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2016 Mercedes-benz GLA
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
51 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 19, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Engine problems dominate (29% of complaints).
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Complaints are overwhelmingly minor: almost none involve crashes, fires, or injuries.
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#39 of 389Among the 2016 models with a matured record, the 2016 Mercedes-benz GLA ranks #39, scoring higher than 88% of them. See the 2016 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.
2 open NHTSA defect investigations 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 2016 Mercedes-benz GLA, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Engine (15) · Airbags (8) · Electrical system (5) · Transmission & drivetrain (5)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Engine
29%15 complaints · 2 in the last 2 years
“Fault code P052E71 crankcase ventilation has a malfunction. The actuator is blocked. This seems to be a common issue with 4 cylinder turbo engines. Dealer charged $250…”
Airbags
16%8 complaints · 2 in the last 2 years
“My car totaled by another car and my air bags did not deploy.”
Electrical system
10%5 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“Unknown… airbag light came on and horn and all buttons on wheel stopped working. It says airbag malfunction”
Transmission & drivetrain
10%5 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“Transmission from drive well sometimes shift to neutral while it is at a stand still usually waiting for a light to turn green, after which it takes its time to shift …”
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 51 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 1 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 engine problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any engine symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- 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?
- 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 2016 Mercedes-benz GLA beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2016? See how every GLA model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2016 Mercedes-benz GLA 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.