What 38 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Mercedes-benz Gl-class

THE LANE-KEEPING ASSIST ONLY INTERMITTENTLY WORKS. ON OCCASION IT WILL ALERT AND TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION, BUT EVEN ON SUNNY DAYS WITH CLEARLY DEMARCATED LANES, IT OFTEN DOES NOTHING. IN RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE, THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS AND HAVE SAID THE MERCEDES SERVICE HAS UNOFFICIALLY ACKNOWLEDGED THERE IS A BATCH OF VIN NUMBERS WHICH HAVE FAULTY SENSORS. WE PURCHASED THIS CAR BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY FEATURES AND MERCEDES NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING TO RECTIFY THIS IN ORDER TO KEEP ITS CUSTOMERS SAFE.

NHTSA ODI 11162257

I HAD JUST ARRIVED HOME. THE CAR WAS OFF AND I WAS PARKED IN MY GARAGE. I OPENED THE DOOR BUT IT DIDN'T OPEN ALL THE WAY TO THE FIRST HINGE. MY HAND WAS IN THE DOOR AS IT SLOWLY STARTED TO CLOSE. THE DOOR CAUGHT SLIGHTLY AND THE SOFT CLOSE FEATURE ACTIVATED. MY THUMB WAS CAUGHT IN THE DOOR AND WAS CRUSHED AS THE DOOR SEALED COMPLETELY CLOSED WITH THE SOFT CLOSE FEATURE. I WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR DURING THIS TIME. I WAS YANKING ON THE DOOR HANDLE TRYING TO OPEN THE DOOR TO FREE MY THUMB BUT THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN UNTIL THE SOFT CLOSE WAS COMPLETE. AS A RESULT MY THUMB WAS CRUSHED. I BELIEVE THAT THIS A DESIGN FAULT WITH THE VEHICLE. THE FACT THAT THERE WAS NO SENSOR TO DETECT SOMETHING IN THE DOOR AS WELL AS NOT BEING ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR AT ANY POINT DURING THE SELF CLOSE PROCESS PRESENTS MANY SAFETY ISSUES! I REACHED OUT TO MERCEDES DIRECTLY AND THEY SAID AFTER AN EVALUATION THAT THE VEHICLE WORKS THE WAY IT'S DESIGNED AND THAT THE DOOR COULD OPEN DURING ANYTIME OF THE SOFT CLOSE FEATURE. I MADE A SHORT VIDEO SHOWING THAT IN FACT YOU CAN NOT OPEN THE DOOR DURING THE SOFT CLOSE PROCESS. MY FINGER WAS NOT BROKEN BECAUSE I CLOSED THE DOOR ON IT! THE DOOR WASN'T CLOSED ALL THE WAY, IT HAD ONLY JUST SLIGHTLY LATCHED AND WAS THEN CRUSHED BY THE SOFT CLOSE. I EXPLAINED TO MERCEDES THAT THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY WITH MY 3 AND 5 YEAR OLD. IF IT CRUSHED MY THUMB IT WOULD BREAK THEIR HAND!! AFTER I DISPUTED THAT YOU CAN'T OPEN THE DOOR SOMEBODY HIGHER UP AT MERCEDES CALLED ME AND SAID THAT I WAS CORRECT YOU CAN'T OPEN THE DOOR DURING THE SOFT CLOSE AND THAT I WAS RIGHT BUT THAT IS THE WAY THE VEHICLE IS DESIGNED THEREFORE IT'S OPERATING CORRECTLY. WHEN I ASKED WHAT THEY WOULD DO HE SIMPLY ASKED WHY DON'T I JUST GO AND BUY A NEW CAR WITHOUT THE FEATURE!! I EXPLAINED THAT I DIDN'T FELL LIKE SPENDING ANOTHER $100 000.00 WHEN MY CAR IS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD!

