AI Damage2016 Mercedes-Benz G 550: common problems
Owners of the 2016 Mercedes-Benz G 550 filed 1 complaints with NHTSA, most often about latches, locks, linkages. The maker issued 80 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 1
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 80
What fails most often
- Latches, locks, linkages: 1 complaints (100% of all).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Latches, locks, linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 0 | 0 | 28 |
| Engine | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| Structure | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Exterior lighting | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Backover prevention | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Visibility | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Powertrain | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Steering | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Service brakes | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Communication | 0 | 0 | 1 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the front driver's side door lock actuator and release cable were fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 24,719 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (among the 33% least complained about).
On average one model year of the G 550 has 2 complaints (15 years in the data). This year has 1, below average.
What to check before buying
- Latches, locks, linkages. Door, hood and tailgate latches, especially near the impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- Complaint Clanking noise from the area of the speakers in the doors
Cause Under analysis. Remedy To narrow down the cause, first of all remove the door trim. • If the noise continues to occur even with the door trim removed, then continue the diagnosis working towards the speaker and…
- Complaint Repeat workshop visit for vehicle vibration while braking from 60MPH. NOTE
Although the symptom is similar to a tire or wheel vibration, it is usually readily noticeable that it is distinctly different if it happens at all times or only while braking. Cause Although the cause of the vibration…
- Complaint Consistently reproducible erroneous parktronic warnings from front with every key cycle
Cause The parking sensors are detecting the front brush guard. Remedy Complaint must be consistently reproducible and can occur multiple times a key cycle without obvious cause. NOTE: The parking system serves solely…
- Complaint Oil leaks found on M176 or M177 engines diagnosed to be from the cylinder head cover area Cause…
Complaint Oil leaks found on M176 or M177 engines diagnosed to be from the cylinder head cover area Cause Unknown (under investigation) Remedy If oil leaks are found at left or right cylinder head cover area please…
- Complaint A popup is seen on the HU with the message "data connection temporarily not available"
Potentially affected functionalities in NTG4.5, NTG5 1.Weather 2.Local Search 3.IP Radio 4.Send2Car 5.Speech Detection Service 6.Navigation 7.iHeartRadio 8.Traffic Cams Cause MB Apps is sundowned for all vehicles with…
- Complaint 1
General Diagnostic Tips 2. One or More PARK Sensor Activations 3. Red Ring Around Vehicle 4. "Active Parking and Parking Assist Inoperative" on Instrument Cluster 5. Cameras 6. Other Park Topics. Cause Various root…
- Complaint Check Engine Light ON with DTC P012800 "The Coolant Temperature is Below the Specified…
Complaint Check Engine Light ON with DTC P012800 "The Coolant Temperature is Below the Specified Temperature" active and/or stored in the ME (N3/10). There are no drivability concerns related to this complaint. Cause…
- Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end)
The noise is heard once in each instance when changing direction of travel. Note: Sound file in attachment Cause If the complaint is eliminated by experimentally loosening the outboard collar nut (by 1 turn), the…
- Complaint Service code B1 displayed in the customer menu does not match the workshop code displayed in the…
Complaint Service code B1 displayed in the customer menu does not match the workshop code displayed in the workshop menu, e.g., 505 or 550A, which includes a service A. Cause The root cause is currently being…
- Complaint After successful commissioning of the HERMES control unit (N112/9) with XENTRY Diagnosis DVD…
Complaint After successful commissioning of the HERMES control unit (N112/9) with XENTRY Diagnosis DVD 03/2026, the message "SOS - service not activated" appears on the instrument cluster. In addition, the following…
- Complaint Water ingress in the load compartment between the C and D pillars
Cause In the area of the rounding at the D-pillar, a leakage may occur between the rear side wall and the roof paneling. Remedy Troubleshooting: Locate the area of the leak by performing a pressure test and using leak…
- Complaint CEL ON with DTC P012800 "The Coolant Temperature is Below the Specified Temperature" active and…
Complaint CEL ON with DTC P012800 "The Coolant Temperature is Below the Specified Temperature" active and stored in the ME (N3/10). There are no drivability concerns related to the complaint. Cause Root cause varies…
NHTSA lists 80 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Mercedes-Benz G 550?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: latches, locks, linkages. Total complaints: 1. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: door locks, latches, handles (100%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2016 Mercedes-Benz G 550?
NHTSA lists 80 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2016 Mercedes-Benz G 550 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2016 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.