What 34 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Mercedes-benz Gl-class

GL 450 WITH VIN [XXX] EXPERIENCED EXACT PROBLEM DEFINED BY NHTSA RECALL # 18V272 IN MAY 2018 (2 OR 3 WEEKS PRIOR TO RECEIVING RECALL NOTICE FROM MERCEDES-BENZ USA). DEALERSHIP, MERCEDES-BENZ OF MIDLOTHIAN VIRGINIA, PERFORMED REPAIR WORK REQUIRED (BASED URGENT NEED FROM MIL SAYING "DO NOT DRIVE VEHICLE. MB MIDLOTHIAN REPAIRED THE ACTIVE SUSPENSION SYSTEM BY REPLACING THE "SEALING CAP" ON THE "ACS OIL RESERVOIR" - THE EXACT REPAIR SPECIFIED IN THE RECALL. I WAS CHARGED IN EXCESS OF $400 FOR THIS REPAIR AS THE DEALERSHIP "HAD NOT YET RECEIVED OFFICIAL NOTICE THAT THE RECALL WOULD INCLUDE (MY) VEHICLE." UPON RECEIVING THE OFFICIAL RECALL LETTER IN JUNE 2018, I CONTACTED MERCEDES-BENZ USA. MB-USA TOLD ME THAT THE WORK I HAD PAID FOR WAS, INDEED, COVERED BY THE RECALL, AND THAT MB DEALERSHIP SHOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR THE CHARGES AND RE-CHARGE MB-USA. ON AUGUST 20, I AGAIN CONTACTED MB MIDLOTHIAN WHO TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED TO FILE WITH MB-USA FOR REIMBURSEMENT. SO I, AGAIN, CONTACTED MB-USA AND ASKED FOR REIMBURSEMENT. MB-USA, AGAIN, TOLD ME "NO", THE DEALERSHIP MUST INITIATE THE PROCESS AND PROVIDE REIMBURSEMENT. MB-USA REP SAID THAT THE DEALERSHIP SHOULD REIMBURSE ME SINCE THE WORK CONDUCTED WAS NOW A RECALL. PAYMENT FOR THE RECALL IS DIRECTLY BETWEEN MB-USA AND MB-DEALERSHIP. HOWEVER MB-MIDLOTHIAN DEALERSHIP SAID THAT "THIS IS NOT THE WAY IT WORKS." THIS IS AN ISSUE BETWEEN MB-USA AND MB-DEALERSHIP-NOT ME. I, THE CUSTOMER, AM CAUGHT BY THE FINGER-POINTING IN THE MIDDLE WITH NO RESOLUTION.THIS IS A KNOWN MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE IDENTIFIED BY A RECALL !!! MB-USA AND THEIR DEALERSHIPS WORK IT OUT, AND NOT LEAVE CUSTOMERS WITH NO RESOLUTION BECAUSE OF THEIR INCOMPETENCE. I AM A PHD AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEER, BUT DO NOT WORK FOR OR GET PAID BY MB. THUS, AS A VERY FRUSTRATED CUSTOMER, I AM CAUGHT IN MB BUREAUCRACY WITH NO RESOLUTION OR ACCEPTANCE OF RESPONSIBILITY. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 11121091

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES-BENZ GL350. WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THE CONTACT APPLIED FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN AND CRASHED INTO A PALM TREE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS WAITING TO DETERMINE IF THEY WOULD SEND A TECHNICIAN TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000.

NHTSA ODI 10983029

MY CAR HAS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE HVAC SYSTEM. IT GENERATES A MOLD AND MILDEW SMELL WHILE USING THE AC AND HEAT. MERCEDES SAYS THEY NO OF THIS ISSUE BUT HAVE NO PERMANENT FIX. THE SMELL IS SO BAD THAT IT IS ALMOST UN-DRIVABLE. MERCEDES DEALERSHIPS HAVE BULLETINS THAT DENOTE THE ISSUE IS KNOWN, BUT THEIR WORK AROUND ONLY TEMPORARILY IMPROVES THE SMELL. THERE IS AN OBVIOUS ENGINEERING ISSUE WITH THE HVAC SYSTEM THAT IS UNHEALTHY. THERE IS APPARENTLY THAT FORMS AROUND THE MOLD AROUND THE AC EVAPORATOR. MERCEDES HAS AN INTERNAL ALERT # TSB LI83-30-P-059119. THIS IS NOT A PERMANENT FIX AND ONLY IMPROVED THE SMELL FOR 3-4 WEEKS AND TOOK OVER TWO DAYS TO IMPLEMENT. THE SMELL OCCURS ALL THE TIME WHEN EITHER THE AC OR HEATER IS ON. THIS STARTED AT 2200 MILES AND CONTINUES TODAY (I HAVE 17K MILES NOW).

