2014 Mercedes-Benz GL-CLASS SUV 4WD

' '['? /The right front headlight was replaced (after receiving a headlight warning) approximately about a year after the warranty expired. The dealership claimed this was due to moisture in the headlight. In August 2021, the left front headlight showed to be having issues with the same error message. Upon further inspection, the mechanic noticed that it was not moisture in the headlight that was causing the short, but an oily substance. The mechanic believes that there might be a bushing in the headlight that might be melting/breaking down due to the heat. This is causing the headlight to short and require a $3500 replacement

The contact owns a 2014 Mercedes-Benz GL450. The contact stated while the vehicle was stationary, she noticed moisture inside the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle filled up with water while it was raining. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic, who stated that the rear hatch was faulty and allowed water to enter the vehicle, but no leaks were found. The independent mechanic had to replace the rubber casing on the rear door hatch, the electrical wiring, and replace the floor carpet. The vehicle was repaired. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 124,315.

Oil leaking and wicking into camshaft position sensors, camshaft magnets, O2 sensors, engine wiring harness and ultimately, the ECU is destroying all electronic components connected to the engine causing misfiring and seizing. The issue is quite prevalent via internet research as potentially thousands of owners with my engine (M278) all experience the same issue. Mercedes Benz advises a $11,000 temporary fix by replacing all engine electronic components but the problem will occur again since the root cause of the oil leak is unknown. Be advised that this is NOT a normal wear and tear issue. This is a design flaw of the engine that placed these components in locations predisposed to contact with engine oil. The root cause of the oil leak is unknown and even Mercedes Benz can not tell why the oil is leaking on these components. If this issue is so prevalent with thousands of owners with the M278 engine in the GL450's, as evidenced by internet searches via Mercedes Benz fan sites, why has no service bulletin or recall been instituted? I am sure your agency can discover numerous examples of this same issue by researching service tickets from Mercedes Benz service centers nation wide. An $11,000 fix is not routine maintenance and Mercedes Benz should be made to fix this prevalent issue via a recall or a service bulletin.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 MERCEDES BENZ GL450. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BOUNCED AND PULLED TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT WHILE DRIVING WITH AN UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN MERCEDES-BENZ OF CORAL GABLES (300 ALMERIA AVE, CORAL GABLES, FL 33134), AND WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FOUR-WHEEL SUSPENSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE. THE FIRST FAILURE WAS REPAIRED AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT, OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 55,000.

AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN ON I-27 FROM AMARILLO TO LUBBOCK AT 70 MILES PER HOUR ON 6/22/2020 IN PLEASANT WEATHER AND NO VEHICLES EITHER IN FRONT OF ME OR BESIDE ME, THE MIDDLE PANEL OF THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF SUDDENLY EXPLODED WITH THE GLASS SHATTERING INTO PIECES AND SOME OF THE PIECES DROPPING INTO THE PASSENGER CABIN. THERE WAS NO ROCK STRIKE, HAIL, NOR WAS I TRAVELING THROUGH ANY CONSTRUCTION ZONE. THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE WAS 76 F. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 MERCEDES-BENZ GL450. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, SEVERAL MESSAGES DISPLAYED REGARDING THE PARKING BRAKE RELEASE, TRANSMISSION, AND THE VEHICLE BEING INOPERABLE. ALSO, SEVERAL ELECTRICAL FEATURES MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO WORLD WIDE MOTORS INC. (3900 EAST 96TH ST, INDIANAPOLIS, IN) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MAIN VEHICLE WIRE HARNESS WAS DAMAGED DUE TO WATER THAT DRAINED FROM THE SUN ROOF INTO THE PANELS OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000.

SUNROOF EXPLODED AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY. ROADWAY WAS SMOOTH AND THERE WERE NO CARS IN FRONT OF ME SO I'M CERTAIN IT WASN'T A ROCK OR OTHER OBJECT THAT BROKE IT.

