2015 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class SUV 4WD

The fixed portion of the Panorama Sunroof exploded while driving on the highway at 65mph in light traffic and temperatures were in the mid 40's. Glass shards fell on the passengers, including three young children under the age of 5. Repairs are being arranged by customer pay and insurance. Manufacture denies fault.

WHILE THE VEHICLE IS TURNED ON BUT STATIONARY (E.G. STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT IN LIGHT TRAFFIC) I BEGAN TO SMELL DIESEL EXHAUST IN THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE ODOR WAS VERY STRONG AND I HAD TO LOWER THE WINDOWS IN ORDER TO BREATHE. THE MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK NEAR THE TURBO. I HAD TO REPLACE THE FUEL INJECTOR AND LEAK LINE, IN ADDITION TO ALL PIPE SEALS AT TURBO.

PLASTIC COOLANT UNION ON RADIATOR HOSE GOING FROM THE COOLANT EXPANSION TANK TO THE ELECTRIC AUXILIARY COOLANT PUMP CATASTROPHICALLY FAILED WHEN I WAS CHANGING THE LH DRIVER SIDE FRONT HEADLIGHT BULB. I WAS LEANING OVER THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WITH MY HEAD DOWN TO VIEW THE BACK SIDE OF THE HEADLAMP TO REMOVE THE BULB, THE PLASTIC COOLANT UNION BROKE AT THIS EXACT TIME SHOOTING HOT ENGINE COOLANT ALL OVER MY FACE. I'VE SUFFERED 2ND AND 3RD DEGREE BURNS TO MY FACE, LIPS, NECK AND CHEST AS A RESULT. THE VEHICLE ENGINE WAS ON, AT IDLE SPEED, VEHICLE STATIONARY IN DRIVEWAY.

WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED ON VEHICLE TWICE JUST SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY HAS TO BE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT.

THE VEHICLE MISFIRED WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS AND PRESENTED A CODE FOR FAULTY IGNITION COILS. UPON INSPECTION, MERCEDES-BENZ SERVICE CENTER FOUND OIL IN THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS RENDERING THE CAR UNDRIVEABLE.

ON 12/30/2017 WE PURCHASED A MERCEDES-BENZ CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED 'CPO' VEHICLE FROM MERCEDES BENZ OF NORTH PALM BEACH. WE ARRIVED AT THE DEALERSHIP IN THE AFTERNOON SENT BY MERCEDES BENZ OF WEST PALM BEACH THEIR AFFILIATED DEALERSHIP FOR THE SPECIFIC VEHICLE WE PURCHASED. WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE DEALERSHIP TO VIEW THE VEHICLE, IT WAS NOT DETAILED FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER. ON THE TEST DRIVE WITH OUR SALES PERSON I NOTED UNUSUAL NOISES AND RIDE CONDITIONS IN THE VEHICLE. THE SALESPERSON ASSURED US THAT IT IS A CPO VEHICLE WITH AN UNLIMITED MILEAGE WARRANTY BACKING UP BUMPER TO BUMPER FACTORY WARRANTY. HE GAVE US AN IMPLIED ORAL WARRANTY THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED TO OUR SATISFACTION - 'NOT TO WORRY'!

SAME ISSUE AS RECALL CAMPAIGN 2017020016 LAUNCH. THE LATCH SECURING THE THE CENTER CONSOLE DOORS MIGHT NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 201. THE SAME BASIC DESIGN OF THE RECALLED 2017 GLS CLASS SUV CENTER CONSOLE HAS BEEN IN USE IN OTHER GL AND GLS MODELS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES-BENZ GL350W. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND ENGAGED THE CRUISE CONTROL. WHEN THE DRIVER TAPPED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE SPEEDOMETER WENT TO ZERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THEY WERE SAFELY ABLE TO PULL OVER ONTO THE SHOULDER. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED, IT RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION AND THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE OFF SLOWLY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO COGEN MERCEDES-BENZ FT. PIERCE (4500 S US-1, FORT PIERCE, FL 34982, (772) 617-0819) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT NO FAILURE COULD BE FOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,300.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES-BENZ GL450. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE PRE-SAFETY FUNCTION LIMITED WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BY THE CONTACT AND PASSENGER. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT IT FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF ARCADIA (101 N SANTA ANITA AVE, ARCADIA, CA 91006, (626) 701-8904) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT A LOOSE SCREW WAS NOT FASTENED BY THE MANUFACTURER AND AN UNKNOWN WIRE WAS DETACHED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.

