2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK350 Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year contact NHTSA most often about the passenger- and driver-side airbag inflator recalls (Takata), describing warning lamps that stay lit and long waits for parts; many complaints simply report that the recall repair has not been completed. Second most reported is a fuel odor and leak at the rear of the vehicle that appears after refueling to full, traced by owners and mechanics to the fuel filter unit, sender seal or tank seam. Remaining reports cover a corroded rear subframe, hard/no-start conditions tied to the electronic steering/ignition lock, and scattered reports of unintended acceleration or brake complaints.

1. 1
   Fuel system

   Fuel smell and leak at the rear after filling the tank

   • 29 complaints (12%)
   • median 88,287 mi at 8.8 yrs old (18 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2015–2024

   Owners report a strong gasoline odor inside the cabin or around the rear left of the vehicle, usually right after filling the tank, sometimes with visible fuel dripping onto the ground or pooling in the garage. In several cases the smell fades once the tank drops below full, and appears again at the next fill. Dealers and independent shops have attributed it to a cracked fuel filter housing or cover plate, a failed tank seam or sender seal, a leaking fuel pump, or the tank itself; some owners were quoted several hundred to several thousand dollars for the repair. Mostly reported between about 70,000 and 130,000 miles, though some complaints came in under 50,000 miles; tied to filling the tank to full rather than to weather.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Fill the tank completely during a test drive and then look and smell around the rear wheel wells, under the rear seat and on the ground; a persistent fuel odor after refueling is the pattern owners describe. Ask whether the fuel filter unit has been replaced, and note that a warranty extension on the fuel filter unit exists for some vehicles of this era.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Very strong smelling fuel odor after everytime I fill it up with fuel. Yesterday 06/20/16 it starting leaking fuel. This has been going on since I bought it in november 2015. Car could be stationary or in motion and the smell of fuel is always there. Smells the worst when I fill it up. The actual leak prompted me to file this complaint.”

   NHTSA complaint #10875218, filed 2016-06, 71,000 miles

   “Fuel leaking/dripping after filling up with gas. The smell of gas prompted me to look under the vehicle and it was then that I saw a small pool of gas on the driveway. The leaking stopped when the tank was less than full and recurred when filling the gas tank. No damage yet, going to the dealer for their assesment.”

   NHTSA complaint #10726310, filed 2015-06, 83,000 miles
2. 2
   Air bags

   Airbag warning light and unresolved Takata inflator recall

   • 138 complaints (57%)
   • median 65,000 mi at 7.2 yrs old (17 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2010–2023

   Owners describe the airbag or SRS warning lamp staying on after startup or while driving, sometimes without any other symptom. Most of these complaints are filed as Takata recall reports: owners say they were notified of the campaign but the replacement inflator was on back order, and dealers told them the part was not yet available. A few owners report that the airbags did not deploy in a collision, or that they were told their VIN was not covered by a campaign even though the same lamp issue occurred. Reported from low mileage up past 100,000 miles; most of these complaints were filed between 2016 and 2019, during the period when parts were scarce.

   Recall 16V081000Recall 16V363000Recall 19V010000Recall 18V0430004 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for written proof the driver and passenger inflator recalls were completed, and check by VIN with a dealer rather than relying on the warning lamp being off. A lit SRS lamp on a test drive should be diagnosed before purchase, since the SRS control unit is also covered by a service bulletin describing a software update.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Takata recall, I am trying vain to get this serious issue fixed but the dealers are telling me they can't and that takata is way behind in supplying the dealerships airbag replacements. In the meantime if I have an accident I could be killed. The dealership is tafel motors in louisville ky.”

   NHTSA complaint #11122158, filed 2018-08, 98,000 miles

   “Takata recall. This recall is taking far too long. This knowlaedge has been known for over four years. It's frightening to be told that I may be killed if my airbag deploys, even in a minor fender bender.”

   NHTSA complaint #11058514, filed 2018-01, 50,000 miles
3. 3
   Vehicle speed control

   Sudden acceleration or brake complaints at low speed

   Mentioned in 7 of 60 sampled complaints

   A group of owners describe the vehicle accelerating unexpectedly, usually while parking, maneuvering into a space or shifting into drive or reverse, sometimes with the brakes reportedly not stopping the car. Some reports tie it to grazing the cruise-control stalk above the turn signal, and dealers either could not reproduce the concern or told owners the system operated normally. One owner reports lunging after shifting into gear without a recall or remedy being issued. Mostly reported at very low mileage, often under 15,000 miles and within the first year of ownership.

