Car Defect Radar
Get the report
Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated October 26, 2026. Totals reflect what has been collected, not every complaint ever filed.
Confirm 4 recalls before you buy.

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

4 total · 4 to confirm

Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.

Electrical system recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 23V835000 · Dec 2023

An overheated ground connection can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy
Dealers will inspect and secure the 12-Volt ground connection as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 26, 2024. 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.

Steering recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 22V936000 · Dec 2022

A loss of steering control can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy
Dealers will replace the steering coupling locking screw, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 27, 2023. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2022120016.
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

Confirm it was repairedRecall 21V909000 · Nov 2021

Loose ground connection bolts on the electric heater may cause the wiring to overheat, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy
Dealers will check the electric heater ground connection and repair it as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 7, 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.

Seat belts recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 20V671000 · Oct 2020

An unrestrained occupant has an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy
MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will secure the middle seat belt buckle, free of charge. The recall began December 18, 2020. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2020110005.
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.

Owner complaints by system

12 total

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

Minor
1

Most reports here involve sudden stalling.

sudden stalling 1
A recent report: I was driving at full speed on the interstate (75mph) when the vehicle died completely. I had only seconds to maneuver the vehicle to the shoulder. There was no indication of a service issue with the…
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I was driving at full speed on the interstate (75mph) when the vehicle died completely. I had only seconds to maneuver the vehicle to the shoulder. There was no indication of a service issue with the vehicle prior to this incident. The car is/was approximately 2 weeks old, with about 500 miles of usage. Vehicle would not restart so I could attempt to get to a safer location.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11432776 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Minor
9

Most reports here involve sudden stalling.

sudden stalling 6software faults 2premature wear 1
A recent report: Driving down a multi-lane highway at 70 mph, a 48V battery malfunction warning goes off as well as the yellow check engine light. A few seconds later a ‘coolant’ error alert pops up. SUV loses…
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Driving down a multi-lane highway at 70 mph, a 48V battery malfunction warning goes off as well as the yellow check engine light. A few seconds later a ‘coolant’ error alert pops up. SUV loses acceleration with power dropping from 70 mph to 55 mph to 35 mph. Another message displayed on screen warning me to “Pull over and turn the engine off.” Narrowly missing being hit from the back, I was able to coast to an upcoming exit into a store’s parking lot before the car stalled completely.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11536714 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Minor
1

Most reports here involve other issues.

other issues 1
A recent report: Wipers are not installed correctly on all 2021 GLEs on the 167 platform. Wipers make excessive noise and fo not effectively clean the windows. Dealer acknowledges the problem, states of is a common…
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Wipers are not installed correctly on all 2021 GLEs on the 167 platform. Wipers make excessive noise and fo not effectively clean the windows. Dealer acknowledges the problem, states of is a common issue but has no known way to fix it.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11485393 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Other systems

Minor
1

Most reports here involve other issues.

other issues 1
A recent report: Recall 21V354 has not been completed. They have had since May 14. I have contacted MBUSA twice and they will not give me a completion date.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11442703 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 12 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2020 and 2023, roughly 5 a year, which is fewer than the typical model in this dataset. We do not have sales figures for this model, so treat this as a rough volume, not a rate per car on the road. Popular, high-volume models naturally collect more complaints over time.

How does it compare with other years? The 2021 has 12 complaints on file, fewer than the 2020 (17). Of the 3 model years of the Mercedes-Benz GLE450 we cover, the 2016 has the most (25). Older model years have had longer to collect complaints.