27 of the
281 complaints filed about the Mercedes Benz GL450
are about the engine —
10% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2013.
My 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 experienced an unexpected vehicle fire on Feb 13th 2026. The vehicle was just parked when I noticed smoke from the engine. The vehicle caught fire within a short period of time, and 911 was called. There was no known external cause for the fire. The incident appeared to originate from the engine compartment. This created a serious safety hazard and posed a risk of injury and property damage. The fire required immediate response from the fire department, and the vehicle was declared a total loss. The vehicle is currently in the possession of the insurance company. This incident raises concerns about a potential mechanical or electrical defect. A vehicle should not catch fire under normal operating or parked conditions. I am requesting that this incident be reviewed as a potential safety defect.
NHTSA complaint #11728375 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving along in my 2013 MB GL450 with the M278 engine when the engine stopped. I had it towed to my home and checked it out. I had a suspicion the engine was seized. I eventually had to towed to my closest MB dealership for evaluation. The engine was seized. Their further investigation revealed that a wrong oil filter had been installed when the oil was changed 5 months and 3000 miles earlier. I tried to find out what this wrong filter would cause. I asked the dealership and then MB and got no response. I suspect if this filter caused the issue it would have been an oil pressure issue. The car gave no indication of anything wrong prior to engine seizing. I got no message on the display and when switching on the switch there is no indicator on the dashboard to indicate anything about oil pressure. There is no "oil can" that pops up red indicating an oil pressure issue. To this day have no idea why the engine seized other than an improper oil filter.
NHTSA complaint #11724243 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
To Whom It May Concern: I am writing to formally request the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s assistance regarding a critical safety defect in my 2015 Mercedes‑Benz GL 450 (M278 engine). I purchased this vehicle in October 2024 with 76,000 miles, and it now has about 87,000 miles. Alarmingly, I recently received a quote for $13,000 to repair a camshaft failure and extensive electrical damage. I was unaware of these issues when I purchased this car. I bought it under the illusion that it would be a safe vehicle for me and my children. As a single parent and teacher I invested in this vehicle what I could afford and felt I had purchased a safe, reliable vehicle. I am devasted to have a proposal for repairs in excess of $13,000 from a Mercedes dealership who diagnosed the car. This caused me to do some research and I found the GL450 has a known and widespread defect. I also found, that this causes the cam shaft to need to be repaired and that this is not normal wear-and-tear—it is a systemic design vulnerability common across GL450 models. This can result in the engine seizing from what I was told and that directly poses a substantial risk when driving. From what I found this is a common issue with this car and I did not know that when I purchased it. This is a design flaw, not a misuse of the vehicle. Finally, a $13,000 repair to make this car safe and road ready is astronomical and is not aligned with a normal maintenance cost- manufacturer accountability is warranted here. I respectfully request that the NHTSA: Investigate whether a safety recall or extended warranty program is appropriate for this known defect in the GL450. Require Mercedes‑Benz to provide a comprehensive repair solution for me and repair this defect in my car's engine under the manufacturer's expense. And finally, for Mercedes to make customers affected by this aware of this engine defect and long term risks associated with this issue. Respectfully, Alyssa Begin
NHTSA complaint #11679345 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
There were numerous Engine Oil Leak Recalls by Mercedes-Benz. There was a recent recalls announced in 2023, however, my vehicle 2014 GL450 with now about 50K miles, was not included in the list. Since there have been engine oil leaks problem reported and recalls, I'd like to report my car engine oil leaks problem too. It seems that the engine oil leaks problem is a "design" issue and across many car models and years made by Mercedes-Benz. With that said, it make safety sense to have the recalls extended to those cars with engine oil leaks problem reported. Below is information from dealer diagnostic report on engine oil leaks problem, "Valve Cover Re-seal: FRONT TIMING COVERS RECOMMENDED RESEAL SIPING OIL BOTH SIDES Item Description During a vale cover reseal, the valve cover is scraped and cleaned of any old residue, before a layer of silicone sealant is applied to the cover and then reattached to the head of the engine. Reason If not resealed or replaced, the valve cover will leak oil resulting in a burning smell coming from the vehicle’s engine. A loss of oil over time can result in harmful damage of the engine's internal components."
