2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 Engine Problems

At approximately 87,000 miles, my 2021 GLE350 (M264 2.0T engine) experienced a severe engine misfire resulting in a flashing check engine light, rough idle, engine shaking, significant loss of power, and near-stall condition. The vehicle was taken to Speedhaus Automotive (Newbury Park, CA) where all four ignition coils and spark plugs were replaced. Total repair cost was approximately $635. This failure pattern is consistent with the documented M264 exhaust valve seat wear issue acknowledged by Mercedes-Benz technicians. A Mercedes dealer service report on an identical 2021 GLE350 explicitly states: "COMMON ISSUE FOR EXHAUST VALVE SEATS TO WEAR — KNOWN ISSUE WITH 260 AND 264 MOTORS." Mercedes-Benz has extended the warranty on the M260 engine (transverse variant) for this identical failure mode but has not extended it for the longitudinally-mounted M264 despite the same defect being present. Repair costs for full cylinder head failure on the M264 are being quoted at $6,000–$13,000. I am requesting NHTSA investigate whether a safety recall is warranted for the M264 engine across all affected GLE350, GLC300, C300, and E350 vehicles.

NHTSA ID

11741934

Incident

Jun 2, 2026

While driving at night all error light showed up. I slowed down to the side of the road and while I was slowing down the engine died. I tried to start the car which worked but when I pressed the gas the engine died again. Tried it two more times with the same results. Then turned the car and waited a bit with the engine running. slowly started driving and was able to get home driving 20 mph. The next day took it to a shop that said that the battery was weak and they replaced the battery. Drove out of the shop and started hearing nosies from the engine. Immediately came back and was advised to take it to the dealer. Towed it to the dealer that checked it and said that they found metal in the oil filter and that I need to install a new engine. I read online and found many complains about the same engine issue with 2021 Mercedes GLE 350. Mercedes refuses to take responsibility that they built a faulty engine.

NHTSA ID

11719430

Incident

Feb 17, 2026

This is regarding a 2021 gle 350. The car was parked overnight and in the morning was unable to start or crank . I had to tow the vehicle to the service center that has maintained the car since purchased date and they told Me there’s a problem with the engine and I will need a new engine costing $28,000 dollars., the car has 42,000 miles and has an impeccable service history with Mercedes Benz. They did not tell me any specific engine part that’s faulty. There was no warning lights, check engine lights. Had I been driving this car and it happened it could have been catastrophic.

NHTSA ID

11717456

Incident

Jan 25, 2026

There is a known issue with the Cylinder Heads on specific models of Mercedes vehicles. Symptoms of M264 Cylinder Head Failure If your GLE 350 is experiencing these symptoms, it may be covered under the extension: Check Engine Light (MIL): Often triggered by misfire codes. Rough Idle: Noticeable shaking or uneven idling when stopped. Loss of Power: Potential stalling or significant power reduction during acceleration. Low Compression: Diagnostic tests often reveal low pressure in one or more cylinders. This is not being addressed my Mercedes USA where Mercedes Canada has offered an extended warranty. Using social media I have comprised a list of over a hundred impacted owners. Many more exist. What this does is cost catastrophic failure of the engine leaving the driver stranded in whatever lanes they were traveling in. I am disabled and for me this created a life threatening situation. When reaching out to MBUSA the answer is simply "not warranty exists" where MB Canada has extended the warranty to an additional 15k miles from notice. My engine blew. The replacement cost is near $20,000 dollars. The mileage on my engine was 65k. Many others are impacted and a class action lawsuit is the only other course of action it seems. Regards, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11709741

Incident

Nov 6, 2025

Original owner of a 2021 GLE, purchased on April 21, 2021. The vehicle is currently 4 years and 6 months and 22 days old with approximately 49,000 miles. Despite meticulous adherence to all scheduled maintenance performed and no warning lights activated the vehicle suddenly shutdown and would not restart. According to MB maintenance department it suffered a catastrophic and complete engine failure. This type of premature and total engine failure in a properly maintained, low-mileage vehicle is clearly a defect in material or workmanship. This is a serious safety defect that rendered the vehicle completely inoperable with no warning. Issues are resulting from valve guide wear issues, camshaft codes, valve openness, and no-compression symptoms, camshaft, timing chain, etc.

