What 30 owners told NHTSA about the 2024 Mercedes-benz GLE Phev

Around 4pm 2/26/2026 my wife was driving southbound on I-65 around Middle River Bridge just north of Mobile AL. We were in the right lane when the car began to hydroplane; she immediately took her foot off of the accelerator and did not apply breaks. I was in the back seat due to a previous day surgery. The rear of the vehicle swayed back and forth a few times as the vehicle drifted. Then it was violently moved from one side of the lane to the other and eventually into a hard and distinct left hand 720 spin. We then collided into the concrete barrier next to the left hand lane. It was intense but a glancing blow mostly on the driver’s side. The spin ended with us pointing northbound in the left lane. Just as I thought the crash was over the car lunged in the forward direction like it was going to take off and quickly came to a stop. The weather was very hard rain and my wife was slowing for traffic ahead (which turned out to be another accident going up the General W.K. Wilson Jr. Bridge. Incredibly the car was still running and I was able to slowly drive to safety and not cause any further accidents. Later in the evening (screen shot shows 6:42pm) after reporting to my insurance I looked on Google maps to find the approximate area our crash occurred I could see another accident happened with a significant backup of traffic. I believe the lane assist and brake assist tried to correct the drifting and over corrected the vehicle into a spin. Lane assist in the 2024 Mercedes-Benz 450GLE is difficult to turn off and comes back on with restarting the ignition. I could not turn off Ln Assist and stay off when I purchased the vehicle, so believed it would operated like my 2022 Ford F-150 which stays off. Neither Cruise control, or Self drive was engaged. I believed lane assist could not be turned off and there are no warnings issued by Mercedes-Benz of the potential hazard although I now find Lane Assist can definitely be linked to hydroplaning accidents

NHTSA ODI 11740606

I manually opened the power lift gate of my 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450. While loading items into the rear of the SUV, the power lift gate closed autonomously and without warning, striking me on the right side of my face and neck. No hands-free gesture was made. Key fob was secured in my purse (in shopping cart) at a distance and was not activated.The lift gate did not detect my presence and did not stop or reverse. The impact resulted in localized swelling and tenderness to my face/jaw area.

NHTSA ODI 11737948

My Mercedes Benz GLE450e Hybrid SUV has had a persistent but sporadic safety issue that suddenly causes the vehicle to go into "turtle mode" with a "performance extremely limited" warning when trying to accelerate quickly or sometimes when breaking quickly. In turtle mode, the car quickly loses acceleration, drops in speed and is then unable to accelerate properly. The sudden drop in speed and inability to accelerate causes a major safety issue while driving - particularly on roads with other vehicles also travelling at high speeds. Last Friday, I was driving with my family on Interstate 95 when a tractor trailer truck did not see me beside it and started to switch into my lane. I tried to quickly accelerate to get out of the way before it hit us but my car went into "turtle mode" and the speed suddenly dropped by 15 or 20mph and would no longer drive correctly. Luckily, I was in the right lane and able to swerve onto the shoulder of the highway and narrowly avoid the large truck. Otherwise, if I had been in a middle lane, I would have either been hit by the truck or likely hit another car next to me. This issue has been sporadically occurring with my car for about 5 months now. I have had it into the Mercedes dealer three times and, each time, they say they think they fixed the issue. But, each time the same issue has returned. They said that Mercedes USA knows it is a big issue with their new hybrid SUVs but Mercedes doesn't yet know how to fix the problem and has been unwilling to publicly acknowledge the problem or offer it's customers any assistance. Doing a quick Google search online for "Mercedes hybrid performance extremely limited" also quickly brings up different online forums where other owners of this same car have had the exact same issue that Mercedes has been unable to fix or resolve. Driving a car that can suddenly lose the ability to accelerate is a major safety hazard and I would sincerely appreciate if the NHTSA would help to address it

