2015 Mercedes-Benz GLK350 Problems

What owners report

Owner complaints for this model year are dominated by the passenger-side airbag inflator recall: most describe waiting months for parts after the recall notice arrived, often with no failure experienced. Away from the airbag campaign, the most common owner-reported problems concern the automatic transmission shifting itself into Park at low speeds and, on some cars, a persistent fuel smell traced to the fuel pump area under the rear seat.

1. 1
   Air bags

   Passenger airbag inflator recall — parts not available

   • 68 complaints (60%)
   • median 42,500 mi at 4.3 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2018–2021

   Owners describe receiving recall notification letters for the passenger-side airbag inflator and then finding that dealers had no replacement parts. Complaints repeat that dealers and the manufacturer could not give a firm date, with several owners told to expect parts many months later. A few mention an airbag warning light on or the passenger airbag being switched off in the meantime, and some say they limited driving or passengers because of the open recall. Reported from 2018 into 2021 at widely varying mileage, from new to around 80,000 miles.

   Recall 19V010000

   What to check: Ask whether the passenger-side airbag inflator recall has actually been completed on the car and get documentation, not just a verbal assurance. Check that the airbag warning light is off and that the passenger airbag has not been left disabled.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Takata recall - mercedes I've just received a letter stating my 2015 mercedes glk 350 has or may have a faulty passenger side airbag or inflater related to takata's poor quality standard. I checked with mercedes and they don't foresee replacement parts being available until may 2020, which is wholly unacceptable in scope. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11186901, filed 2019-03, 31,000 miles

   “Received notification of takata air bag recall in february 2019. Unable to get replacement from dealer. I will have to wait until may 2020 to replace the airbag. We are senior citizens and feel that having to wait over a year and a quarter to make our car safe is unreasonable.”

   NHTSA complaint #11301718, filed 2020-01, 35,000 miles
2. 2
   Vehicle speed control

   Transmission shifts into Park at low speed

   • 8 complaints (7%)
   • median 90,000 mi at 6.9 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2020–2026

   Several owners describe the car engaging Park on its own while creeping or slowing below about 5-6 mph, sometimes with a sharp stop. Reports mention the same thing happening in traffic, at turns or in parking maneuvers, and one complaint ties it to rain or a car wash. Some say the dealer could not reproduce it or replaced a shift module without lasting effect, and others note the key was not recognized by the electronic ignition switch at the same time. Reported from roughly 60,000 to 107,000 miles, often during low-speed maneuvering.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: On a test drive, creep at walking pace in Drive and Reverse and ask the seller whether the car has ever engaged Park by itself. Have any stored transmission or ignition-switch codes read before buying.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Hello. Since I bought this car in 2015. Every now and again it will go into park when driving and tge car will stop suddenly. It has done it a few times over the years and it’s quite scary. Mercedes has put me off on you, without addressing the situation or looking at the car, unless I pay first it. I think there is a mechanical defect on this car and it is quite dangerous”

   NHTSA complaint #11731078, filed 2026-04

   “My car goes abruptly into park while driving or reversing at 5 mph or less. This is a big safety concern if it ever suddenly stalls in a highway, I may get into a life threatening accident. There are no warning or sensor lights that light up when this happens. I have taken it to the Mercedes Benz dealer who said it was a shift module error which I paid to fix and not even two weeks later the same problem persisted.”

   NHTSA complaint #11433907, filed 2021-09
3. 3
   Electronic stability control

   ESP/ESC warning with loss of power or steering assist

   Mentioned in 8 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe an 'ESP inoperative' or 'inoperative, see operator's manual' message appearing on dry, clear roads, with the car losing acceleration and slowing despite throttle input. Some owners say the warning and power loss cleared after restarting, one had a loose pin in the engine control module repaired, and one describes a high-speed loss of control. Reports also link the warning lights to a loss of electric power steering assist. Mostly reported under about 17,000 miles, in some cases within the first few thousand miles.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Confirm no warning messages appear at start-up or during a test drive, and ask whether engine control module faults or wiring issues have been repaired. A pre-purchase scan for stored codes is worthwhile.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Driving 25 MPH around a curve when my car lost control, despite my best attempts my car would not allow me to take control or to break. My car went from 25 MPH to 60 MPH through a two lane traffic street, forcing me to swerve in and out of traffic merely missing six cars and a semi trailer truck, spinning my car around twice and facing the opposite direction of traffic.”