NHTSA complaint #11654331 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On this Engine 166 model, I experience noise when Idling and when driving, coming from Engine with no code to indicate what is the problem of the car. This create the heat of the Engine to go up than normal and make the fan to run at high speed. When I call dealer, they told me its common problem on these Engine 166, and I need new Engine. I wanted to get second opinion from different Dealership and I got same answer, its common problems and I need new Engine or to Rebuild. I went online and I ask few people with same car Make, model and year, and the have same problems. My concern is only Dealer knows what is the issue but they don't want to inform Consumer what is the problem, instead they tell Consumer to replace the Engine, We don't how bad it is for safety. The problems it cannot be diagnosed because it doesn't produce any codes to indicate the problem. The noise continue until you turn off the Engine
NHTSA complaint #11634146 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
There is a recall on some of the make & models of my truck with different years but, my truck has been having the same issue & I believe that myself & my family may be at risk. The recall states that if the oil level in the ACS reservoir is below the minimum level, the oil may foam & leak out of the vent holes in the reservoir cap. The leaking of oil in the presence of ignition source can increase the risk of fire. I have been having to add two quarts of oil to my car every month for almost a year & there has been no oil in my driveway at all. The oil is going somewhere & I would like for my truck to be put on the recall list & have this issue addressed. My brakes also seem to have an unexplainable issue. Most times they're perfect but, sometimes they vibrate very hard when stopping no matter how fast or slow I'm going at the time. When I get them checked, I'm told that they're fine. I read a recall about the brakes as well.
NHTSA complaint #11628855 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns 2015 Mercedes-Benz GL450. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where DTC code: P060A00 was retrieved. The dealer determined that the solenoid valve had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact related the failure to TSB Number: 37 13 17 2029027/8. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.
NHTSA complaint #11626901 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2014 Mercedes-Benz GL450. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was able to be driven to the residence. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic, who also determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.
NHTSA complaint #11590445 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
It has makes sound noise and timing chain tension is made very poor not safety , also warming blibd spot frozen not working, display electric poor damage byself tomve fix timing dealer wants 15,000$ to be fix more then value of the suv
NHTSA complaint #11572841 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Check Engine Light came on and took it to the mechanic who identified low compression on cylinder #3. The injector was replaced which did not fix the issue since the vehicle lags when first accelerating. We were also informed of a service bulletin that included the issue with our vehicle and to take the car to the dealer. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who did not check the cylinder low compression/leakage issue because the check engine light wasn't on, which it would not be since it was recently serviced, and the number of miles required had not been driven for the check engine light to come back on. Even though the service bulletin is for the same make, model and years because our VIN was not included that there is no warranty on this vehicle. I now have a vehicle with an engine issue that should be included in the recall based on being the same make, model, year and mechanical issue.
NHTSA complaint #11551600 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Exhaust valve not working properly and the result of an engine misfire. Mercedez sent us a warranty letter to extend the warranty for this issue 6 months after our warranty expired even though you can find online this has been a known issue for our model of car and year, GL450 2013. There are tons of online forums and threads from Mercedez Benz owners about this manufacturer issue. This should not fall under purchasing an extended warranty or in our case a $17,000 bill to fix the issue on a car with only 70,000 miles on it. This should be a recall.
NHTSA complaint #11528865 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owned a 2015 Mercedes-Benz GL450. The contact stated that the vehicle was in the dealer for 12 days for an oil change. The contact's son drove the vehicle 2 days later, at an undisclosed speed when the vehicle started smoking from the engine. The contact's son pulled over when the vehicle caught fire completely. The fire marshals came out to extinguish the fire, there were no injuries. No police report was filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000. The consumer stated the vehicle was taken for routine maintenance and twelve days later returned without an oil change. Oil was added to the vehicle and it started smoking.
NHTSA complaint #11500804 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2013 Mercedes-Benz GL450; it started with the activation of the vehicle's check - engine light. The Mercedes-Benz service advisor diagnosed the issue as oil intrusion into the vehicle's engine wiring harness. The estimated cost to repair was quoted as $7,0000.00. This resulted in the replacement of the engine wiring harness, four (4) Lambda sensors, four (4) camshaft hall sensors and four (4) camshaft solenoids. This trouble could cause engine failure or misfire if not corrected. Driving the MB GL450 in this condition is a safety issues for anyone driving on the road. Researching on the internet about MB GL450/550 engine oil intrusion into the engine wiring harness is a common problem.
NHTSA complaint #11477496 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owned a 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL450. The contact stated when he parked the vehicle and went into a business, he returned within 5 minutes and the vehicle was engulfed in flames. The fire department was already notified and arrived on the scene, then extinguished the fire with water. The police arrived on the scene; however, a report was not filed. The vehicle melted from the front bottom to the windshield. The vehicle was towed to the towing company. There were no injuries. No medical treatments were received on the scene or required. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed yet; however, the contact believes it was a total loss. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 5,000.