NHTSA ODI 11160890

THE CAR RAN OUT OF BRAKE FLUID - THERE WAS AN INDICATOR AND WHEN TAKEN TO SERVICE WE WERE TOLD THE RESERVOIR WAS EMPTY. WHAT IS ALARMING IS THAT THE CAR IS SERVICED VERY FREQUENTLY AND ONE SET OF BRAKES WAS RECENTLY REPLACED (ABOUT 6 MONTHS). MOREOVER THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS NO LEAK. THEY STATED THAT THEY DO NOT REPLENISH THE BRAKE FLUID WHEN REPLACING PADS, IN ESSENCE, BECAUSE THE FLUID SYSTEM IS SO FRAGILE AND THEY ARE AFRAID THEY WILL DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD. IT SEEMS LIKE A STRAIGHTFORWARD PROPOSITION THAT IF THE BRAKES ARE CHECKED AND PADS REPLACED FREQUENTLY, AND THERE IS NO LEAK, THERE SHOULD BE NO POSSIBLE WAY FOR THE FLUID TO GO EMPTY ABSENT A DEFECT IN THE CAR (EXCESS FLUID CONSUMPTION FOR SOME REASON BESIDES A LEAK) OR FAULTY MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES. I BELIEVE THE PRACTICE OF NOT REPLENISHING BRAKE FLUID - DESCRIBED TO ME AS THE NORMAL PRACTICE AT MERCEDES SERVICE, NOT A 1-TIME MISTAKE - IS NEGLIGENT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDE (1) MERCEDES BRAKES ARE KNOWN TO WEAR VERY QUICKLY (ROUGHLY ANNUAL BRAKE PAD CHANGE); (2) THE 2014 MODEL ADAPTIVE CRUISE SYSTEM TENDS TO APPLY THE BRAKES VERY OFTEN, I.E. UNINTELLIGENT ALGORITHM THAT USES BRAKES CONTINUALLY WHILE CRUISING AT 70 MPH ON FREEWAY, NOT SOMETHING A HUMAN WOULD EVER DO

NHTSA ODI 11143013

DAIMLER AG, (DAG) THE MANUFACTURER OF MERCEDES-BENZ VEHICLES, HAS DETERMINED THAT ON CERTAIN GLE, GLS AND GLE COUP VEHICLES (166, 292 PLATFORM) WITH THE ACTIVE CURVE SYSTEM (ACS), THE OIL IN THE ACS'S OIL RESERVOIR COULD START FOAMING UNDER DYNAMIC DRIVING SITUATIONS IN COMBINATION WITH AN OIL LEVEL BELOW MINIMUM. THE OIL FOAM MIGHT LEAK OUT OF THE OIL RESERVOIR THROUGH THE VENT HOLES IN THE SEALING CAP. DEPENDING ON THE ORIENTATION OF THE VENT HOLES IN THE SEALING CAP, LEAKING OIL COULD SPRAY ONTO HOT SURFACE COMPONENTS OF THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. IN SUCH A CASE THE RISK OF A FIRE CANNOT BE RULED OUT. AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE AN AUTHORIZED MERCEDES-BENZ DEALERSHIP, WILL CORRECT THE OIL LEVEL IF NECESSARY AND REPLACE THE SEALING CAP OF THE OIL RESERVOIR WITH AN OPTIMIZED SEALING CAP TO PREVENT OIL FOAM LEAKAGE. SAFETY RISK: DEPENDING ON THE ORIENTATION OF THE VENT HOLES IN THE SEALING CAP, LEAKING OIL COULD SPRAY ONTO HOT SURFACE COMPONENTS OF THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. IN SUCH A CASE THE RISK OF A FIRE CANNOT BE RULED OUT.

