What breaks most · 2014 to 2025 model years
Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 problems by year
Owners have filed 291 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 across model years 2014 to 2025. Three years stand out: 2015 for engine complaints, 2016 for engine complaints and 2018 for engine complaints. The quietest years are 2014, 2022 and 2023.
- Years to check closely: 2015, 2016, 2018
- Fewest complaints: 2014, 2022, 2023
- Complaints on file
- 2912014 to 2025, all trims
- Worst year
- 201594 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 133 fires · 21 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 43kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 61Across 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | Lane departure system (1) | |
| 94 | 4 | 5 | Engine (27) | |
| 49 | 1 | 4 | Unknown or other (17) | |
| 29 | 0 | 9 | Electrical system (10) | |
| 47 | 2 | 12 | Engine (10) | |
| 28 | 2 | 11 | Powertrain and transmission (12) | |
| 9 | 0 | 5 | Unknown or other (3) | |
| 17 | 1 | 9 | Engine (5) | |
| 4 | 0 | 2 | Engine (2) | |
| 8 | 1 | 1 | Engine (3) | |
| 2 | 0 | 2 | Unknown or other (1) | |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | Powertrain and transmission (2) |
What fails on the 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 29% |
27 | 0 | Shop engine parts for the 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 |
| Unknown or other | 17% |
16 | 0 | — |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 15% |
14 | 1 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 13% |
12 | 1 | Shop body and structure parts for the 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 13% |
12 | 1 | Shop fuel system parts for the 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 |
| Air bags | 13% |
12 | 3 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 12% |
11 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 |
| VisibilityMirrors and glass | 5% |
5 | 0 | Shop all visibility parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
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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Check engine light on my 2015 MB GLA250 4matic came on and the error is "P052E PCV Regulator Valve Performance". There is a recall for other MB vehicle with the same engine. I believe the 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLA250 and other models with the same engine should be included in the recall.
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Fault code P052E71 crankcase ventilation has a malfunction. The actuator is blocked. This seems to be a common issue with 4 cylinder turbo engines. Dealer charged $2500 to replace, and even after replacements system fails again within 1-2 years.
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Car battery dies if vehicle not driven often and/or for longer distances. This was not explained at time of sale nor does manual mention. There is no warning light that battery is low. No fix. Told i should hook up to trickle charger. Vehicle is stationary.
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 GLA 250 years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2015, 2016, 2018 carry the most filings on the Mercedes-Benz GLA 250. The 2015 alone has 94 complaints, led by engine.
What is the most common Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 problem?
On the 2015 model year, the most-reported component is engine with 27 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 complaints that include mileage is about 43,000 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.