2017 Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class SUV 4WD

We had our Mercedes GLS550 2017 with 59,295 overheat and call for immediate shut down on the Massachusetts Turnpike with my wife and child in the car. It was quite a dangerous situation because the failure caused by hose assembly 166-830-15-00 clamp (as described by the dealer as the reason for the loss of fluid and hose failure) caused almost an immediate overheating. The service advisor stated that it is "a quite common failure". I was quite suspicious, because just 11 days prior and 138 miles prior they had performed an Oil Change (Service B9), and thought their mechanic must have damaged the hose fitting they claimed broke. When I looked at the schematic, the fitting is quite close to the Oil Filter Cap, so I assumed that the mechanic accidentally knocked the plastic clamp and broke it. However, they said this was a "normal failure" on these cars. I am a data scientist and have requested failure rates for similar autos in the data cohorts of 50,000, to 60,000 miles and 4 to 5 years old. It woudl be also nice to see if there was data available that included Post B( service visits for the same failures. I was surprised they tracked this data since I was told it was a common failure of this part. Looking at the design of where the host runs, it is certainly exposed to a mechanics tools removing the Oil Filter wrench. If this is common, I would like to help other families with young children being stranded by the side of a busy highway. In this case, I told my wife to drive to the closest safe point even though the engine warning system said to stop immediately. The engine seems to survive fine. I dont know if you record other data on this type of hose assembly failure, but a redesign with non-plastic clamp might be more durable and more appropriate.

MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING FROM ARIZONA TO COLORADO. WE WERE TRAVELING AT ABOUT 85 MILES/ HR PASSING ALBUQUERQUE. ALL OF A SUDDEN WE FELT AND HEARD AN EXPLOSION. MY WIFE AND I BOTH DUCKED AND FORTUNATELY I KEPT MY HANDS ON THE WHEEL. WE LOOKED UP AND THE SUNROOF HAD SHATTERED AND BLOWN OUT. THE ONLY THING THAT SAVED US FROM BEING SHOWERED WITH GLASS WAS THE SHADE OF THE SUNROOF WAS CLOSED BECAUSE THE SUNROOF WAS CLOSED AT THE TIME. WE HAD T DRIVE THE REMAINING 400 MILES WITH THE BROKEN SUNROOF. WHEN WE GOT BACK HOME , WE CONTACTED MERCEDES AND ASKED THEM ABOUT THE SUNROOF. THEY BASICALLY DID NOT ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANYTHING EVEN AFTER WE TOLD THEM THAT AFTER GOOGLING ( MERCEDES EXPLODING SUNROOF) A TON OF ITEMS CAME UP INCLUDING SEVERAL LAWSUITS. MERCEDES DOES NOT SEEM TO WANT TO ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SUNROOF. MY WIFE AND I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. WE WERE LUCKY THAT THERE WAS NO CAR AROUND US AND THE FACT THAT I KEPT MY HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL. I DO NOT WANT THIS TO HAPPEN TO ANY ONE ELSE BECAUSE THEY MIGHT NOT BE AS FORTUNATE AS US.

THE OTHER DAY AFTER A STORM MY SUV WAS PARKED AT THE STREET AND WHEN I OPENED THE LIFT GATE WATER START TO COMING OUT FROM THE INTERIOR I ALSO COULD SEE WATER IN THE INTERIOR LIGTHS .

CENTER CONSOLE IS NOT SAFELY INSTALLED AND MOVES WHILE DRIVING. EVIDENCE IS THAT MERCEDES-BENS HAS NOW TWICE UPDATED THE PART FOR REPLACEMENT, BUT DOES ACTIVELY OFFER THAT FOR EXISTING OWNERS: ORIGINAL PART:166-680-16-52 1ST REVISION PART:166-680-38-03 2ND REVISION PART: 166-680-86-04

REAR AXLE LOCK UP BRIEFLY MADE A SOUND LIKE SOMEONE REAR ENDED THE CAR AND SNAP THE LEFT SIDE REAR CV AXLE. VEHICLE IS AWD AND DOES NOT MOVE ON ITS OWN POWER.. SHOP TOW SUV AND ON THE AIR FOUND THE AXLE INNER JOINT JUST SPINS BUT CAR DOES NOT MOVE, THEY PULLED THE AXLE AND THE IS METAL BURNT INTO THE AXLE SHAFT SEEMS REAR DIFF LOCK UP, OIL WAS CLEAN ON THE DIFFERENTIAL.

