Total Complaints
12 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ GL350 · model year
2013 MERCEDES-BENZ GL350
12 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2013MERCEDES-BENZGL350 carries 12 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 3 fires, 6 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 2013 GL350 is engine with 4 filings, followed by power train (3) and fuel/propulsion system (2). 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 2013 GL350. 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.
12
Complaints
0
Crashes
3
Fires
6
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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE | 4 |
| POWER TRAIN | 3 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 |
| SUSPENSION | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20220429SEAT BELTS
Driver side, 2nd row seat belt will not retract. Needed for our children. I will contact a local garage and dealer to fix.
20190515ENGINE
MAKES A RATTLING NOISE FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AFTER STARTING AND SPUTTERING NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING. MY CAR HAS 64K AND DAIGNOSED THE CAR AT 2 DEALERSHIPS CONFIRMED THE ENGINE CHAIN STRETCHED
Mileage: 63,000
20190515POWER TRAIN
MAKES A RATTLING NOISE FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AFTER STARTING AND SPUTTERING NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING. MY CAR HAS 64K AND DAIGNOSED THE CAR AT 2 DEALERSHIPS CONFIRMED THE ENGINE CHAIN STRETCHED
Mileage: 63,000
20190515ENGINE
OIL LEAK PERSISTENT FROM OIL COOLER IN DIESEL BLUETEC ENGINE SPRAYING OIL OUTSIDE GASKET ONTO FUEL LINES, OIL PAN, AND ONTO THE GROUND EMITTING HIGH LEVEL OF SMOKE WITH TARRY BURNT TOXIC NOXIOUS CHARCOAL SMELL FUMIGATING THROUGH THE CABIN AND OUTSIDE WITH VISIBLE BLUE SMOKE WHILE DRIVING MODERATE TO LONG DISTANCES. BLACK TARRY RESIDUE LEAKAGE VISIBLE ON DRIVEWAY AND STREET UNDERNEATH CAR WHEN PARKED OVERNIGHT OR FOR SHORT TIME WITH PAN LEAKED.
Mileage: 59,000
20190515FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
OIL LEAK PERSISTENT FROM OIL COOLER IN DIESEL BLUETEC ENGINE SPRAYING OIL OUTSIDE GASKET ONTO FUEL LINES, OIL PAN, AND ONTO THE GROUND EMITTING HIGH LEVEL OF SMOKE WITH TARRY BURNT TOXIC NOXIOUS CHARCOAL SMELL FUMIGATING THROUGH THE CABIN AND OUTSIDE WITH VISIBLE BLUE SMOKE WHILE DRIVING MODERATE TO LONG DISTANCES. BLACK TARRY RESIDUE LEAKAGE VISIBLE ON DRIVEWAY AND STREET UNDERNEATH CAR WHEN PARKED OVERNIGHT OR FOR SHORT TIME WITH PAN LEAKED.
Mileage: 59,000
20190515POWER TRAIN
OIL LEAK PERSISTENT FROM OIL COOLER IN DIESEL BLUETEC ENGINE SPRAYING OIL OUTSIDE GASKET ONTO FUEL LINES, OIL PAN, AND ONTO THE GROUND EMITTING HIGH LEVEL OF SMOKE WITH TARRY BURNT TOXIC NOXIOUS CHARCOAL SMELL FUMIGATING THROUGH THE CABIN AND OUTSIDE WITH VISIBLE BLUE SMOKE WHILE DRIVING MODERATE TO LONG DISTANCES. BLACK TARRY RESIDUE LEAKAGE VISIBLE ON DRIVEWAY AND STREET UNDERNEATH CAR WHEN PARKED OVERNIGHT OR FOR SHORT TIME WITH PAN LEAKED.
