25 of the
156 complaints filed about the Mercedes Benz GLE350
are about the other systems —
16% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2017.
I purchased a Certified Mercedes GLE 350 with many advanced safety features. Including a SOS feature that allows I believe detects an accident and reports it to Mercedes as well as allows me to press the SOS button to manually contact Mercedes to report a need for help plus other functions. Thnis is a very important safety feature to me as I am getting order and may need assistance. In addition years ago a family friend was involved in a non fatal accident at night and was injured and traped in the car. Although the initial accident was not fatal, because the car was not located for some time and the friend was injured, bu the time the car was located the friend died due to the length of time traped in the car. One of the basic items listed on my Mercedes sell sheet is item 351eCall-emergency system. As I understand it this eCall device is part of the SOS system and is also a critical part of the advanced EMERGENCY and convience systems included with the car such as car locator, remote start and remote lock and unlock, as well as several other featurs I was sold. Recently I was informed by Mercedes that they would be discontinuing this safety feature as of 1/1/2026 and they have not offered any replacment / solution. I recently was on a road trip and caught in a sevier weather situation and tried to use the system and it did not work, which placed me in a potentially dangerious situation. I believe that people will loose their lives because Mercedes has suspended a important emergency safety feature. I have checked with my local Mercedes dealer who contacted Mercedes USA and they told me Mercedes USA is not offering any solution. I believe NHTSA should get involved to require Mercedes USA to find a solution to help prevent the loss of lives. This is an important "emergency system" that was sold as part of the vehicle. It is important to owners of all ages, but even more important to elderly drivers that choose Mercedes for their safety features.
NHTSA complaint #11708403 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Panoramic sunroof suddenly exploded while driving. It was the rear section of the sunroof. There was a loud boom sound. There were no vehicles nearby kicking up rocks, etc. I jumped and screamed but managed to remain somewhat calm trying to figure out where the sound came from in the vehicle. I then realized it was the panoramic sunroof as sunlight began to trickle into the vehicle. Fortunately, the shade had been pulled closed. Otherwise, more tiny shards of glass would have immediately fallen on me. I handed to situation over to my insurance company for repair.
NHTSA complaint #11702123 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am writing to formally report a serious safety incident involving my Mercedes-Benz vehicle. While driving home recently, without any warning, I heard a sudden explosion that sounded like a gunshot. In an instant, shattered glass fell throughout the interior of the car, covering my daughter, grandson, and me. Fortunately, the only other vehicle nearby was at a considerable distance; otherwise, the outcome could have been catastrophic. Our car swerved sharply as a result of the shock. We came to realize that the sunroof had exploded and completely shattered.
NHTSA complaint #11696132 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving our 2017 MB GLE 350-4matic at about 40 mph, it spontaneously downshifted to M1. We were in traffic, so this was a very dangerous for us and for the people behind us. We limped to our destination, not knowing what had happened or what to do. When we re-started the car the next day, it seemed ok. But after driving some distance, it spontaneously downshifted to M1 again. We stopped the car, turned it off and re-started it. My mechanic checked the car with his analyzer, which showed that the transmission was not transmitting/displaying gear changes. I am taking my car to another repair shop tomorrow that has a more sophisticated analyzer. When I first explored this problem on the web, there was discussion on a MB website about similar problems. Today, I saw that there is an NHTSA probe into 2015-17 Ford 150 pick-ups having a similar problem to mine, i.e., spontaneous downshifting. Maybe there is a chip problem in the transmission control module for cars of those years. This is a significant safety issue. Thank God we were going 40 mph and not 60 or 70 when this happened.
