MERCEDES-BENZ GL · model year

2010 MERCEDES-BENZ GL

5 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2010MERCEDES-BENZGL carries 5 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 2010 GL is engine and engine cooling with 1 filings, followed by suspension:front (1) and structure:body:hatchback/liftgate (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.

NHTSA currently has 15 investigation files overlapping the 2010 GL. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.

5
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

5 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING1
SUSPENSION:FRONT1
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE1
VISIBILITY1

Recent Complaints

20120120VISIBILITY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MERCEDES BENZ GL470. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS DURING A SNOW STORM WHEN SHE REALIZED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE EXTREMELY THIN AND COULD NOT REMOVE THE SNOW FROM THE WINDSHIELD DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE DEFROSTER WAS ALSO ACTIVATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE HAD TOO CONTINUOUSLY STOP THE VEHICLE, EXIT AND CLEAN THE WINDSHIELD IN ORDER FOR HER TO HAVE CONTINUED VISIBILITY OF THE ROADWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 19,000.

Mileage: 19,000

20110425FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

THIS IS A DIESEL-ENGINE 2010 MERCEDES GL350 PURCHASED IN AUGUST 2010 (8 MONTHS AGO). IT IS CURRENTLY INOPERABLE AND THE DEALER IS CITING COMPLETE FUEL SYSTEM CORROSION DUE TO WATER IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE FIRST INDICATION OF A PROBLEM WAS A CHECK-ENGINE LIGHT AND THE VEHICLE GOING TO "LIMP MODE" (WHERE THE COMPUTER KEEPS THE CAR AT 20 MILES PER HOUR WITH LOW POWER - A DANGER ON THE HIGHWAY AND ON HILLS). FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT OR INJURY DUE TO THE ONSET OF LIMP-MODE. BUT THE ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR IS $15,492.03 AND WARRANTY IS BEING DENIED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF THE ISSUE OF WATER IN THE FUEL PRIOR TO THE COMPLETE CORRUPTION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM AND THEREFORE NO OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ANY POTENTIAL CORRECTIVE ACTION TO MINIMIZE DAMAGE. ALL DIESEL USED IN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AT VARIOUS RETAIL LOCATIONS IN CALIFORNIA. THUS FAR NO DETAIL HAS BEEN GIVEN AS TO HOW MUCH WATER WAS IN THE FUEL, HOW LONG THIS CORROSION PROCESS MIGHT HAVE TAKEN, OR WHETHER T

Mileage: 12,760

20100916SUSPENSION:FRONT

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MERCEDES-BENZ GL 550. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAILGATE MOTION SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED. WHEN CLOSING THE TAILGATE AND THERE WAS AN OBJECT IN THE PATH WAY OF IT AN ALARM WILL SOUND AND THE TAILGATE SHOULD REOPEN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IF CHILDREN WERE IN THE AREA OF THE TAILGATE CLOSING THE TAILGATE A SERIOUS INJURY COULD OCCUR. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THE SUSPENSION WAS MAKING A CLANKING NOISE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING A TURN. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE LOWER BALL JOINT REPLACED ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THAT REPAIR DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER TO REPLACE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHICH ALSO DID NOT REMEDY THE ISSUE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FRONT STRUTS ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE FINAL ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE FAILURE WAS WHEN THE DEALER SPRAYED WAX ON THE SUSPENSION AND THE BALL J

Mileage: 5,000

20100916STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MERCEDES-BENZ GL 550. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAILGATE MOTION SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED. WHEN CLOSING THE TAILGATE AND THERE WAS AN OBJECT IN THE PATH WAY OF IT AN ALARM WILL SOUND AND THE TAILGATE SHOULD REOPEN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IF CHILDREN WERE IN THE AREA OF THE TAILGATE CLOSING THE TAILGATE A SERIOUS INJURY COULD OCCUR. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THE SUSPENSION WAS MAKING A CLANKING NOISE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING A TURN. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE LOWER BALL JOINT REPLACED ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THAT REPAIR DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER TO REPLACE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHICH ALSO DID NOT REMEDY THE ISSUE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FRONT STRUTS ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE FINAL ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE FAILURE WAS WHEN THE DEALER SPRAYED WAX ON THE SUSPENSION AND THE BALL J

Mileage: 5,000

20100616ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

ENGINE ALMOST STALLS WHEN COLD. TOOK TO DEALER, DID A SOFTWARE UPDATE. IT IS BETTER BUT STILL NOT RESOLVED. *TR

Mileage: 53,000

Compare 2010MERCEDES-BENZGL to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2010 MERCEDES-BENZ GL have?
The 2010 MERCEDES-BENZ GL has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2010 MERCEDES-BENZ GL?
The most-complained component for the 2010 MERCEDES-BENZ GL is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SUSPENSION:FRONT and STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE.
Is the 2010 MERCEDES-BENZ GL safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 2010 MERCEDES-BENZ GL; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.