NHTSA ID

11704589

Incident

Nov 12, 2025

we own a Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 model 2021. Our vehicles engine has stopped running on two different occasions, resulting in a very scary near miss accident situation. The first time this happened was it 22,000 miles, the engine shut off as a result of a failure in the engine cylinder head valve that burned up, causing the car to shut off in the middle of an intersection. The second incident happened at 56,000 miles where the vehicles engine shut off. This was also in the middle of an intersection, this time turning left in front of traffic. The reason why the engine turned off was because the lower part of the engine lost a rod bearing.this is what the dealership told us which cause the engine to have low compression and turn off. In both incidences, the check engine light did not come on. There was no warning. There are several people that have exactly the same problem with their vehicle and have also had the same two situations with two separate repairs made to their cars. People online are calling these Covid engines because the materials that were used to build the engines were made during Covid and they have defects. The GLA 350 model year 2021 appears to be the only year the GLE 350’s are having these issues. Mercedes-Benz refuses to acknowledge any of these issues and is not willing to help properly fix the engines. The only way to properly fix the engine is to completely replace it because it is full of defective parts and after the engine has failed the engines cannot be repaired.. This leaves us with no alternative to try and repair the vehicle ourselves so we are 100% relying on Mercedes to do the right thing and fix the problems that they caused to this 2021 model year GLE 350.

NHTSA ID

11700231

Incident

Aug 22, 2025

The contact owns a 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the cylinder head. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 74,000.

NHTSA ID

11699818

Incident

Nov 1, 2025

Mileage

74,000 mi

The contact owns a 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact stated that while driving 65-70 MPH, the vehicle was skipping. The contact immediately veered towards an exit ramp. The contact noticed knocking sounds coming from the engine, and the vehicle stalled on the exit ramp. There was smoke coming from underneath the hood. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine had imploded and sustained a hole. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced. Additionally, the dealer took the engine apart and informed the contact that the cause of the engine implosion could not be determined even with the assistance of the engineers. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact then brought an independent mechanic to the dealer to inspect the vehicle. The mechanic inspected the engine and informed the contact that the failure had occurred due to a lack of engine oil; however, the contact stated that the dealer had performed an oil change on the vehicle 27 days prior to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but denied assistance in covering the repair. The manufacturer informed the contact that the engineers had not yet determined the cause of the engine implosion. The failure mileage was 69,100.

NHTSA ID

11695392

Incident

Jun 27, 2025

Mileage

69,100 mi

Not sure vehicle was parked and caught on fire from the drivers side completely burning

NHTSA ID

11691671

Incident

Oct 3, 2025

I am writing to document a recurring and serious issue with the Mercedes-Benz GLE equipped with the M264 engine, specifically relating to premature cylinder head failure. In my case, the vehicle began showing the following symptoms: Rough engine idle and noticeable vibration during startup Loss of power, especially when accelerating Check engine light with fault codes related to misfire or combustion issues Oil and/or coolant loss, with no external leaks Engine knocking or ticking noises near the top end of the engine After a professional inspection and diagnostic testing, I was informed that the issue is likely due to a defect or failure in the cylinder head, possibly involving warping, cracking, or failure of the valve seats or head gasket area. Upon further research, I discovered that this issue is not isolated. Multiple owners of vehicles with the M264 engine—including various GLE, C-Class, and E-Class models—have reported similar problems, often occurring well before 70,000 miles and despite regular maintenance. The pattern suggests a possible design flaw or quality issue with the engine’s cylinder head. As of now, it appears no formal recall or technical bulletin has been issued by Mercedes-Benz regarding this specific problem. However, the number of similar reports suggests the issue is widespread enough to merit formal investigation or at least acknowledgment by the manufacturer.

NHTSA ID

11688533

Incident

Apr 11, 2025

On May 26, 2025, around 3:00 PM, I was traveling with my family on a bright and sunny day, with no rain for several days leaving the roads dry. As we were on I-35, I took an exit, and just a few seconds later, my 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 unexpectedly shut off, all the lights on the the dashboard lit up, and the vehicle came to a sudden and complete stop. Thankfully, this incident occurred on the service road rather than the highway, and we were at low speed otherwise it could have posed a serious risk to my family and me. Once the car stalled, both the steering and tires locked up. However the vehicle had power but would not start or move. As the same situation could happen to someone else which could put them at serious risk it might be in the best interest of Mercedes-Benz to research and fix this issue. I reached out for a tow truck, and the driver had to hook it up and drag my vehicle onto the flatbed. Mercedes-Benz service suggested a replacement of the engine and could not diagnose what the issue is. I have consistently performed the recommended maintenance on my vehicle since I purchased it, and it currently has around 63,000 miles.