I DROVE UP AND DOWN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES ON HIGHWAYS AND CITY STREETS. I DROVE 16 HOURS A DAY FOR ABOUT 1 WEEK. I RECEIVED A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WITH A WARNING THAT THERE WAS A SMALL EVAP LEAK. AFTER BEING SERVICED THIS WARNING DID NOT APPEAR AGAIN. I BELIEVE THE THRESHOLDS WERE UPDATED TO IGNORE SMALL EVAP LEAKS. AROUND OCTOBER 28, 2019, I NOTICED THE FLOOR BOARD OF MY VEHICLE OVERHEATING. I ALSO DETECTED MORE EXHAUST FUMES ENTERING THE CABIN. I BELIEVE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS ARE LESS EFFECTIVE AND A BLOCKAGE IS CAUSING MORE EXHAUST TO LEAK FROM THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM. HOWEVER NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WARNING SO THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY. I WAS INITIALLY GETTING HEADACHES AND EXPERIENCING PAIN IN MY SPINAL CORD. NOW I AM EXPERIENCING CHEST PAINS WHILE DRIVING.

HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT SAFE. FOWARD VISIBILITY IS VERY POOR. THIS VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN AT NIGHT ESPECIALLY IN POOR WEATHER CONDITIONS.

2017 MERCEDES BENZ GLS 450 4MATIC PURCHASED SEPTEMBER 2016. RETURNED VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP 6 (SIX) TIMES FOR FOUL SMELL COMING FROM AIR CONDITIONING UNIT. FOUL, MOLDY SMELL STILL REMAINS. DEALER HAS CHANGED MULTIPLE PARTS, CLEANED THE A SYSTEM AND REPLACED DUST AND FINE PARTICLE FILTER EACH TIME. THE SMELL ALWAYS COMES BACK. DEVELOPED A RECURRING COUGH BECAUSE OF SMELL. AFTER CALLING A LAWYER I FOUND OUT THAT THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT REGARDING MULTIPLE MERCEDES BENZ MODELS INCLUDING THE 2017 GLS450.

2017 MERCEDES BENZ GLS450. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO MALFUNCTIONING BRAKES. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PREMATURE WEAR OF THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE LEAKED FUEL. THE INTERIOR DOOR TRIM WAS NOT SECURE. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2017 MERCEDES-BENZ GLS450. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 SECONDS, IT CAUGHT FIRE. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE CUP HOLDER AND ARMREST CONSOLE WERE HOT. THE CONTACT NOTICED AN ODOR OF BURNING RUBBER IN THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED, TOWED, AND QUARANTINED AT THE INSURANCE COMPANY'S IMPOUND LOT. VALLEY IMPORTS (LOCATED AT 402 40TH ST S, FARGO, ND 58103, (888) 929-9843) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. *TT THE CONSUMER STATED THE FIRE DEPT DETERMINED IT TO BE A LEAKY HOT LIQUID. *TR

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. THE THIRD INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING AT ABOUT 5 MPH.

I'VE GONE THROUGH 3 SETS OF TIRES THAT THE REAR 2 TIRES ARE ALWAYS BALD FIRST. I'VE HAD THE ORIGINALS BALD, THEN THE SNOW PIRELLI AND NOW THE MICHELIN. IS THERE A KNOWN ISSUE OR RECALL WITH THE 2017 GLS 450?

