AI Damage2008 Mercedes-Benz GL450: common problems
Owners of the 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL450 filed 55 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and suspension. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 55
- involving a crash
- 5
What fails most often
- 1 Steering 38% of all complaints
- 2 Suspension 27% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 13% of all complaints
- 4 Air bags 11% of all complaints
- 5 Engine 9% of all complaints
- 6 Electrical system 7% of all complaints
- 7 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
- 8 Structure 7% of all complaints
- Steering: 21 complaints (38% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Suspension: 15 complaints (27% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 7 complaints (13% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 6 complaints (11% of all).
- Engine: 5 complaints (9% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 55 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 21 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| Air bags | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Structure | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 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 air bags did not deploy when the vehicle crashed yet the complete front grill and hood of the vehicle was smashed in, front tire blown.
After reaching over from the exterior of the drivers side window to turn the ignition to the on position to see which headlight was not functioning (as the display message stated), a slight apparent touch upward against the shift selector (located above the key and behind the steering wheel) engaged the vehicle in the…
The car power steering went out 3 days before the accident and was just replaced the day before the accident. There have been several complaints with this model and recall on the power steering.
The air bags didn't deploy. Car was sent to authorized mercedes auto body shop repaired then sent to mercedes dealership where they checked the car and said no problems were found with the car.
The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal shaking coming from the engine while attempting to steer the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated.
A flash from the right headlight had occured. I thought it was the bulb, but turns out the ballist was shorted out. I removed the assembly from the vehicle to change the ballist and because I want to also change the lens on the assembly.
The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V315000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and the contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer. The contact was informed by the dealer that the recall repair could not be performed until the rear brake lines and a transmission diagnostic test was performed.
The contact stated their vehicle had a warning light that stated the seat belt on the passenger side had failed. The vehicle was included in a recall NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V315000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) could cause additional issues with the vehicle's seat belt.
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 5,078 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 14% most complained about).
On average one model year of the GL450 has 38 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 55, above average.
What to check before buying
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL450?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: steering, suspension, service brakes. Total complaints: 55. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: steering or power steering problems (25%), smoke, burning smell, fire (13%), warning lights, check engine (9%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL450?
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 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL450 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 2008 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.