RoadVitals

2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 4MATIC

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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 Jul 24, 2026
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
4
Latest Jul 24, 2026
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0
2 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 9 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 4MATIC, most frequently naming the body & structure, brakes and driver assistance categories. 4 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 167 manufacturer communications are on file.

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

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Body & structure225.0%
  • Brakes225.0%
  • Driver assistance225.0%
  • Electrical112.5%
  • Powertrain (other)112.5%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

4 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LOCK

Jul 24, 2026
310,667 units potentially affected
The defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2020-2021 CLA, 2019-2022 A-Class, 2022-2023 C-Class, 2024 CLE, 2020-2026 GLA/GLB, and 2023-2024 GLC vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific model information. The micro-switch in the driver's door lock may corrode and fail to detect an open door, preventing the electronic parking brake or "Auto-Park" feature from engaging automatically. This may result in a vehicle rollaway.
The risk: A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of a crash or injury.
The remedy: Dealers will replace the driver's door lock, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 18, 2026. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning July 31, 2026.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLCView on NHTSA.gov

STEERING:CRITICAL FASTENERS

Aug 20, 2025
3,749 units potentially affected
The defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2023-2026 EQE and GLC vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. The steering coupling bolt may have been improperly tightened, allowing the steering coupling to loosen from the steering rack.
The risk: A loose steering coupling can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will tighten the steering coupling bolts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 6, 2025. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLCView on NHTSA.gov

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

Jun 11, 2025
127 units potentially affected
The defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2023 GLC 300 and GLC 300 4MATIC vehicles. The headlights are missing adjustment prevention caps, which can allow the headlights to be improperly adjusted. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
The risk: Improperly adjusted headlights can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will inspect the headlights for sealing caps and install caps as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 18, 2025. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2025060005.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLCManufacturer number 2025060005View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Brakes
Filed Jul 24, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 4MATIC. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the brake pedal felt as if it had released, and the vehicle failed to stop as needed. The contact stated that the failure was a recurring failure. The dealer was contacted but could not duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 39,000.

NHTSA ID
11752677
Incident
Jul 1, 2026
Mileage
39,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Jul 1, 2026

My 2023 GLC300 suffered a severe, unprovoked emergency brake deployment in traffic, nearly causing a pileup. on [XXX]. The car has only 14,500 miles and has a chronic history of dangerous, unprovoked Active Brake Assist deployments. It broke down twice in its first month of ownership for other reasons, slammed on the brakes during a left-hand turn last year, nearly causing an accident and on [XXX] executed a violent, full-lock emergency stop from 25mph in light traffic with no obstacles in sight, nearly causing a multi-car pileup and putting me thru the windshield. The car was towed to MB of Boston in Somerville under factory warranty on [XXX]. I have refused to drive this hazardous and unsafe vehicle, the Dealer did a quick factory update and an a clean erase of the following code, Code B229BF9, but I have refused to take it back util they have proven to me that this dangerous issue has been fully resolved, I am a [XXX] with a perfect driving record and I frequently drive this car on the highway and I am very fearful the car will do it on the highway which would be catastrophic to me and other motorists. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
11747647
Incident
Jun 17, 2026
Filed Apr 27, 2026

I purchased a new Mercedes Benz GLC300 2023. Last month, my friend and I were driving on I75 in Florida when we heard what sounded like a loud boom or gunshot. We quickly discovered that my sunroof had exploded. The sunroof was closed, and fortunately so was the sunshade, as large pieces of glass flew off the roof and smaller shards of glass collected on top of the sunshade. My friend and I were fortunate to have not been insured and were able to safely navigate the vehicle to the side of the road to assess the damage. In contacting the MB dealership, I learned that the sunroof is considered "glass" and thus not covered under warranty even though the vehicle is only 3 years old with less than 50,000 miles. What is more concerning to me is that the roof was not under a recall, and there have apparently been other MB owners that have experienced the same issue with class action lawsuits pending. My insurance company covered the repairs following payment for the deductible. This huge safety concern is that we could have been seriously injured by flying and/or falling glass. I write to express my deepest concern over the safety issue the exploding roof presents-the cost of repair relative to what could have happened is minor. Thank you for the attention to this matter.

