2025 Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 4MATIC

We recently noticed visible damage to one of the seatbelts in our 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLS450. The affected component is the seatbelt webbing. The belt has visible fraying and pulled/cut fibers along the edge in two separate spots near the area where the belt retracts. The vehicle is very new, and the damage appears abnormal for a safety-related component. The damage is localized near the belt path/retractor area, and we are concerned it may be related to an issue with the seatbelt path, retractor mechanism, surrounding trim, alignment, or another defect in the restraint system. The component is available for inspection upon request. This creates a safety concern because the seatbelt is a critical occupant restraint system. If the webbing fibers are damaged, the seatbelt may not perform as intended in a crash or sudden stop. We are currently avoiding use of that seating position until the issue is inspected and resolved. The problem has been brought to the attention of a Mercedes-Benz dealer. The dealer quoted approximately $2,250 to replace the affected seatbelt and indicated that it would not be covered under warranty. To our knowledge, the dealer has not yet fully inspected the seatbelt mechanism, belt path, surrounding trim, or retractor area to determine whether the damage is related to a defect or abnormal condition in the vehicle. The vehicle/component has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or an independent service center. We are requesting further inspection by Mercedes-Benz because this is a safety-related component on a new vehicle. There were no warning lights, dashboard messages, or other symptoms before we noticed the seatbelt webbing damage. The first symptom was the visible fraying/pulled or cut fibers on the seatbelt webbing. The exact cause is UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

11747197

Incident

Jun 17, 2026

Brake pads completely worn after 11K miles - this seems like premature wear and like there is a potential issue with the braking system on the GLS450.

NHTSA ID

11740240

Incident

May 25, 2026

Accident report: Local ID [XXX] Agency: ISPLowell 13 Date [XXX] Time approx [XXX] Milepost [XXX] on [XXX] Auto: 2025 Mercedes GLS 450 fully loaded Single car accident See attached pictures for damage State Farm insurance - claim filed (claim # [XXX]) Claim filed with Mercedes Benz on 3/9/2026 to access info from event data recorders (claim #[XXX])a total loss Driver’s 2 front airbags deployed - chest and legs. Driver was in left lane with no traffic around - slight drizzle Car started to move a bit in between the lane markers as if the lane assist was engage and trying to keep the car in the lane Driver had both hand in the wheel and was paying attention - tried to stabilize the wheel when all of a sudden the wheel turned hard left (driver couldn’t correct wheel) and drove the car starting into the cement center median. The car seemed to jump a bit and finally came to rest in the median (not touching the median) facing in the original direction at a slight angle to the left. Driver reports that it also seems the wheels may have locked up. Driver was driving a safe soled at 65 in a 70 zone and was fully attentive. Driver suspects the lane-assist feature. Fortunately, the driver was not seriously hurt - just a couple of bruises from the seat restraint system and the airbag deployment. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11723124

Incident

Mar 5, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLS450 4Matic. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, a safety feature with a white speed limit sign started flashing on the instrument cluster. The contact stated the flashing was a constant issue. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer several times. The contact was informed by the dealer that it was a known issue and that the manufacturer was still developing a fix. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 5,265.

NHTSA ID

11721777

Incident

Nov 10, 2025

Mileage

5,265 mi

I am writing to file a formal complaint regarding a serious malfunction of the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system. This malfunction caused my vehicle to unexpectedly perform an emergency stop without a valid cause, resulting in significant damage to its suspension system. Incident Details: •Date of Incident: Friday, December 5, 2025, between 10:45 am and 11:15 am ET •Location: Community Baptist Church of Englewood, 224 1St, Englewood, New Jersey. •Description: While driving under normal conditions on a clear, dry road with no obstructions, the vehicle's AEB system engaged suddenly and forcefully. The abrupt, maximum-force braking caused severe stress and impact on the vehicle's suspension components, leading to a bent suspension linkage/component. The car is currently unsafe to drive. The damage to the suspension was not a result of normal wear and tear or an external impact caused by a collision. It was a direct consequence of a failure within a critical safety system designed and installed by Mercedes-Benz. An abrupt emergency stop due to a system malfunction places extreme, unintended stress on the vehicle's mechanical components, including the suspension and alignment systems. While Mercedes-Benz of Smithtown Service authorized the repair and will fully cover its cost, the reason was noted for to agreement was noted as “not to argue with a client who has a long-standing relationship with Mercedes-Benz.” I am asking for this to be officially reported as a defect for Mercedes-Benz to resolve in their design, which will safeguard all future and current drivers as well as the public.