GL 450 WITH VIN [XXX] EXPERIENCED EXACT PROBLEM DEFINED BY NHTSA RECALL # 18V272 IN MAY 2018 (2 OR 3 WEEKS PRIOR TO RECEIVING RECALL NOTICE FROM MERCEDES-BENZ USA). DEALERSHIP, MERCEDES-BENZ OF MIDLOTHIAN VIRGINIA, PERFORMED REPAIR WORK REQUIRED (BASED URGENT NEED FROM MIL SAYING "DO NOT DRIVE VEHICLE. MB MIDLOTHIAN REPAIRED THE ACTIVE SUSPENSION SYSTEM BY REPLACING THE "SEALING CAP" ON THE "ACS OIL RESERVOIR" - THE EXACT REPAIR SPECIFIED IN THE RECALL. I WAS CHARGED IN EXCESS OF $400 FOR THIS REPAIR AS THE DEALERSHIP "HAD NOT YET RECEIVED OFFICIAL NOTICE THAT THE RECALL WOULD INCLUDE (MY) VEHICLE." UPON RECEIVING THE OFFICIAL RECALL LETTER IN JUNE 2018, I CONTACTED MERCEDES-BENZ USA. MB-USA TOLD ME THAT THE WORK I HAD PAID FOR WAS, INDEED, COVERED BY THE RECALL, AND THAT MB DEALERSHIP SHOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR THE CHARGES AND RE-CHARGE MB-USA. ON AUGUST 20, I AGAIN CONTACTED MB MIDLOTHIAN WHO TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED TO FILE WITH MB-USA FOR REIMBURSEMENT. SO I, AGAIN, CONTACTED MB-USA AND ASKED FOR REIMBURSEMENT. MB-USA, AGAIN, TOLD ME "NO", THE DEALERSHIP MUST INITIATE THE PROCESS AND PROVIDE REIMBURSEMENT. MB-USA REP SAID THAT THE DEALERSHIP SHOULD REIMBURSE ME SINCE THE WORK CONDUCTED WAS NOW A RECALL. PAYMENT FOR THE RECALL IS DIRECTLY BETWEEN MB-USA AND MB-DEALERSHIP. HOWEVER MB-MIDLOTHIAN DEALERSHIP SAID THAT "THIS IS NOT THE WAY IT WORKS." THIS IS AN ISSUE BETWEEN MB-USA AND MB-DEALERSHIP-NOT ME. I, THE CUSTOMER, AM CAUGHT BY THE FINGER-POINTING IN THE MIDDLE WITH NO RESOLUTION.THIS IS A KNOWN MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE IDENTIFIED BY A RECALL !!! MB-USA AND THEIR DEALERSHIPS WORK IT OUT, AND NOT LEAVE CUSTOMERS WITH NO RESOLUTION BECAUSE OF THEIR INCOMPETENCE. I AM A PHD AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEER, BUT DO NOT WORK FOR OR GET PAID BY MB. THUS, AS A VERY FRUSTRATED CUSTOMER, I AM CAUGHT IN MB BUREAUCRACY WITH NO RESOLUTION OR ACCEPTANCE OF RESPONSIBILITY. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES-BENZ GL350. WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THE CONTACT APPLIED FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN AND CRASHED INTO A PALM TREE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS WAITING TO DETERMINE IF THEY WOULD SEND A TECHNICIAN TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000.

MY CAR HAS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE HVAC SYSTEM. IT GENERATES A MOLD AND MILDEW SMELL WHILE USING THE AC AND HEAT. MERCEDES SAYS THEY NO OF THIS ISSUE BUT HAVE NO PERMANENT FIX. THE SMELL IS SO BAD THAT IT IS ALMOST UN-DRIVABLE. MERCEDES DEALERSHIPS HAVE BULLETINS THAT DENOTE THE ISSUE IS KNOWN, BUT THEIR WORK AROUND ONLY TEMPORARILY IMPROVES THE SMELL. THERE IS AN OBVIOUS ENGINEERING ISSUE WITH THE HVAC SYSTEM THAT IS UNHEALTHY. THERE IS APPARENTLY THAT FORMS AROUND THE MOLD AROUND THE AC EVAPORATOR. MERCEDES HAS AN INTERNAL ALERT # TSB LI83-30-P-059119. THIS IS NOT A PERMANENT FIX AND ONLY IMPROVED THE SMELL FOR 3-4 WEEKS AND TOOK OVER TWO DAYS TO IMPLEMENT. THE SMELL OCCURS ALL THE TIME WHEN EITHER THE AC OR HEATER IS ON. THIS STARTED AT 2200 MILES AND CONTINUES TODAY (I HAVE 17K MILES NOW).