   What to check: Test the car's low-speed behavior in a parking lot, including light throttle from a stop and shifting between drive and reverse, and confirm the cruise-control stalk position feels distinct from the turn signal. Ask whether any diagnostic work was done for unintended acceleration or brake complaints.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Acceleration/brake issue. On 09/0517 I pulled into my parking lot apartment complex and upon pulling into my parking spot, I attempted to back my 2010 mercedes 2010 GLK350 to align my car. I put the vehicle in reverse, but suddenly the vehicle accelerated backwards and crashed into a parked vehicle. I attempted to apply the brakes, but the vehicle did not stop. Before the accident occurred on my dashboard it displayed check brake pads . …”

   NHTSA complaint #11022316, filed 2017-09, 78,309 miles

   “I was slowly coasting into a handicapped parking space at a hardware store when the vehicle suddenly accelerated on its own. The brakes would not stop the car. The car ran over a median and several concrete poles and finally came to a stop when it hit metal, fire equipment. I filed a police report. I contacted the dealer and the car was towed to a dealer-owned body shop. Nothing was done to correct the failure. The vehicle is glk mercedes 2010. The car was only six months old when it experienced sudden, unintended acceleration.”

   NHTSA complaint #10371781, filed 2010-12, 7,600 miles
4. 4
   Body and structure

   Rear subframe corrosion and detachment

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe wobbling or fishtailing while driving, unusual noises from the rear, and in one case the rear end breaking loose under braking, with a shop finding the rear subframe corroded and separated from the body. Other reports describe control arms rusted and not seated correctly, damaging the subframe, and one owner reported the vehicle shaking with noise from the engine area traced to subframe corrosion. Repairs were described as subframe replacement, sometimes handled by a dealer under a case opened with the manufacturer. Reported roughly between 79,000 and 149,000 miles, typically on older vehicles in salt-belt use.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Have the car put on a lift and inspect the rear subframe and its mounting points for rust, flaking or separation before buying, especially on a car from a road-salt state. Ask whether the rear subframe warranty extension described in service bulletins applies to this VIN.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The contact owns a 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK350. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle was shaking and making abnormal sounds coming from the engine. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and diagnosed with sub frame corrosion. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #11463499, filed 2022-05, 80,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK350. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the rear end began to fishtail and shattered. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving slowly to a nearby repair shop. The mechanic informed the contact that the rear subframe was corroded and had detached from the vehicle. The contact was able to drive to her residence. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11495179, filed 2022-11, 149,000 miles
5. 5
   Other or unknown

   Steering lock failure causing a no-start condition

   • 10 complaints (4%)
   • median 119,684 mi at 8.7 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2010–2022

   Owners report the electronic steering lock or ignition switch failing, leaving the steering wheel locked and the vehicle unable to start, often while parked. Some describe the wheel locking while driving and then the car refusing to restart after being shut off. The vehicle has to be towed, and dealers quoted repair costs in the range of a couple thousand dollars; owners noted the failure was not covered on their VIN. Reported between about 80,000 and 174,000 miles, with no clear weather or usage pattern in the sample.

   What to check: During a test drive, check that the wheel unlocks smoothly and the car restarts repeatedly after being switched off; ask whether the steering lock or ignition switch has ever been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving my glk 350 on a road at 35 MPH and suddenly my steering wheel got stuck and it wasn't moving I hit the brakes in the middle of road. I couldn't move my steering wheel and I turned off my car and tried to restart it and it didn't started. I checked my battery it was good. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11023566, filed 2017-09, 119,684 miles

   “The vehicle is a mercedes benz dealership in raleigh, nc on capital blvd because it will not start. There's a steering lock problem and I was told that only certain VIN numbers is covered for this year, make and model. My vehicle has approximately 80,000 miles. I don't understand why this vehicle is not covered under the same recall (started jan 25, 2019) being it's having the same issue at the same time as the other vehicles. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11205901, filed 2019-05, 80,000 miles

Buying note. The most important checks on this model year are recall status for the airbag inflators (verify by VIN, not just by the warning light) and a fuel smell or leak after a full tank, which owners report fairly often. A pre-purchase inspection on a lift should also look at the rear subframe for corrosion and confirm the steering lock and restart behavior.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.