2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 Problems
Compared with other Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 years
Typical for this model
38/100 0.8× a typical year · 50 = typical
- Complaint rate is 0.8× that of a typical Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 year, weighted for crashes, fires, injuries, recalls and mileage, and allowing for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints.
- 11 of its 40 complaints were filed by the end of 2020.
- Most reported part: Transmission and drivetrain (7 complaints, median 44,500 mi).
- 7 recall campaigns on record. A VIN search at nhtsa.gov/recalls shows open recalls for a specific vehicle.
Nearby years with a typical complaint level and no open NHTSA investigation: 2016
Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated
- Complaints
- 40filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 20,004miles, 23 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 7campaigns on record
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
- NHTSA crash rating
- —no overall rating published
- EPA fuel economy
- 20 mpgcombined, 3.5L 6-cyl RWD · 18 city / 23 hwy
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error
NHTSA recorded 40 consumer complaints for the 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350. The part named most often is transmission and drivetrain, with 7 complaints (18% of the total), followed by brakes (6) and electrical system (6). 23 of the complaints include a mileage, and 78% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 20,004 miles. Of all complaints, 5 involved a crash, 2 an injury, 1 a death, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns and 133 technical service bulletins for this model year. Transmission and drivetrain complaints overlap with 22 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Brakes complaints overlap with 1 recall campaign and 2 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Compared with the other 5 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 38 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Brakes6 15%
- Electrical system6 15%
- Fuel system5 13%
- Other or unknown5 13%
- Exterior lighting4 10%
- Body and structure3 7.5%
- Tires3 7.5%
- Vehicle speed control3 7.5%
Also reported: Electronic stability control (2), Steering (2), Wheels (2), Air bags (1), Engine (1).
Example complaints
Transmission and drivetrain: “After fully stop with pressing brake pedal, try to shift the gear from D (Drive) to R (Reverse) but cannot shift the automatic gear position from D to R (reverse) gear. In order to shift to R gear position, I needed to shutdown and restart the engine. This has been clearly recurrent since 3 years ago and mostly happen in front of my garage to park backward, but sometimes very dangerous in the middle of road, when needed to make tight U-turn. Please take care of this issue. Thank you.”
NHTSA complaint #11668375, filed 2025-06Brakes: “When driving at night is hard to see if you lights are on is very difficult driving when some street don't have any lights on. Sometimes I have use hi lights to make sure I dont crash or hit pedestrian id dont have pictures but I hope people are aware”
NHTSA complaint #11396268, filed 2021-02, 17,000 milesElectrical system: “Ongoing issue with the information monitor freezing, particular to the navigation function. Shuts down and attempts to reboot repeatedly. Mb attempted a fix re software, however, issue continues. Shutting off the engine, leaving parked for an hour or two does not correct the system. May occur shortly after backing out of the garage or shortly after beginning to drive. Overnight parking seems to correct the immediate issue. During this time, only other function that operates is the radio; cannot use voice commands, telephone bluetooth, etc. …”
NHTSA complaint #11307432, filed 2020-02, 2,076 milesFuel system: “The fuel pump has been failing and shutting off and has been hesitant when taking off. It can leave you stranded in the middle of the road or if you turn left in front of people the car may stall and can cause a crash. Yes and independent dealer and the dealer both know it’s a problem. I took the vehicle into a Mercedes dealer and the fuel pump had a recall on it and the dealer refused to replace it although I had a engine code that they could pull up referring them to the fuel pump and the fuel pump not priming as it should in every start up. …”
NHTSA complaint #11685152, filed 2025-09Mileage when problems were reported
78% of the 23 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 14,795 and 44,500 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Side pole | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GLE-Class · SUV 4WD | not rated | — | — | — | 4 · 17.9% risk |
| GLE-Class · SUV RWD | not rated | — | — | — | 4 · 19.8% risk |
Driver aids listed by NHTSA for the 2018 model year: forward collision warning optional, lane departure warning optional, automatic emergency braking not available.
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Fuel economy and running cost
EPA ratings for each 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).
| Version | Engine | Transmission | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GLE350 RWD | 3.5L 6-cyl | 7-speed automatic | 18 | 23 | 20 | $4,100 |
| GLE350 4matic 4WD | 3.5L 6-cyl | 7-speed automatic | 18 | 22 | 19 | $4,350 |
| GLE350 4matic 4WD | 3.5L 6-cyl · flex-fuel | 7-speed automatic | 18 | 22 | 19 | $4,350 |
Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.
Recalls and investigations
- 22V955000Dec 23, 2022Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump › Control/drive moduleCovers: Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 2016–2018, AMG GLE63 2016–2020, ML350 2012–2015 +9 more
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2012-2014 ML550, 2012-2015 ML350, AMG ML63, 2015 ML250, ML400, 2016 GLE450, GLE300, 2016-2018 GLE350, GLE550, 2016-2019 GLE400, 2017-2019 AMG GLE43, and 2016-2020 AMG GLE63 vehicles. Water might accumulate…
- 22V365000May 20, 2022Electrical system › SoftwareCovers: Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 2018–2022, GLS 450 2017–2021, C300 2017–2021 +48 more
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017-2022 CLA-Class, GLA-Class, GLE-Class, GLS-Class, SLC-Class, A-Class, AMG GT-Class, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, SL-Class, GLC-Class, CLS-Class, GLB-Class, and G-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's…
- 21V123000Feb 26, 2021TiresCovers: Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 2018, AMG GLE43 2018, GLE 400 2018
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2018 GLE350, GLE43 AMG, and GLE400 vehicles equipped with Continental tires. The affected tires were cured for too long during production.
