What breaks most · 2018 to 2024 model years
Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 problems by year
Owners have filed 235 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 across model years 2018 to 2024. Three years stand out: 2020 for engine complaints, 2021 for engine complaints and 2018 for powertrain and transmission complaints. The quietest years are 2019 and 2022.
- Years to check closely: 2020, 2021, 2018
- Fewest complaints: 2019, 2022
- Complaints on file
- 2352018 to 2024, all trims
- Worst year
- 202089 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 134 fires · 14 injuries · 1 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 21kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 63Across 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 5 | 7 | Powertrain and transmission (7) | |
| 1 | 0 | 2 | Seat belts (1) | |
| 89 | 3 | 27 | Engine (33) | |
| 48 | 3 | 14 | Engine (22) | |
| 35 | 1 | 7 | Unknown or other (7) | |
| 15 | 1 | 3 | Forward collision system (5) | |
| 7 | 0 | 3 | Unknown or other (3) |
What fails on the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 37% |
33 | 0 | Shop engine parts for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 25% |
22 | 0 | Shop all electrical system parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Unknown or other | 13% |
12 | 0 | — |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 7% |
6 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Forward collision systemRadar and camera sensors | 7% |
6 | 2 | Shop forward collision system parts for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 |
| BrakesBrake pads, rotors and calipers | 6% |
5 | 1 | Shop brakes parts for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 6% |
5 | 1 | Shop all speed control and throttle parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Lane departure systemCamera sensors | 6% |
5 | 0 | Shop lane departure system parts for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 |
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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Turbo oil separator blocked, causing internal pressure pushing oil out of the rear main crankshaft seal. Since the oil level is monitored electrically (no dipstick), the engine can run out of oil, resulting in catastrophic failure while driving, causing a dangerous condition or accident
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While the car is in park and idling, the vehicle will nudge forward repeatedly. The car dealership appears rather cavalier about this issue but it leads to little trust with the vehicle. The current mindset is that at some point the vehicle may propell moreso than a nudge unexpectedly causing a safety issue.
-
Cannot shift the gear from P to any other positions, and unable to move the car. The issue has been existing from mid 2022, three years ago.
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 GLE 350 years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2020, 2021, 2018 carry the most filings on the Mercedes-Benz GLE 350. The 2020 alone has 89 complaints, led by engine.
What is the most common Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 problem?
On the 2020 model year, the most-reported component is engine with 33 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 complaints that include mileage is about 21,000 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.