What 122 owners told NHTSA about the 2020 Mercedes-benz GLE

The contact owns a 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE450. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V354000 (Back Over Prevention, Electrical System) however, the over-the-air software update was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and it was confirmed that the software update was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI 11451827

48 V BATTERY MALFUNCTIONED, I WAS ADVISED THAT IT WAS NOT CHARGING. WHICH LED TO ADDITIONAL MESSAGES INCLUDING THE CAR WAS NOW OVERHEATING, TO PULL THE CAR OVER AND NOT DRIVE IT. AT THAT POINT I LOST ENGINE POWER AND WAS UNABLE TO EVEN DRIVE THE CAR UP A SLIGHT HIM.

NHTSA ODI 11449255

The contact leased a 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE450. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and yielding to make a right turn, the vehicle would shut off with several warning lights illuminated. The contact also stated that the “Active blind spot assist inoperable" and "Inoperable - See Owner’s Manual" appeared on the instrument panel. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer on several occasions however, the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 5,000

NHTSA ODI 11437650

When my wife got into vehicle first thing in the morning after it sitting all night in the garage, she smelled a foul smell. As she was driving, she opened all the windows to dissipate the smell and turned in the heater because wit was cold that morning. After about ten to twelve minutes of driving, she noticed the check engine light came on and the car started shaking. She pulled over and exited vehicle. As soon as she got out the vehicle started smoking and caught fire. The vehicle is a total loss.

NHTSA ODI 11435476

BOUGHT A DEALER OWNED MERCEDES GLE 350 WITH 8500 MILES ON IT IN NOVEMBER 2020. IN FEW DAYS WE TOOK BACK THE CAR TO GET THINGS FIXED, WHICH WE NOTICED. WE WERE TOLD, AS DID NOT BUY A NEW CAR WE HAVE TO BEAR WITH FEW ISSUES. WE LEASED THE CAR AND WANTED TO BE SURE THAT WE DO NOT GET INTO A PROBLEM BECAUSE OF THE ISSUES WHICH WE INHERITED, WE PUT THE PROBLEMS ON RECORD. UPON COMPLETION OF 10,000 MILES, CAR WAS DROPPED FOR SERVICE AND ATTENDING RECALLS ON FEBRUARY 10TH. 2021. IT TOOK MORE THAN 20 DAYS FOR COMPLETING THE UPDATE OF SOFTWARE, FOR WHICH WHOLE DASHBOARD DISPLAY WAS REPLACED AND HAD TO BE IMPORTED FROM GERMANY, FINALLY I GOT THE CAR BACK ON MARCH 2ND, 2021. APRIL 23RD, 2021, WHILE GOING OUT FOR DINNER, FELT SOME VIBRATION AS IF CAR IS RUNNING AT THE EDGE OF THE ROAD. I THOUGHT I HIT A NAIL OR SOMETHING AND GOT A FLAT TIRE, I SUDDENLY APPLIED BREAK, LUCKILY CAR BEHIND ME DID NOT HIT ME FORM THE BACK, I ALSO HEARD SOME RUBBING NOISE FROM THE BACK OF THE CAR. NEXT DAY EARLY MORNING I TOOK THE CAR TO THE SERVICE, I DID FEEL THE INTERMITTENT VIBRATION AND RUBBING NOISE WHEN I DROVE TO THE SERVICE. TODAY ON APRIL 28TH. 2021, I AM INFORMED THAT DRIVE SHAFT NEEDS REPLACEMENT, AND IT HAS TO COME FROM GERMANY AND WILL TAKE 10 -12 DAYS. I AM ADVISED TO TAKE MY CAR BACK AND BRING BACK ONCE THE PART ARRIVES. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN DOING SO AND WANT TO SEEK YOUR OPINION. IS IT SAFE , DID I LAND UP GETTING A LEMON CAR?

NHTSA ODI 11414342

DISPLAY INDICATED 'SYSTEM SUSPENDED' TWICE TODAY. CONCERNED ? BUT SUV DROVE FINE

NHTSA ODI 11404691

WHILE DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT AT A LOW SPEED MY CAR TURNED OFF BY ITSELF I KEPT PUSHING ON THE ACCELERATOR BUT I REALIZED THE CAR IS NOT MOVING, IT HAD SHOT OFF BY ITSELF. I TURNED THE CAR ON MANUALLY AND THEN WORKED. IT WAS A TERRIFYING SITUATION. I KEPT THINKING WHAT IF I WAS ON THE FREEWAY AND MY CAR HAD TURNED OFF WHILE THE MOVING TRAFFIC WAS ABOUT 70 MILES. I CONTACTED MERCEDEZ BEZ AND I WAS TOLD IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A GLICH AND THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE IT. I FEEL THAT IS A VERY DANGEROUS GLICH.