NHTSA ID
11733932
Incident
Mar 19, 2026
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 20, 2026

The issue is regarding the “Traffic Sign Assist” (Owner’s Manual page 221) feature of the Adaptive Cruise Control System. Vehicle will be made available if requested. The function of the "Traffic Sign Assist" is to monitor roadside "Speed Limit" signs and the cruise control will increase or decrease speed to stay within the permissible legal speed limit. The system worked except occasionally it would change the indicated permissible speed limit on the instrument display when there is no corresponding roadside speed limit sign and the permissible speed limit for that stretch of roadway is unchanged. When this happens, suddenly and abruptly, the vehicle display would indicate a "phantom" Higher or Lower Speed Limit sign and rapidly and abruptly accelerate or decelerate. Again there were no roadside signs posted indicating a higher or lower speed limit! The risk is potential for rear end collisions from or to other traffic due to the abrupt acceleration or deceleration. when we returned home from a 4556 mile road trip, we took the vehicle to the Mercedes dealer for routine service and mentioned this to the Service Advisor. He indicated that when this defect is reported their solution is to deactivate the system. I don't feel this is adequate since another driver could reactivate the system through the settings. It has not been inspected by anyone except the dealer. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms before the display changed and the vehicle abruptly accelerated or decelerated.

NHTSA ID
11732594
Incident
Mar 31, 2026
Body & structure
Filed Jan 13, 2026

The glass panel between the windshield and the sun roof shattered spontaneously

NHTSA ID
11710584
Incident
Jan 5, 2026
Filed Nov 15, 2025
2 injuries reported

When loading groceries in my trunk, the door randomly closes on my head. The last time this door closed while we were loading, I tried stopping it with my hand, by holding it, so my spouse doesnt get smashed, and it will not stop at all. There needs to be a safety feature installed to stop this trunk from closing if a person is underneath it. I fear that a child or an elderly person wont be able to move fast enough and will be severely harmed by this.

NHTSA ID
11699574
Incident
Nov 8, 2025
BrakesElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed Sep 5, 2025

The contact owns a 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC300 4Matic. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and coming to a stop, the vehicle skidded or slid and felt like it had been rear-ended. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the failure could not be duplicated. The contact stated that the infotainment system was inoperable intermittently. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving 40-50 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact merged to the right lane to be able to pull over as necessary. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed, but the cause of the failure could not be determined. The contact stated that the failure had recurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID
11685231
Incident
Nov 7, 2023
Body & structure
Filed Jun 3, 2025

The rear door randomly closes with force unexpectantly. We contacted the Mercedes dealer where the car was purchased and is serviced. They responded it can not be fixed and was an ongoing concern of many owners