NHTSA ODI 11726723

12 V battery completely drained while in operation resulting in me being stranded and requiring the vehicle to be towed.

NHTSA ODI 11716938

We've had this car on lease for 23 months, and it has had an escalating pattern of electronic, mechanical and brake issues. Earlier today, on January 5, the car started to slow down and started shaking on the highway today and when I used the brakes the full body of the car started rattling and the brakes were far less responsive than they should have been taking far longer to decelerate than safe. There was an alarm with a turtle warning me to move over. On January 4, We parked our car in a parking lot and went into a store, when we returned all of the windows were lowered and the moonroof's window was also retracted. The car was beeping and making loud noises and then had issues starting. Prior to both of these issues, the car has taken to Mercedes repeatedly for locking passengers into the vehicle and blaring alarms, not allowing passengers to leave and the seatbelts will not retract. The airbag system has also malfunctioned during these periods. Mercedes has repeatedly been informed of these issues and has claimed that there were bugs in the car's code that they had fixed; however, each time they have fixed the issue a new issue has arisen. In late November 2025, a representative from Mercedes corporate asked for us to take the vehicle back to dealer for further inspection after which the dealership said they had carried out major updates and returned the car in early December. After that the car had been hardly driven until this week. This was the first major drive of over 60 miles.

NHTSA ODI 11708972

The panel between the windshield and the sunroof shattered with cracks going the full width of the roof at the top and bottom of the glass panel.

NHTSA ODI 11698792

There is a safety recall on prior models of the GLE Front stationery sunroof panel Campaign# 2021070010 NHTSA ID 21V197 Campaign desc 21P7790003 This is exactly what occurred to me on a 2024GLE 450 The glass panel between the windshield and the panoramic sunroof spontaneously shattered… Nothing hit it… It just spontaneously shattered.. Spontaneously shattering glass in an automobile is a safety concern In my opinion… There was no warning … no sound no nothing., no evidence of anything hitting my car nor that section of the roof There was no police report as I noticed the damage when I got to my destination… I immediately drove home so that the impending rain would not further damage any components and brought it to the Mercedes dealer to keep in the garage The vehicle is now at the dealership and they are not claiming any responsibility and want to charge me $600 to diagnose the problem… Clearly they are not helping

NHTSA ODI 11694478

The Mercedes GLE450 was stopped at a red light. When the light turned green, the driver entered the intersection. The automatic braking system engaged without reason (there was open road ahead), bringing the car to a sudden standstill. The driver accelerated again, but this time the car went backwards into the car behind him. The driver had not shifted into reverse. So the car both slammed on the brakes, and switched the transmission into reverse, without driver input. Mercedes-Benz USA conducted an investigation and produced data showing that the car shifted into reverse while it was driving forward; they claimed this was driver error. However, the dealer (and our own experience) says it is impossible to shift the car into reverse when it is driving forward; the car must be stopped before it can shift into reverse. We have asked them to explain this seeming incoherence in their explanation, but they have not responded. Our conclusion is that the car malfunctioned. We still have the dashcam footage recorded during the incident, if that is needed.

NHTSA ODI 11686212

On [XXX] the power lock system in my Mercedes auto locked itself with my key and phone inside the vehicle on a hot day with a baby secured in a rear car seat. I did not lock the vehicle or touch the door handle lock. This vehicle is designed to never lock with a key inside. Obviously, this was a life threatening situation as our area was experiencing record heat. Since my phone was also locked inside, I couldn't call for help & had to find a stranger to lend me a phone. Immediately after I took care of the baby & had help, I reported the incident immediately to the Mercedes Emergency Customer Care center via the SOS button in the vehicle. They told me I would hear from someone within 72 hours - it's now been 10+ days since the incident & no communication from Mercedes. The vehicle locked itself again without warning a few days ago but fortunately, there was an adult in the vehicle who was able to unlock it (and the driver had the key on hand outside the vehicle). We have owned 6 Mercedes vehicles - we are familiar with the auto lock system & this is not normal. Srvice is scheduled with the local dealer in Fredericksburg VA the week of July 16, 2025. There was no warning & no warning lights. Normally, the vehicle verbally alerts us when the key is left in the vehicle. In this case, the key was in my purse on the front passenger seat. All doors were unlocked when I placed the baby in her seat and closed the right passenger doors. I walked around to open the drivers side door when I discovered all doors were locked. The vehicle is designed to not be able to lock with a key inside. We have been unable to manually reproduce the incident which leads us to believe the problem is in the electronic coding and needs attention and service from the manufacturing level. This could have easily ended in a fatality. I do not want this to happen to anyone else. I submitted another complaint to Mercedes - this time via letter on their website. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11671574

