What breaks most · 2010 to 2017 model years
Mercedes-Benz GL350 problems by year
Owners have filed 86 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Mercedes-Benz GL350 across model years 2010 to 2017. Three years stand out: 2011 for air bags complaints, 2012 for air bags complaints and 2010 for air bags complaints. The quietest years are 2014, 2013 and 2015.
- Years to check closely: 2011, 2012, 2010
- Fewest complaints: 2014, 2013, 2015
- Complaints on file
- 862010 to 2017, all trims
- Worst year
- 201123 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 22 fires · 4 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 58kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 23Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 1 | 2 | Air bags (6) | |
| 23 | 0 | 3 | Air bags (9) | |
| 22 | 0 | 3 | Air bags (13) | |
| 7 | 0 | 3 | Engine (4) | |
| 6 | 0 | 3 | Unknown or other (2) | |
| 7 | 1 | 3 | Fuel system (2) | |
| 4 | 0 | 4 | Electrical system (1) | |
| 1 | 0 | 2 | Brakes (1) |
What fails on the 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 39% |
9 | 0 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 26% |
6 | 0 | Shop engine parts for the 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350 |
| BrakesBrake pads, rotors and calipers | 13% |
3 | 0 | Shop brakes parts for the 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350 |
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 9% |
2 | 0 | Shop suspension parts for the 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350 |
| Unknown or other | 4% |
1 | 0 | — |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 4% |
1 | 0 | Shop steering parts for the 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350 |
| Brakes (hydraulic)Brake pads, rotors and calipers | 4% |
1 | 0 | Shop brakes (hydraulic) parts for the 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350 |
| Seat belts | 4% |
1 | 0 | Check recalls for seat belts on NHTSA.gov |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
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Own 2 mercedes gl350 and e350. Both of them are v6 diesel bluetec engines and both have leaking problem from oil cooler.
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Engine oil cooler leack $3500 repair job at mercedes greenway houston , airmatic system malfunction, $3500 ABS speed sensor , intake manifold runner controll broken
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Mercedes-Benz GL350 years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2011, 2012, 2010 carry the most filings on the Mercedes-Benz GL350. The 2011 alone has 23 complaints, led by air bags.
What is the most common Mercedes-Benz GL350 problem?
On the 2011 model year, the most-reported component is air bags with 9 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Mercedes-Benz GL350 problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Mercedes-Benz GL350 complaints that include mileage is about 58,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.