NHTSA ODI 10933757

SECOND ROW HEAD REST DOES NOT ADJUST TO DIFFERENT POSITIONS MAKING IT UNSAFE FOR CHILDREN.

NHTSA ODI 10816202

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES BENZ GL450. WHILE IN PARK, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO ROLL FORWARD AS IF THE VEHICLE WERE IN DRIVE. THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER A CURB AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10726816

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES BENZ GL350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK STARTED TO LEAK ONTO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE STALLED BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE HELPED THE CONTACT BY PLACING FUEL IN THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FUEL LEAK PREVENTED THE CONTACT FROM BEING ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED TO CLEAN UP THE FUEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND IT WAS DETERMINED THE FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,300.

NHTSA ODI 10693851

A BLANKET OF SNOW/ICE FORMED ON MY ROOF DURING THE MORNING. IT WAS NOT REMOVABLE DUE TO FREEZING AND BONDING TO THE ROOF. AS THE CAR HEATED UP INSIDE, THAT BLANKET BECAME LOOSE. WHEN I HIT MY BRAKES ON THE ROAD, THE BLANKET CAME DOWN THE FRONT WINDSHIELD BLOCKING MY VIEW OF THE ROAD. THE WIPERS STOPPED AND WOULD NOT WORK BECAUSE WHEN THEY DO NOT RETURN TO THE PARK POSITION, THEY DO NOT REPEAT THEIR WIPING MOTION. ALSO, THE LIP AT THE REAR OF THE HOOD CAUGHT AND KEPT THE BLANKET OF SNOW IN PLACE AS I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A STOP. MORE CONCRETELY, THE WIPERS ARE FLIMSY RUBBER AND DO NOT WIPE IF ANY OBSTRUCTION PREVENTS THEM FROM COMING TO THEIR DOWNWARD POSITION AT THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD. TURNING THE WIPER ON-OFF SWITCH HAS NO EFFECT. THIS PROBLEM CAN CAUSE CRASHES WHEN THE DRIVER'S VIEW IS OBSTRUCTED AND THE WIPERS DO NOT REMOVE THE OBSTRUCTION. I HAD TO EXIT THE CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND WIPE THE SNOW AWAY WITH MY HAND AS CARS WERE GOING PAST ME SPLASHING ME. I ALSO NOTICED THAT BOTH FRONT WIPERS WERE CAKED WITH ICE. THIS MEANS THAT WHEN I REMOVED THE SNOW FROM THE WINDSHIELD, THE WIPERS ONLY SMEARED ICE AND SALT ALL OVER THE WINDSHIELD AND I COULD NOT SEE THE ROAD CLEARLY. THE FIX IS EASY AS TO STALLED WIPERS. THE SYSTEM MUST BE REPROGRAMMED SO THE WIPERS CONTINUE TO WIPE EVEN IF THE WIPERS DO NOT RETURN TO THE PARK POSITION (BECAUSE OF ACCUMULATED SNOW, FOR EXAMPLE). AS TO ICED-OVER WIPERS, THE MANUFACTURER MUST INSTALL HEATING ELEMENTS IN THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD OR INSIDE THE WIPERS OR PROVIDE FOR DUCTED HEAT (FROM THE MOTOR). I AM WRITING THIS REPORT BECAUSE THE CAR IS AN ALL WHEEL DRIVE DIESEL TRUCK INTENDED FOR HEAVY DUTY USE IN ALL ENVIRONMENTS AROUND THE GLOBE. HOWEVER, I CANNOT SEE THROUGH THE FRONT GLASS IN A MINOR SNOW STORM IN NEW YORK CITY. WHAT IF I CRASH AND CAUSE A FATALITY? AM I TO BLAME BECAUSE I COULD NOT DEAL WITH THE SNOW? *TR

NHTSA ODI 10681050

TRIED TO INSTALL CHILD SAFETY SEATS IN 2ND ROW SEATS. THE 2ND ROW HEADRESTS PREVENT THE PROPER INSTALLATION OF THE CHILD SAFETY SEATS. THE HEADRESTS CANNOT BE REMOVED, OR MOVED OUT OF THE WAY SO THAT THE CHILD SAFETY SEATS CAN BE INSTALLED PROPERLY. I HAVE REPORTED TO OUR MERCEDES-BENZ DEALER. THEY ARE WORKING ON A RESPONSE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10669746

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES BENZ GL450. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADREST PREVENTED THE CONTACT FROM PROPERLY INSTALLING A CHILD SAFETY SEAT IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE HEADREST COULD ONLY BE REMOVED BY THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000.

NHTSA ODI 10663410