NHTSA complaint #11477187 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Oil leaking and wicking into camshaft position sensors, camshaft magnets, O2 sensors, engine wiring harness and ultimately, the ECU is destroying all electronic components connected to the engine causing misfiring and seizing. The issue is quite prevalent via internet research as potentially thousands of owners all experience the same issue. Our local Mercedes Benz dealer indicated this issue "just popped up" immediately outside the warranty period (1 yr) for our used purchase, and would require a replacement of the camshaft, sensors, magnets, and wiring harness to the tune of $14,000. This is a design flaw of the engine that placed these components in locations predisposed to contact with engine oil. The root cause of the oil leak is unknown and even Mercedes Benz can not tell why the oil is leaking on these components. If this issue is so prevalent with thousands of owners with the GL450's, as evidenced by internet searches via Mercedes Benz fan sites, why has no service bulletin or recall been instituted? The overall issue is starting to cause issues with the safety features of the vehicle as well, with alerts (driveline assist, etc) either misfiring or not going off at all.
NHTSA complaint #11457964 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The rubber sealing around the lift gate failed on the vehicle and water seeped inside the vehicle and entire bottom of the vehicle underneath the floor board thereby damaging the electronic components, engine wire harness and headliner thereby rendering the vehicle was beyond repair. This issue led to mold to grow on the roof liner inside and on the seats which caused breathing issues for me and my family. This put our safety at risk! After talking the vehicle to authorized Mercedes Benz dealer in San Jose CA I was told that this is a known defect with the vehicle about which Mercedes Benz Inc is well aware for years and has not fixed it or recalled vehicles having this safety issue. I had purchased this vehicle from Mercedes Benz of Pleasanton on 6/10/2015 as Certified Pre Owned (CPO) but I was not informed that this safety issue existed. I was informed by Mercedes Benz of San Jose that the vehicle could not be repaired as mold would pose a health hazard for the occupants and the vehicle was deemed to be beyond repair and totaled. I had also purchased extended warranty at the time of purchase in 2015 but the dealership did not honor it for repairs.
NHTSA complaint #11457171 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PLASTIC COOLANT UNION ON RADIATOR HOSE GOING FROM THE COOLANT EXPANSION TANK TO THE ELECTRIC AUXILIARY COOLANT PUMP CATASTROPHICALLY FAILED WHEN I WAS CHANGING THE LH DRIVER SIDE FRONT HEADLIGHT BULB. I WAS LEANING OVER THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WITH MY HEAD DOWN TO VIEW THE BACK SIDE OF THE HEADLAMP TO REMOVE THE BULB, THE PLASTIC COOLANT UNION BROKE AT THIS EXACT TIME SHOOTING HOT ENGINE COOLANT ALL OVER MY FACE. I'VE SUFFERED 2ND AND 3RD DEGREE BURNS TO MY FACE, LIPS, NECK AND CHEST AS A RESULT. THE VEHICLE ENGINE WAS ON, AT IDLE SPEED, VEHICLE STATIONARY IN DRIVEWAY.
NHTSA complaint #11390996 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WE PURCHASED THE CAR IN JULY 2019 AND IN ADDITION TO THE CAR HAVING WARRANTY UP TO 50,000 MILES, WE PURCHASED AN ADDITIONAL SERVICE/REPAIR PACKAGE FOR $1,800.00 RECENTLY WE NOTICED THAT WHEN WE FIRST START DRIVING THE CAR HAS A NOISE ON THE RIGHT SIDE, THE NOISE IS MOST NOTICEABLE WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE AND WHEN RELEASING THE BRAKE. WE TOOK THE CAR TO MERCEDES BENZ OF VALENCIA AND TO SAY THAT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT STAFF WAS UNWILLING TO HELP IS A GROSS UNDERSTATEMENT. THEY EVENTUALLY DID AGREE TO KEEP THE CAR GOVERNING AND TEST DRIVE IT IN THE MORNING, THEY CALLED THE FOLLOWING DAY ON DECEMBER 3RD AND TOLD US TO COME AND GET THE CAR. BILL THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT THEY HEARD THE NOISE WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE AND SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO BECAUSE THE BRAKES ON THE CAR ARE NEW AND THAT THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT COULD BE WRONG WITH THE CAR. WE ARE CONCERNED AND , WORRIED ABOUT OUR SAFETY, WE PURCHASED THE CAR AND THE ADDITIONAL REPAIR PACKAGE FOR PEACE OF MIND EXPECTING TO GET THE PROPER SERVICE TO ADDRESS ANY ISSUES BECAUSE THE CAR IS COVERED BY A 50,000 MILE WARRANTY AND WE PURCHASED ADDITIONAL SERVICE PACKAGE.
NHTSA complaint #11288654 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.