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

WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED ON VEHICLE TWICE JUST SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY HAS TO BE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT.

NHTSA ODI 11378552

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