NHTSA ID

11672757

Incident

May 26, 2025

While driving at about 55mph on road with one lane going each way, the car engine shut off, all instrument displays went off. There was no check engine light, warning or noise. I was almost rear ended by a car behind me. The car behind me swerved barely missing me, but almost hit oncoming traffic. Once car was on side of road it would not start. I tried to jump car battery with NOCO jump starter and it did not work. Instrument display did not come on, car transmission stuck in Drive. After testing battery with digital voltmeter it showed 12.6V, but car would still not come on nor would instrument display. Car had to get towed to dealer where it's currently at being diagnosed. This was very dangerous and could have been fatal.

NHTSA ID

11672109

Incident

Jul 7, 2025

My Mercedes gle350 2021 is having a cylinder misfire. I had the repairs done last February. Carlton Mercedes acknowledged this is a known issue with this car. Did some googling and saw how big of an issue this is in this car. Repairs were made and now a year later cylinder misfire again! My neighbor has the same car but 2022 having the same issue currently. This needs to be recalled. Mercedes needs to be held accountable for this issue. It’s costing people anywhere from 7-15,000 dollars to repair and most of these cars only have around 50,000 miles on them! It’s insane!!

NHTSA ID

11644521

Incident

Feb 24, 2025

The contact owns a 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact stated while driving at approximately 45 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle was jerking and bucking while attempting to enter a highway. The contact stopped and turned off and restarted the vehicle and was able to drive the vehicle normally. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent and occurred at various speeds. The contact stated that she had observed the check engine light was illuminated. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was blinking. The contact stopped and restarted the vehicle to reset the check engine warning light. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that there was a misfire in cylinder #2, and the cylinder needed to be replaced. The contact was advised by the dealer that the cylinder failure was a known failure by the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

NHTSA ID

11641668

Incident

Jan 8, 2025

Mileage

100,000 mi

The contact owns a 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact initially stated that the air conditioner failed to function as needed and the vehicle was taken to dealer and was repaired. The contact stated that recently while driving 70 MPH, there was a burning odor coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that when the vehicle was restarted, the burning odor was coming from the floor. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed with contaminated filters. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

NHTSA ID

11636498

Incident

Jan 7, 2025

Mileage

78,301 mi

DTC codr P219E is is a known issue for this Vehicle. Cylinder issue. This is a world wide known issue and Mercedes benz in Canada has sent out email giving out warranty extension for M260 cylinder head but here in the US, there is no recall or warrant for this issue making customers spend over 7k for repairs. Kindly look into this

NHTSA ID

11633184

Incident

Dec 30, 2024

On August 6, 2024 my vehicle reported " The state of charge of the starter battery in the vehicle Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 SUV is very low". We took it to our local dealership to have the battery replaced but upon receiving the vehicle we started having issues. The vehicle would shake and loose power. Upon turning off and turning back on the vehicle would continue working properly. We proceeded to have a local shop diagnose it since our 2021 vehicle was about 10k over the covered warranty and our local MB dealership is not very efficient. They recommended remove and replace engine cylinder head assembly. The warning lamp was for the battery and what followed after the starter battery getting replaced was the engine light. The problem that was concerning was the loss of power driving on the expressway. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Vehicle diagnosis from shop available upon request.