NHTSA complaint #11650102 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rear trunk lid seal leaking water in rear cargo compartment caused damage to fuel pump. I was driving on a main busy road when without warning the car shut off. The traffic light was about to change so the person behind me was slowing down luckily. There was no warning light, indicator or sound the car just stopped . It stopped in the middle of the road impeding traffic as it stopped near a 4- way intersection at a busy time of day. The car was towed to dealer after extensive examination it was found to be a leak in rear trunk seal. There was no visible damage to seal or water damage in cargo area. I was told this is problem know to Mercedes as they have issued a bulletin on how to repair it. This has been happening for years without a resolution to this problem. I was told in my case it had been leaking over an extended amount of time and there was know way to discover it until the damage is done. I find that hard to believe that Mercedes would not recall this and find a remedy before it results in a serious accident or death. A car stopping on busy road or highway with a fast speed of traffic following is a tragedy waiting to happen. I had no warning of the potential danger I was in until it happened. The damage it causes is around $1,600 for a rubber piece that gets loose and allows water to damage the fuel pump. And because that piece is not covered under extended warranty the burden is put on the owner which it unfair to say the least.
NHTSA complaint #11584632 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I own a 2016 Mercedes GLE350 that was repaired under a safety recall involving failure of a fuel pump due to water intrusion into the spare wheel well. Mercedes Benz "fixed" the car under the safety recall however, several months later, my vehicle experienced the same exact issue - water intrusion entered the rear wheel well causing the fuel system to fail. Mercedes Benz currently has my vehicle and cannot locate the water leak (they are saying it is in the hatch area of my car). They are currently trying to charge me $890 to find the leak. However, the original safety recall on this vehicle states, "the cause of the defect may vary due to a development deviation in combination with production tolerances and possible customer influences when loading and unloading items from the rear hatch. Each cause could lead to a different issue and water intrusion. Therefore, the tightness in the rear area might not meet specifications." I understand that my vehicle is not the first to experience this issue and I believe this is a defect with this make/model/year. I am hopeful this will be looked into further as I believe this issue goes past the recall. I should not be required to pay for this and my safety should not be compromised due to this.
NHTSA complaint #11578145 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am writing to bring to your attention a critical security issue regarding the rear door locks of the 2017 Mercedes GLE model VIN - [XXX] . Upon attempting to lock the vehicle using the key fob, I have encountered a malfunction where the rear door behind the passenger seat fails to secure properly. Despite attempts to engage the locking mechanism, this specific door remains open, triggering the vehicle alarm system when accessed. This issue poses a significant safety risk for both occupants and belongings within the vehicle. As a concerned consumer, I am deeply troubled by the presence of such a critical flaw in a luxury automobile. Given the potential ramifications for driver and passenger security, I urge the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to conduct a thorough investigation into the root cause of this malfunction. It is imperative that swift action be taken to address and rectify this security vulnerability to ensure the continued safety and peace of mind for Mercedes GLE owners and their families. Thank you for your attention to this matter. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11577483 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
When the car seat is in the rear facing position and in the most upright position the rear of the seat can be lifted off the base with very little force. I have videos that show this behavior but photos don't really do it justice.
NHTSA complaint #11534751 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
We were driving in the street and just suddenly the front of the car was on fire. We stopped the car and we had almost no time to get out because the flames got very big in just minutes. Good thing the doors weren't locked because we safely got out of the car. This incident happened in rush hour and there were lots of cars around us. This put not just the passengers in our car but other people around us in danger. We contacted Mercedes-Benz but they declined out claim and refused to investigate into this issue. Please help us hold Mercedes-Benz accountable.
NHTSA complaint #11521871 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The sunroof exploded spontaneously and shattered without warning while driving on a highway (I20 ) from Tyler TX to DFW airport around 10 AM bright sunny Tuesday morning.I was terrified and now feeling unsafe to drive this car with this kind of unsafe sunroof product henceforth. I called Mercedes Benz USA and said the car is out of warranty and did not want to check and investigate this safety failure and be responsible to make good to replace the sunroof in order to ensure it is safe to drive this car again. We want to report this incident to you. We also informed them that there were previous same issue of there older model but they said there is nothing they can do. They are not interested in investigating this safety issue either.
