AI Damage2012 Mercedes-Benz GL350: common problems
Owners of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL350 filed 22 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and engine. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 22
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 59% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 18% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 5% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel/propulsion system 5% of all complaints
- 5 Seats 5% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 5% of all complaints
- 7 Visibility 5% of all complaints
- Air bags: 13 complaints (59% of all).
- Engine: 4 complaints (18% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (5% of all).
- Fuel/propulsion system: 1 complaints (5% of all).
- Seats: 1 complaints (5% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 22 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 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 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 contact inspected the vehicle and noticed that the rear glass in the moon roof had fractured without impact. The contact used tape on the fractured glass to prevent water from entering the interior of the vehicle.
In addition, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with turbo failure. The contact was informed that the turbo needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the repair could not be covered under the warranty.
The contact was burned by the excessive heat while using the heated seat. The contact stated there was no medical attention needed; however, the contact placed a pad on the seat for protection. In addition, while using the heated seat feature, the contact became aware of a burning odor.
Under the warranty, MB replaced the timing chain in May 2022 but on April, 2023 while driving on I-95 in Massachusetts, the engine completely got shut down while driving 55 miles per hour. Luckily, no one got injured. But the car was not controllable. I barely pulled to the side of the hwy and called the towing.
When I received the vehicle almost a month later, it stalled in the middle of the highway, risking my life as it gave no prior indication of stalling. When I opened the hood to inspect the vehicle, I noticed the harness wires were tampered with.
The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V081000 (Air Bags) and 22V315000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted.
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 mercedes-benz gl350. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v081000 (air bags). The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 mercedes-benz glk350w4. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v081000 (air bags) and 17v017000 (air bags). The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
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 7,904 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 22% most complained about).
On average one model year of the GL350 has 10 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 22, 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.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL350?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, engine, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 22. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (9%), warning lights, check engine (9%), overheating, coolant loss (5%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2012 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 2012 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 2012 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.