Home · 2020 Mercedes-benz GLE · Complaints

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

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (122)Crash / fire / injury (4)Engine (43)Electrical system (37)Speed control (15)Transmission & drivetrain (9)Driver assistance (8)Brakes (7)Fuel system (7)Backup camera & sensors (5)Lane Departure (5)Visibility & wipers (5)

7 of 122 complaints match · Fuel system · clear filters

May 23, 2026Electrical systemEngineFuel system

We were traveling to our son’s college graduation, driving on a rural interstate and suddenly all of the vehicle’s warning lights lit on the dash and the car started losing, and then completely lost power. The car was no longer operational. We were stranded on the roadside of a remote but busy 2-lane interstate for 2 hours until a tow truck could arrive and take the car to the closest car repair shop which was 45 minutes away. This was an incredibly dangerous situation and we were fortunate to be alongside the shoulder, although we were still close to the tractor trailers and cars on the interstate. (Because we were stranded in such a remote place, we had no other options to get to our son’s graduation. We were unable to attend because of this.) The rural repair shop the car was initially towed to could not determine the problem. A few days later we found a 2nd tow truck that agreed to bring the vehicle several hundreds of miles back to our home city. This car is a 2020 model, and has around 55,000 miles. It has been meticulously maintained by a certified Mercedes mechanic. There were no issues with the car and no indication that there might be a problem. Our mechanic has thoroughly inspected the vehicle and said that the engine has completely seized and the only option is to replace it. We have no idea why this happened. If requested, the vehicle is available for inspection.

NHTSA ODI 11739738

Dec 30, 2025Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemFuel system

After starting my vehicle and placing it into drive, a warning message appeared on the dashboard stating, “Vehicle warning Do not continue to drive,” indicating that the vehicle would be unable to move forward or in reverse. Immediately following the warning, the vehicle lost all ability to move in either direction while other vehicles were approaching, creating a hazardous situation placing my safety at risk. I was required to keep my foot on the brake and ultimately place the vehicle in the park position. The vehicle was subsequently towed to the dealership. Following diagnostic testing, the dealership confirmed a transmission solenoid valve fault in the control unit and recommended replacement of the transmission valve body and park pawl solenoid, along with a transmission service. The condition was confirmed by the dealership, and there were no warning messages, indicator lights, or symptoms prior to the sudden failure.

NHTSA ODI 11707704

Oct 17, 2025Fuel system

The contact owns a 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the fuel pump. The vehicle was repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V445000 (Fuel System, Gasoline), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 79,000.

NHTSA ODI 11694138

May 29, 2025Fuel system

Strong raw gasoline odor in cabin, making passengers “light headed”. Called dealer about a fuel system recall on this model however they said my vin number didn’t fall under the recall.. no warning lights are on

NHTSA ODI 11663764

Oct 25, 2024EngineFuel system

Campaign No. 2022030003, April 2022 My vehicle is experiencing the exact same issues, but the VIN was not tagged as one of the affected.

NHTSA ODI 11621997

Dec 27, 2023Fuel system

The contact owns a 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE450. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling in traffic, the check engine and battery warning lights illuminated along with the message to "Do not Drive Vehicle". The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed and determined that the fuel tank and fuel delivery module was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V572000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 29,201.

NHTSA ODI 11562001

Oct 4, 2021Electrical systemEngineFuel systemFire

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

Working with the data? Download all 122 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 19, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2020 Mercedes-benz GLE verdict →