AI Damage2015 Mercedes-Benz GL550: common problems
Owners of the 2015 Mercedes-Benz GL550 filed 8 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 8
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 50% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 13% of all complaints
- 3 Seats 13% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 13% of all complaints
- 5 Structure 13% of all complaints
- Engine: 4 complaints (50% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (13% of all).
- Seats: 1 complaints (13% of all).
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (13% of all).
- Structure: 1 complaints (13% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 8 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 2 | 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.
There were no warning lights from the vehicle. We had it towed to an independent repair shop where they determined the brake booster had failed. They did a recall check and saw that it didn't apply to our specific vehicle. They repaired it which cost $2500.
My 2015 GL550 has 90k miles on it and is city driven, on 09/11/2023 when I was trying to pull out onto a main rd my suv hesitated and the check engine light came on, luckily traffic wasnât heavy at the time so I wasnât in any accidents.
Upon receipt of vehicle, when the weather was nice, a rattle in the engine compartment appeared to take place intermittently. Upon diagnosis by a dealership, intermittent was confirmed to take place on a cold start, and not intermittently.
There are many models of the gl550 ranging from 2012-2015, where the second row driver side seats get stuck in a downward position. Recently it happened to me and another gl550 was in the shop at Mercedes North Houston for repair for the same issue.
As I was driving down the freeway the whole vehicle caught on fire and we got out of the car and within 2-3 minutes while car was burned to ashes.
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 11,899 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 32% most complained about).
On average one model year of the GL550 has 7 complaints (10 years in the data). This year has 8, above average.
What to check before buying
- 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.
- Seats. Occupant sensor, power adjustment, seat mounts.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2015 Mercedes-Benz GL550?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, engine and cooling, seats. Total complaints: 8. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (25%), A/C or heater (13%), hesitation when accelerating (13%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2015 Mercedes-Benz GL550?
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 2015 Mercedes-Benz GL550 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 2015 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.