What 103 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Mercedes-benz Gle-class Hybrid

I own a 2016 Mercedes GLE350 that was repaired under a safety recall involving failure of a fuel pump due to water intrusion into the spare wheel well. Mercedes Benz "fixed" the car under the safety recall however, several months later, my vehicle experienced the same exact issue - water intrusion entered the rear wheel well causing the fuel system to fail. Mercedes Benz currently has my vehicle and cannot locate the water leak (they are saying it is in the hatch area of my car). They are currently trying to charge me $890 to find the leak. However, the original safety recall on this vehicle states, "the cause of the defect may vary due to a development deviation in combination with production tolerances and possible customer influences when loading and unloading items from the rear hatch. Each cause could lead to a different issue and water intrusion. Therefore, the tightness in the rear area might not meet specifications." I understand that my vehicle is not the first to experience this issue and I believe this is a defect with this make/model/year. I am hopeful this will be looked into further as I believe this issue goes past the recall. I should not be required to pay for this and my safety should not be compromised due to this.

NHTSA ODI 11578145

Engine light on dashboard turned on in beginning of Feb 2024 … bought vehicle to dealer for assessment … was told right side catalytic converter has malfunctioned and will need to be replaced … vehicle has about 66,000 miles and it was a 2016 vehicle … apparently warrantly had expired in Nov 2023 … this does not seem right. Also, there are no right side catalystic converter available nationwide (not from Mercedes Benz manufacturer or off market). Wonder if this is a widespread issue … would like advisement.

NHTSA ODI 11574826

Pick up car from dealer drove car home sitting in drive and it’s stalled try to start but couldn’t .towed it to Mercedes dealership they told me water is in the trunk and charging me $585 them to diagnose and it could be another $300 dollars more for them to tell me what’s wrong, which they already knew there is a water problem with the gle trucks

NHTSA ODI 11568915

The door hinges are an issue with these cars many many people are expressing the same issues which is the door hinges fail and start popping and cracking. Mercedes isn’t issuing a recall or remedy for this. Also there’s an issue with the passenger airbag weight sensors going bad which is throwing the airbag light off (which this is also happening in my car) the service center I talked to knew about this is agreed it a issue they see time and time again with these cars. Mercedes needs to make this right.

NHTSA ODI 11564357

I tried to open the sunroof and it appeared that something was broken or out of alignment and it wouldn't open. I brought it to the dealership. I was told the track had broken off. They replaced it but also found out the reason it was getting off track was because of the panoramic shade that seems to get out of alignment when being manipulated. Overall, the fix to this problem was almost $4000.00 . I asked if there was any recall regarding this and they said no. I questioned why a part of the car that is rarely used has broken so easily and caused so much damage. My car has only 38K miles for a 2016 model. On my own research, I did find that Mercedes has recalled several thousands of cars with similar sunroof problems but my model car was not included. I wanted to reach out and report in case there are other similar reports that other people have come forward with. Thank you very much for your time.

NHTSA ODI 11534779

When driving, the vehicle suddenly slows down and then the brakes stop working. Vehicle then slows down to a complete stop. Happens randomly. This put me and other drivers at risk as cars behind me would suddenly have to slow down or stop without warning and I would have to steer out of the road to avoid a collision as the car is slowing down. At the same time, a message would appear saying "Collision Prevention Assist Plus Inoperative." I took the vehicle to a mercedes-benz dealer and they confirmed that this problem is due to a fault in the ABS system.

NHTSA ODI 11525853

We were driving in the street and just suddenly the front of the car was on fire. We stopped the car and we had almost no time to get out because the flames got very big in just minutes. Good thing the doors weren't locked because we safely got out of the car. This incident happened in rush hour and there were lots of cars around us. This put not just the passengers in our car but other people around us in danger. We contacted Mercedes-Benz but they declined out claim and refused to investigate into this issue. Please help us hold Mercedes-Benz accountable.

NHTSA ODI 11521871

The contact owns a 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact stated that while driving 45-50 MPH, the messages "Car Not in Park" and " Transmission Not in Park - Chance of Car Rolling" were displayed, and the vehicle independently shifted into park(P) and stopped. The contact moved the gear shifter to park and restarted the vehicle. The contact was able to continue driving; however, the failure reoccurred several times while driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where an unknown sensor was replaced; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the repair was completed again, however, the failure persisted. The vehicle remained at the dealer. The contact stated that the failure had occurred 16 times within 6 years. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist unless the vehicle was successfully diagnosed. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.

NHTSA ODI 11520560

Vehicle became disabled while owner was driving. Car stopped accelerating and stalled in the roadway. Vehicle was inoperable and had to be towed to the dealership. According to the Mercedes Service technician the rear output shaft bearing went out, tore the splines off of the trans output shaft yolk and 7 bolts then broke off in the case for the intermediate plate. Thus requiring a new transmission.

NHTSA ODI 11513461

The contact owns a 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle stalled and lost motive power. The vehicle failed to restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact stated that the vehicle was then towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that an unknown module needed to be replaced; however, no repair was completed. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, where an unknown module was replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. Additionally, the contact stated that after a rainstorm there was water in the spare tire wheel well. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, where unknown repairs were completed. The contact had received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V955000 (Fuel System, Diesel, Fuel System, Gasoline). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 59,831.

NHTSA ODI 11509527

The contact owns a 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V955000 (Fuel System, Diesel, Fuel System, Gasoline). The contact stated a week later the vehicle began to hesitate and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the coil pack to be replaced. The contact was informed that the failure was not associated with the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 43,000.

