2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 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 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300, 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
- Electrical1428.0%
- Engine1122.0%
- Body & structure510.0%
- Powertrain (other)510.0%
- Visibility48.0%
- Fuel system36.0%
- Driver assistance24.0%
- Tires & wheels24.0%
- Airbags24.0%
- Brakes12.0%
- Seat belts12.0%
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
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
On April 16, 2026, within minutes of being released from a certified dealership, my 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 suffered a sudden and total loss of propulsion while traveling at high speed on the Belt Parkway (NY). Despite depressing the accelerator, the vehicle failed to maintain speed and stalled in active traffic. This created an immediate life-safety hazard, forcing me to navigate across multiple lanes without engine power to avoid a high-speed rear-end collision. The vehicle was released to me by Mercedes-Benz of Brooklyn on April 16, 2026, following a repair for which I paid $2,134.94. The dealership diagnosed the issue as a wiring harness/sensor fault and formally certified the vehicle as "Found OK" and safe for operation. The catastrophic failure occurred only 22 minutes after I departed the dealership lot. The vehicle had to be towed back to the facility immediately. Upon the vehicle being towed back on April 16, the dealership admitted via recorded voicemail that the initial $2,134.94 repair was a misdiagnosis. They subsequently issued a new diagnosis for a "Valve Body" failure and a new quote of $6,424. The dealership's Service Director has since admitted the vehicle suffers from concurrent transmission and engine failures, rendering the car a liability. This represents a critical failure of the powertrain and electronic control systems. Releasing a vehicle that suffers a total power loss on a highway immediately after a "certified" repair is gross negligence. I am reporting this to NHTSA as a catastrophic failure of a safety-critical component (Transmission/Valve Body) that resulted in a "dead-stick" situation on a major New York thoroughfare, posing a severe risk to myself and other motorists. The vehicle remains at the dealership. Mercedes-Benz USA has offered only a $2,000 "goodwill credit," which does not address the safety defects or the initial misdiagnosis. No recall has been initiated for this batch.
FIRE! NHTSA Vehicle Safety Complaint – Mercedes-Benz GLC300 Complainant Information: [XXX] [XXX] Phone: [XXX] Email: [XXX] Vehicle Information: 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC300 4MATIC VIN: [XXX] Purchase Location: Missouri Incident Location: St. Louis, MO Date of Incident: [XXX] Date of Report Submission: July 12, 2025 Summary of Incident: On [XXX] , my 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC300 4MATIC spontaneously caught fire while parked. I immediately contacted Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance, and the vehicle was towed for inspection. Mercedes-Benz later claimed the fire originated in the engine compartment, yet took no accountability and cited “missing components” as an excuse to avoid liability. Photographic evidence shows that the parts were present immediately after the fire. Mercedes-Benz denied that NHTSA Recall 21V961000 applied to this vehicle, despite clear similarity in symptoms (fire risk due to fuel or electrical issues). I was also never notified of any fire risk. Furthermore, towing coordination failures led to my vehicle being sent to a third-party lot, incurring unauthorized fees. Safety Concern: The spontaneous combustion of this vehicle presents a serious public safety risk. I am concerned this issue may be more widespread and underreported. Mercedes-Benz’s failure to take accountability and deflecting blame could endanger other consumers. Desired Action: 1. Federal investigation into similar fire-related complaints involving 2019 GLC300s. 2. Reconsideration of eligibility under Recall 21V961000 or related campaigns. 3. Consumer safety alert or expanded recall if defect patterns are confirmed. Attachments Provided: - Mercedes-Benz USA denial letter dated July 11, 2025 - Photos of the fire damage - Letters and written communications Signature: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
FIRE! NHTSA Vehicle Safety Complaint – Mercedes-Benz GLC300 Complainant Information: [XXX] [XXX] Phone: [XXX] Email: [XXX] Vehicle Information: 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC300 4MATIC VIN: [XXX] Purchase Location: Missouri Incident Location: St. Louis, MO Date of Incident: [XXX] Date of Report Submission: July 12, 2025 Summary of Incident: On [XXX] , my 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC300 4MATIC spontaneously caught fire while parked. I immediately contacted Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance, and the vehicle was towed for inspection. Mercedes-Benz later claimed the fire originated in the engine compartment, yet took no accountability and cited “missing components” as an excuse to avoid liability. Photographic evidence shows that the parts were present immediately after the fire. Mercedes-Benz denied that NHTSA Recall 21V961000 applied to this vehicle, despite clear similarity in symptoms (fire risk due to fuel or electrical issues). I was also never notified of any fire risk. Furthermore, towing coordination failures led to my vehicle being sent to a third-party lot, incurring unauthorized fees. Safety Concern: The spontaneous combustion of this vehicle presents a serious public safety risk. I am concerned this issue may be more widespread and underreported. Mercedes-Benz’s failure to take accountability and deflecting blame could endanger other consumers. Desired Action: 1. Federal investigation into similar fire-related complaints involving 2019 GLC300s. 2. Reconsideration of eligibility under Recall 21V961000 or related campaigns. 3. Consumer safety alert or expanded recall if defect patterns are confirmed. Attachments Provided: - Mercedes-Benz USA denial letter dated July 11, 2025 - Photos of the fire damage - Letters and written communications Signature: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
- My transmission is malfunctioning. It is available for inspection. - My car is not allowing me to shift from reverse to drive. When I try to put it in drive, it gets stuck in neutral. My safety is at risk as I was trying to do a quick 3-point turn and got stuck in the lane. - Yes, the problem has been confirmed by an independent service center. There was a recall by Mercedes Benz for the same issue in 2020, but for some reason my car isn't included. - The vehicle has been inspected by an independent service center - No warning lamps or messaged prior to the failure which first appeared on Thursday, June 5.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, there was an abnormal cracking sound coming from the roof. The contact stated that upon arriving to the destination and parking the vehicle, the contact became aware that the panoramic roof panel had detached. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V854000 (Structure) and 21V197000 (Structure). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recalls, and assistance could not be provided because the vehicle was out of warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.