NHTSA ID
11664589
Incident
Jun 3, 2025

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

LI54.21-P-079510

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; POWER TRAIN

Complaint Diverse functional limitations in the vehicle in combination with various warning and fault messages in the instrument cluster display. Cause Communication timeouts mean that communication errors may occur in the on‑board electrical system, which can result in various fault messages being displayed in the instrument cluster. This could be down to delayed feedback from the drivetrain control unit (N127) (CPC) to other control units networked to the CAN bus. Information: Only valid for vehicles through production period 10/2025. Not valid for vehicles with control unit CDCC (N125, central controller charging and driving) • It may not be possible to attribute any communication errors stored in the control units on the CAN bus to a specific cause • In rare instances, there may be a brief activation of the yellow warning lamp for engine diagnosis or there may be a sporadic delay with the start enable. • There may not be any specific fault codes present that indicate a specific component. Example image: Fault messages in instrument cluster: The reason for this could be down to delayed feedback from the control unit CPC3 to other control units networked on the CAN bus. Remedy Do not replace any components!!! ******************************************************************************************************* 1. Connect charger (see AR54.10‑P‑1127WT). Note: An adequate voltage from the on‑board electrical system battery must be guaranteed for the entire duration of the work procedure. Otherwise, the control units could be damaged if an undervoltage occurs. Information: Observe the operating instructions of the charger. Information: Use the charger to ensure an adequate voltage (at least 12.5 V) from the on‑board electrical system battery. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ 2. Connect diagnostic system (see AD00.00‑P‑2000‑06FR). Note: Always use the latest XENTRY Diagnostics software release. Information: Strict compliance with the operation steps in XENTRY Diagnostics is absolutely essential. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ 3. Select control unit N127 (CPC) via the direct link using XENTRY Diagnosis. Information: To do so, select the following menu items: Control units view → Drive systems → N127 ‑ "Drivetrain" control unit (CPC) ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ 4. Update software for control unit N127 (CPC) (see AR54.21‑P‑0014‑01Y). Info: To do so, select the following menu items: Adaptations → Control unit update → Update control unit software. Information: You are then automatically guided through the steps "Update of control unit software" and "SCN coding". Always observe the following operation steps at all times ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ 5. Disconnect diagnostic device from vehicle (see AD00.00‑P‑2000‑06FR). ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ 6. Disconnect charger from vehicle (see AR54.10‑P‑1127WT).

LI32.25-P-079707

SUSPENSION

Complaint Wheezing noises/squeaking noises from the front shock absorbers when passing over surface undulations and rough road. Noise MUST match those heard in the attached videos. Cause • Wheezing noises: Flow noises of the damper oil • Squeaking noises: From the mechanical rubber valve in the dividing piston Remedy In case of complaints, the front shock absorbers must be replaced. If shocks have been replaced and noise persists, please open a TIPS case to the Body, Chassis, Entertainment inbox.

LI27.60-P-080948

STRUCTURE:BODY

Complaint Wheezing noises/squeaking noises from the front shock absorbers when passing over surface undulations and rough road. Noise MUST match those heard in the attached videos. Cause • Wheezing noises: Flow noises of the damper oil • Squeaking noises: From the mechanical rubber valve in the dividing piston Remedy In case of complaints, the front shock absorbers must be replaced. If shocks have been replaced and noise persists, please open a TIPS case to the Body, Chassis, Entertainment inbox.

LI09.40-P-079068

ENGINE

Complaint Oil seeping from turbocharger oil return line at connection to engine block. Low oil level warning. Oil observed under vehicle. Cause Return line under tension due to turbo rotation. Remedy Inspect turbocharger housing for rotation (refer to attachment). If rotation is confirmed, the turbocharger and oil return line must be replaced.‑Resealing or replacing only the oil return line is not sufficient and will not resolve the symptom.‑Clean noise insulation on right side of engine if necessary. Replace insulation if cleaning is not sufficient.‑Observe foot notes regarding additional parts in XENTRY parts information when ordering turbocharger.

OTA- Comm. Mod. SW Upd.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Issue A software update will be performed that provides enhancements to the robustness and system stability of the communication module. The update is free of charge and runs in the background, which takes about 8 minutes to install. During this time, the vehicle can be driven without any restrictions, and the new software will be active with the next ignition cycle. Remedy MBUSA will conduct an OTA service campaign. Remote software updates are automatically downloaded and installed in the customer’s vehicle free of charge and do not require a dealer visit.

LI46.10-P-080896

STEERING

Complaint Slight creaking noises when steering. Cause Noises may come from one or more sleeves of the horn contact plate. Remedy Remove the horn contact plate and check the sleeves for noise; see attached video. If necessary, apply lubricant to the sleeves.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 4MATIC by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2027000—
2026630—
2025103062.9
2024103066.7
2023Viewing940—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.