The contact owns a 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE450. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH with the cruise control activated, the vehicle suddenly decelerated to 15 MPH. The contact became aware that the cruise control system had changed the set speed independently. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence, with the vehicle accelerating or decelerating independently. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to diagnose the failure. The contact was advised that the cruise control should not be activated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 1,500.

NHTSA ODI 11654957

The contact owns a 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact stated while driving at various speeds in the rain after purchasing the vehicle brand new, the windshield wipers failed to clean the windshield as needed while moving downward, creating reduced visibility of the roadway. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on two occasions. The dealer informed the contact that during the windshield's downward movement, water was pulled back onto the windshield from the A-pillars. The dealer advised the contact that it was a windshield wiper factory design defect and no technical remedy had been provided by the manufacturer currently. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was filed. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 0.

NHTSA ODI 11643854

At 3000K miles, vehicle spontaneously slowed from 60 mph to 10 mph with no warning. Message: PERFORMANCE EXTREMELY LIMITED, Engine light, turtle sign. Tractor trailer truck behind us swerved and narrowly avoided hitting our vehicle. Car towed to MB Dealership. Over 5 weeks, they were unable to replicate the problem, asked us to pick the vehicle up. (they claimed they consulted with MB engineers) One week after getting vehicle back, same incident occurred, also narrowly averting a MV accident. Vehicle towed to another dealership who finally after 2 months they stated that the vehicle is not reparable. MB is re-purchasing this vehicle, as there is a software issue they cannot repair. I have been made aware from Mercedes Benz dealership, that 100 or more of these vehicles have the exact same issue. There have been NO recalls. MB USA is not forthcoming with information. The problem is dangerous.

NHTSA ODI 11639956

"While driving on the highway, my new Mercedes GLE450e, it suddenly stalled, and a 'turtle' symbol appeared on the dashboard. This indicated that the vehicle had entered 'limp mode.' At that point, I lost acceleration and had minimal power, making it difficult to maneuver safely. The dealership claims they have fixed the issue, but I am reporting this as a safety concern in case it affects other vehicles."

NHTSA ODI 11639487

Message appears on dashboard stating “performance extremely limited” vehicle loses power and doesn’t allow you to accelerate properly. For example I stopped at a stop sign then turned onto 55mph road, message appeared. And vehicle wouldn’t accelerate above 35mph. Had to put hazards on to avoid other cars running into me from behind. The vehicle is currently in the Mercedes service department for the fourth time in two months because of this issue. They have had it for 19 days this visit and a total of 35 days for all 4 service visits. I was supposed to receive the vehicle back today after they replaced the second coolant system (I didn’t know there were two) but I received a call this morning stating the issue hasn’t been resolved with the coolant system replacements.

NHTSA ODI 11638221

On the 2024 Mercedes GLE 350, the speedometer/tachometer lighting does not dim to a safe or comfortable level during night driving. The dimmer switch functions between two levels of "bright and brighter" which affects night vision and makes it near impossible to see down the road. The lighting was tested by a Mercedes technician during the day, against another 2024 Mercedes. Mercedes corporate requested we schedule another appointment? which is on 20 DEC 24. We are requesting they use a "light meter/lux meter/illuminance meter" to determine the lumens per square inch or a photometer to measure the light intensity.

NHTSA ODI 11631436

Cracked glass roof panel between windshield and sunroof. Wind blow sound a little louder for several days and it cracked today when I drive on highway. It maybe dangerous if the entire panel fly away and hit cars behind.

