Owners have filed 26 complaints
about the 2023 Mercedes Benz GLE 350 with NHTSA between 2023 and 2026.
The largest single group is the driver assist & collision avoidance.
Across this model's run it ranks 5 of 5 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 20
Against the median year of the Mercedes Benz GLE 350. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 40
7.7% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — not reported
Too few complaints recorded a mileage to measure this.
How 2023 compares with every other Mercedes Benz GLE 350
Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 2023 Mercedes Benz GLE 350
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance
830.8%
1 crashes, 0 fires · median 6,000 mi
Other & Unspecified
519.2%
Brakes
311.5%
1 crashes, 0 fires · median 6,000 mi
Fuel & Propulsion
27.7%
Median failure at 10,000 miles
Acceleration & Cruise Control
27.7%
Body & Structure
27.7%
Electrical System
27.7%
Transmission & Drivetrain
27.7%
Median failure at 10,000 miles
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Apr 2023peak 4Mar 2026
Complaints that involved harm
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Rancho Palos Verdes, CACrash
SERVICE BRAKES
This car rear-ended another car while slowing down and preparing to stop at a red light. The Automatic Emergency Brake system failed to provide any alert whatsoever, no warning lamps, no audible alerts, no warning messages, nothing. The Automatic Emergency Brake system failed to engage the brakes. The Automatic Emergency Brake system failed to provide any braking assistance whatsoever. This failure put the safety of the driver, [XXX] , at risk for injury. This failure put the safety of the persons in the other car at risk for injury. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11572955 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This car rear-ended another car while slowing down and preparing to stop at a red light. The Automatic Emergency Brake system failed to provide any alert whatsoever, no warning lamps, no audible alerts, no warning messages, nothing. The Automatic Emergency Brake system failed to engage the brakes. The Automatic Emergency Brake system failed to provide any braking assistance whatsoever. This failure put the safety of the driver, [XXX] , at risk for injury. This failure put the safety of the persons in the other car at risk for injury. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11572955 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Arcadia, CA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
VEHICLE: 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 VIN: [XXX] COMPONENT: Power train, automatic transmission DESCRIPTION: When the vehicle is placed in Park with the engine running, the vehicle experiences an intermittent jolting or lurching sensation approximately every 5 seconds, accompanied by an audible clicking sound. The jolting is most pronounced immediately after shifting from Reverse into Park, and gradually decreases in frequency after approximately one minute but does not fully stop. This occurs an estimated 50 percent of the time the vehicle is shifted into Park. This issue is separate from the known Eco Start/Stop roughness on GLE 350 models. This issue raises safety concerns. The owner is expecting a child and the unexpected repeated vehicle movement while in Park poses a risk when an infant car seat is installed. The jolting could also cause a driver to inadvertently release the brake or shift out of Park. The vehicle was taken to an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealership for diagnosis on two separate occasions. The service team acknowledged that they have seen this problem before on other vehicles of the same model, but stated they were unable to replicate the issue during their inspections and do not have a known repair procedure. The vehicle remains under the manufacturer’s factory warranty, purchased March 2023. Other GLE 350 owners have reported identical symptoms across 2020, 2021, and 2022 model years on multiple forums. No fix has been identified by any dealership. No crash or injury has occurred. No warning lights are illuminated. Video evidence of the clicking sound has been captured. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11727827 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Grand Prairie, TX
STRUCTURE:BODY
Panel on roof between front windshield and panoramic roof completely shattered
NHTSA complaint #11707039 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Accident, MD
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
When driving on an interstate going 55-70 mph and the cruise in on, the car cruise flashes randomly down to 15 or 20 mph and the car severely brakes. This is NOT because someone is in front of us on the highway. It does it when no one is in front of us. Sometimes there are cars behind us and this type of severe breaking is very dangerous when traveling at 70 mph. Cars behind us have had to slam on their breaks to avoid rear-ending us. I have taken the vehicle to Morgantown Mercedes Benz twice complaining about this issue. They cannot find the problem.