NHTSA complaint #11486008 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The brakes, possibly including the brake boosters, failed on the 2017 GLE SUV on 7/19/22. The car would not stop and crashed into a brick wall. Mercedes currently has a recall for the brake boosters for models similar to mine but not my model year. The recall should include the 2017 GLE models as well. The public and drivers are at risk for injury, including death. The car is available for inspection. It currently is housed at an insurance repair shop. No warning lamps illuminated to alert that the brakes were failing.
NHTSA complaint #11474904 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SOFTWARE DESIGN OF THE COMMUNICATION MODULE MAY FAIL TO COMMUNICATE THE CORRECT VEHICLE LOCATION FOR THE EMERGENCY CALL SYSTEM ("ECALL") IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. NHTS RECALL NUMBER 21V058, MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER 2021030015.
NHTSA complaint #11415811 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
GAS FILLER DOOR WILL NOT OPEN. THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN ACCESS TO THE GAS TANK DOOR LEVER IIS TO OPEN THE REAR HATCH , TAKE THE EMERGENCY ACCESSORIES PANEL COVER AND FEEL THE GAS LEVER AND FLIP
NHTSA complaint #11395029 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE "PANORAMIC SUNROOF" (THE SLIDING PORTION) SUDDENLY EXPLODED AFTER MIDNIGHT ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT 75 MPH - SCARING ME INTO SWERVING AND NEARLY WRECKING THE CAR. IF THE SUNSHADE HAD NOT BEEN CLOSED THE GLASS WOULD HAVE BEEN IN OUR EYES AND FACE. PHOTO WAS A GAS STATION 10 MINUTES LATER.
NHTSA complaint #11365674 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN THE CAR IS LOCKED, THE DOORS STILL OPEN . MERCEDES COVERED THE FIRST FAILED LOCKS IN OCT 2019 UNDER WARRANTY AND I COVERED THE SECOND DOOR MARCH 2020. NOW THERE IS A 3RD FAILED LOCK. I CALLED MERCEDES TO COVER BECAUSE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED. ALL THE MERCEDES MECHANICS ARE AWARE OF THIS ISSUE . THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE ON THE MERCEDES RECALL . EXAMPLE, LEAVING A DARK PARKING LOT, I ENTER MY VEHICLE AND LOCK THE DOOR BUT YOUR DOORS ARE REALLY NEVER LOCKED , ANYONE CAN OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE DUE TO THE FAILED LOCKING SYSTEM. THE REASON THIS MAY NOT BE REPORTED OFTEN IS BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE DO NOT TRY TO OPEN THEIR DOOR WITHOUT THEIR KEYS NEARBY.
NHTSA complaint #11338165 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PANORAMIC SUNROOF SPONTANEOUSLY "EXPLODED" WHILE DRIVING 60MPH ON THE FREEWAY. IT WAS A CLEAR, SUNNY MORNING WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE LOW 70'S. I WAS NOT NEAR AN UNDERPASS, NOR BEHIND ANOTHER VEHICLE. IT SOUNDED AS IF A CANNON WENT OFF INSIDE THE VEHICLE, FORTUNATELY THE SUN SCREEN WAS CLOSED OR I WOULD HAVE BEEN SHOWERED IN GLASS. MORE FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY. THIS SUDDEN EXPLOSION COULD HAVE EASILY CAUSED ME TO VEER OFF THE ROAD OR INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE GLASS APPEARED TO EXPLODE "UPWARD". THE CAR WAS TOWED TO MB DEALERSHIP, WHERE THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATES IT IS NOT CONSIDERED A WARRANTY ITEM. MY CONTACT WITH MB USA WAS EQUALLY DISAPPOINTING IN THEIR REFUSAL TO HAVE A FIELD REPRESENTATIVE LOOK AT THE VEHICLE. BASED ON THE MULTIPLE REPORTS/INCIDENTS ON NHTSA AND CONSUMER REPORTS, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE THAT MERCEDES-BENZ IS NOT AWARE OF THIS DANGEROUS STRUCTURAL AND/OR PARTS DEFECT.