THE LANE-KEEPING ASSIST ONLY INTERMITTENTLY WORKS. ON OCCASION IT WILL ALERT AND TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION, BUT EVEN ON SUNNY DAYS WITH CLEARLY DEMARCATED LANES, IT OFTEN DOES NOTHING. IN RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE, THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS AND HAVE SAID THE MERCEDES SERVICE HAS UNOFFICIALLY ACKNOWLEDGED THERE IS A BATCH OF VIN NUMBERS WHICH HAVE FAULTY SENSORS. WE PURCHASED THIS CAR BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY FEATURES AND MERCEDES NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING TO RECTIFY THIS IN ORDER TO KEEP ITS CUSTOMERS SAFE.

I HAD JUST ARRIVED HOME. THE CAR WAS OFF AND I WAS PARKED IN MY GARAGE. I OPENED THE DOOR BUT IT DIDN'T OPEN ALL THE WAY TO THE FIRST HINGE. MY HAND WAS IN THE DOOR AS IT SLOWLY STARTED TO CLOSE. THE DOOR CAUGHT SLIGHTLY AND THE SOFT CLOSE FEATURE ACTIVATED. MY THUMB WAS CAUGHT IN THE DOOR AND WAS CRUSHED AS THE DOOR SEALED COMPLETELY CLOSED WITH THE SOFT CLOSE FEATURE. I WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR DURING THIS TIME. I WAS YANKING ON THE DOOR HANDLE TRYING TO OPEN THE DOOR TO FREE MY THUMB BUT THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN UNTIL THE SOFT CLOSE WAS COMPLETE. AS A RESULT MY THUMB WAS CRUSHED. I BELIEVE THAT THIS A DESIGN FAULT WITH THE VEHICLE. THE FACT THAT THERE WAS NO SENSOR TO DETECT SOMETHING IN THE DOOR AS WELL AS NOT BEING ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR AT ANY POINT DURING THE SELF CLOSE PROCESS PRESENTS MANY SAFETY ISSUES! I REACHED OUT TO MERCEDES DIRECTLY AND THEY SAID AFTER AN EVALUATION THAT THE VEHICLE WORKS THE WAY IT'S DESIGNED AND THAT THE DOOR COULD OPEN DURING ANYTIME OF THE SOFT CLOSE FEATURE. I MADE A SHORT VIDEO SHOWING THAT IN FACT YOU CAN NOT OPEN THE DOOR DURING THE SOFT CLOSE PROCESS. MY FINGER WAS NOT BROKEN BECAUSE I CLOSED THE DOOR ON IT! THE DOOR WASN'T CLOSED ALL THE WAY, IT HAD ONLY JUST SLIGHTLY LATCHED AND WAS THEN CRUSHED BY THE SOFT CLOSE. I EXPLAINED TO MERCEDES THAT THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY WITH MY 3 AND 5 YEAR OLD. IF IT CRUSHED MY THUMB IT WOULD BREAK THEIR HAND!! AFTER I DISPUTED THAT YOU CAN'T OPEN THE DOOR SOMEBODY HIGHER UP AT MERCEDES CALLED ME AND SAID THAT I WAS CORRECT YOU CAN'T OPEN THE DOOR DURING THE SOFT CLOSE AND THAT I WAS RIGHT BUT THAT IS THE WAY THE VEHICLE IS DESIGNED THEREFORE IT'S OPERATING CORRECTLY. WHEN I ASKED WHAT THEY WOULD DO HE SIMPLY ASKED WHY DON'T I JUST GO AND BUY A NEW CAR WITHOUT THE FEATURE!! I EXPLAINED THAT I DIDN'T FELL LIKE SPENDING ANOTHER $100 000.00 WHEN MY CAR IS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD!