SECOND ROW HEAD REST DOES NOT ADJUST TO DIFFERENT POSITIONS MAKING IT UNSAFE FOR CHILDREN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES BENZ GL450. WHILE IN PARK, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO ROLL FORWARD AS IF THE VEHICLE WERE IN DRIVE. THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER A CURB AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES BENZ GL350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK STARTED TO LEAK ONTO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE STALLED BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE HELPED THE CONTACT BY PLACING FUEL IN THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FUEL LEAK PREVENTED THE CONTACT FROM BEING ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED TO CLEAN UP THE FUEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND IT WAS DETERMINED THE FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,300.

A BLANKET OF SNOW/ICE FORMED ON MY ROOF DURING THE MORNING. IT WAS NOT REMOVABLE DUE TO FREEZING AND BONDING TO THE ROOF. AS THE CAR HEATED UP INSIDE, THAT BLANKET BECAME LOOSE. WHEN I HIT MY BRAKES ON THE ROAD, THE BLANKET CAME DOWN THE FRONT WINDSHIELD BLOCKING MY VIEW OF THE ROAD. THE WIPERS STOPPED AND WOULD NOT WORK BECAUSE WHEN THEY DO NOT RETURN TO THE PARK POSITION, THEY DO NOT REPEAT THEIR WIPING MOTION. ALSO, THE LIP AT THE REAR OF THE HOOD CAUGHT AND KEPT THE BLANKET OF SNOW IN PLACE AS I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A STOP. MORE CONCRETELY, THE WIPERS ARE FLIMSY RUBBER AND DO NOT WIPE IF ANY OBSTRUCTION PREVENTS THEM FROM COMING TO THEIR DOWNWARD POSITION AT THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD. TURNING THE WIPER ON-OFF SWITCH HAS NO EFFECT. THIS PROBLEM CAN CAUSE CRASHES WHEN THE DRIVER'S VIEW IS OBSTRUCTED AND THE WIPERS DO NOT REMOVE THE OBSTRUCTION. I HAD TO EXIT THE CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND WIPE THE SNOW AWAY WITH MY HAND AS CARS WERE GOING PAST ME SPLASHING ME. I ALSO NOTICED THAT BOTH FRONT WIPERS WERE CAKED WITH ICE. THIS MEANS THAT WHEN I REMOVED THE SNOW FROM THE WINDSHIELD, THE WIPERS ONLY SMEARED ICE AND SALT ALL OVER THE WINDSHIELD AND I COULD NOT SEE THE ROAD CLEARLY. THE FIX IS EASY AS TO STALLED WIPERS. THE SYSTEM MUST BE REPROGRAMMED SO THE WIPERS CONTINUE TO WIPE EVEN IF THE WIPERS DO NOT RETURN TO THE PARK POSITION (BECAUSE OF ACCUMULATED SNOW, FOR EXAMPLE). AS TO ICED-OVER WIPERS, THE MANUFACTURER MUST INSTALL HEATING ELEMENTS IN THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD OR INSIDE THE WIPERS OR PROVIDE FOR DUCTED HEAT (FROM THE MOTOR). I AM WRITING THIS REPORT BECAUSE THE CAR IS AN ALL WHEEL DRIVE DIESEL TRUCK INTENDED FOR HEAVY DUTY USE IN ALL ENVIRONMENTS AROUND THE GLOBE. HOWEVER, I CANNOT SEE THROUGH THE FRONT GLASS IN A MINOR SNOW STORM IN NEW YORK CITY. WHAT IF I CRASH AND CAUSE A FATALITY? AM I TO BLAME BECAUSE I COULD NOT DEAL WITH THE SNOW? *TR

TRIED TO INSTALL CHILD SAFETY SEATS IN 2ND ROW SEATS. THE 2ND ROW HEADRESTS PREVENT THE PROPER INSTALLATION OF THE CHILD SAFETY SEATS. THE HEADRESTS CANNOT BE REMOVED, OR MOVED OUT OF THE WAY SO THAT THE CHILD SAFETY SEATS CAN BE INSTALLED PROPERLY. I HAVE REPORTED TO OUR MERCEDES-BENZ DEALER. THEY ARE WORKING ON A RESPONSE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES BENZ GL450. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADREST PREVENTED THE CONTACT FROM PROPERLY INSTALLING A CHILD SAFETY SEAT IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE HEADREST COULD ONLY BE REMOVED BY THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000.