NHTSA ODI 11104245

HAVE A MERCEDES GL 350 WITH ONLY 63000 MILES, HAS MADE A SMALL RATTLE SOUND WHEN FIRST PURCHASED THAT I RELATED TO BEING DIESEL, RATTLE HAS GOTTEN WORSE, TOOK IN TO A MECHANIC WHO STATED TIMING CHAIN, I CALLED MY MERCEDES LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND SERVICE MANAGER STATED HE SPOKE WITH AUTO TECHNICIAN WHO "LAUGHED" WHEN HE HAD TOLD HIM MY CONCERN FOR THE TIMING CHAIN AS THE TECH SAID THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN UNTIL VEHICLES ARE VERY HIGH IN MILES LIKE 200000. THEY EXAMINED MY VEHICLE AND THEN STATED IN FACT IT WAS THE TIMING CHAIN AND QUOTED ME 75000. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH THERE HAS BEEN AN ISSUE WITH OTHERS ON THE INTERNET WITH THE GL 350 2014 SPECIFICALLY NEEDING TIMING CHAIN REPLACEMENT WHEN UNDER LOW MILES. CAR RATTLES WHEN STARTED, WORSE WHEN COLD, CONFIRMED TIMING CHAIN BY LOCAL MERCEDES DEALERSHIP.

NHTSA ODI 11102791

CONSISTENT MILDEW FOUL ODOR COMES FROM THE AIR CONDITION.

NHTSA ODI 11045065

TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE - CERTAIN HIGH END GL MODEL HAVE OPTIONAL EASY THIRD ROW ENTRY. THE SECOND ROW IN SUCH MODELS FOLDS WITH A TOUCH OF A BUTTON. HOWEVER WHEN FULLY DEPLOYED - THE SECOND ROW SEAT'S HEAD REST IN SUCH MODELS PREVENT PROPER INSTALLATION OF KID'S CARSEAT ' SUCH THAT THE UPPER PART OF THE CARSEAT IS PROJECTED FORWARD. I AM 6 FEET AND CAN EASILY PUT THE WHOLE OF MY FORARM BEHIND MY KID'S CARSEAT AFTER INSTALLATION. THE RESULT IS ' A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE FORWARD POSITIONING OF THE KID'S CARSEAT. MY KID HAS REPORTED NECK SPRAIN MULTIPLE TIMES. THE ISSUE DOES NOT RESOLVE WITH USING A BOOSTER ONLY (WITHOUT BACKREST) OR WITH CAR'S HEADREST NOT DEPLOYED ' AS IN ALL SITUATIONS THE CAR'S HEAD REST STILL PUSHES MY KID'S HEAD FORWARD. I BELIEVE THAT IT'S A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE AS WELL. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN WIDELY REPORTED ONLINE. I GUESS MERCEDES TOOK NOTE OF IT AND AS PER THE LOCAL DEALER - THEY HAVE FIXED IT IN THE NEWER MODELS (2016 ONWARDS). IN ORDER TO FIX MINE - MY FIRST PLAN WAS TO REMOVE THE SECOND ROW HEADREST (THE ONE ON WHICH I INSTALL MY KID'S CARSEAT). DEALER TOLD ME THAT IT'S NOT POSSIBLE - AND INSTEAD RECOMMENDED A RETROFIT. QUOTE WAS $1300. GIVEN THAT IT'S PRIMARILY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT I CALLED MERCEDES USA - THEY REPLIED PROMPTLY. BASICALLY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE AND OFFERED ME $350 IN SERVICE CREDIT, BUT EXPECTED ME TO SHELL OUT THE REMAINING $ 950 OUT OF MY POCKET. WHEN I TOLD THEM THAT IT'S UNFAIR TO DO SO ' AS IT'S PRIMARILY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT ' THE AGENT BASICALLY TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD INSTEAD BE HAPPY THAT THERE'S A REMEDY AVAILABLE AND THAT ALSO AT MY LOCAL MERCEDES DEALER. HE TRIED TO USE MY CURRENT MILEAGE (62K) AS A JUSTIFICATION FOR NOT PICKING UP THE COST - EVEN THOUGH THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MILEAGE AND MY VEHICLE HAS AN UNLIMITED MILEAGE WARRANTY UNTIL 08/2020.