NHTSA ODI 11629741

On [XXX] I was backing out of our driveway on a clear day. Normally the 2024 Mercedes Benz GLE 450e would beep when I get near an object in the back. This time, for some reason, there was no beeping or other audible or visual alert at all. As I was backing up, I was looking in the rear view while turning slightly. The rear of the GLE struck a mailbox that was installed in a large, half-wine barrel base. Bothe the wine barrel and the mailbox were hit with the rear of the GLE. In the past the reverse sensors have worked sometimes fine and sometimes they did not work at all. I have brought the GLE to the local Mercedes Benz dealer. They replicated the fault(finding the reverse sensor was not working) and then remedied by installing a software patch and other work described in the work order that I can send to NHTSA. This may be an ongoing issue with the GLS models or other Mercedes models. It is too soon know for sure if the remedy by the local dealer has fixed the reverse sensors issue. To be determined in an exact amount, the GLE suffered thousand dollars(likely above $ 5.000) worth of damage in body work and repairs to the rear as a result of the accident. No injuries fortunately. Please investigate if this is a safety recall or other remedies may be needed for the GLE to keep pedestrians and drivers safe. Thank you. Sincerely [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11629347

The contact owns a 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact stated while driving 80 MPH, the sunroof shattered without impact. The contact merged to the side of the road and immediately called 9.1.1. No injuries were sustained, and medical attention was not needed. The contact was giving a police service number. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 12,000.

NHTSA ODI 11615939

The contact owns a 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, the vehicle came to a sudden stop while approaching a puddle of water. The contact was thrown forward. There was an unknown warning light illuminated. The air bags did not deploy. The contact confirmed that there was no surrounding object that would have activated the Forward Collision Avoidance. The contact sustained injuries to her hand, finger, and nail but medical attention was not provided. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer informed her to disable the driver assist and that there was no error code since it does not record. The contact was concerned that the Forward Collision Avoidance would activate while driving on the highway and it could result in a crash. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 2,058.

NHTSA ODI 11612724

Every time I apply the brake pedal, it pops, like it’s going to either brake off or it’s loose somewhere. Every single time.

NHTSA ODI 11607755

The throttle pedal assembly is supposed to be bolted to the floor. Two studs are sticking up from the floor and the throttle pedal assembly fits over the two 6 mm studs. Two nuts might have been installed at the factory, but now they are no where to be found. The whole throttle pedal assembly is off the two studs and tilted sideways and very unstable. As the throttle can not be controlled by the driver, the vehicle is unsafe to operate.

NHTSA ODI 11593307

Hello, I am writing to inform the possible defective design of Mercedes Benz GLE 350 model. I had purchased new 2024, Mercedes Benz in September 2023. There is a issue with loud noise coming from back of car due to camera shutter opening and closing for no reason when car reaches under 16 miles/hour speed. This is very distracting besides being annoying as well. Camera shutter also makes loud noise when parking and reversing the car. There is a genuine issue with defective design of camera system located in trunk door in GLE 350. I Many other customers have expressed similar concerns online. I took my car to local dealer twice but told that this is a normal feature of car. I wrote several times to Mercedes Benz USA but company did not show any interest in looking at the issue. Large number of customers on line also have written up about this annoying features in many Mercedes Models. I am not sure if this right place to write this complaint. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11589868

Traffic Sign Assist does not display road signs or Speed Limit signs after purchasing $300 option

NHTSA ODI 11586214

While coming off the highway on an exit ramp, several car warnings/lights appeared and the car abruptly decelerated such that I could not drive more than ~30 miles/hour. The warning message said "performance extremely limited" and two warning lights (an engine and a turtle) came on. This problem has occurred on three separate occasions and after each incident, I took the car into the dealer for repair, each time with repair efforts seemingly made. During the third time in the shop, the dealer completely replaced the power electronics unit and cooler. While the car was in the shop the second time, I also contacted the corporate headquarters of the manufacturer about options to refund or replace the car under my state's lemon law. After multiple follow-up calls on my part since my inquiry was opened about 7 weeks ago, I have yet to receive any update on my inquiry, leaving me driving a car with questionable reliability for highway driving and wondering if there might be a need for a broader safety recall.

NHTSA ODI 11584160

Almost hit a car at front of me because the suv brakes doest not work properly

NHTSA ODI 11576339