On May 22, 2025, while parked, my 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC300 spontaneously caught fire, completely destroying the vehicle. Thankfully, no one was inside, and no injuries occurred, but the property damage was significant. I later discovered Recall 21V961000 / Campaign 2022030003 affecting some 2019 GLC300s for fuel leaks at the fuel rail/injector interface, which pose a serious fire hazard. Further research has shown reports of loose ground connections in these vehicles as well, increasing the risk of sparks igniting leaked fuel. Given that my vehicle caught fire spontaneously and matches the defect described in this recall, I firmly believe this incident was related to that defect. Mercedes-Benz has not provided adequate assistance. The vehicle was towed to a local dealership (Plaza Mercedes-Benz), but they refused to accept it, adding further confusion and hardship. I am submitting this report to request that NHTSA fully investigate this issue and work to ensure that Mercedes-Benz USA takes responsibility for this vehicle defect and compensates me for this dangerous failure. I am happy to provide photos, tow reports, or further documentation if needed. Thank you for your assistance in ensuring public safety.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
On April 16, 2026, within minutes of being released from a certified dealership, my 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 suffered a sudden and total loss of propulsion while traveling at high speed on the Belt Parkway (NY). Despite depressing the accelerator, the vehicle failed to maintain speed and stalled in active traffic. This created an immediate life-safety hazard, forcing me to navigate across multiple lanes without engine power to avoid a high-speed rear-end collision. The vehicle was released to me by Mercedes-Benz of Brooklyn on April 16, 2026, following a repair for which I paid $2,134.94. The dealership diagnosed the issue as a wiring harness/sensor fault and formally certified the vehicle as "Found OK" and safe for operation. The catastrophic failure occurred only 22 minutes after I departed the dealership lot. The vehicle had to be towed back to the facility immediately. Upon the vehicle being towed back on April 16, the dealership admitted via recorded voicemail that the initial $2,134.94 repair was a misdiagnosis. They subsequently issued a new diagnosis for a "Valve Body" failure and a new quote of $6,424. The dealership's Service Director has since admitted the vehicle suffers from concurrent transmission and engine failures, rendering the car a liability. This represents a critical failure of the powertrain and electronic control systems. Releasing a vehicle that suffers a total power loss on a highway immediately after a "certified" repair is gross negligence. I am reporting this to NHTSA as a catastrophic failure of a safety-critical component (Transmission/Valve Body) that resulted in a "dead-stick" situation on a major New York thoroughfare, posing a severe risk to myself and other motorists. The vehicle remains at the dealership. Mercedes-Benz USA has offered only a $2,000 "goodwill credit," which does not address the safety defects or the initial misdiagnosis. No recall has been initiated for this batch.
The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC300. The contact stated that while shifting from reverse to drive, the vehicle stalled and remained in neutral. After the vehicle stalled, the vehicle took approximately 8 minutes before the vehicle could be shifted into drive. Once in drive, the vehicle would jerk and shift to D3 before accelerating. The check engine warning light would illuminate while in reverse. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a transmission failure due to a malfunctioning valve body and low pump pressure. The dealer confirmed that the VIN was not under recall and that the issue was not covered under warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact informed the manufacturer of the failure, and a case was opened. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC300. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH on the interstate, the sunroof suddenly shattered into pieces and flew off the vehicle. The vehicle was driven to a dealer but was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 106,706.