NHTSA complaint #11706773 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bellingham, WA
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
First incident on I5 around exit 186 9 car was cruise control was on. Speed was set at 65. Car was accelerating from 60 to 65 but all of a sudden it slams on the brakes when no car was in front from 60ish to 45. Almost caused the car in the back to hit us. Multiple incident of cruise control on and while automatic lane change it would hit the breaks mid lane change when no other car is present ( especially when the interstate is curving). Going i5 north express lane. Cruise control on there was dotted lines for left exit. Car would was pushed heavily by lane keep to the left. But the intent was to continue on i5 N. The push was a lot stronger than normal. Almost crashed into meridian
NHTSA complaint #11690368 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bellingham, WA
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
First incident on I5 around exit 186 9 car was cruise control was on. Speed was set at 65. Car was accelerating from 60 to 65 but all of a sudden it slams on the brakes when no car was in front from 60ish to 45. Almost caused the car in the back to hit us. Multiple incident of cruise control on and while automatic lane change it would hit the breaks mid lane change when no other car is present ( especially when the interstate is curving). Going i5 north express lane. Cruise control on there was dotted lines for left exit. Car would was pushed heavily by lane keep to the left. But the intent was to continue on i5 N. The push was a lot stronger than normal. Almost crashed into meridian
NHTSA complaint #11690368 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bellingham, WA
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
First incident on I5 around exit 186 9 car was cruise control was on. Speed was set at 65. Car was accelerating from 60 to 65 but all of a sudden it slams on the brakes when no car was in front from 60ish to 45. Almost caused the car in the back to hit us. Multiple incident of cruise control on and while automatic lane change it would hit the breaks mid lane change when no other car is present ( especially when the interstate is curving). Going i5 north express lane. Cruise control on there was dotted lines for left exit. Car would was pushed heavily by lane keep to the left. But the intent was to continue on i5 N. The push was a lot stronger than normal. Almost crashed into meridian
NHTSA complaint #11690368 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brandon, FL
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
As I was driving, sunroof suddenly exploded. My screen was partially opened. The sunroof itself was closed. I did not observe anything to hit the car, I did not hear any road debris hit the car. The glass shattered inside the vehicle over myself/my person, also my passenger in the front passenger seat, who is my son. I was so startled and in shock, but able to pull over to a safe area. Glass shards were noted to be down my shirt and pants. Glass shards were noted to be in items that were in my car rear seat. Also on my child. We were able to remove the glass from our person with very minor knicks as expected when handling glass material. There was no warning regarding any component failures or warning lamps, no sounds from the road, and no observed debris hitting the vehicle. It was about 613pm on Tuesday December 31, 2024. The weather was clear, no rain or extreme temperatures. As soon as I was in a safe place, I placed call to Mercedes-Benz at 658p. I was advised to take vehicle to dealership to be inspected as soon as possible. I took the vehicle in at 730am on January 2, when my local dealership was open for business.
NHTSA complaint #11633609 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Waxahachie, TX
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Cracked windshield. Manufacturer has not been able to supply a replacement for 4 months. Every time I ask for an ETA the day moves back a month. This is a safety concern for many affected drivers with no apparent solution from MBUSA.
NHTSA complaint #11631635 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 10,000 milesOverland Park, KS
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V880000 (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 for the recall repair. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the vehicle revved loudly and there was a clicking sound coming from the engine compartment. The clicking remained for approximately 10-15 minutes while driving after starting the vehicle. The noise had become more persistent and would occur while driving at speeds of 45 MPH or higher. While coasting and attempting to accelerate the vehicle would shift roughly and jerk while shifting to first gear. The dealer was contacted and was unable to complete the recall remedy due to a lack of available parts. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 10,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
NHTSA complaint #11606858 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 10,000 milesOverland Park, KS
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
The contact owns a 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V880000 (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 for the recall repair. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the vehicle revved loudly and there was a clicking sound coming from the engine compartment. The clicking remained for approximately 10-15 minutes while driving after starting the vehicle. The noise had become more persistent and would occur while driving at speeds of 45 MPH or higher. While coasting and attempting to accelerate the vehicle would shift roughly and jerk while shifting to first gear. The dealer was contacted and was unable to complete the recall remedy due to a lack of available parts. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 10,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
NHTSA complaint #11606858 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vienna, VA
POWER TRAIN
The vehicle, while on (P)ark, will move forward on its own. The vehicle will move either millimiters at a time or up to a quarter inch in a single incident. These incidents are continuous in nature and can be duplicated by simply putting the vehicle in Park after driving it shortly after start. The vehicle has been taken in several times to the dealership, where the Service Director has claimed that they cannot replicate the issue. Mercedes Benz refuses to address the issue as the vehicle is not producing any fault codes. I have videos and photos of this issue occurring, the latest set taken the afternoon of Saturday, July 27, 2024 between 6:00 p.m. and 7 p.m. A passenger can feel and hear the vehicle move forward, but the dealership Service Department director claims that this was "normal". As to the best of my understanding and research, a vehicle on (P) should not move a single millimeter, much lech up to a quarter of an inch. It is my opinion that this poses not just a driveability issue but also a safety issue as there is no assurance that the vehicle will remain immobilize while in (P)ark.