THE CAR RAN OUT OF BRAKE FLUID - THERE WAS AN INDICATOR AND WHEN TAKEN TO SERVICE WE WERE TOLD THE RESERVOIR WAS EMPTY. WHAT IS ALARMING IS THAT THE CAR IS SERVICED VERY FREQUENTLY AND ONE SET OF BRAKES WAS RECENTLY REPLACED (ABOUT 6 MONTHS). MOREOVER THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS NO LEAK. THEY STATED THAT THEY DO NOT REPLENISH THE BRAKE FLUID WHEN REPLACING PADS, IN ESSENCE, BECAUSE THE FLUID SYSTEM IS SO FRAGILE AND THEY ARE AFRAID THEY WILL DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD. IT SEEMS LIKE A STRAIGHTFORWARD PROPOSITION THAT IF THE BRAKES ARE CHECKED AND PADS REPLACED FREQUENTLY, AND THERE IS NO LEAK, THERE SHOULD BE NO POSSIBLE WAY FOR THE FLUID TO GO EMPTY ABSENT A DEFECT IN THE CAR (EXCESS FLUID CONSUMPTION FOR SOME REASON BESIDES A LEAK) OR FAULTY MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES. I BELIEVE THE PRACTICE OF NOT REPLENISHING BRAKE FLUID - DESCRIBED TO ME AS THE NORMAL PRACTICE AT MERCEDES SERVICE, NOT A 1-TIME MISTAKE - IS NEGLIGENT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDE (1) MERCEDES BRAKES ARE KNOWN TO WEAR VERY QUICKLY (ROUGHLY ANNUAL BRAKE PAD CHANGE); (2) THE 2014 MODEL ADAPTIVE CRUISE SYSTEM TENDS TO APPLY THE BRAKES VERY OFTEN, I.E. UNINTELLIGENT ALGORITHM THAT USES BRAKES CONTINUALLY WHILE CRUISING AT 70 MPH ON FREEWAY, NOT SOMETHING A HUMAN WOULD EVER DO

DAIMLER AG, (DAG) THE MANUFACTURER OF MERCEDES-BENZ VEHICLES, HAS DETERMINED THAT ON CERTAIN GLE, GLS AND GLE COUP VEHICLES (166, 292 PLATFORM) WITH THE ACTIVE CURVE SYSTEM (ACS), THE OIL IN THE ACS'S OIL RESERVOIR COULD START FOAMING UNDER DYNAMIC DRIVING SITUATIONS IN COMBINATION WITH AN OIL LEVEL BELOW MINIMUM. THE OIL FOAM MIGHT LEAK OUT OF THE OIL RESERVOIR THROUGH THE VENT HOLES IN THE SEALING CAP. DEPENDING ON THE ORIENTATION OF THE VENT HOLES IN THE SEALING CAP, LEAKING OIL COULD SPRAY ONTO HOT SURFACE COMPONENTS OF THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. IN SUCH A CASE THE RISK OF A FIRE CANNOT BE RULED OUT. AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE AN AUTHORIZED MERCEDES-BENZ DEALERSHIP, WILL CORRECT THE OIL LEVEL IF NECESSARY AND REPLACE THE SEALING CAP OF THE OIL RESERVOIR WITH AN OPTIMIZED SEALING CAP TO PREVENT OIL FOAM LEAKAGE. SAFETY RISK: DEPENDING ON THE ORIENTATION OF THE VENT HOLES IN THE SEALING CAP, LEAKING OIL COULD SPRAY ONTO HOT SURFACE COMPONENTS OF THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. IN SUCH A CASE THE RISK OF A FIRE CANNOT BE RULED OUT.

