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Forward collision avoidancePart report

2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 Forward collision avoidance Problems

Complaints
7about this part
Share
19%of 36 total for the year
Median mileage
—not reported
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 7 complaints about the forward collision avoidance of the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS 450, 19% of the 36 complaints for this model year. 2 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“On a sunny afternoon without zero clouds in the sky, 75 degrees I was driving at 35 mph on a two-lane road with no cars in front of me, behind me, or coming in the other direction, the brakes were urgently and automatically applied and the seat belts dramatically tightened. The system showed a large red X on the screen. It was obvious the automated safety system mistakenly thought we were about to crash into something but there wasn't anything but smooth asphalt.”

NHTSA complaint #11726166, filed 2026-03

“Today around 6:47pm. I was reversing my car and I noticed another car in my backup camera and tried shift the gear shift to drive but it didn't work and stayed stuck on reverse and would not moved and the brake pedal and emergency brake wouldn't work.”

NHTSA complaint #11587350, filed 2024-05

“We intermittently experience phantom braking, including on the highway with no objects or vehicles ahead of us (for example, not on a curve, no vehicle visible within half a kilometer). Vehicle abruptly slows. This includes when in a lane (no lane change). It also can occur during a properly indicated lane change. It occurs when we are driving the posted limit. It also occurs when there are no parallel nearby roads. This appears to be a significant safety issue.”

NHTSA complaint #11609189, filed 2024-08

“03/17/2023 driving on US1 coming up to speed after pulling onto highway after cars passed I went 0.2 miles and was looking at my driver side mirror ( no traffic on road ahead of me) when I hit something that pushed my big SUV toward oncoming traffic. I held wheel and muscled car to side of road stopping short of a telephone pole. Car was upright I had trouble loosening seat belt while my wife was hanging forward into hers. Dog harnessed in back seat was ok Got out of car to see a car hauler 30? Footer sticking about 4 feet into the road and travel lane. …”

NHTSA complaint #11524751, filed 2023-05

“The vehicle (2020 GLS 450) suffers from terminal infrastructure Electronic Rot, resulting in a consistent Breach of FMVSS 111 (Rearview Visibility) and dangerous Automatic Emergency Braking hallucinations. On 03/08/2026, a routine car wash triggered multiple system failures, including Camera View Restricted and Adaptive Highbeam Assist Currently Unavailable, proving the electrical architecture is compromised by minor moisture. …”

NHTSA complaint #11723015, filed 2026-03

Related service bulletins

Forward collision avoidance: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
202126%
2020719%
201817%
201713%

Other parts of the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS 450

Electrical system
18 complaints
Engine
9 complaints
Fuel system
7 complaints
Other or unknown
4 complaints
Transmission and drivetrain
4 complaints
Air bags
2 complaints
Back-over prevention (rear camera)
2 complaints
Brakes
2 complaints
Body and structure
2 complaints
Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
2 complaints
Seats
1 complaints
Steering
1 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS 450

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology