What 73 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Mercedes-benz Gle-class Hybrid

While traveling at approximately 45 MPH in multi-lane highway traffic, WITHOUT WARNING the vehicle's power steering suddenly failed. Concurrently a red display message appeared in the instrument cluster stating "Power Steering Malfunction - See Owner's Manual". ALL steering assistance was lost at that point and the vehicle had to be maneuvered with great effort out of traffic to a safe offroad location. Vehicle is a 2017 Mercedes GLE 350 (166 chassis) with 22,000 miles. Initial inspection of the vehicle by a Mercedes mechanic revealed a fault in the EPS (electrical power steering), and the presence of fault code P063500. Subsequent inspection of the vehicle by the local Mercedes dealer revealed the same fault code along with the advisory that the vehicle is "technically not safe to drive..." and that a new electric power steering rack is required. Service advisor further offered the comment that "1-2 vehicles present like this monthly." Online search of Mercedes Xentry Tips for fault code P063500 reveals topic number LI46.35-P-0555436 (dated 01-12-2017), with the acknowledgement of power steering malfunction occurrences in model 204, 207 and 212 vehicles. No reference is made to model 166 vehicles. Mention is made of performing a software update of the electric power steering control unit via "Adaptations" in the 204, 207 and 212 vehicles.

NHTSA ODI 11532310

My sunroof exploded for no reason. There was no accident or impact. The car was stationary and the glass just blew out.

NHTSA ODI 11519540

This letter is an attempt to connect to the correct channels seeking resolution regarding a recent recall. My 2017 Mercedes GLE350 stalled in the rain and I subsequently had to get it towed to the dealership for repairs. And upon completion of the repairs, I received a recall notice about the specific issue that was just addressed. Pursuant to the recall notice, I sought a reimbursement for the repairs in which I was directed to Mercedes Customer Care and received a case number. The dealership is being a little hard-nosed regarding the reimbursement so I’m seeking recourse through official channels. I’ve attached the recall notice, invoice of repairs, and all other pertinent information regarding this issue. An expedient resolution would be greatly appreciated. Thank you and looking forward to hearing from you.

NHTSA ODI 11510233

The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact stated that the front passenger’s side seat belt malfunction warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing an unknown sensor to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V251000 (Seat Belts) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11505972

The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLE550E. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, an unknown message was displayed. The contact pulled over, and the vehicle was towed to his residence. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, and it was confirmed that no failure was found. The vehicle was then taken to Mercedes-Benz of Anaheim (5395 E La Palma Ave, Anaheim, CA 92807) where it was diagnosed with a transmission fluid leak. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to House of Imports (6862 Auto Center Dr, Buena Park, CA 90621) and the transmission was repaired; however, while pulling into his driveway, the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration and crashed into the garage. No warning lights were illuminated. No air bags were deployed. No police report was filed. No injuries were sustained. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 11501056

With my foot on the brake,the car suddenly revved up and accelerated into my garage taking the garage door and the store belongings inside.i have video and pictures of the tire marks when I stepped harder on the brake to stop the acceleration.The transmission on the car had works done by two Mercedes Benz dealers and service personnel indicated the manufacturer has stopped making this hybrid model due to multiple problems. This car while driving on the freeway at 70 mi per hour suddenly flased a dashboard warning that say "start engine or the connections will shut down".Since it is middle of the night I had to exit t t he freeway and call a tow truck because I felt the car will stall for it happened once before.The dealer checked the car and said nothing is wrong with t h e car.I feel totally unsafe driving this car for fear of injury yo myself or to others I have videos and pictures to support this incident

NHTSA ODI 11501049

The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the message "Power Steering Malfunction. See Operator Manual" was displayed. The steering became extremely difficult to turn. The contact was unable to maneuver the steering wheel and stopped the vehicle. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road with the assistance of a bystander who drove the vehicle. The contact stated that upon turning off and restarting the vehicle, the warning message disappeared, and the vehicle regained power steering functionality. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to her residence; however, the failure reoccurred while driving. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the actuator module and the steering rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact was awaiting a call back from the manufacturer. The failure mileage was approximately 11,000. The contact stated that the manufacturer did not offer much help. The dealer eventually offered to help pay for half of the cost and repairs were made.

