AI Damage2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350: common problems
Owners of the 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350 filed 23 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and engine. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 23
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 39% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 26% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 17% of all complaints
- 4 Suspension 9% of all complaints
- 5 Backover prevention 4% of all complaints
- 6 Seat belts 4% of all complaints
- 7 Steering 4% of all complaints
- Air bags: 9 complaints (39% of all).
- Engine: 6 complaints (26% of all).
- Service brakes: 4 complaints (17% of all).
- Suspension: 2 complaints (9% of all).
- Backover prevention: 1 complaints (4% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 23 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Backover prevention | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The corroded sections have been removed and are available. - I had no indication of a problem until I went to stop the vehicle. I was able to slow the vehicle down but could not keep it from moving forward with out being in neutral.
The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V315000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
The contact stated that the dealer had previously serviced the vehicle under an unknown diesel emission recall; however, the failure occurred after the recall repair was performed with the check engine warning light illuminated.
Malfunction with the air suspension. The vehicle is currently lowered and will not rise which is causing the tires to sit in a bent position and a horrible ride. The tires appear that they will detach from vehicle which is a safety risk for myself and others.
The warning message "Brake Fluid Low" was displayed. The contact veered to the side of the road. The contact then noticed a trail of brake fluid on the ground. The contact was able to refill the brake fluid reservoir.
The contact stated that while driving at approximately 25 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated continuously. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.
The check engine warning light illuminated. The contact continued to drive the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the exhaust valve pressure sensor and catalytic converter had failed and needed to be replaced.
Got this recall issued 3 years ago,the infamous takata airbag.called the dealers around again and again,they are saying no parts available .always they say it s gonna be someday in the near future,no specific time or dates.due to the vital nature of this issue I cant accept their candor and lack of interest .please…
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 7,735 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 21% most complained about).
On average one model year of the GL350 has 10 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 23, above average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, engine, service brakes. Total complaints: 23. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (22%), jerking, harsh shifts (4%), knocking, grinding or other noise (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350?
NHTSA lists 0 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 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350 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 2011 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 2026-11-05.