Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 140 consumer complaints across the 5 model years of the Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 (2017–2021) that have at least 5 complaints. 2020 has the most, with 36. Across all years, the part named most often is electrical system (45 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
Best and worst GLS 450 years →
All GLS 450 model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 31 | 11,000 | 12 | 272 | 54 · Typical | Rising |
| 2020 | 36 | 4,200 | 22 | 270 | 50 · Typical | Rising |
| 2019 | 24 | 31,415 | 3 | 126 | — | Rising |
| 2018 | 14 | 8,000 | 3 | 91 | — | Not enough data |
| 2017 | 35 | 13,000 | 8 | 83 | 43 · Typical | Rising |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Electrical system45 30%
- Other or unknown26 17%
- Engine25 17%
- Fuel system16 11%
- Transmission and drivetrain11 7.3%
- Forward collision avoidance11 7.3%
- Body and structure9 6.0%
- Suspension8 5.3%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2020: “We purchased a new 2020 mercedes benz gls 450 in october 2019 from the oakland dealership and shipped the car to hawaii. The vehicle is now 117 months old and has about 4100 miles. Because our vehicle is lightly used we arranged for mercedes benz to supply and installed a 'battery minder' to keep the vehicles 48 volt system charged when we are away for an extended time. However we did not have the battery minder hooked up at this time because we are using the vehicle on a weekly basis. …”
NHTSA complaint #11402929, filed 2021-03, 4,200 miles2018: “I found out that only on 2018 mercedes gls models, the car lets you turn off the engine without a warning and puts the car in neutral automatically. It does not put the car to 'p' or gives you a warning saying you need to put the gear to 'p' to stop the car. I have never seen something like this in any car. Basically you brake and stop then turn off the engine with the button. The car shifts to 'n' instead of 'p' and if you release the brake the car slides since it is in neutral. …”
NHTSA complaint #11150448, filed 2018-11, 10 miles2017: “After owning the vehicle for more than 2 years, the rear tailgate opened by itself 3 times in 8 days. The first time, the vehicle was parked in our home garage. The second time, we were traveling on a citiy street when the tailgate just popped open on its own. The third time, when exiting a parking garage with a low roof, it opened by itself, striking the low overhang in the garage. This time, the glass was broken and the body damaged. The first incident occurred when the vehicle was parked. The second incident, the vehicle was moving at 35 MPH. …”
NHTSA complaint #11183628, filed 2019-03, 5,900 milesOther Mercedes-Benz models
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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. Methodology