NHTSA complaint #11605282 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vienna, VA
SERVICE BRAKES
The vehicle, while on (P)ark, will move forward on its own. The vehicle will move either millimiters at a time or up to a quarter inch in a single incident. These incidents are continuous in nature and can be duplicated by simply putting the vehicle in Park after driving it shortly after start. The vehicle has been taken in several times to the dealership, where the Service Director has claimed that they cannot replicate the issue. Mercedes Benz refuses to address the issue as the vehicle is not producing any fault codes. I have videos and photos of this issue occurring, the latest set taken the afternoon of Saturday, July 27, 2024 between 6:00 p.m. and 7 p.m. A passenger can feel and hear the vehicle move forward, but the dealership Service Department director claims that this was "normal". As to the best of my understanding and research, a vehicle on (P) should not move a single millimeter, much lech up to a quarter of an inch. It is my opinion that this poses not just a driveability issue but also a safety issue as there is no assurance that the vehicle will remain immobilize while in (P)ark.
NHTSA complaint #11605282 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vienna, VA
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
The vehicle, while on (P)ark, will move forward on its own. The vehicle will move either millimiters at a time or up to a quarter inch in a single incident. These incidents are continuous in nature and can be duplicated by simply putting the vehicle in Park after driving it shortly after start. The vehicle has been taken in several times to the dealership, where the Service Director has claimed that they cannot replicate the issue. Mercedes Benz refuses to address the issue as the vehicle is not producing any fault codes. I have videos and photos of this issue occurring, the latest set taken the afternoon of Saturday, July 27, 2024 between 6:00 p.m. and 7 p.m. A passenger can feel and hear the vehicle move forward, but the dealership Service Department director claims that this was "normal". As to the best of my understanding and research, a vehicle on (P) should not move a single millimeter, much lech up to a quarter of an inch. It is my opinion that this poses not just a driveability issue but also a safety issue as there is no assurance that the vehicle will remain immobilize while in (P)ark.
NHTSA complaint #11605282 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hilton Head Island, SC
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
My instrument cluster has gone black twice. Meaning I have no speedometer, gas gauge, etc. My blind spot monitoring, front parking, and other safety features do not work when this happens. It stays this way for several hours and then displays again, usually overnight. Mercedes has denied the issue, despite me providing a video of the malfunction while driving. They have had my car for 25 days and provided no resolution, claiming there is no issue. MBUSA has not responded to my inquiry/complaint.
NHTSA complaint #11595867 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hilton Head Island, SC
LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION
My instrument cluster has gone black twice. Meaning I have no speedometer, gas gauge, etc. My blind spot monitoring, front parking, and other safety features do not work when this happens. It stays this way for several hours and then displays again, usually overnight. Mercedes has denied the issue, despite me providing a video of the malfunction while driving. They have had my car for 25 days and provided no resolution, claiming there is no issue. MBUSA has not responded to my inquiry/complaint.
NHTSA complaint #11595867 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hilton Head Island, SC
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
My instrument cluster has gone black twice. Meaning I have no speedometer, gas gauge, etc. My blind spot monitoring, front parking, and other safety features do not work when this happens. It stays this way for several hours and then displays again, usually overnight. Mercedes has denied the issue, despite me providing a video of the malfunction while driving. They have had my car for 25 days and provided no resolution, claiming there is no issue. MBUSA has not responded to my inquiry/complaint.