HAVE A MERCEDES GL 350 WITH ONLY 63000 MILES, HAS MADE A SMALL RATTLE SOUND WHEN FIRST PURCHASED THAT I RELATED TO BEING DIESEL, RATTLE HAS GOTTEN WORSE, TOOK IN TO A MECHANIC WHO STATED TIMING CHAIN, I CALLED MY MERCEDES LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND SERVICE MANAGER STATED HE SPOKE WITH AUTO TECHNICIAN WHO "LAUGHED" WHEN HE HAD TOLD HIM MY CONCERN FOR THE TIMING CHAIN AS THE TECH SAID THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN UNTIL VEHICLES ARE VERY HIGH IN MILES LIKE 200000. THEY EXAMINED MY VEHICLE AND THEN STATED IN FACT IT WAS THE TIMING CHAIN AND QUOTED ME 75000. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH THERE HAS BEEN AN ISSUE WITH OTHERS ON THE INTERNET WITH THE GL 350 2014 SPECIFICALLY NEEDING TIMING CHAIN REPLACEMENT WHEN UNDER LOW MILES. CAR RATTLES WHEN STARTED, WORSE WHEN COLD, CONFIRMED TIMING CHAIN BY LOCAL MERCEDES DEALERSHIP.

CONSISTENT MILDEW FOUL ODOR COMES FROM THE AIR CONDITION.

TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE - CERTAIN HIGH END GL MODEL HAVE OPTIONAL EASY THIRD ROW ENTRY. THE SECOND ROW IN SUCH MODELS FOLDS WITH A TOUCH OF A BUTTON. HOWEVER WHEN FULLY DEPLOYED - THE SECOND ROW SEAT'S HEAD REST IN SUCH MODELS PREVENT PROPER INSTALLATION OF KID'S CARSEAT ' SUCH THAT THE UPPER PART OF THE CARSEAT IS PROJECTED FORWARD. I AM 6 FEET AND CAN EASILY PUT THE WHOLE OF MY FORARM BEHIND MY KID'S CARSEAT AFTER INSTALLATION. THE RESULT IS ' A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE FORWARD POSITIONING OF THE KID'S CARSEAT. MY KID HAS REPORTED NECK SPRAIN MULTIPLE TIMES. THE ISSUE DOES NOT RESOLVE WITH USING A BOOSTER ONLY (WITHOUT BACKREST) OR WITH CAR'S HEADREST NOT DEPLOYED ' AS IN ALL SITUATIONS THE CAR'S HEAD REST STILL PUSHES MY KID'S HEAD FORWARD. I BELIEVE THAT IT'S A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE AS WELL. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN WIDELY REPORTED ONLINE. I GUESS MERCEDES TOOK NOTE OF IT AND AS PER THE LOCAL DEALER - THEY HAVE FIXED IT IN THE NEWER MODELS (2016 ONWARDS). IN ORDER TO FIX MINE - MY FIRST PLAN WAS TO REMOVE THE SECOND ROW HEADREST (THE ONE ON WHICH I INSTALL MY KID'S CARSEAT). DEALER TOLD ME THAT IT'S NOT POSSIBLE - AND INSTEAD RECOMMENDED A RETROFIT. QUOTE WAS $1300. GIVEN THAT IT'S PRIMARILY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT I CALLED MERCEDES USA - THEY REPLIED PROMPTLY. BASICALLY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE AND OFFERED ME $350 IN SERVICE CREDIT, BUT EXPECTED ME TO SHELL OUT THE REMAINING $ 950 OUT OF MY POCKET. WHEN I TOLD THEM THAT IT'S UNFAIR TO DO SO ' AS IT'S PRIMARILY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT ' THE AGENT BASICALLY TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD INSTEAD BE HAPPY THAT THERE'S A REMEDY AVAILABLE AND THAT ALSO AT MY LOCAL MERCEDES DEALER. HE TRIED TO USE MY CURRENT MILEAGE (62K) AS A JUSTIFICATION FOR NOT PICKING UP THE COST - EVEN THOUGH THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MILEAGE AND MY VEHICLE HAS AN UNLIMITED MILEAGE WARRANTY UNTIL 08/2020.

