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 2026-03Related service bulletins
- 11018204May 2, 2025Complaint Hand detection system not operating correctly / vehicles with code 266 Fault message in instrument cluster: "Active Emergency Stop Assist not available" "Active Lane…
- 11005334Jul 15, 2024Complaint Hand detection system not operating correctly / vehicles with code 266 Fault message in instrument cluster: "Active Emergency Stop Assist not available" "Active Lane…
Forward collision avoidance: other model years
Other parts of the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS 450
18 complaintsEngine
9 complaintsFuel system
7 complaintsOther or unknown
4 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
4 complaintsAir bags
2 complaintsBack-over prevention (rear camera)
2 complaintsBrakes
2 complaintsBody and structure
2 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
2 complaintsSeats
1 complaintsSteering
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