NHTSA ODI 11045127

THE REAR HEADRESTS IN THE MODELS THAT HAVE THE EZ FOLD SYSTEM IN THE 2014 GL550 WILL NOT COME OUT, NOR DO THE HEADRESTS TILT BACK TO A COMFORTABLE POSITION FOR CHILDREN. IN THE MERCEDES FORUMS, THERE ARE DOZENS OF COMMENTS ON THIS AND I HAVE ATTACHED PHOTOS FROM ONE OF THESE THAT MIMICS WHAT MY CHILDREN, 9 & 13 ARE EXPERIENCING - UNABLE TO SIT VERY COMFORTABLY IN THE BACK SEAT, AS THE HEADREST PROTRUDES TOO FAR OUT WHERE THEIR NECKS ARE TOO CRANKED FORWARD, OR HEAD IS NOT IN A GOOD POSITION. I AM SEEKING A FIX WHERE THE HEADREST CAN TILT BACK LIKE THE ONES IN THE VEHICLES WITH MANUAL FOLDING REAR SEATS. TAHNK YOU.

NHTSA ODI 10991657

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT ABOUT 70 MPH THE SUNROOF EXPLODED. WE WERE NOT BEHIND ANOTHER CAR AND DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE OF AN UNPOPULATED AREA ALONG THE !-10 FREEWAY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10948508

YOU NEED TO ORDER A RECALL OF MERCEDES BENZ GL450 (2014) (VIN [XXX]). I HAD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE FOR REPAIR BECAUSE THE BRAKES WERE LOCKING WHEN I DROVE BACK FROM SAN DIEGO AND SEVERAL TIMES I WAS CLOSE TO HIT OTHER VEHICLES. IN ADDITION, THIS WEEK MY BRAKES STARTED SQUEALING AND I HAD TO WAIT UNTIL FRIDAY (5/8/2015) TO HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED. NOW THEY TELL ME THAT AT 16,000 IT IS NORMAL FOR THIS CAR TO BE COMPLETELY OUT OF BRAKES (WORN OUT) AND THAT THE CALIPER DAMAGED THE ROTORS AND THAT THEY WANT ME TO PAY $700 TO REPLACE THE PADS AND ROTORS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT WANT TO HONOR THE WARRANTY. I TOLD THEM THAT THIS CAR WAS FULLY SERVICED A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO AND THEY SHOULD HAVE REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS IF THEY FELT THAT THEY WOULD BE COMPLETELY WORN OUT. I HAVE CHANGED BRAKE PADS MYSELF IN THE PAST AS A HOBBY AND I KNOW VERY WELL BRAKE PADS LAST BETWEEN 35,000 AND 50,000 MILES BEFORE THE CALIPERS HIT THE ROTORS. I THINK THEY DON'T WANT TO ADMIT THAT EITHER THEY REPLACED MY PADS WITH USED ONES OR THAT THE PADS ARE LIKELY TO CRACK AND THEN THE CALIPER DAMAGED THE ROTORS. THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE IS A SHIP ON A HIGHWAY THAT COULD KILL MANY PEOPLE IF THE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILS WHILE DRIVING AT THE SPEED LIMIT. THIS IS A $90,000 CAR AND IS PROVEN TO BE ONE OF THE UNSAFEST VEHICLES ON THE ROAD. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 10715465

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 MERCEDES BENZ GL450. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION JERKED AND HESITATED TO SHIFT. THE FAILURE OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. THE TECHNICIAN REPROGRAMMED THE TRANSMISSION SOFTWARE AND THE MODULE WAS REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30.

NHTSA ODI 10667575

MERCEDES GL 550. FRONT SEAT BELT PRE-TENSIONERS ACTIVATED WITH NO IMMINENT CRASH. RANDOM OCCURRENCE IN BOTH FRONT SEATS AND RELEASED AFTER 2-3 SECONDS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10639532

POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE CAR WAS PARKED , DROVE CAR WITHOUT POWER STEERING FOR ABOUT 9 MILES TO GET TO SAFE PLACE. AFTER CAR WAS RESTARTED SEVERAL TIMES STEERING STARTED TO WORK FINE. TOOK CAR TO DEALER FOR CHECK OF PROBLEM BUT THEY COULDN'T TO GET IT TO FAIL AGAIN. TO RESOLVE PROBLEM MERCEDES IS REPLACING THE POWER STEERING UNIT. *TR

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