ON FRIDAY 11/30 MY 2017 MERCEDES GL450 SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC ELECTRONIC MALFUNCTION THAT LED TO A) NO ABILITY TO GET CAR OUT OF DRIVE (E.G. WOULDN'T PARK, REVERSE, COULDN'T TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE), B) NO ABILITY TO TURN CAR OFF, C) POWER STEERING WENT OUT, D) AIRBAGS FLAGGED AS INACTIVE, E) MOST ALL MY DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS WENT ON INCLUDING ONE THAT SAID "MALFUNCTION", F) MY DASHBOARD GAUGES FAILED (E.G. NO WORKING ODOMETER), G) THE REAR HATCH COULDN'T OPEN. THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING MY FAMILY -- INCLUDING 2 YOUNG CHILDREN -- THROUGH THE DESERT, PUTTING US AT VERY GREAT RISK. MY CAR IS BEING SERVICED AT MB OF VALENCIA (THE CLOSEST ONE I COULD DRIVE TO). I'M BEING TOLD BY THEM THAT A MINOR, LOW-SPEED AND LOW-IMPACT DENT IN MY REAR BUMPER CAUSED A MISALIGNMENT IN MY EXHAUST, WHICH BLEW HOT AIR INTO THE BUMPER AND CAUSED THE BLIND SPOT ASSIST TO MELT. THIS SEEMS LIKE A MAJOR DESIGN FLAW -- THAT A SMALL MISALIGNMENT COULD CAUSE A SEVERE AND LIFE-THREATENING CASCADING SYSTEM MALFUNCTION IF LEFT UNTREATED, AND THAT I HAD NO WARNING OF ANY KIND THAT WHAT APPEARED TO BE A MINOR DENT WAS A MAJOR ISSUE. I WANT TO KNOW IF OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN, AND IF THIS WARRANTS INITIATING A RECALL INVESTIGATION. MY INSURANCE COMPANY IS TAKING PHOTOS AND WRITING UP FINDINGS. I'LL PROVIDE THEM ON REQUEST.

ROAD VISIBILITY IS POOR WITH LOW BEAM LIGHTING ON NORMAL WEATHER CONDITION DURING NIGHTTIME. IT INCREASES DANGER WHEN IT RAINS AND/OR FOGGY WEATHER DURING NIGHTTIME.VISITED DEALERSHIP AND BROUGHT UP ISSUES, BUT MBENZ CAN'T FIX IT SINCE IT PASSES ITS STANDARD. NHTSA, PLEASE DO MORE RESEARCH ON THIS ISSUE PROACTIVELY FOR SAFETY. I BELIEVE ITS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. THIS BIG LUXURY TRUCK MOSTLY USE BY FAMILIES. KEEP THEM SAFE!

I PURCHASED A 2017 GLS 550 IN JANUARY 2018 FROM LOEBER MOTORS IN LINCOLNWOOD ILLINOIS. THE STICKER ON THE VEHICLE REPRESENTED THAT THERE WERE 'ALL SEASON' TIRES ON THE VEHICLE. AFTER NUMEROUS GUARANTEES FROM THE SALESMEN, I WAS ASSURED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD BE 'SAFE' ON THE FACTORY TIRES AS THEY WERE REPRESENTED AS ALL SEASON. IT WAS NOT UNTIL I FOUND MYSELF DRIVING THROUGH A SPRING SNOWSTORM IN WISCONSIN THAT I REALIZED THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING TERRIBLY WRONG WITH THE WAY THE VEHICLE WAS HANDLING IN THE STORM. I WAS CONCERNED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS GOING TO END UP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, OR IN A HORRIBLE ACCIDENT, AS THE VEHICLE WAS ALMOST UNABLE TO CONTROL. ALMOST EVERY OTHER CAR ON THE ROAD SEEMED TO BE UNFAZED BY THIS STORM, YET MY $100,000 VEHICLE WAS DRIVING LIKE A ROLLER SKATE.AFTER MUCH RESEARCH, NUMEROUS CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DEALER AND CONTINENTAL TIRES, IT HAS COME TO LIGHT THAT THE TIRES ON ALMOST ALL GLS 550'S ARE ACTUALLY THE CONTINENTAL CROSS CONTACT UHP'S. CONTINENTAL HAS VERBALLY CONFIRMED(ON A RECORDED LINE) AND THROUGH EVERY BIT OF LITERATURE ONLINE, THAT THE TIRES ARE ACTUALLY SUMMER TIRES AND SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN IN WINTER/SNOW CONDITIONS.WHILE THE TIRES MAY HAVE AN M AND S ON THE SIDEWALL, THIS WAS A DESIGNATION REQUESTED BY MERCEDES TO DEFINE THESE TIRES AS 'ALL SEASON' AS THEY MEET THE TREAD DESIGN FOR THE MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR ALL SEASON. CONTINENTAL HAS STATED THE EXACT OPPOSITE AND DOES NOT EVEN PROVIDE SAFETY DATA FOR THESE TIRES IN WINTER CONDITIONS, AS THEY ARE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED AS A SUMMER/PERFORMANCE TIRE. THE MISREPRESENTATION ABOUT THIS ISSUE IS OF EPIDEMIC PROPORTION. MERCEDES NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS MISREPRESENTATION AND NOTIFY/RECALLS THE UNSAFE TIRES THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON THESE VEHICLES.THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST DISTURBING BREACHES OF DISCLOSURE AND MISREPRESENTATION I HAVE EVER SEEN.

