2018 Mercedes-Benz GLS 550 Owner Complaints

The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLS 550. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle made an abnormal clicking sound when making a right turn, and an abnormal ticking sound at startup. There was no warning light illuminated. Another driver informed the contact that the front passenger-side wheel was loose and followed the contact to the residence. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the sway bar needed to be replaced; however, the sway bar was only adjusted. The contact stated that the failure had recurred. The dealer was notified and informed the contact that the vehicle was safe to drive. The manufacturer was contacted and advised that any additional repairs would be at the owner's expense. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 75,045.

NHTSA ID

11748540

Incident

May 24, 2026

Mileage

75,045 mi

Water collects at the front row floor at driver and passenger sides

NHTSA ID

11576448

Incident

Feb 16, 2024

The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes Benz GLS550. The contact stated that when the brake pedal was depressed there was an abnormal noise detected. The brake warning indicator light was illuminated. The contact stated that the brake pad on one side of the disc was completely worn, and the other side of the disc was like new with a full thick pad. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and the contact was informed that the brake rotor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 4,500. Consumer stated problem lies with the unevenness of the brake pad on both sides of the front wheels.

NHTSA ID

11429716

Incident

Aug 19, 2021

Mileage

4,500 mi

SEATBELT HAD TIGHTENED AND NOT RELEASED WHEN MY BODY MOVES. BRAKES ARE NOT APPLIED. TYPICALLY DURING DRIVING I'M SMALL ENOUGH TO MANEUVER MY HAND DOWN TO RELEASE RED SEAT BELT BUTTON. *TR I'VE HAD TO STOP MY VEHICLE 5-10 TIMES TO RELEASE BELT. I HAVE 2 SMALL KIDS 7/ 11 BOTH ARE 60 POUNDS THEY ARE 4 FEET TALL AND 4'6' 7 YEAR OLD STILL USES BOOSTER I''VE CHECKED BELTS TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY BUT I'M 110 LBS 5'2' AND HAVE NO MECHANICAL TRAINING OR EXPERIENCE OR CERTIFICATIONS THIS HAS BEEN NOTED TO MERCEDES AND THE PROBLEM IS NEVER REALLY DISCUSSED. THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING UNDER ALL CONDITIONS NOTED BELOW

NHTSA ID

11297292

Incident

Jan 3, 2020

Mileage

32,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING IN A RURAL AREA WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE AN EXPLOSION. MY FIRST INSTINCT WAS THAT I HAD BLOWN A TIRE BECAUSE IT WAS SO LOUD. HOWEVER, THE CAR WAS HANDLING FINE AND NO WARNING MESSAGES CAME ON. MY HUSBAND AND I BOTH SAID "WHAT WAS THAT?" EVERYTHING ON SEEMED FINE MECHANICALLY SO WE KEPT DRIVING, BUT A BIT SHAKEN BY THE SUDDEN LOUD NOISE. I FEW HOURS LATER WE STOPPED FOR GAS. AS MY HUSBAND WENT TO CLEAN THE WINDSHIELD HE NOTICED THE SHATTER OF THE GLASS ROOF PANEL. WE THOUGHT BACK TO THE INCIDENT EARLIER AND REALIZED THAT MUST HAVE BEEN THE SOUND ME HEARD. THE WEIRD THING WAS AT THE TIME NO ONE WAS AROUND US. NO CAR HAD BEEN IN FRONT OF US TO BE THROWING UP ROCKS. WE WERE ON A RURAL HIGHWAY. THE SPEED LIMIT ON THAT STRETCH OF ROAD WAS 80 MPH. THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65 DEGREES, SO NOT EXTREME. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT LOOKED IT SOMETHING HIT IT AT "THE SWEET SPOT" THAT CAUSED IT TO CRACK ALL THE WAY ACROSS AND THEN UP BOTH SIDES AND THEY REFUSED TO COVER IT. MIND YOU I ALREADY HAD TWO CHIPS IN MY WINDSHIELD FROM ROCKS FROM A GRAVEL TRUCK I WAS BEHIND A MONTH PRIOR AND THEY SOUNDED NOTHING LIKE THIS SOUND. THE WORRISOME PART WAS THAT THE SOUND WAS SO SHOCKING, IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING NEAR ANYONE IT MIGHT HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE I WAS SO STARTLED AT THE TIME.

NHTSA ID

11154785

Incident

Nov 17, 2018

Mileage

7,000 mi

WHILE IN MOTION ON A HIGHWAY IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, CAR SHIFTED ITSELF FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL WITHOUT ANY DRIVER INPUT. ALL INDICATOR LIGHTS ON DASH TURNED ON. DRIVER UNABLE TO SHIFT FROM NEUTRAL BACK TO DRIVE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE. DRIVER COULD ONLY SHIFT TO PARK. DRIVER SHIFTED VEHICLE TO PARK AND TRIED TO SHIFT TO DRIVE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. DRIVER TURNED OFF IGNITION AND RESTARTED CAR, AT WHICH POINT DRIVER WAS ABLE TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE. DRIVER REPORTS NO USER ERROR (I.E. DID NOT ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE SHIFTER, DID NOT HIT ENGINE ON/OFF BUTTON) AND NO INDICATOR LIGHTS WERE PRESENT PRIOR TO INCIDENT. VEHICLE WAS BRAND NEW: OWNED FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 DAYS WITH 199 MILES AT THE TIME OF ACCIDENT. VEHICLE HAD BEEN PURCHASED WITH 6 MILES ON ODOMETER.

NHTSA ID

11101953

Incident

May 21, 2018

Mileage

199 mi