Total Complaints
6 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ GL320 · model year
2009 MERCEDES-BENZ GL320
6 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2009MERCEDES-BENZGL320 carries 6 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2009 GL320 is air bags with 3 filings, followed by trailer hitches (1) and electrical system (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 15 investigation files overlapping the 2009 GL320. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
6
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
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
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 3 |
| TRAILER HITCHES | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| ENGINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20171105AIR BAGS
MERCEDES BENZ OF SANTA MONICA CALIFORNIA SENT ME A RECALL NOTICE OVER A YEAR AGO, WHEN I MADE A APPOINTMENT TO COME IN THEY CALLED ME AND SAID THEY WEREN'T GOING TO FIX IT AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE, THEN THEY SAID THEY SEND ME ANOTHER NOTICE WHICH THEY NEVER DID. MY PHONE NUMBER IS [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
20171101AIR BAGS
TAKATA RECALL
20161019FireENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ GL320. SHORTLY AFTER REMOVING THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, WHITE SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT OBSERVED FIRE FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 183,000.
Mileage: 183,000
20160930AIR BAGS
TAKATA RECALL: MERCEDES BENZ HAS NO INFORMATION ON WHEN MY TAKATA AIRBAG WILL BE REPLACED. MEANWHILE I CANNOT SELL MY VEHICLE OR DO A TRADE-IN WITH AN OPEN RECALL ITEM. I NEED TO KNOW HOW I CAN GET MY AIRBAG REPLACED ASAP.
Mileage: 89,000
20110107ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MERCEDES BENZ GL320CDI BLUETEC> SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING AT THE SPEED OF 40 MPH. LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKES AND WAS NEARLY STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. AN EARLIER VERSION THE 2008 MODEL HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE ON THREE OCCASIONS. SUBSEQUENTLY TRADED VEHICLE IN FOR A 2009 MODEL. TOLD BY DEALER PART "CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSOR" IS THE CAUSE. PART IS BEING ORDERED FROM GERMANY AND WOULD TAKE AT LEAST A WEEK. I SUSPECT THE PART IS IN SHORT SUPPLY DUE TO FREQUENT OCCURRENCES OF THIS ISSUE. A DANGEROUS SITUATION IS LURKING WITH THIS FAULTY SENSOR. *TR
Mileage: 49,000
20090605TRAILER HITCHES
HITCHED AN AIRSTREAM TRAILER WEIGHING 7400 LBS (PER CAT SCALE) TO NEW MERCEDES BENZ GL320 (TOW RATING 7500 LBS). WITHIN 40 MILES, WELDS ON THE FACTORY-SUPPLIED TRAILER HITCH BROKE AND THE HITCH BENT SIDEWAYS. ONE WELD STAYED IN PLACE UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, AT WHICH POINT THE HITCH FAILURE WAS DISCOVERED. *TR
Mileage: 1,050
Compare 2009MERCEDES-BENZGL320 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ GL320 have?▼
The 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ GL320 has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ GL320?▼
The most-complained component for the 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ GL320 is AIR BAGS with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include TRAILER HITCHES and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ GL320 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 as of 2025. 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.