Home · 2015 Mercedes-benz GLA · Complaints

What 100 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Mercedes-benz GLA

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (100)Crash / fire / injury (5)Engine (31)Transmission & drivetrain (15)Airbags (13)Electrical system (13)Body & structure (12)Fuel system (12)Visibility & wipers (10)Brakes (5)Driver assistance (4)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (3)

5 of 100 complaints match · Brakes · clear filters

Dec 30, 2022BrakesDriver assistance

Had an update on the software to control collision prevention on the car, and soon afterward it began to deploy at certain spots without any other car in front for at least 50 feet. Took it back to the M-B Seattle dealer and after 4 weeks of investigation, I was told that the matter is exterior to the car and that the car performs as intended. T still drive the car and it still gives me warnings of impending to engage the collision detection braking system. I don't feel very comfortable driving it in the city.

NHTSA ODI 11499518

Jul 24, 2019Speed controlBrakesCrash4 injuries

I WAS DRIVING TO MEET A FRIEND FOR LUNCH. I CAME UP UPON A STOP LIGHT THAT WAS ALREADY RED AND I WOULD HAVE BEEN THE THIRD CAR IN LINE. I CAME TO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A STOP. I WAS ABOUT A CAR LENGTH OR MORE BEHIND THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. NEXT THING I KNOW, I HEAR A LOUD BANG AS MY CAR HAD ACCELERATED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. THAT CAR, IN TURN, HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF THEM. I WAS VERY CONFUSED. I RECEIVED A TRAFFIC TICKET FOR UNCONTROLLED SPEED. THE POLICEMAN THOUGHT I WAS I WAS CRAZY WHEN I SAID THAT I HAD COME TO A STOP. THE CAR WAS DRIVABLE, SO I STILL WENT TO LUNCH WITH MY FRIEND. NO PROBLEM WHATSOEVER WITH PARKING OR DRIVING THE CAR TO THE RESTAURANT, WHICH WAS ABOUT 1 MILE AWAY. AFTER LUNCH, I THEN NEEDED TO RUN AN ERRAND BEFORE I WENT HOME. I DROVE ABOUT 2 BLOCKS AWAY FROM THE RESTAURANT AND PULLED INTO A SHOPPING CENTER. I THEN SLOWLY PULLED INTO A PARKING SPOT BETWEEN TWO OTHER CARS. AS MY CAR HIT THE CURB, IT THEN WENT OVER THE CURB, ONTO THE SIDEWALK AND SLAMMED INTO THE CONCRETE WALL OF ONE OF THE SHOPS. I WAS ABLE TO GET HOME, VERY SHAKEN, AND RESEARCHED ON THE INTERNET. EVERYTHING I FOUND INDICATED IT WAS SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION (SUA). I TOLD MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND ALSO CALLED MERCEDES BENZ USA. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO THE MERCEDES COLLISION REPAIR SHOP. MERCEDES DID A RECORDED CONVERSATION AND SAID NOT TO HAVE THE CAR REPAIRED AND THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT. THEY WERE DEFENSIVE WHEN I MENTION SUA, BUT MY MAT IS VELCROED ON AND IT HAPPENED TWICE IN ONE DAY. AFTER THE SECOND COLLISION, I SAW A MESSAGE ON MY DASH THAT SAID : ?COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS INOPERATIVE". MY AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. I CHECKED AT THE MERCEDES COLLISION CENTER TODAY AND WAS TOLD MERCEDES REMOVED A BLACK RECORDING BOX FROM MY CAR. I HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING BACK AS OF YET. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR EVEN IF IT IS REPAIRED.*DT *DT *TR

NHTSA ODI 11234599

Mar 19, 2019Electrical systemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Brakes

WE HAVE HAD THIS CAR ABOUT A YEAR, WE ENCOUNTER NUMEROUS OCCASION THE THE "COLLISION ASSIST PLUS" HAS ENGAGED INTERMITTENTLY W/O ANY REASONABLE OBSTACLE IN FRONT OF THE CAR WHEN IT IS IN MOTION. ABOUT A MONTH AGO, THE CAR GAVE MESSAGE "COLLISION ASSIST INOPERATIVE" AND I CAN EVEN GET THE CAR IN GEAR NOT WITH MULTIPLE RESTART. LAST WEEK I WENT OUT WITH MY WIFE AND THE CAR STOP ON THE BUSY STREET ON THE STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AND THE CAR DID "AUTO START STOP" WAS UNABLE TO RESTART AND IT DISENGAGE THE TRANSMISSION AND I HAD TO RESTART THE CAR MANUALLY AND REENGAGE THE TRANSMISSION. I HAD FILE COMPLAINT ABOUT INTERMITTENT "COLLISION ASSIST " CONDITION TO THE DEALER (HOUSE OF IMPORT, BUANA PARK, CA), THE SERVICE ADVISER SAID IT IS NORMAL FOR THE COLLISION ASSIST ACTING UP SOME TIME. I BELIEVE THERE ARE SOME SOFTWARE GREMLIN OR SOME OTHER ECU ISSUE NEED TO BE ADDRESS. IT S A SAFETY CONCERN TO KEEP DRIVING THIS CAN W/O ANY SOLUTION, I DID CONTACTED MBZ USA, THEY OFFER NO HELP NOR SOLUTION AT ALL.

NHTSA ODI 11190094

Oct 30, 2015Brakes

THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE GAS PEDAL ARE TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. I AM CONSTANTLY FEELING THE SLIGHT TOUCH OF THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN STEPPING ON THE GAS. I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE CARS AND SUV'S IN THE PAST AND I CANNOT EVERY RECALL TOUCHING THE BRAKE WHEN GASSING. I AM VERY CONSCIOUS OF THE PROXIMITY OF THE 2 PEDALS AND TRY TO NOT TOUCH THE BRAKE. IT STILL HAPPENS FROM TIME TO TIME.

NHTSA ODI 10787316

Nov 10, 2014Brakes

THERE WAS NO INCIDENT WITH THE CAR. I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW AND WHEN DRIVING IT I DETECTED A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD WITH THE POSITIONS OF THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDALS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP ARE TOO CLOSE TO EACH OTHER. FOR EXAMPLE IF YOUR ARE WEARING MEN'S TENNIS SHOES THEIR IS A HAZARD OF TOUCHING BOTH THE BRAKE AND GAS WHEN YOU WANT TO APPLY THE BRAKE YOU ALSO APPLY THE GAS. SIMPLY BECAUSE THE SHOES ARE TOO WIDE. THE DIMENSIONS ARE: THE BRAKE PEDAL IS 5" X 3" AND THE GAS PEDAL IS 2" WIDE AND 6" LONG. THE SEPARATION BETWEEN THE TWO PEDALS IS 2 INCHES. THE GAS PEDAL IS 1 INCH FROM THE CENTER WALL ON THE RIGHT AND THE BRAKE PEDAL IS 10 INCHES FROM THE LEFT WALL. I DON'T IF THESE TOLERANCES ARE ACCEPTABLE ONLY DOT WOULD KNOW.

NHTSA ODI 10653964

Working with the data? Download all 100 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 19, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2015 Mercedes-benz GLA verdict →