRIVER WERE TAKEN TO HOSPITAL IN AN AMBULANCE. HTTP://WWW.COLUMBIATRIBUNE.COM/NEWS/LOCAL/COLLISION-ON-SCOTT-BOULEVARD-SENDS-TWO-TO-HOSPITAL/ARTICLE_14347E77-9E46-5BE1-90A4-CE8467474D2F.HTML OPENED CASE WITH MERCEDES BENZ - CASE NUMBER: CA767053
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 .