NHTSA complaint #11595867 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
San Antonio, TX
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I have been getting Battery Monitor - Charge status very low warnings for the past month and they occur at any moment, including while driving the car. The warning then states for me to stop and pull the car over so it can charge up. MESSAGE: 12V Battery The battery's state of charge is very low. The Remote Services are no longer available - in order to reduce your vehicle's energy consumption. The ability to start and access your vehicle may be restricted. For details of how to charge your 12V battery, refer to the Operator's Manual for your vehicle. I've been getting this message daily for about a month and had set an appointment with Mercedes to check the vehicle. The dealership stated the following: Good afternoon Mr. [XXX]! We have your GLE ready for pickup. Our testing could not find anything with the battery message you were getting. No current or stored faults whatsoever -- tested the battery and it passed. Not sure what could have caused that message to come up, but we haven't been able to reproduce it. As a consumer, this is concerning considering i've been getting the message for the past month at least once a day and mostly while I'm driving the vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11589317 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rancho Palos Verdes, CACrash
SERVICE BRAKES
This car rear-ended another car while slowing down and preparing to stop at a red light. The Automatic Emergency Brake system failed to provide any alert whatsoever, no warning lamps, no audible alerts, no warning messages, nothing. The Automatic Emergency Brake system failed to engage the brakes. The Automatic Emergency Brake system failed to provide any braking assistance whatsoever. This failure put the safety of the driver, [XXX] , at risk for injury. This failure put the safety of the persons in the other car at risk for injury. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11572955 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This car rear-ended another car while slowing down and preparing to stop at a red light. The Automatic Emergency Brake system failed to provide any alert whatsoever, no warning lamps, no audible alerts, no warning messages, nothing. The Automatic Emergency Brake system failed to engage the brakes. The Automatic Emergency Brake system failed to provide any braking assistance whatsoever. This failure put the safety of the driver, [XXX] , at risk for injury. This failure put the safety of the persons in the other car at risk for injury. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11572955 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 6,000 milesDelray Beach, FL
SERVICE BRAKES
The contact owns a 2023 Mercedes Benz GLE 350. The contact stated while coming off the highway at 15-20 MPH, she made a left into her community. The brake stopped to the floor and the seat belt restrained her without cause. The Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) displayed illuminated when no collision occurred., no other warning lights illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle to the dealer with no issues. The vehicle has not been repaired, awaiting a diagnostic. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure yet. The approximate failure mileage was 6,000.
NHTSA complaint #11571666 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2023 Mercedes Benz GLE 350. The contact stated while coming off the highway at 15-20 MPH, she made a left into her community. The brake stopped to the floor and the seat belt restrained her without cause. The Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) displayed illuminated when no collision occurred., no other warning lights illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle to the dealer with no issues. The vehicle has not been repaired, awaiting a diagnostic. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure yet. The approximate failure mileage was 6,000.
NHTSA complaint #11571666 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Irvine, California, United Sta, CA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Foul odor coming from AC vents. My 2023 GLE350W has less than 12k miles on it. Needed BIO pledge service, cabin filter and dust filter. Odor was making passengers in the vehicle ill. I had to pay $412 which should have been deemed a RECALL as earlier models have had covered/reimbursed. Mercedes Dealership confirmed issue and preformed repair.
NHTSA complaint #11559160 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Mount Vernon, WA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Key Fob is way too sensitive! Unlock doors, lift gate, and windows when it’s placed in front pants pockets. Key must be placed in your shirt or upper jacket pockets to avoid vehicle being unlocked and stolen! Lift gate and will could open causing damage to garage door or hitting walls depending on your parking structure. It’s a concern when parking at shopping centers. Vehicle may unlock if key fob is placed in front pants pockets!
NHTSA complaint #11519220 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Mount Vernon, WA
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Key Fob is way too sensitive! Unlock doors, lift gate, and windows when it’s placed in front pants pockets. Key must be placed in your shirt or upper jacket pockets to avoid vehicle being unlocked and stolen! Lift gate and will could open causing damage to garage door or hitting walls depending on your parking structure. It’s a concern when parking at shopping centers. Vehicle may unlock if key fob is placed in front pants pockets!
NHTSA complaint #11519220 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Key Fob is way too sensitive! Unlock doors, lift gate, and windows when it’s placed in front pants pockets. Key must be placed in your shirt or upper jacket pockets to avoid vehicle being unlocked and stolen! Lift gate and will could open causing damage to garage door or hitting walls depending on your parking structure. It’s a concern when parking at shopping centers. Vehicle may unlock if key fob is placed in front pants pockets!
NHTSA complaint #11519220 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.