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2012 Mercedes-benz Gl-class
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
76 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 26, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Airbags problems dominate (53% of complaints).
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
Complaint reports have faded. Early issues appear resolved or aged out.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#131 of 525Among the 2012 models with a matured record, the 2012 Mercedes-benz Gl-class ranks #131, scoring higher than 73% of them. See the 2012 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
NHTSA crash-tested this model year but didn’t publish an overall star rating for it.
1 open NHTSA defect investigation on file for this model year, separate from the recalls above.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2012 Mercedes-benz Gl-class, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Airbags (40) · Brakes (10) · Suspension (7) · Transmission & drivetrain (5)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint. Treat them as a rough guide.
Airbags
53%40 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“I purchased a this vehicle at a dealership Laurel Ford as is no warranty for $14,000 and not even in a week of me having it the key fob was not working and it’s been g…”
Brakes
13%10 complaints
“Breaks became unusable due to lost power break fluid caused by corrosion on the lines. Fluid was completely gone and breaks were not effective at all. Dashboard showed…”
Suspension
9%7 complaints
“AT AROUND 60K MILES, I HAD TO REPLACE THE AUTOMATIC SUSPENSION ON BOTH OF THE FRONT TIRES (AROUND $3,000). NOW I'M HAVING ISSUES WITH THE BACK AND WILL PROBABLY HAVE T…”
Transmission & drivetrain
7%5 complaints
“UPON ACCELERATION A CLUNKING SOUND COMES FROM WITHIN THE TRANSFER CASE. THIS VEHICLE HAS @ 148,000 MAINLY HIGHWAY MILES ON IT. THIS TRANSFER CASE PROBLEM IS A PREMATUR…”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
Too few owners named a mileage on this model to place issues against an odometer yet.
Read all 76 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 6 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (0)
No recall campaigns on file for this model year.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this Mercedes-benz before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- Owners of this model report airbags problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any airbags symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report brakes problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any brakes symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2012 Mercedes-benz GL-CLASS beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2012? See how every Gl-class model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2012 Mercedes-benz Gl-class against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.