2017 Mercedes-Benz GLS450 Electrical Problems

The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLS450. The contact heard an abnormal humming sound when the vehicle was started, and the humming sound grew louder over time. The contact believed that the humming sound was coming from the driver's side headlamp. The contact stated that the headlamp was equipped with a small internal fan to dissipate heat. Additionally, other electrical failures were occurring, and the vehicle was taken to a local dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the blower motor had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the humming sound returned. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on two more occasions, and the dealer replaced the timing belt and the alternator, however the failure reoccurred. Recently, while touching the door handle, the contact heard a humming sound that was very loud. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, and it was determined that the driver's side headlamp assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V626000 (Electrical System, Steering, Exterior Lighting, Visibility); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was 135,500.

NHTSA ID

11710906

Incident

Aug 14, 2025

Mileage

135,500 mi

Fire started in the Engine and consumed the entire vehicle in less than 5 minutes

NHTSA ID

11619840

Incident

May 3, 2024

Car destroyed by fire on March 19, 2023 while at a quick stop near Chickasaw, OK. Car was last serviced by Mercedes-Benz of Oklahoma City in December 2022. No personal injuries just a total loss of the vehicle. Cause of the fire at present is unknown. Pictures are available.

NHTSA ID

11513006

Incident

Mar 19, 2023

Our car, Mercedes GLS 450, caught on fire after pulled into the garage from a short drive on local streets, which resulted a total loss on our house. After pulling into the garage, the home link didn't work when tried to use it to close the garage door. Upon coming out of the car, smoke came out from under the hood and soon after it became flame. We attempted to extinguish the fire with a fire extinguisher as it appeared with hood still closed and fire immediately came back. By the time the firefighters came, there was a full fledged fire. The fire has burned the car beyond recognition and the garage was burned too. The fire and smoke has caused a total loss on our house. There were NO warning lights or warning messages at all before smoke or fire started. Investigators hired by Mercedes Benz inspected the burnt car and concluded the fire was due to a missing oil cap. While questionable the oil cap was the source of the fire, it seems the GLS 450 didn't have a sensor for missing oil cap to trigger a warning light or warning message, which is what some less sophisticated cars have because modern engines have positive crankcase ventilation. If indeed missing oil cap could cause full fledged fire, shouldn't Mercedes put a sensor to warn the customers? There is a recall, see link below, on almost all Mercedes model cars in Jan. 2022 for the reason that the car could catch on fire. Our GLS was built just two months before the starting timeline on the recall and it caught on fire and burned our house. Could it be coincidence or did our car catch on fire due to the exact same reason on this recall? (https://www.forbes.com/sites/zacharysmith/2022/01/04/800000-mercedes-benz-owners-warned-their-cars-could-catch-fire/)

NHTSA ID

11452172

Incident

May 20, 2021

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2017 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS450. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 SECONDS, IT CAUGHT FIRE. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE CUP HOLDER AND ARMREST CONSOLE WERE HOT. THE CONTACT NOTICED AN ODOR OF BURNING RUBBER IN THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED, TOWED, AND QUARANTINED AT THE INSURANCE COMPANY'S IMPOUND LOT. VALLEY IMPORTS (LOCATED AT 402 40TH ST S, FARGO, ND 58103, (888) 929-9843) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. *TT THE CONSUMER STATED THE FIRE DEPT DETERMINED IT TO BE A LEAKY HOT LIQUID. *TR

NHTSA ID

11191265

Incident

Mar 3, 2019

Mileage

40,000 mi

AFTER OWNING THE VEHICLE FOR MORE THAN 2 YEARS, THE REAR TAILGATE OPENED BY ITSELF 3 TIMES IN 8 DAYS. THE FIRST TIME, THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN OUR HOME GARAGE. THE SECOND TIME, WE WERE TRAVELING ON A CITIY STREET WHEN THE TAILGATE JUST POPPED OPEN ON ITS OWN. THE THIRD TIME, WHEN EXITING A PARKING GARAGE WITH A LOW ROOF, IT OPENED BY ITSELF, STRIKING THE LOW OVERHANG IN THE GARAGE. THIS TIME, THE GLASS WAS BROKEN AND THE BODY DAMAGED. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE SECOND INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING AT 35 MPH. THE THIRD INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING AT ABOUT 5 MPH.

NHTSA ID

11183628

Incident

Feb 1, 2019

Mileage

5,900 mi

ON FRIDAY 11/30 MY 2017 MERCEDES GL450 SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC ELECTRONIC MALFUNCTION THAT LED TO A) NO ABILITY TO GET CAR OUT OF DRIVE (E.G. WOULDN'T PARK, REVERSE, COULDN'T TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE), B) NO ABILITY TO TURN CAR OFF, C) POWER STEERING WENT OUT, D) AIRBAGS FLAGGED AS INACTIVE, E) MOST ALL MY DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS WENT ON INCLUDING ONE THAT SAID "MALFUNCTION", F) MY DASHBOARD GAUGES FAILED (E.G. NO WORKING ODOMETER), G) THE REAR HATCH COULDN'T OPEN. THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING MY FAMILY -- INCLUDING 2 YOUNG CHILDREN -- THROUGH THE DESERT, PUTTING US AT VERY GREAT RISK. MY CAR IS BEING SERVICED AT MB OF VALENCIA (THE CLOSEST ONE I COULD DRIVE TO). I'M BEING TOLD BY THEM THAT A MINOR, LOW-SPEED AND LOW-IMPACT DENT IN MY REAR BUMPER CAUSED A MISALIGNMENT IN MY EXHAUST, WHICH BLEW HOT AIR INTO THE BUMPER AND CAUSED THE BLIND SPOT ASSIST TO MELT. THIS SEEMS LIKE A MAJOR DESIGN FLAW -- THAT A SMALL MISALIGNMENT COULD CAUSE A SEVERE AND LIFE-THREATENING CASCADING SYSTEM MALFUNCTION IF LEFT UNTREATED, AND THAT I HAD NO WARNING OF ANY KIND THAT WHAT APPEARED TO BE A MINOR DENT WAS A MAJOR ISSUE. I WANT TO KNOW IF OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN, AND IF THIS WARRANTS INITIATING A RECALL INVESTIGATION. MY INSURANCE COMPANY IS TAKING PHOTOS AND WRITING UP FINDINGS. I'LL PROVIDE THEM ON REQUEST.

NHTSA ID

11156582

Incident

Nov 30, 2018

VEHICLE IS ONLY 3 WEEKS OLD. A FAULTY ENGINE WIRE HARNESS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CEASE OPERATING IN TRAFFIC AND PUT MY FAMILY IN A POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. MERCEDES DID NOT REPLACE BUT ONLY "REPAIRED" THE WIRE, WHICH WE WERE TOLD WAS NOT ASSEMBLED CORRECTLY AND WAS PINCHED IN A BRACKET AND SUBSEQUENTLY CHAFED, WHICH CAN POTENTIALLY STILL CAUSE A LIFE THREATENING ENGINE MALFUNCTION DURING NORMAL OPERATION. MERCEDES IS NOT WILLING TO REPLACE THE ENGINE HARNESS WIRE, NOR REPLACE THE VEHICLE. I FEAR FOR THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY.

NHTSA ID

10934831

Incident

Dec 3, 2016

Mileage

1,000 mi