What breaks most · 2018 to 2020 model years
Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 problems by year
Owners have filed 69 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 across model years 2018 to 2020. Three years stand out: 2020 for electrical system complaints, 2019 for engine and cooling complaints and 2018 for suspension complaints.
- Years to check closely: 2020, 2019, 2018
- Complaints on file
- 692018 to 2020, all trims
- Worst year
- 202035 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 45 fires · 2 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 18kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 25Across 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 1 | 3 | Suspension (3) | |
| 20 | 0 | 2 | Unknown or other (5) | |
| 35 | 3 | 20 | Electrical system (18) |
What fails on the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS 450
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 51% |
18 | 1 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 26% |
9 | 0 | Shop engine parts for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 |
| Forward collision systemRadar and camera sensors | 20% |
7 | 2 | Shop forward collision system parts for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 17% |
6 | 0 | Shop all fuel system parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Unknown or other | 11% |
4 | 1 | — |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 11% |
4 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Backup camera and sensorsCameras and park sensors | 6% |
2 | 1 | Shop backup camera and sensors parts for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 |
| BrakesBrake pads, rotors and calipers | 6% |
2 | 1 | Shop brakes parts for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 |
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.
-
I have received multiple notifications over several months that read "Camera view restricted". This impacts the collision avoidance and adaptive highbeam assist functions. Dealer has offered no service recommendations.
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the vehicle suffered a sudden and catastrophic engine failure while being driven on the freeway at about 60mph. The engine seized and the vehicle lost propulsion creating a serious safety concern
-
Part of my panoramic sunroof spontaneously shattered while sitting at a stoplight. There were no cars or trees around at the time. Nothing touched the car when it happened.
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 GLS 450 years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2020, 2019, 2018 carry the most filings on the Mercedes-Benz GLS 450. The 2020 alone has 35 complaints, led by electrical system.
What is the most common Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 problem?
On the 2020 model year, the most-reported component is electrical system with 18 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 complaints that include mileage is about 18,000 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.