NHTSA ODI 11493123

The vehicle only has about 10K+ miles but encountered "Power Steering Malfunction See Operator’s Manual" error message, and then the Power Steering stopped working, became stiff, and could not be moved. The vehicle got stuck in the mid of the road becoming very dangerous for the driver, passengers, and all other moving vehicles on the road too. The vehicle was taken to a dealer who said that the Powering Steer Rack was not working and needed to be replaced. The cost is about $7000. Mercedes had multiple recalls for very similar Power Steer problems in the past a few years including vehicles made in the same year as mine (2017). However they never included the GLE model in their recalls in the past. Apparently GLE was affected by the wide-spread Power Steer Malfunction problem which they already knew about.

NHTSA ODI 11491825

The sunroof exploded spontaneously and shattered without warning while driving on a highway (I20 ) from Tyler TX to DFW airport around 10 AM bright sunny Tuesday morning.I was terrified and now feeling unsafe to drive this car with this kind of unsafe sunroof product henceforth. I called Mercedes Benz USA and said the car is out of warranty and did not want to check and investigate this safety failure and be responsible to make good to replace the sunroof in order to ensure it is safe to drive this car again. We want to report this incident to you. We also informed them that there were previous same issue of there older model but they said there is nothing they can do. They are not interested in investigating this safety issue either.

NHTSA ODI 11486008

The brakes, possibly including the brake boosters, failed on the 2017 GLE SUV on 7/19/22. The car would not stop and crashed into a brick wall. Mercedes currently has a recall for the brake boosters for models similar to mine but not my model year. The recall should include the 2017 GLE models as well. The public and drivers are at risk for injury, including death. The car is available for inspection. It currently is housed at an insurance repair shop. No warning lamps illuminated to alert that the brakes were failing.

NHTSA ODI 11474904

We purchased a used 2017 GLE 350 two years ago from a Mercedes dealership. The first year or so I had not driven it at night as during Covid when we did go out after dark we usually took my husband’s vehicle and he drove. When I finally did drive the GLE at night I found that I had trouble seeing the road at any reasonable distance from the front of the car and that there is almost no illumination of the roadside even very close to the vehicle. When I mentioned this to my husband he said he had not had an issue with it but since I did we would take it to the dealership and have the headlights checked. At this point I’ve driven it quite a few times at night and know that if I was on an unfamiliar road with no roadside lighting it would be dangerous to drive, consequently I’m afraid to drive my own car at night. We have taken the car to the dealership with this complaint and they “adjusted” the headlights which made no difference I could perceive. As this is dangerous I think it’s ludicrous for such an expensive vehicle made by a company I’ve previously trusted to look out for our safety to produce vehicles with sub- standard exterior lighting thereby creating such unsafe conditions. I’ve finally done some research on your website, the Mercedes site, as well as other sites I found using Google and am shocked to find out that this issue has been reported both to you and to MB multiple times and that nothing has been done because the lights are “within, if barely, limitations”. We’ve now phoned the dealer to see if there is something they can do such as change to different bulbs and they are going to get back to us with a price to upgrade the lights. It’s sad that my previous vehicles, a 2014 GLK and a Nissan Maxima’s headlights were far superior to the 2017 GLE. When will you take steps to address this issue? How many accidents have to happen before someone forces MB to do something to correct this unsafe condition?

NHTSA ODI 11457340

The sunroof rails are damage from wind force while driving. Sunroof is unusable and not covered by warranty. Cheap plastic parts used. Heard of issues where sunroof flipped back. Now am paranoid to use it. There are so many reports available online of problems that there should be a recall.

NHTSA ODI 11456380

I have a 2017 Mercedes AMG GLE 43 Coupe SUV. In just over a year both my rear OE Cross Contact LX Sport 315/40R-21 111 H Continental tires have blown out while driving. This past Christmas the 2nd one blew at highway speed limit (55-60 MPH) almost causing a tragic accident to my family. One tire had apprx 32K miles and the 2nd apprx 39K. Both tires disintegrated around the inside rims. I was unaware of any recall of some Continental tires at the time and can't find my tires on the list and understand the deadline was last August '21. Without knowing of the recall I subsequently purchased 2 OE replacement tires at a installed cost of about $700. The tire shop that installed the new tires stated it looked to be a manufacturing issue. While the tires were removed and I assume recycled or something by the tire shop, I do have a few pictures of the damage. I have also submitted a complaint today to Continental Customer Service.