Mileage: 59,000
20190303ENGINE
MAKES A RATTLING NOISE FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AFTER STARTING AND SPUTTERING NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING
Mileage: 58,000
20180703FireENGINE
OIL LEAK PERSISTENT FROM OIL COOLER IN DIESEL BLUETEC ENGINE SPRAYING OIL OUTSIDE GASKET ONTO FUEL LINES, OIL PAN, AND ONTO THE GROUND EMITTING HIGH LEVEL OF SMOKE WITH TARRY BURNT TOXIC NOXIOUS CHARCOAL SMELL FUMIGATING THROUGH THE CABIN AND OUTSIDE WITH VISIBLE BLUE SMOKE WHILE DRIVING MODERATE TO LONG DISTANCES. BLACK TARRY RESIDUE LEAKAGE VISIBLE ON DRIVEWAY AND STREET UNDERNEATH CAR WHEN PARKED OVERNIGHT OR FOR SHORT TIME WITH PAN LEAKED.
Mileage: 70,000
20180703FireFUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
OIL LEAK PERSISTENT FROM OIL COOLER IN DIESEL BLUETEC ENGINE SPRAYING OIL OUTSIDE GASKET ONTO FUEL LINES, OIL PAN, AND ONTO THE GROUND EMITTING HIGH LEVEL OF SMOKE WITH TARRY BURNT TOXIC NOXIOUS CHARCOAL SMELL FUMIGATING THROUGH THE CABIN AND OUTSIDE WITH VISIBLE BLUE SMOKE WHILE DRIVING MODERATE TO LONG DISTANCES. BLACK TARRY RESIDUE LEAKAGE VISIBLE ON DRIVEWAY AND STREET UNDERNEATH CAR WHEN PARKED OVERNIGHT OR FOR SHORT TIME WITH PAN LEAKED.
Mileage: 70,000
20180703FirePOWER TRAIN
OIL LEAK PERSISTENT FROM OIL COOLER IN DIESEL BLUETEC ENGINE SPRAYING OIL OUTSIDE GASKET ONTO FUEL LINES, OIL PAN, AND ONTO THE GROUND EMITTING HIGH LEVEL OF SMOKE WITH TARRY BURNT TOXIC NOXIOUS CHARCOAL SMELL FUMIGATING THROUGH THE CABIN AND OUTSIDE WITH VISIBLE BLUE SMOKE WHILE DRIVING MODERATE TO LONG DISTANCES. BLACK TARRY RESIDUE LEAKAGE VISIBLE ON DRIVEWAY AND STREET UNDERNEATH CAR WHEN PARKED OVERNIGHT OR FOR SHORT TIME WITH PAN LEAKED.
Mileage: 70,000
20161111UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THERE ARE 13 COMPLAINTS ALREADY LOGGED AT NHTSA ABOUT DIFFERENT MODEL BENZ WITH PANORAMIC ROOF SUDDENLY EXPLODING. LIKELY ALL THOSE UNFORTUNATE DRIVERS, I WAS DRIVING ON A CLEAR SAT MORNING OF OCT 2016 WITH NO TRAFFIC AROUND ME WHEN I SUDDENLY HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION LIKE A BULLET FIRED. I GOT SCARED AND ALMOST LOST THE CONTROL AND GOT STUNNED. FEW SECONDS LATTER, I SAW GLASS OF PANORAMIC ROOF SHATTERING DOWN I 465. I PULLED OVER & CALLED THE ROAD SIDE.THERE ARE SEVERAL DOZEN CASES ON BENZ FORUM, DEALER AND BENZ NOT ADMITTING THE DESIGN DEFECT. DIFFERING IT TO INSURANCE DUE TO HIGH COST. HOW MANY COMPLAINTS NHTSA NEEDS TO START INVESTIGATION. THE ISSUE IS MORE WIDELY REPORTED THEN KIA/HYUNDAI ROOF ISSUE.
Mileage: 53,000
20161028SUSPENSION
AIRMATIC SUSPENSION SYSTEM DROPS IN THE REAR OF VEHICLE.
Mileage: 55,000
Compare 2013MERCEDES-BENZGL350 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ GL350 have?▼
The 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ GL350 has 12 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 3 fires, 6 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ GL350?▼
The most-complained component for the 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ GL350 is ENGINE with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN and FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM.
Is the 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ GL350 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.