NHTSA ID

11703696

Incident

Dec 5, 2025

The contact owns a 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLS450. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, a loud popping noise had occurred, and suddenly the panoramic glass sunroof exploded, causing shards of glass to fall into the cabin of the vehicle. During the incident, shards of glass contacted the driver, front seat passenger, and middle row passenger located on the driver's side. The driver sustained lacerations to the left hand and neck, which would require medical treatment. The children were traumatized by the event. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 10,000.

NHTSA ID

11699107

Incident

Nov 13, 2025

Mileage

10,000 mi

The contact owns a 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLS450 4Matic. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated, with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the coolant pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact then stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a metallic clicking sound was coming from the engine compartment, and there were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the front of the vehicle near the instrument panel was very hot. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 14,050. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ID

11692173

Incident

Oct 8, 2025

Mileage

14,050 mi

Complaint During part of the steering movement, it feels heavier or more difficult to steer in the same spot every time. OR Rattling, humming, dry sliding/gravel noise from the electric steering system when steering (see attachment). Complaint does not impact the ability to safely steer or control the vehicle. Cause Ball screw drive (KGT) of electric steering damaged by: 1. External force due to: ‑ Hitting the curb/posts with the front wheels. ‑ Driving over obstacles (e.g. pothole/ threshold/ speed bump/ gully) at an inappropriate speed. 2. Corrosion/ water ingress through a damaged boot (see attachment). ‑ Cracks (1) ‑ High pressure cleaner (2) ‑ Animal bite (3) See various examples listed in the attachments for examples of outside influence. Remedy Remove boot clamps closest to steering gear housing on both left and right (as seen in "Steering Rack Boot Clamp Location"). Pull back boot and inspect for rust, broken end stops, water, or any other anomalies. Replace electric steering. Note: Steering gears replaced due to outside influence or damage must not be claimed under warranty!

Complaint Noise from front end thought to be from steering gear. Cause During diagnostics of a front end noise, workshop is under the impression the noise is coming from the steering gear. Remedy If the root cause of the noise cannot be found and is seemingly from the steering rack, perform the below LI's and diagnostics. If they have been performed and the root cause still cannot be determined, a TIPS case must be opened to the Body/Chassis/Entertainment team prior to replacing the steering rack. • LI46.35‑P‑067339 ‑ "Rattling, Humming, Dry Sliding/Gravel Noise When Steering" • LI46.35‑P‑071461 ‑ "Check Tie Rod Outer Joint of Steering Gear" • LI46.10‑P‑077391 ‑ "Knocking Noise In The Area Of The Steering Gear or Steering Column Tube When Braking Or Moving Off; The Steering Wheel Can Also Be Felt To "Crack"" • Remove boot clamps closest to steering gear housing on both left and right (as seen in "Steering Rack Boot Clamp Location"). Pull back boot and inspect for rust, broken end stops, water, or any other anomalies. Keep the boot clamps in case the rack is returned. • If the noise is described as "clacking" or "knocking" when moving the wheel back and forth in quick oscillations and the thrust element in the steering rack has NOT been checked yet, please perform a check and subsequent adjustment, if necessary, as detailed in AR46.20‑P‑0601ME. • Remove sway bar links and see if noise persists. • Perform NVH time‑domain noise diagnosis pointing to the steering rack as the root cause. The TIPS case must contain the following: • Video underneath the vehicle with clearly audible noise while engine is running. • Video inside the vehicle with clearly audible noise while engine is running. • Vehicle checked for history of collisions. • Vehicle history checked for other noise complaints in the area. • List of other checked components (suspension, drive line components, wheel bearings, etc...). • Along with the audible noise, does the feel/noise change through only a certain part of the steering arc sweep? • Provide the thrust element before and after readings.