MY 2017 MERCEDES BENZ GLS 450 HAS STANDARD HALOGEN LIGHTING FROM THE FACTORY. IT HAS VERY POOR VISIBILITY IN RAINY,FOG CONDITIONS. ALSO VERY POOR VISIBILITY IN URBAN AREAS WHERE THERE IS PARTIAL STREET LIGHTING. THE LOW BEAN HEADLIGHTS ARE TOO DIM TO SEE INFRONT OF VEHICLE. THIS IS VERY BIG SUV AND FEEL IT IS SAFETY HAZARD TO DRIVE WITH THE STANDARD LIGHTING.

WHEN IN DISTRONIC+ WHICH INCLUDES LANE KEEPING ASSIST, MY CAR SWERVES SHARPLY OUT OF ITS LANE FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHICH, WHILE INFREQUENT, COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO THE LOCAL DEALER RESULTING IN NO CAUSE IDENTIFICATION AND HAVE PROVIDED AN EMAIL TO MERCEDES CUSTOMER SERVICE WITH NO RESPONSE YET. I PREVIOUSLY SPOKE TO MERCEDES CUSTOMER SERVICE ON THE PHONE AND THEY SUGGESTED TAKING IT BACK TO THE DEALER. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP IN ADDRESSING THIS MATTER. THE DATE I SELECTED BELOW THE LAST TIME THE PROBLEM OCCURRED ON US 192 IN MELBOURNE FL. THE EMAIL TO MERCEDES IS ATTACHED AS A PDF FILE. THE DATE I ENTERED BELOW IS THE LAST TIME THE PROBLEM OCCURRED THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.,

THE STANDARD HEADLIGHTS ARE EXTREMELY DIM AND UNSUITABLE FOR NIGHTTIME DRIVING. THEY HAVE A BRIGHTNESS ROUGHLY EQUIVALENT TO PARKING LIGHTS. THIS IS A PROBLEM KNOWN TO MERCEDES ACCORDING TO MANY ONLINE BOARDS. MY VEHICLE IS UNSAFE FOR NIGHT DRIVING AND NEEDS TO BE RETROFITTED WITH SOME USABLE HEADLIGHTS. VISIBILITY IS ONLY ABOUT 10 FEET IN FRONT OF THE CAR WHICH IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR HIGHWAY DRIVING.

I BOUGHT 2017 GLS 450 IN JULY LAST YEAR 2016.THE PASSENGER SEAT DOES NOT MOVE PROPERLY FORWARD AND BACKWARD.AFTER THE INITIAL REVIEW THE DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS EXTERNAL INFLUENCE THAT CREATED THE PROBLEM. THE MOTOR IS UNDER THE SEAT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEAT. IN NO WAY IT COULD BE EXTERNAL PROBLEM. THE SEAT WILL NOT MOVE IN THE EVENT OF ACCIDENT AND THERE COULD BE NO DEPLOY OF THE AIRBAG DUE TO MALFUNCTION OF SEAT.I M JUST WORRIED OF THE SAFETY OF THE FAMILY. PLEASE CAN U CHECK IN THIS MATTER THANKS.