   NHTSA complaint #11376095, filed 2020-11, 79,614 miles

   “My mb glk 35 crashed at a high speed around 80 MPH,it burnt to ground . I would have been burnt alive without people using a big rock to break the window and pulling me out . Due to the steering and engine malfunction , my car crashed and I couldn't open the door nor windows . This is horrible experience , mercedes benz needs to investigate this accident and I don't want more victims like this .”

   NHTSA complaint #11002664, filed 2017-07, 90 miles
4. 4
   Fuel system

   Fuel smell and leaks at the fuel pump under the rear seat

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners report a gasoline smell around the car, sometimes strong inside the cabin, that persists after replacing the fuel cap. Complaints describe fuel pooling on top of the fuel pump assembly beneath the rear seat covers, and one describes liquid spilling after a spill in the cargo area disabled the engine and required fuel pump and control module replacement. Another notes a gas odor inside the cabin while driving at highway speed shortly after refueling. Reported from about 42,000 to over 100,000 miles, often noticed while parked in a garage or after refueling.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Smell for fuel around the car and inside the cabin before and after a fill-up, and look under the rear seat cushions for staining or pooled fuel on the pump assembly.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My truck has been smelling like gas for a while. I replaced the gas cap and still smelled gas when I was driving. Recently I started smelling it inside the car. It was leaking from two places under the car when I would drive it or just have it running. The mechanic took the plastic piece off the bottom and gas started pouring down. He took the back seats out and there was a pool of gas sitting on the fuel pump. He had me start the car and it immediately started spewing from the fuel pump inside the car. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11627422, filed 2024-11

   “Small quantity of spilled liquid causes shutdown of engine and fuel ECM. Over $2200 to repair (replacing fuel pump! And ECM!), but the real issue is the immediate disabling of the vehicle in traffic can easily cause an accident. This could be prevented by a little cover or epoxy or caulk. This module was killed by a spill in the cargo area which can be caused by a kid spilling a drink in the back seat also. This is very dangerous as this incident was a near miss with many vehicles as it occurred on a 6 lane highway. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11292360, filed 2019-12, 42,665 miles
5. 5
   Steering

   Power steering warning and loss of assist

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners report the power steering warning lighting up with steering assistance dropping out, in one case within a few thousand miles of new. Complaints describe being told to have the car towed even under warranty, and the warning later clearing while the car stayed parked. Related complaints mention a steering-wheel electronics fault after an airbag replacement and an insufficiently torqued steering coupling covered by a separate campaign. Reported from very low mileage (a few thousand miles) up to higher-mileage cars in the same sample.

   Recall 17V252000

   What to check: Ask whether the steering coupling bolt campaign has been completed for this VIN, and check for any steering warning light or heavy steering feel during a test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “On june 16,2017, while I was driving on freeway, I tried to slowed down but it turned out to accelerate suddenly at around 85mph, the steering system was messed up and I lost control of my car , the more I try to brake the faster the car crashed , so it crashed to the right side and rolled over down to the ditch , I called 911 and unfortunately there was no signal, I could not open the door nor window. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11002718, filed 2017-07, 90 miles

   “The lien keeping assistant is stuck in operative mode. So I had a recall on my airbag and got it changed out yesterday and had the dealership check why it was on they told me I need a new steering wheel. Prior to yesterday two months ago. All the lights came on warning light and I lost power to the engine and then it will kick back on. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11502600, filed 2023-01

Buying note. Confirm in writing that the passenger airbag inflator recall has been performed, since that campaign dominates this model year's complaints, and budget for a thorough transmission, fuel-system and steering check before purchase.

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.