NHTSA ID

11629288

Incident

Sep 11, 2024

On Thursday, [XXX], I called Mercedes Benz of Naperville at 7:23 AM, 12:34 PM and missed the call 3:03 PM. I reported Sandy in service on Thursday morning. That I smelt a burning plastic smell on Wednesday afternoon at 2:30PM. While picking up my grandchildren from their schools. I came home and parked my car. Later on, Wednesday night My Daughter drove my car and then told me. My car smelt of plastic burning. I call Mercedes Benz Thursday morning. I told them to send me a tow truck. My call needs to be towed into their service department. I ask to speak with Kevin. My service agent of Mercedes Benz service department. Sandy told me he was with a customer. I spoke to Sandy three times. I then went and checked my car for any. Displays on my car dashboard. There were no displays, and I started the car and let it run. I did not smell any burning plastic. On Sunday [XXX]. I drop my car to family dollars and return back home. I did not smell any burning plastic. At 3:04PM Stacy Wright and myself were driving on the way to a meeting in Naperville, Il. At 3:14 PM my car started smelling like burning plastic. At 3: 16 PM heavy black smoke was coming through the vent. I immediately turned left on [XXX] in front of White Castle and stopped the car. At this time the front engine of the car was on fire and the car was full of thick black smoke. I told my passengers on the passenger side to get out of the car and run. It’s on fire. I ran towards White Castle leaving my driver's door opened. I turned around to take a picture of my car on fire burning severely at 3:18 PM. Fire was coming from the front hood of the car. At 3:20PM. The car was engulfed in flames and burning the entire car. The Blue Island Police and Fire Department got to the scene of the fire at 3:18PM. To put the fire out. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11585973

Incident

Apr 28, 2024

Component: Faulty exhaust valves caused the vehicle engine to misfire while driving at high speed (80mph) and required cylinder head replacement. Available for inspection. I was driving through a heavy rainstorm at night on I [XXX] toward Roanoke on [XXX]. While I was driving at speeds between 80-84 mph during a work trip from Texas to Virginia, the vehicle suddenly started shaking vigorously and I was unable to accelerate over 50mph. No alerts came on my system dash nor the MercedesME app on my phone, however, I did notice the ‘check engine’ light suddenly came on. It was very shaky but I was able to continue driving at the slower speed and with the vehicle heavily shaking. The problem was inspected and repaired under warranty by Mercedes-Benz service in Alexandria, VA. Had the 2021 vehicle been out of warranty, the repair would have cost around $10,000 according to Mercedes-Benz service. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11583723

Incident

Jan 27, 2024

Complete engine failure in traffic. Prior to vehicle stopping it did not give me any message that the vehicle was having a problem. The total milage on the vehicle is 21,908. Other than being told the engine has to be replaced, I have been given no information upon what cause the failure. All service requirements have been done timely. The failure occurred on August 25th and as of Oct 19th I have not been able to get an ETA on when the replacement will arrive from Germany. I was on vacation to Las Vegas when the incident occurred. The vehicle is currently located at Fletcher Jones Import 7300 W. Sahara Ave Las Vegas NV. First noticed engine with slight miss as I was 70 miles from Vegas. Miss got worst until I started hearing a rattle from passenger side of engine. At time it shut down I was in traffic at stop light in Vegas.

NHTSA ID

11550855

Incident

Aug 25, 2023

Cylinder head replacement

NHTSA ID

11534934

Incident

Jul 25, 2023

I can be driving on a flat surface with out the car been on eco mode and the car shuts off for no reason without and light on the dash board I have to wait a few secs to restart the car ,brakes don't stop like they should very loud grinding noise and comes. I have report this problem lots of times and my car was not fix it stay more in the shop then with me the car senc don't work the light up red like if someones next to me

NHTSA ID

11479876

Incident

Jun 28, 2022

WE BOUGHT OUR VEHICLE -2021 MERCEDES-BENZ GLE 350 - ON JANUARY 12TH AND THREE DAYS LATER WE NOTICED THAT HALF OF THE MBUX DUAL SCREEN WAS BLACK AND INOPERABLE. THE CAR WAS IN SERVICE 10 DAYS. TODAY, 02,1, 2021 THE CAR STOP, THE ENGINE AND LIGHTS, CONTROL, ON HIGHWAY!!!??? I CALL POLICE TO PROTECT ME. MERCEDES DEAD. NO HAZARD LIGHTS. I STAY IN DANGEROUS TRAFFIC ONE HOUR FOR MERCEDES ROAD ASSISTANCE. I CALL FROM MY CEL PHONE, NO ENERGY IN THE CAR?! AFTER ONE HOUR THE LIGHTS OF CAR START??!!! THIS WAS AT 6:45 AM (NIGHT). AFTER 7 MINUTES, THE CAR STOP TOTALLY, BUT WITH THE LIGHTS FLASHING. FINALLY, THE ROAD ASSISTANCE FROM MERCEDES ARRIVE. NOW THE CAR IS IN SERVICE, BUT NEVER DRIVE THIS CAR. I WAS IN A VERY BIG DANGEROUS WIT MY LIFE.

NHTSA ID

11391145

Incident

Feb 1, 2021

Mileage

1,000 mi