NHTSA complaint #11318503 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FEB 8, 2019 VEHICLE WAS SOUTHBOUND ON I-45 SOUTH OF HOUSTON ALL WINDOWS CLOSED AND SUNROOF CLOSED. VEHICLE SPEED APPROXIMATELY 75MPH. MODERATE TRAFFIC BUT NOTHING FORWARD OF VEHICLE FOR SEVERAL CAR LENGTHS. NO HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES OR TRUCKS. CAR HAD BEEN ON THE ROAD APPROXIMATELY 3.5 HOURS WITHOUT STOPPING ALL HIGHWAY SPEED. AT APPROXIMATELY 11L30AM THE SUNROOF EXPLODED UP AND OUT OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. FORTUNATELY I DID NOT LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY TO THE MERCEDES DEALER WHO WAS WITHIN 4 MILES OF THE INCIDENT AREA. THE SERVICE MANAGER MATT WAS VERY QUICK TO TELL ME THAT I HAD TO CONTACT MERCEDES NATIONAL CUSTOMER SVC TO FILE A REPORT BECAUSE THEY WOULDN'T REIMBURSE THE DEALERSHIP AS A WARRANTY ISSUE ( INDICATING TO ME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED FREQUENTLY AS THE ANSWER WAS IMMEDIATE) IMAGES SHOW THE GLASS REMNANTS PUSHED UP AND OUTWARD. MOST GLASS WENT OUT OF VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #11181670 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
OUR 2016 MERCEDES GLE350 4MATIC SUV FIRST HAD PROBLEM ON OCT 11. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHEN THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN WHEN MY WIFE WAS TURNING IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION AND WOULD NOT START BACK UP. SHE WAS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION FOR ABOUT 3 MINS AND WAS ABLE TO START AND DRIVE TO A RESTAURANT WHERE IT CUT OFF AND WOULD NOT START ANYMORE. WE HAD IT TOWED TO RBM OF ALPHARETTA. THEY STATED THAT THE FUEL CONTROL SENSOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WE LEFT THE VEHICLE WITH THEM. MY WIFE AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO PICK UP THE VEHICLE OCTOBER 19TH BECAUSE WE WERE TRAVELING. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN PARKED IN OUR GARAGED SINCE UNTIL OCTOBER 26 WHERE MY WIFE ENCOUNTERED THE SAME ISSUE AGAIN WHEN PICKING UP OUR SON AT THE LOCAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THE VEHICLE CUT OFF WHILE TURNING OUT OF THE SCHOOL PARKING LOT AND WOULD NOT START AGAIN. THIS IS A HUGE SAFE HAZARD. WHAT IF A SEMI-TRUCK WAS CROSSING THE INTERSECTION, THEY WOULD HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO STOP IN TIME? I HAVE READ MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THIS SAME VEHICLE ON THIS SITE WITH THE SAME ISSUE. AGAIN WE HAD IT TOWED TO RBM OF ALPHARETTA AND NOW THEY ARE STATING THAT WATER HAD ENTERED THE AREA WHERE THE FUEL CONTROL SENSOR IS LOCATED. MERCEDES TECHNICIANS ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN IN THAT AREA OF THE VEHICLE AND WE HAVE NEVER HAVE WATER LEAKAGE IN ANY AREA OF THIS VEHICLE AND THEY WERE THE LAST TO WASH THE VEHICLE. IF THIS WAS THE CASE, WHY WASN'T THIS BROUGHT UP WHEN THE PROBLEM FIRST OCCURRED. JUST BY USING DEDUCTIVE REASONING, NONE OF THIS MAKE ANY SENSE. MERCEDES IS A PREMIUM BRAND. SOMETHING SIMPLE AS WEATHER STRIPPING LAST LONGER THAN 2 YEARS. THIS REALLY NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED BEFORE SOMEONE IS HURT OR KILLED. A BRAND LIKE MERCEDES NEED TO BE HONEST AND HAVE INTEGRITY TO KEEP TRUST AND LOYALTY WITH THEIR CUSTOMERS.
NHTSA complaint #11144190 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.