What breaks most · 2010 to 2016 model years
Mercedes-Benz GL550 problems by year
Owners have filed 50 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Mercedes-Benz GL550 across model years 2010 to 2016. Three years stand out: 2011 for air bags complaints, 2014 for steering complaints and 2012 for air bags complaints. The quietest years are 2010 and 2013.
- Years to check closely: 2011, 2014, 2012
- Fewest complaints: 2010, 2013
- Complaints on file
- 502010 to 2016, all trims
- Worst year
- 201115 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 11 fires · 5 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 55kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 22Across 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 3 | Air bags (2) | |
| 15 | 0 | 3 | Air bags (12) | |
| 8 | 1 | 3 | Air bags (6) | |
| 6 | 0 | 3 | Electrical system (4) | |
| 10 | 0 | 3 | Steering (2) | |
| 7 | 0 | 3 | Engine (4) | |
| 1 | 0 | 4 | Electrical system (1) |
What fails on the 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL550
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 80% |
12 | 0 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| Unknown or other | 7% |
1 | 0 | — |
| Brakes (hydraulic)Brake pads, rotors and calipers | 7% |
1 | 0 | Shop brakes (hydraulic) parts for the 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL550 |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 7% |
1 | 0 | — |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 7% |
1 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL550 |
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.
-
Intermittently car does not engage when key fob is inserted into eis (electric ignition switch) and turned. No dash lights turn on, car does not start. Car has turned off while driving. Car has remained running when key was removed. Key will lock and unlock doors and open hatch.
-
Vehicle was parked on the driveway, brake sign came on upon start and system malfunction error showed on screen, vehicle started lowering automatically and Air compressor stopped working.
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 GL550 years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2011, 2014, 2012 carry the most filings on the Mercedes-Benz GL550. The 2011 alone has 15 complaints, led by air bags.
What is the most common Mercedes-Benz GL550 problem?
On the 2011 model year, the most-reported component is air bags with 12 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Mercedes-Benz GL550 problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Mercedes-Benz GL550 complaints that include mileage is about 55,000 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.