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 overheated ground connection can increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and tighten the 48-Volt ground connection as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 3, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2024040002.
- 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.
Transmission recall
An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will update the transmission control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 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.
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 14, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2023070012.
- 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.
Safety recall
A seat with a seatback lock failure may not properly restrain occupants, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the third-row seatback, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2022100011.
- 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.
Electrical system recall
An overheated electrical cable can increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and tighten the ground cable bolt, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 8, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2022040017.
- 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
Detached rear glass can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the rear window, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 8, 2021. 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.
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
2
Most reports here involve software faults.
Read full complaint
The contact owns a 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLS450. The contact received notification of 23V445000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time to for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool showed no open recall.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11548412 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Electrical & infotainment
18
Most reports here involve sudden stalling.
Read full complaint
On [XXX], I was heading home from work traveling [XXX] on [XXX] through Atlanta's usual heavy traffic. I smelled smoke inside my car and saw fire flames coming from under my passenger seat. My initial reaction was to try to put the fire out with my hat without burning myself. Also, I had to try to navigate across multiple lanes of traffic without hitting anyone and avoiding anyone hitting me. Safely, i reached the side of the interstate and exited the vehicle. As I stood from afar watching my vehicle burn; the reality sat it that a few minutes earlier that could have been me trapped burning inside, injured or even death because something had failed in my vehicle. Later, when I finally arrived home, I started researching on the internet to see if anyone else had experienced problems with their MB 450 GLS catching fire. Surprisingly, I found that recalls had been issued in April 2022 and March 2024 for a possible fire risk from a 48volt loose ground wire issue under the passenger seat. At that time supposedly there were no reported injuries or crashes related to this issue until now. If I am the first to witness this issue, then so be it because I saw the fire burning from inside under my passenger seat before it FULLY torched my vehicle I reported this issue first to Progressive Insurance and Mercedes-Benz Corporate. Progressive has provided my transportation according to policy for my first 30 days. As I approached the end of my rental period, I spoke with MB Corporate to see if there was anything that they could do as far as providing me transportation. I was told that there was nothing that they could do because they were not a dealership with cars to loan. The joint vehicle fire investigation was schelduled for 29 April 2025. On 25 April 2025, Progressive informed me that MB Corporate had moved the fire investigation date to 29 May 2025. NOW, what am I suppose to do? It has been almost two months that I have been without a vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11661377 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Steering, suspension & tires
4
Most reports here involve premature wear. Of these, 1 mention a crash.
Read full complaint
Both rear wheels on this vehicle have developed cracks which leads to tire pressure loss. Apparently, this is a common issue with Mercedes' heavier vehicles like the GLS and S series sedans. To be clear, I did not hit anything. I did not do any unusual driving. Both rear tires are fine. While you expect that certain components on a vehicle will have problems, it is also reasonable to expect that wheels will not crack prematuraly. Mercedes is aware of the problems. They were named in a class action lawsuit that was dismissed because cars were out of warranty. Warranty or no warranty, this is a major safety issue as a loss in tire pressure can be catastrophic.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11701188 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Airbags & seat belts
1
Most reports here involve other issues.
Read full complaint
The contact owns a 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLS450. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle in front made a sudden stop, causing the contact to make a sudden stop, causing the contact’s children to fall out the seats. The contact notice that the third-row buckle latch had malfunctioned. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the third-row driver’s side latch was replaced. On another occasion while driving 40 MPH, the contact heard squeaking noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic test, and the mechanic stated that no failure was found. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 25,000.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11503432 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Structure & body
3
Most reports here involve other issues. Of these, 1 mention an injury.
Read full complaint
I was driving only 30mph through my suburban neighborhood bringing my kids to school in the morning when a loud shotgun sound hit my car causing me to be distracted and distraught. My entire sunroof had exploded on me for no reason. Mercedes is currently undergoing a class action lawsuit for this. But since it is not completely yet, I’m being told I need to pay $3700 out of pocket for the default damages and servals days without a vehicle.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11616529 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Other systems
2
Most reports here involve other issues.
Read full complaint
Wipers - I have had repeated issues with the windshield wipers on this vehicle. I have taken it to the dealership 3 times and I have not gotten a satisfactory solution to the issue. The wipers skip across the windshield making intermittent wipers distracting. The dealer's service manager said this is a known issue caused by the OEM wiper blades. I've also been told they can't recommend a solution. AC - The AC in my 2021 GLS 450 smells like moldy socks which makes me suspect there is some build up on the coils or in the vent. I had the vehicle serviced 2 times at the dealership for this issue where the tech informed me the issue was not likely to be resolved by the $500 service I had paid for. The service was discounted down to $307.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11544975 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
How does it compare with other years? The 2021 has 30 complaints on file, more than the 2018 (10). Of the 3 model years of the Mercedes-Benz GLS450 we cover, the 2017 has the most (35). Older model years have had longer to collect complaints.