NHTSA ODI 11509248

The contact owns a 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact received notification of the NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V955000 (Fuel System, Diesel, Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the dealer was notified prior to the failure and the contact was informed that no appointments were available for another 6 weeks. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled without warning; however, the contact was able to restart the vehicle, but the failure recurred. The contact stated that while driving at normal speeds, the vehicle stalled. Several warning lights then illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised that an appointment could be scheduled 6 weeks away. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 11508864

The contact owns a 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would suddenly lose motive power and stall. Eventually, the vehicle could not be restarted and was towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was made aware of water intrusion into the trunk space of the vehicle which caused the fuel pump and other parts of the vehicle to become damaged and eventually failed. The contact indicated that the VIN was included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V995000 (Fuel System, Diesel, Fuel System, Gasoline). The manufacturer was not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 87,000.

NHTSA ODI 11506671

Front upper control arm sway bushings cracking after being replaced. Strained vehicle Noise when going over numbs or dips. Unstable suspension. Also output shaft is leaking oil.

NHTSA ODI 11501359

Electrical - Drivers lock does not lock/unlock with remote, with door lock. Have to physically lock/unlock drivers door. if you do not you will not get in door and you will not open from inside. If you do not lock manually your door will be open even though the other doors locked. Power Train - transmission is clucking between gear especially at slow speeds, Transmission in L1-5 sometimes does not shift up or down. sometimes does not go into drive from manually shifting from L gears. some downhills the tranny does not slow vehicle on down hills. Engine - valves and lifters are noisy at startup. Sounds like 1 or two cylinders. Suspension - Rear stock suspension bottoms easily also excessive motion up and down.

NHTSA ODI 11482122

My 2016 Mercedes GLE 450 AMG was running perfectly but stalled while I was making a left turn onto a major roadway and I was inches from a catastrophic accident. My car was towed to Mercedes Benz dealership and the technician informed me that the trunk seal was not sealing properly causing water to get in through the trunk and shorted out a fuel pump module. My trunk was not wet and only indication of water was when the rear compartment was lifted near the spare tire area so I was not aware of a possible leak. My car is mostly garage kept unless I am at work where it’s exposed to weather. It had been raining for several days in our area. After doing online research, it appears to be an existing problem for Mercedes owners. I’m concerned because I could have lost my life due to this issue and someone may not be so fortunate if the problem goes unresolved.

NHTSA ODI 11482126

The contact owns a 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact stated that upon entering her vehicle, the windshield started to shatter at the bottom of the driver’s side windshield, without incident. Over the next few days, two more spider-web shaped cracks had formed at the bottom, mid-section of the windshield, also without incident. The contact stated that the cracks had started to expand to the top of the windshield, obstructing her vison while driving. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer had been notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 60,500.

NHTSA ODI 11480262

The contact owns a 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE450. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact stated that excessive force was needed to maneuver the vehicle. The power steering malfunction warning light was illuminated. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a certified mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V241000 (Steering). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the Year/Make/Model was not included in the recall. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000.

NHTSA ODI 11479934

Shifter and speed control car goes into nuetral instead of drive. The car excessively breaks when not necessary. Car stalling and locking steering wheel constant clicking after driving coming from the fuel tank. I use premium gas always the best quality. Problems with the control modules saying transmission not in park will roll away but car is in park the car automatically going into modes without prompt showing on dash. Tow engaging without print. It’s ver scary. Please fix these glitches. My car was off the road by and in safe driver as I got back into the road m. Thus is hie The accident Happened my car locked and cut off ion the road and when I tried to turn my steering wheel I was hit. My car stalled and steeering wheel locked.

NHTSA ODI 11479861

Sometime when I press on the gas. It does a hard shift gear change. Feel like I got kicked by a horse in the rear. I have changed out front and rear differential gear oil and I changed out the transmission fluid and filter. It still does it. I'm thinking it's something in the ECM or TCM firmware since the dealer refuse to update the firmware for me. I'm leaning towards a firmware issue since I'm outdated (never been updated).

NHTSA ODI 11471973

The passenger side door won't open or lock automatically

NHTSA ODI 11459113

02/2022 I have a 2016 GLE 350 with 31,000 miles. Safety issue: steering column sensor has failed thus blind spot assist does not work. Also turn signals periodically do not work. Functionality usually restores if car shut-off & re-started. Then fails again later at varying intervals.

NHTSA ODI 11451374

The contact owns a 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH and depressing the brake pedal while approaching a traffic light, the vehicle independently shifted into park and seized. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and drove to a nearby gas station. The contact was able to drive to his residence. The contact stated that he had experiencedd the failure six additional times. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The dealer stated they would call him back when they had a loaner vehicle available. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer but was unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not repaired but was pending repairs. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 27,000.

NHTSA ODI 11445138

Fuel injection system causing stalling on the road

NHTSA ODI 11440786

On September 26th, 2021 I was reversing out a parking space, the rear camera was engaged and the R indication in place. While halfway out of the parking space the vehicle accelerated hitting another vehicle. The brakes would not engage to slow or stop the vehicle, I had to slip the gear into park to have the vehicle come to a completed stop. the accident was report to the insurance company and information was exchanged due to the location. Six months prior, while my daughter was reversing off the drive, similar behavior occurred, where she did not feel comfortable driving the car and parked it onto the driveway. I do not know if there's a recall or any other additional reports. please advise of the next steps in filing a complaint or opening a case.

NHTSA ODI 11439342