NHTSA ODI 11446217

The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the contact felt a slight hesitation upon depression of the accelerator pedal without warning. The contact had taken the vehicle to independent mechanic who informed her that the brake calipers on the rear driver’s and passenger’s side were worn and needed to be replaced. The contact then took the vehicle to the dealer where a diagnostic test was performed, and the mechanic confirmed the failure. The vehicle remained in the dealer possession. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided the contact a case number. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 47,000.

NHTSA ODI 11438854

The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the contact felt a slight hesitation upon depression of the accelerator pedal without warning. The contact had taken the vehicle to independent mechanic who informed her that the brake calipers on the rear driver’s and passenger’s side were worn and needed to be replaced. The contact then took the vehicle to the dealer where a diagnostic test was performed, and the mechanic confirmed the failure. The vehicle remained in the dealer possession. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided the contact a case number. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 47,000.

NHTSA ODI 11438856

The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the contact felt a slight hesitation upon depression of the accelerator pedal without warning. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who informed her that the brake calipers on the rear driver’s and passenger’s side were worn and needed to be replaced. The contact then took the vehicle to the dealer where a diagnostic test was performed, and the failure was confirmed. The vehicle remained in the possession of the dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and was provided a case number. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 47,000.

NHTSA ODI 11438857

The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V058000 (Communication, Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was not contacted. The contact had not experienced a failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the part was not available. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI 11430542

My vehicle has 23,000 miles of highway miles and Premature brake pad wear. Also, check the brake pad wear message on display. The brake pads shouldn't wear that early and there may be a possible issue with the electric brake system.

NHTSA ODI 11421090

on Several occasions while either backing into my drive way, parking stall or out into the roadway, when i shifted the vehicle into gear, either Drive or reverse, the vehicle failed to do either. I had to turn off the vehicle and restart in order to have it change gear. This was dangerous as when the vehicle failed it was in the line of traffic flow and if another vehicle had not seen me in time it would have caused a collision. Component has not been inspected by police or insurance as of yet but I do have it into Mercedes dealer for inspection as of right now There were no warning lamps or alerts lit at the time or before the failure I Purchased the vehicle in Texas in 2017 while I lived there, but I have in the last couple months relocated to Canada so I provided my old address associated with the vehicle and the Mercedes customer database, but I do not have a home in Canada as of yet and I am staying with relatives. Their address is [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI 11420415

The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 21V058000 (Communication, Electrical system). The contact called the local dealer and it was confirmed that they could not service the recall due to the software update being an over the air update. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and referred the contact back to the dealer. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI 11420185

The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact received a notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V058000 (Communication, Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part was not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and stated that the over-the-air software update would be available in one to two weeks. The contact called back after two weeks and was informed that the over-the-air software update was still unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI 11419313

SOFTWARE DESIGN OF THE COMMUNICATION MODULE MAY FAIL TO COMMUNICATE THE CORRECT VEHICLE LOCATION FOR THE EMERGENCY CALL SYSTEM ("ECALL") IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. NHTS RECALL NUMBER 21V058, MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER 2021030015.

NHTSA ODI 11415811

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 MERCEDES-BENZ GLE350. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 21V058000 (COMMUNICATION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. ASTORG AUTO OF CHARLESTON (5 DUDLEY FARMS LN, CHARLESTON, WV 25309, (304)746-0500) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11404805

THE HEADLIGHTS ON THIS 2017 MB GLE350 ARE A HAZARD. THEY DO NOT LIGHT UP THE ROAD WAY IN THE DARK AND ESPECIALLY IN THE RAIN. CURVY AND UNKNOWN ROADS ARE TREACHEROUS UNLESS THERE IS A CAR IN FRONT LEADING THE WAY. WE ARE NO LONGER DRIVING THIS CAR AT NIGHT. UNFORTUNATELY, I MUST DRIVE IT TO WORK IN THE DARK IN THE MORNINGS. THE DEALERSHIP, FELIX SABATES IN CHARLOTTE, NC, WILL NOT DO ANY FIX TO THE HEADLIGHTS. APPARENTLY WHEN WE BOUGHT THE CAR WE NEEDED TO PAY EXTRA FOR THE LIGHT PACKAGE THAT WORKS WHICH WAS NOT DISCUSSED OR OFFERED. THEY KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE LIGHTS BUT THEY ARE NOT ADDRESSING IT.

NHTSA ODI 11308730

SHATTERED PANORAMIC SUNROOF

NHTSA ODI 11302179