REAR WINDOW FRACTURED WHILE AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WITH NO OTHER CARS AROUND OR PEOPLE. OCCURRED ON A COUNTY ROAD.

I LOWER THE PASSENGER CAR WINDOW WHEN I ENTERED THE CAR IN A VERY HOT DAY AND THE WINDOW GLASS EXPLOTED. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS NOT A CAR DEFECT. HOWEVER, THE CAR WINDOW GLASS JUST EXPLOTED JUST BY LOWERING IT.

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE TURNER TURNPIKE (BETWEEN TULSA AND OKC, AROUND 70-75MPH)THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING HAS SWERVED LEFT AND RIGHT ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE ACTION FELT AS IF THE HAND OF GOD WAS THROWING US LEFT AND THEN RIGHT. THE CAR HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN. THEN THE LAST TIME THAT I DROVE THE CAR IT SUDDENLY YANKED ME OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT WARNING, LITERALLY TRYING TO KILL US. THIS LAST INCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN THE CAR HAD AROUND 1,750 MILES ON IT. THE THING IS DANGEROUS! I NOW OWN A CAR THAT I CAN'T PUT MY FAMILY IN AND SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED ON THE ROAD. THE SHAKING ORIGINALLY STARTED OUT AS SOON AS I PUT THE CAR ON THE HIGHWAY FOR THE FIRST TIME, TWO DAYS AFTER PURCHASING IT. BUT THE SHAKING WAS ONLY A SHAKE THAT WOULD BE DESCRIBED AS AN IRRITANT. HOWEVER, IN MBOKC'S EFFORTS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM THEY MAY HAVE CREATED THE TWO NEW PROBLEMS WHICH ARE FAR MORE TROUBLING. MBOKC REPORTED TO ME THAT AFTER DRIVING THE CAR 600 MILES THEY WERE ONLY ABLE TO EXPERIENCE THE PROBLEM TWICE. THEREFORE, THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO FIX THE CAR UNLESS I CAN GET THE CAR TO PREFORM THAT WAY ALL THE TIME. IT'S ALSO FUNNY (ACCORDING TO THE RECORDING WHICH I HAVE) THAT THEY DROVE THE CAR SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES BEFORE THEY EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM TWICE . IT ALSO WAITED UNTIL I DROVE IT 1,750 MILES BEFORE IT TRIED TO KILL ME! NOT SURE IF I SHOULD WAIT UNTIL AN ACCIDENT OCCURS TO ACT. PLEASE ADVISE!

VEHICLE IS ONLY 3 WEEKS OLD. A FAULTY ENGINE WIRE HARNESS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CEASE OPERATING IN TRAFFIC AND PUT MY FAMILY IN A POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. MERCEDES DID NOT REPLACE BUT ONLY "REPAIRED" THE WIRE, WHICH WE WERE TOLD WAS NOT ASSEMBLED CORRECTLY AND WAS PINCHED IN A BRACKET AND SUBSEQUENTLY CHAFED, WHICH CAN POTENTIALLY STILL CAUSE A LIFE THREATENING ENGINE MALFUNCTION DURING NORMAL OPERATION. MERCEDES IS NOT WILLING TO REPLACE THE ENGINE HARNESS WIRE, NOR REPLACE THE VEHICLE. I FEAR FOR THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY.

REAR DIFFERENTIAL AXLE SEALS WERE DISTORTED, CAUSING FLUID TO LEAD OUT. THE SEALS APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN INSTALLED INCORRECTLY WHEN THE CAR WAS MANUFACTURED. SEALS HAVE BEEN REPLACED PRIOR TO ANY ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE OR DRIVE TRAIN. DEALER REPLACED SEAL QUICKLY AND PROMPTLY. DEALERSHIP WAS A PLEASURE TO DEAL WITH.

HEADRESTS IN THE 2ND ROW ARE UNSAFE, IN THE UP POSITION IT HAS NO PROTECTION FOR CHILDREN OR ADULTS, IN THE DOWN POSITION IT PUSHES THE NECK AND HEAD OF ALL PASSENGERS FORWARD.