What 56 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Mercedes-benz Gle-class Hybrid

The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in a pharmacy parking lot with the hold feature engaged, the driver released the brake pedal. Immediately afterward, the vehicle suddenly accelerated forward approximately 75 feet. The driver attempted to stop the vehicle by depressing the brake pedal; however, the brakes failed to respond. The vehicle continued moving, went over a curb, into a ditch, up a hill, and through a cement block wall before coming to an abrupt stop 5 feet from a house. The driver sustained arm and shoulder injuries, including emotional trauma, and was transported by ambulance to a hospital for medical treatment. The air bags deployed during the crash. There was no reported fire. A police report was filed, and the vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The driver attempted to contact a local dealer but did not receive a response. The vehicle has not yet been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 91,000.

NHTSA ODI 11723339

I WRITE YOU TO REPORT A SERIOUS MERCEDES BENZ SAFETY HAZARD. THE GLE 43 WITH PIRELLI PZERO TIRES RESPONDS ADVERSELY (WITHOUT REASONABLE CONTROL) IN SNOWY CONDITIONS. IN EVEN MILDLY SNOWY CONDITIONS, THE TIRES PLANE ON THE SNOW AND ACT MORE AS SKIS THAN TIRES. IN 2018, AFTER LEASING MY GLE 43 I EXPERIENCED LOSS OF CONTROL, SLIDING SIDEWAYS, WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT 5-10 MPH IN A PARKING LOT. FOLLOWING THAT EXPERIENCE I PURCHASED SNOW TIRES AND THE CAR HANDLED MUCH MORE FAVORABLY. IN 2018 WHEN I LEASED THE CAR, I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT ONLY THE SPORT TIRES WERE AVAILABLE FOR THE SIZE TIRE I REQUESTED. CLEARLY I WAS ABLE TO PURCHASE SNOW TIRES THE SAME YEAR AND I SUSPECT, BUT HAVE NOT CONFIRMED, ALL WEATHER TIRES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE. MERCEDES MISTAKENLY DID NOT OFFER (OR MAKE THE STANDARD) ALL WEATHER TIRES. THIS WAS A SERIOUS SAFETY MISTAKE WITH THE GLE 43. ON 07 SEP OF THIS YEAR (2020), DRIVING EAST ON I-70 IN COLORADO DURING A MILD SNOW STORM, I WAS REQUIRED TO COME TO A TRAFFIC STOP. CONDITIONS OFFERED AMPLE ROAD TO STOP. THE GLE SPEED WAS ~40-50 MPH WHEN I APPLIED BREAKS TO STOP THE CAR. INSTEAD OF RESPONDING WITH CONTROL, THE GLE FISHTAILED AND SPUN OUT OF CONTROL. I FINALLY SLID TO A STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THREE LANES OF STOPPED TRAFFIC AFTER AT LEAST ONE 360 DEGREE SPIN. MY FAMILY AND I WERE FORTUNATE TO HAVE ESCAPED INJURY OR DEATH. OTHERS AROUND US COULD HAVE ALSO BEEN INJURED OR KILLED. THE GLE'S PERFORMANCE WITH PIRELLI PZERO TIRES WAS ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE. I BELIEVE MERCEDES BENZ SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THIS SAFETY CONCERN AND TAKE REASONABLE STEPS TO PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING TO OTHERS. SPECIFICALLY, I REQUEST THE FOLLOWING: 'MAKE THE PIRELLI PZERO SAFETY CONCERN IN WINTER CONDITIONS KNOWN TO ALL GLE OWNERS AND OFFER ALTERNATE TIRES 'REPLACE THE TIRES ON MY GLE WITH ACCEPTABLE ALL WEATHER TIRES 'REPAIR THE DAMAGE CAUSED TO

NHTSA ODI 11355025

CAR WAS STOPPED IN THE PARKING LOT,AND JUST BEFORE SWITCHING THE IGNITION OFF,IT ACCELERATED WITHOUT INTENTION, HITTING THE RESTAURANT WALL CAUSING PROPERTY DAMAGE AND LITTLE PHYSICAL INJURY. AFTER HITTING THE WALL CAR STOPPED WITH MAJOR DAMAGE TO FRONT. AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED.

NHTSA ODI 11172997

CRUISE CONTROL SPEED CANNOT BE CLEARED UNLESS CAR IS STOPPED AND ENGINE TURNED OFF. ONCE SPEED IS SET, THE CRUISE CONTROL CAN BE DISENGAGED, BUT THE SPEED SET CANNOT BE CANCELED. EXAMPLE, SPEED IS SET AT 65MPH. IF CRUISE CONTROL IS DISENGAGED, AND THEN ENGAGED AGAIN, IT WILL AUTOMATICALLY ACCELERATE TO 65MPH. THE ONLY WAY TO DECREASE SPEED IS TO REPEATEDLY TAP THE LEVER TO DECREASE SPEED BY 5MPH/TAP. THIS IS UNSAFE AND VERY DISCONCERTING IF YOU ARE TRYING TO SET THE CRUISE FOR A LOWER SPEED SPEED THAN PREVIOUSLY SET. I CONFIRMED THIS PROBLEM TO MERCEDES ON AUGUST 10, 2018.

NHTSA ODI 11128546

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 MERCEDES-BENZ GLE550E. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS OUT OF A PARKING LOT, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED TO THE RIGHT AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE BY FORCEFULLY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF CORAL GABLES (300 ALMERIA AVE, CORAL GABLES, FL 33134, (305) 445-8593) WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST FOUND NO FAILURE WITH THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 8,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11098754

WHILE PARKING CAR IN A PARKING SPOT IN PRIVATE OFFICE PARKING, THE CAR ACCELERATED ITSELF (WHILE PRESSING THE BRAKE TO STOP IT) AND RAN INTO FRONT WALL. THIS SIMILAR PROBLEM HAS SHOWN EARLIER WHERE CAR ACCELERATED ITSELF WITHOUT CAUSING ANY ACCIDENT. APPARENTLY PROBLEM EXIST WHERE CAR SOMETIME ACCELERATE ITSELF. LAST TIME ACCELERATION CAUSE CRASH INTO FRONT WALL WITH SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE CAR. NOW CAR IS AT BODY SHOP FOR REPAIR. CAR WAS HEADING STRAIGHT INTO GLASS WINDOW BUT DRIVER TURNED THE WHEEL TO RIGHT TO SAVE GLASS WINDOW AND DIRECTED TOWARD THE PILLAR. AS THIS CAN BE SEEN IN THE PICTURE. THIS IS THE REASON FOR THE CRASH TO BE AT AN ANGLE, THIS WAS DONE TO AVOID CRASHING INTO BUILDING WINDOWS AND INJURING INHABITANT OF THE BUILDING.

NHTSA ODI 11093754