Ask the seller for proof the repair was completed, or run the free VIN check. Recall repairs are done at no cost by a dealer.
Recalls
Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.
Electrical system recall
An air bag that does not deploy properly can increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and reroute the wiring harness, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 1, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2024100006.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Fuel system recall
A loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 28, 2024. Owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, on February 23, 2024, April 19, 2024, June 28, 2024, August 9, 2024, October 1, 2024, and December 2, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 23V-445.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Body & glass recall
Water intrusion into the foot wells may cause corrosion and/or short circuits to electrical components, increasing the risk of fire. In addition, the emergency call (eCall) feature may be disabled and the doors may not unlock, increasing the risk of injury. Also, the engine may not start or may enter a limp-home mode, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and reinstall the air conditioner drain hoses, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 28, 2023. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. This recall is an expansion of recall numbers 21V-288 and 19V-587. MBUSA's numbers for this recall are 2023030014 and 15.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Structure recall
Detached trim bars may cause a road hazard and increase the risk of a crash or injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and secure the rear window trim bars, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 1, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2022090010.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Exterior lighting recall
Incorrectly adjusted headlights may reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the LED headlights, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed August 13, 2021. A second notice will be sent once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed January 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Safety recall
If the vehicle unexpectedly pulls to one side during an evasive maneuver, it can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will update the ESP software, free of charge. The recall began March 31, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2021030004.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Electrical system recall
If the interior switches are not illuminated, they may be more difficult to find and operate, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. The recall began March 31, 2020. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2020030019.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Electrical system recall
A disabled eCall system would prevent a vehicle occupant from contacting the emergency services call center in an emergency, potentially delaying emergency responders and increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- The communication module software will be updated through an Over-the-Air (OTA) update or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 8, 2022. Owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, on July 8, 2022, May 17, 2024, July 29, 2024, and September 27, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's numbers are for this recall is 2022060005 and 2023110006.
- Status
- Corrected automatically through an over-the-air software update.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Safety recall
A backup camera that displays a blank image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
- Remedy
- The multimedia system software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning June 28, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6373. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2021050012.
- Status
- Corrected automatically through an over-the-air software update.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Electrical system recall
Failure of the eCall system may result in emergency responders being dispatched to the wrong location, increasing the risk of injury following a crash.
- Remedy
- MBUSA will notify owners, and the communication module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. The recall began March 12, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-877-762-8267. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2021020025.
- Status
- Corrected automatically through an over-the-air software update.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Owner complaints by system
Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.
Engine & powertrain
21
Most reports here involve sudden stalling. Of these, 1 mention a crash.
Read full complaint
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.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11741934 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Electrical & infotainment
6
Most reports here involve sudden stalling.
Read full complaint
While driving on the highway on three separate occasions the blind spot warning will pop up and show as inoperative, next the active break assist warning flashes as inoperative, and then the entire vehicle shows as inoperative and loses all acceleration and breaks down. This has happened three times. Stayed over night at the dealership they “drove it for 70 miles” it didn’t happen to them. They released the truck back to me saying it was perfectly fine. A day later it happened again while on the highway. Highly unsafe!
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11746371 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Steering, suspension & tires
1
Most reports here involve other issues.
Read full complaint
2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 W. APROX: 30,000 MILES. PURCHASED THE VEHICLE 3 YEARS AGO, WHEN IT HAD 17,000 MILES ON IT. WHEN DRIVING AT TIMES THE PASSENGER REAR SHOCK WILL START MAKING SQEAKING / CREAKING NOISES. BEEN LIKE THIS FOR ALMOST 1 YEAR NOW. I DONT DRIVE THE VEHICLE VERY OFTEN, BUT WHEN I DO DRIVE IT IT IRRITATES ME. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE SHOCK NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THERE ARE NO VISIBLE LEAKS, NO ABNORMAL RIDE QUALITY, ETC.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11740482 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Structure & body
6
Most reports here involve software faults.
Read full complaint
Sunroof makes loud, high pitched noise when it’s windy or driving high speeds. Sunroof complaints found online for bad seals or components of sunroof being bad or unaligned. Sounds could cause driver not to hear other safety issues with vehicle as well as leaking if water.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11708279 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Other systems
3
Most reports here involve electrical shorts.
Read full complaint
The contact owned a 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350. The contact stated that warm air was blowing from the A/C unit while activated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the contact was informed that a leak had caused the A/C unit failure. The mechanic referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where a diagnostic test was performed. The contact was informed that the HVAC system was inoperable and an estimate for the repair was provided. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was provided a case number. The manufacturer denied responsibility for the failure but offered a monetary credit towards the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact later traded the vehicle due to the A/C unit failure. The failure mileage was approximately 66,000. The VIN was not available.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11732682 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
How does it compare with other years? The 2021 has 37 complaints on file, fewer than the 2020 (54) and more than the 2022 (23). Of the 4 model years of the Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 we cover, the 2020 has the most (54). Older model years have had longer to collect complaints.