NHTSA ODI 11386822

WARNING LIGHT "COOLANT TOO HOT SHUT ENGINE OFF" COMES ON REPEATEDLY AND THIS IS UNABLE TO BE FIXED. LIGHT COMES ON WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. WAS TOLD BY MERCEDES THIS WAS A FAULTY WARNING LIGHT. YESTERDAY THIS CAME ON AND MY ENGINE SHUT ITSELF OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A BUSY STREET. I WAS ALMOST HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AS I LOST POWER TO THE CAR ON A MAIN ROAD. I BARELY ROLLED INTO A PARKING LOT. COULD HAVE BEEN A HORRIBLE (FATAL) DISASTER HAD I BEEN ON THE FREEWAY. "MALFUNCTION" "SEE OPERATOR'S MANUAL" AND "48V BATTERY SEE OPERATORS MANUAL" ALL CAME ON WITHIN RAPID SUCCESSION BEFORE THE ENGINE SHUT OFF ON ME.

NHTSA ODI 11365446

SUDDEN ACCELERATION - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURES- 1) 03/21/20 COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE - ALL WARNING LIGHTS, EXTERIOR LIGHTS & BRAKE LIGHTS STUCK ON, THEN WOULD NOT START AFTER LOCAL SHOPPING TRIP-ODOMETER 754 MILES - VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER - 'REPROGRAMMED'. 2) 06/18/20 ACTIVE SPEED CONTROL-CRUISE CONTROL (WHICH READS SPEED LIMIT SIGNS AND ADJUSTS SPEED) WAS SET AT 50 MPH - SUDDENLY BEGAN TO ACCELERATE TO 80 MPH. ODOMETER 1641 MILES. 3) ACTIVE SPEED LIMIT CONTROL OFTEN READS FRONTAGE ROAD SPEED LIMIT SIGNS WHILE ON MAIN HIGHWAY, INITIATING BRAKING. 4) ACTIVE SPEED CONTROL WHEN ON CRUISE CONTROL WILL APPLY BRAKES WHEN USING TURN SIGNAL FOR LANE CHANGES. 08/31/20-09/04/2020 RETURNED TO DEALER- ODOMETER 2361-'REPROGRAMMED'. 5) 09/19/20 ACTIVE SPEED LIMIT CONTROL SET AT 15 MPH SUDDENLY BEGAN TO ACCELERATE TO 80 MPH. ODOMETER 2512. WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL BY BRAKE APPLICATION TO RELEASE CRUISE CONTROL AFTER VEHICLE INITIATED HARD ACCELERATION WITHOUT ANY DRIVER INPUT AND HAD REACHED 30-35 MPH. SAME AS 06/18/20 SIMILAR INCIDENT. DEALER WAS ADVISED AND 'UPDATED SOFTWARE' MERCEDES BENZ-GRAPEVINE, TX INVOICE 511097. MERCEDES GLE 450 DATE OF MFG. 10JAN2020 - LEASED 25JAN 2020.

NHTSA ODI 11360596

DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH AND '48V BATTERY MALFUNCTION' WARNING GOES OFF, ALONG WITH A YELLOW CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. A FEW SECONDS LATER A 'COOLANT' ERROR MESSAGE POPS UP AND A RED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. CAR LOOSES POWER COMPLETELY AND I'M UNABLE TO ACCELERATE AT ALL. CALL FLASHES A MESSAGE OF 'PULL OVER AND TURN THE ENGINE OFF'. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME AND I WAS ABLE TO COAST SAFELY TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY BEFORE THE CAR STALLED COMPLETELY. FOUND OUT THROUGH SEVERAL BLOG POSTS MULTIPLE OTHER 2020 GLE OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME SAFETY ISSUE AND THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL BY MERCEDES-BENZ AND NO RESOLUTION FOR THE ISSUE. VEHICLES ARE SPENDING MONTHS IN THE SHOP AND EVENTUALLY BEING BOUGHT BACK BY THE MANUFACTURER OR DEALERSHIP. THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS ISSUE TO LOSE ALL POWER AND CONTROL OF THE VEHICLES SPEED. I'M LUCKY NO ONE WAS ON THE ROAD NEAR ME WHEN THIS HAPPENED, OTHERWISE AN ACCIDENT ALMOST SURELY WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. MERCEDES SHOULD BE FORCED TO ADDRESS THIS SAFETY ISSUE IMMEDIATELY.

NHTSA ODI 11352040

HAVE HAD INTO DEALERSHIP MULTIPLE TIMES FOR RADIO/BACKUP CAMERA /NAVIGATION SCREEN GOES BLANK AND DOES NOT APPEAR FOR SOMETIMES UP TO 1-2 DAYS CAR HAD BEEN TURNED OFF PRIOR. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11325183

COMMAND CONTROL UNIT IS FAULTY AFFECTING NAVIGATION, VOICE CONTROL, BLUETOOTH, AND VEHICLE APPS. ISSUE WAS PRESENT AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE AND SERVICE TECHNICIANS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THE ISSUES FOR OVER A MONTH. ISSUES ARE PRESENT WHEN BOTH STATIONARY AND DRIVING. MAY AFFECT OTHER ELECTRICAL AND DRIVING SYSTEMS.

NHTSA ODI 11233002