- 21V072000Feb 12, 2021Communication › Auto crash notificationCovers: Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 2017–2018, GLC 300 2017–2021, GLA 250 2017–2021 +17 more
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017-2019 C300, E300, 2018-2020 CLA250, 2020 CLS450, AMG E53, AMG GT53, GLE450, 2018 AMG E63, AMG GTA, 2017-2020 GLA250, GLC300, 2019 GLC350, AMG GLC43, 2017-2018 GLE350, 2019 AMG GLC 43, GLC350, GLE400…
- 21V058000Feb 5, 2021Electrical system › SoftwareCovers: Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 2017–2021, C300 2016–2021, CLA250 2016–2021 +65 more
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 - 2021 CLA-Class, GLA-Class, GLE-Class, GLS-Class, SLC-Class, A-Class, GT-Class, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, CLS-Class, SL-Class, B-Class, GLB-Class, GLC-Class, and G-Class vehicles. Please refer to the…
- 18V539000Aug 16, 2018Service brakes, hydraulicCovers: Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 2018, GLS 450 2018, GLS 550 2018 +4 more
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE350 4Matic, GLE350, GLS450 4Matic, GLS550 4matic, GLE43 AMG 4Matic, GLE63 AMG 4Matic, GLE63S AMG 4Matic, and GLS63 AMG 4Matic vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons on these vehicles…
See all 7 recalls for the 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 133 on record; the latest 10 are shown.
- 11038186Sep 22, 2026Brakes. Complaint Repeat workshop visit for vehicle vibration while braking from 60MPH. NOTE: Although the symptom is similar to a tire or wheel vibration, it is usually readily noticeable that it is…
- 11038217Sep 14, 2026Body and structure. Complaint Clanking noise from the area of the speakers in the doors. Cause Under analysis. Remedy To narrow down the cause, first of all remove the door trim. • If the noise continues to occur even…
- 11037228Aug 28, 2026Steering. Complaint During part of the steering movement, it feels heavier or more difficult to steer in the same spot every time. OR Rattling, humming, dry sliding/gravel noise from the electric steering…
- 11036999Aug 15, 2026Fuel system. Dear Mercedes-Benz Owner: In our continuing efforts to ensure the proper performance of Mercedes-Benz products and to enhance the satisfaction of our customers, Mercedes-Benz USA is extending the…
- 11036190Aug 6, 2026Electrical system. Complaint A popup is seen on the HU with the message "data connection temporarily not available". Potentially affected functionalities in NTG4.5, NTG5 1.Weather 2.Local Search 3.IP Radio 4.Send2Car…
- 11036101Aug 6, 2026Body and structure. Complaint Clanking noise from the area of the speakers in the doors. Cause Under analysis. Remedy To narrow down the cause, first of all remove the door trim. • If the noise continues to occur even…
- 11035780Aug 4, 2026Transmission and drivetrain, Other or unknown. Complaint Mercedes-Benz USA is currently experiencing limited availability of transmission fluid specification ATF 236.17 due to a global supply constraint. 236.17 ATF 1L and 5L (PNs: A002989060312…
- 11035490Jul 31, 2026Fuel system. This NCU replaces the prior NCU issued on May 15, 2025, and contains additional MY 2023 and MY 2024 vehicles which are highlighted below.
- 11035005Jul 14, 2026Transmission and drivetrain. Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end). The noise is heard once in each instance when changing direction of travel. Note: Sound…
- 11035003Jul 8, 2026Suspension. Complaint Creaking noise, in irregular sequence when driving slowly in combination with slight steering movements and/or Creaking/crackling noises from the area of the wheel bearing on the front…
Other model years of the Mercedes-Benz GLE 350
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 7 | 12,000 | 3 | — | 24 | — | Too new |
| 2023 | 15 | 8,000 | 3 | 5 | 22 | — | Too new |
| 2022 | 35 | 8,800 | 7 | 5 | 22 | 53 · Typical | Rising |
| 2021 | 48 | 49,122 | 14 | — | 22 | 46 · Typical | Rising |
| 2020 | 91 | 22,000 | 27 | — | 22 | 83 · More | Rising |
| 2018 | 40 | 20,004 | 7 | — | 20 | 38 · Typical | Stable |
| 2017 | 62 | 20,177 | 7 | — | 20 | 56 · Typical | Rising |
| 2016 | 53 | 59,831 | 9 | — | 20 | 37 · Typical | Rising |
All Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 have?
NHTSA recorded 40 consumer complaints for the 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 is reported most often?
Transmission and drivetrain is named most often, in 7 complaints (18% of the total), followed by brakes with 6.
Has the 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 been recalled?
NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 get?
The EPA rates the 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 (GLE350, 3.5L 6-cyl) at 20 mpg combined, 18 city and 23 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,100 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.
At what mileage are problems with the 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 reported?
Among the 23 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 20,004 miles and the middle half falls between 14,795 and 44,500 miles; 78% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.