Complaint Tailgate opens unintentionally. Cause Accidental or unnoticed activation of the button to open the tailgate on the vehicle key. EXAMPLE: when stored in trouser pocket, handbag etc. Remedy As of the 6th generation, the vehicle key can be recoded so that the tailgate no longer opens as a result of a long press on the button, but by double‑clicking on the button instead. This reduces the likelihood of the button being activated accidentally or unintentionally. The recoding can be carried out as follows: 1. Add SA Code O19 into VeDoc (O for Oscar, not "zero") • an XSS ticket may be necessary to add the SA code 2. Perform SCN coding of EIS N73 control unit 3. Deactivate the vehicle key (a successful deactivation is indicated by the LED lighting up 2x briefly and then 1x for a long period). 4. Place the vehicle key in the storage compartment on the key symbol and turn on the ignition. IMPORTANT: all other vehicle keys must be outside the recognition range of the vehicle when doing this! Perform steps 3 and 4 successively for all vehicle keys. Notes: 6th, 7th and 8th generation keys can be deactivated as follows: Up to modification year 22/1 by double clicking the "Lock button" As of modification year 22/1, by press and holding the “Lock button", then double‑click the “Unlock button" at the same time. On model series 167, the storage compartment with the key symbol is located in the armrest. The SCN coding from the EZS is only transferred correctly to the vehicle key under the following conditions: Only one vehicle key is located in the vehicle, this key has been deactivated and it is positioned on the marking in the storage compartment for the data transfer. The costs for this adaptation are to be borne by the customer. For the newer BR 174, 178, 244, 248, 520, and 540, a software update must be initiated, as there is no way to perform SCN coding.

Complaint Traffic sign symbol for "Traffic Sign Assist" is blinking in instrument cluster without obvious cause usually with one of the following scenarios: • Flashing without a speed limit ("‑ ‑"). • Flashing when current vehicle speed is under speed limit. • Flashing between US speed limit symbol and European speed limit symbol. NOTE: • Verify that the concern falls under one of the attachment videos. If not, then it is outside of the scope of this LI. • This also does not cover "Traffic Sign Inoperative" messages on the instrument cluster. Cause There are two identified reasons for this concern: 1. Country code information stored incorrectly at a particular geographic latitude range. 2. Incorrect reference data when the vehicle is started and a GPS signal is not immediately available. Remedy Update head unit software to latest version and the re‑check function in the same location. If vehicle is still exhibiting one of the symptoms as described exactly as in the complaint section or as shown in the video attachments, open a TIPS case to the Body/Chassis/Entertainment inbox with the following: • Video of the concern. • Exact location (latitude and longitude is best)

Complaint 1. General Diagnostic Tips 2. One or More PARK Sensor Activations 3. Red Ring Around Vehicle 4. "Active Parking and Parking Assist Inoperative" on Instrument Cluster 5. Cameras 6. Other Park Topics. Cause Various root causes Remedy See attached diagnostic guide.

Complaint Clanking noise from the area of the speakers in the doors. Cause Under analysis. Remedy To narrow down the cause, first of all remove the door trim. • If the noise continues to occur even with the door trim removed, then continue the diagnosis working towards the speaker and if necessary, create a TIPS case with an informative video as an attachment. Information: Please refer to this document in the warranty claim and, after completing diagnosis, select the damage code corresponding to the component part that caused the problem. • If the noise stops when the door trim is removed, please proceed in accordance with LI72.10-P-067691. Information: In this case, do not use a damage code for the speakers in the warranty claim!