THE REAR HEADRESTS IN THE MODELS THAT HAVE THE EZ FOLD SYSTEM IN THE 2014 GL550 WILL NOT COME OUT, NOR DO THE HEADRESTS TILT BACK TO A COMFORTABLE POSITION FOR CHILDREN. IN THE MERCEDES FORUMS, THERE ARE DOZENS OF COMMENTS ON THIS AND I HAVE ATTACHED PHOTOS FROM ONE OF THESE THAT MIMICS WHAT MY CHILDREN, 9 & 13 ARE EXPERIENCING - UNABLE TO SIT VERY COMFORTABLY IN THE BACK SEAT, AS THE HEADREST PROTRUDES TOO FAR OUT WHERE THEIR NECKS ARE TOO CRANKED FORWARD, OR HEAD IS NOT IN A GOOD POSITION. I AM SEEKING A FIX WHERE THE HEADREST CAN TILT BACK LIKE THE ONES IN THE VEHICLES WITH MANUAL FOLDING REAR SEATS. TAHNK YOU.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT ABOUT 70 MPH THE SUNROOF EXPLODED. WE WERE NOT BEHIND ANOTHER CAR AND DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE OF AN UNPOPULATED AREA ALONG THE !-10 FREEWAY. *TR

YOU NEED TO ORDER A RECALL OF MERCEDES BENZ GL450 (2014) (VIN [XXX]). I HAD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE FOR REPAIR BECAUSE THE BRAKES WERE LOCKING WHEN I DROVE BACK FROM SAN DIEGO AND SEVERAL TIMES I WAS CLOSE TO HIT OTHER VEHICLES. IN ADDITION, THIS WEEK MY BRAKES STARTED SQUEALING AND I HAD TO WAIT UNTIL FRIDAY (5/8/2015) TO HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED. NOW THEY TELL ME THAT AT 16,000 IT IS NORMAL FOR THIS CAR TO BE COMPLETELY OUT OF BRAKES (WORN OUT) AND THAT THE CALIPER DAMAGED THE ROTORS AND THAT THEY WANT ME TO PAY $700 TO REPLACE THE PADS AND ROTORS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT WANT TO HONOR THE WARRANTY. I TOLD THEM THAT THIS CAR WAS FULLY SERVICED A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO AND THEY SHOULD HAVE REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS IF THEY FELT THAT THEY WOULD BE COMPLETELY WORN OUT. I HAVE CHANGED BRAKE PADS MYSELF IN THE PAST AS A HOBBY AND I KNOW VERY WELL BRAKE PADS LAST BETWEEN 35,000 AND 50,000 MILES BEFORE THE CALIPERS HIT THE ROTORS. I THINK THEY DON'T WANT TO ADMIT THAT EITHER THEY REPLACED MY PADS WITH USED ONES OR THAT THE PADS ARE LIKELY TO CRACK AND THEN THE CALIPER DAMAGED THE ROTORS. THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE IS A SHIP ON A HIGHWAY THAT COULD KILL MANY PEOPLE IF THE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILS WHILE DRIVING AT THE SPEED LIMIT. THIS IS A $90,000 CAR AND IS PROVEN TO BE ONE OF THE UNSAFEST VEHICLES ON THE ROAD. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 MERCEDES BENZ GL450. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION JERKED AND HESITATED TO SHIFT. THE FAILURE OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. THE TECHNICIAN REPROGRAMMED THE TRANSMISSION SOFTWARE AND THE MODULE WAS REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30.

MERCEDES GL 550. FRONT SEAT BELT PRE-TENSIONERS ACTIVATED WITH NO IMMINENT CRASH. RANDOM OCCURRENCE IN BOTH FRONT SEATS AND RELEASED AFTER 2-3 SECONDS. *TR

POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE CAR WAS PARKED , DROVE CAR WITHOUT POWER STEERING FOR ABOUT 9 MILES TO GET TO SAFE PLACE. AFTER CAR WAS RESTARTED SEVERAL TIMES STEERING STARTED TO WORK FINE. TOOK CAR TO DEALER FOR CHECK OF PROBLEM BUT THEY COULDN'T TO GET IT TO FAIL AGAIN. TO RESOLVE PROBLEM MERCEDES IS REPLACING THE POWER STEERING UNIT. *TR