AI Damage2011 Mercedes-Benz GL450: common problems
Owners of the 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL450 filed 55 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and suspension. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 55
- involving a crash
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 62% of all complaints
- 2 Suspension 16% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 11% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 7% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel/propulsion system 4% of all complaints
- 6 Powertrain 4% of all complaints
- 7 Engine 2% of all complaints
- 8 Parking brake 2% of all complaints
- Air bags: 34 complaints (62% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Suspension: 9 complaints (16% of all).
- Service brakes: 6 complaints (11% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 4 complaints (7% of all).
- Fuel/propulsion system: 2 complaints (4% of all).
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 34 | 2 | 0 |
| Suspension | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Parking brake | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 3 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact sustained a fracture in the finger, and forehead injury caused by the impact with the steering wheel that required medical attention. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed, and the vehicle was deemed destroyed.
I have picture of the accident; The check engine was on and off sometime like a year before or maybe more can't recall. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with ha ydraulic control unit failure. The contact was informed that the hydraulic control unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact related the failure to two undisclosed recalls; however, the VIN was not under recall.
The contact stated that while reversing, the message "Release Parking Brake" was displayed. The contact stated that she engaged the parking brake release button. The contact was able to continue driving. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving.
Check Engine Light came on and took it to the mechanic who identified low compression on cylinder #3. The injector was replaced which did not fix the issue since the vehicle lags when first accelerating.
We smelled smoke from under the passenger seat. We had the car in for a recall and service recently and didnât understand what was happening. Our three Children smelled the smoke too. Everyone exited the car and it burst into flames.
Brought this vehicle into [dealer], Peoria, IL. for routine maintenance on May 19, 2022. When I returned to pick up vehicle, I was informed of the Do Not Drive recall and was informed I could not drive my car.
We were stopped at a red stoplight, out of nowhere there was a loud explosion, shook the whole car and sank, the feeling like we were in a sink hole or like a tire blew but the tire was fine. A loyd hissing sound ensued. Thank god, we were at a stop light and not in a speed that could have been deadly.
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
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL450?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, suspension, service brakes. Total complaints: 55. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (7%), airbags did not deploy (4%), smoke, burning smell, fire (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2011 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 2011 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 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.