While driving on Route 95 the Front Stationary Sunroof Panel separated and flew off
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
On May 22, 2025, while parked, my 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC300 spontaneously caught fire, completely destroying the vehicle. Thankfully, no one was inside, and no injuries occurred, but the property damage was significant. I later discovered Recall 21V961000 / Campaign 2022030003 affecting some 2019 GLC300s for fuel leaks at the fuel rail/injector interface, which pose a serious fire hazard. Further research has shown reports of loose ground connections in these vehicles as well, increasing the risk of sparks igniting leaked fuel. Given that my vehicle caught fire spontaneously and matches the defect described in this recall, I firmly believe this incident was related to that defect. Mercedes-Benz has not provided adequate assistance. The vehicle was towed to a local dealership (Plaza Mercedes-Benz), but they refused to accept it, adding further confusion and hardship. I am submitting this report to request that NHTSA fully investigate this issue and work to ensure that Mercedes-Benz USA takes responsibility for this vehicle defect and compensates me for this dangerous failure. I am happy to provide photos, tow reports, or further documentation if needed. Thank you for your assistance in ensuring public safety.
The error code is P052E and it is a PCV Code Crankcase Ventilation Oil Separator. It's a time-consuming and expensive repair that seems to be regularly occurring on a lot Mercedes Benz that have this installed. And it happens often on cars with under 50K miles on them and when it's just been out of warranty this is a small inexpensive part that the customer funds through the cost of labor. Not that mechanics don't deserve their labor costs, but Mercedes ought to fix this is issue as it is borne by the consumer of a high end vehicle for a consistent, faulty part that they have engineered.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
I was driving on a street 5mph and all of a sudden my car surged and led me to curb where i knocked hit a steer din and it veered onto someone’s lawn and hit a huge planter and stopped . Air bags were deployed . I had no control over the car . EDR was preformed and I’m sure it was a throttle surge issue and cause unintended acceleration . The edr shows I was going 5 miles an hour but then says pedal was pushed to 100%. While traveling at approximately 4–5 mph during a low-speed maneuver, with light accelerator input, the vehicle unexpectedly surged forward. I did not intend to accelerate. The vehicle rapidly increased speed, left the roadway, struck a street sign and a planter, and the airbags deployed. Event Data Recorder (EDR) data retrieved by the insurer (Mercury Insurance) shows the vehicle traveling at low speed immediately prior to the event, followed by a recorded 100% accelerator pedal position. This data does not reflect my driving intent and appears inconsistent with the low-speed conditions. The EDR documentation notes that accelerator pedal position is sampled asynchronously and reflects values transmitted to the SRS Control Module, not continuous pedal input or driver intent. No brake input was recorded prior to the impact. The sudden acceleration occurred too quickly to react. Mercedes-Benz inspected the vehicle and released only the EDR data, declining to provide further clarification regarding throttle control logic, pedal sensor correlation, or torque command behavior. I am reporting this incident due to concern that low-speed throttle control behavior, software logic, or transmission engagement may result in unintended acceleration without corresponding driver intent, posing a safety risk during parking-lot or low-speed driving conditions.
The contact owned a 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300. The contact stated that while driving at 15 MPH up and down the street on the fourth trip, the vehicle pulled to the left and suddenly accelerated, traveled over the curb, went through a sign on a pole, vegetation, and crashed into a concrete planter box. There were no warning lights illuminated. The air bag deployed. The contact sustained bruises on her knees and hands. Medical attention was provided at the hospital. The paramedics, the police department, and the fire department were on the scene. The paramedics checked her out at the scene. There were no reported fires. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was working with her insurance company to obtain the black box. The vehicle was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 48,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC300. The contact stated that the tires were worn in one specific area and the failure had also occurred after replacing the tires. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer where an alignment was completed; however, it was confirmed that the rear hub bearing was rubbing the tires and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 79,000.
The four tires were replaced on [XXX] at 28,000 miles. Then 4 additional tires replaced at 57,000 miles [XXX]. Less than one year in Oct of 2023 I noticed a sound coming from the front tires when driving . Two of the front tires needed to be replaced 75300 miles . These tires FPIRREILLI SCROPION VERDE 235/55 R19 101H are having to be replaced too often . There appears to be a defect in the tires INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
A message that passenger air bag is damaged/will not deploy appears. Passenger seat belt gets stuck and cannot be opened. Check engine light on-pvc valve issue most likely.
We hit a deer at 50mph. Active restraint system pulled us back into our seats. Cabin filled with white smoke/powder. Windows automatically lowered a few inches. Dash display panel issued fault alarms on all airbags and emergency braking systems; front and rear. Vehicle automatically contacted Mercedes SOS and dispatched police. Air bags never deployed.
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
The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes Benz GCLCLASS. The contact stated that the brake system failed. The contact stated when driving at 25mph when the brake pedal was engaged the brake pedal went to the floorboard the vehicle crashed a pole and came to stop. there were no warning lights before during or after the failure occurred. The vehicle was towed to a mechanic shop. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 10,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
A message that passenger air bag is damaged/will not deploy appears. Passenger seat belt gets stuck and cannot be opened. Check engine light on-pvc valve issue most likely.
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 .