MERCEDES-BENZ GL450 · model year

2012 MERCEDES-BENZ GL450

51 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2012MERCEDES-BENZGL450 carries 51 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 0 fires, 2 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 2012 GL450 is air bags with 21 filings, followed by suspension (7) and power train (5). 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 2012 GL450. 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.

51
Complaints
3
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

51 filings

Crashes Reported

3 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS21
SUSPENSION7
POWER TRAIN5
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC4
SERVICE BRAKES3
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
SEAT BELTS2
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)2
TIRES1
STEERING1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1

Recent Complaints

20230914SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

The contact owns a 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL450. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V315000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had stated that while depressing the brake pedal there was an abnormal grinding sound coming from the vehicle. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was unknown. Parts distribution disconnect.

20230810UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Recently discovered that water intrusion in the back of my vehicle is coming from cracks (longitudinal and transverse) on its roof. The roof has no other damage that would have caused the cracks Upon discovery, I took it to my local MB dealership and the attendant that looked at it said he had never seen such cracks and know the cause. I followed up with the Mercedes Benz corporation, who requested for my VIN, and following review of my complaint told me that there was no recall affecting roof cracks for my vehicle. They suggested that I reach out to you (NHTSA online). I am not sure when these cracks developed. I was aware of it earlier this year. The water intrusion, when not dried and depending on what time of the year, could cause mold which can seriously affect the occupants of the vehicle. It would be appreciated if you take a look at this, as well as if there are similar complaints on this GL450 models

20230119SERVICE BRAKES

Breaks became unusable due to lost power break fluid caused by corrosion on the lines. Fluid was completely gone and breaks were not effective at all. Dashboard showed RED light with break error. Dealer confirmed that rust build up caused the failure.

20221205SEAT BELTS

While I was driving the car, with the seat belt fastened, the seat belt suddenly popped out. This was a scary experience! Repeated attempts to fasten the seat belt again did not work. On closer inspection, it appears that something inside the fastening system was probably broken, and the seat belt wasn't getting fastened in there. I immediately took the car to the dealer (Mercedes Benz of El Dorado Hills). After inspecting it, they were able to reproduce the issue (seat belt not getting fastened at all) and advised replacing the seatbelt system on the car. Unfortunately, they did not have the part in stock, so they advised that they would order the part and charge me $800 for this. I can't believe that a fundamental car safety system like this would fail like this. Imagine if there was a car accident and the seat belt just popped out of the fastener, not doing the job it was designed for? Thank you for investigating this issue. It could indeed save a lot of lives, if this is a wid

20221109SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

The contact owns a 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL450. The contact was notified that her vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V315000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulics). The dealer had been notified about the recall and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer had been notified of the recall. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

20220927POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL450. The contact stated that while merging onto a highway, the vehicle failed to upshift at 32 MPH, without warning. The contact pulled over and restarted the vehicle and was then able to resume normal driving. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V315000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulics) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

Mileage: 140,000

20220927SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

The contact owns a 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL450. The contact stated that while merging onto a highway, the vehicle failed to upshift at 32 MPH, without warning. The contact pulled over and restarted the vehicle and was then able to resume normal driving. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V315000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulics) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

Mileage: 140,000

20220722SERVICE BRAKES

I HAVE BEEN ISSUED A STOP DRIVE ORDER UNDER RECALL ID# 22V315. I HAVE CONTACTED MERCEDES BENZ TWICE AND BEEN IGNORED TWICE. FIRST CALL WAS AROUND JULY 5TH-2022 AND SECOND CALL WAS ON JULY 12TH. THEY APPARENTLY DO NOT CARE ABOUT YOUR STOP DRIVE NOTICE AS NO ONE HAS GOTTEN BACK TO ME ON THIS ISSUE.

20220713CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

The contact owns a 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL 450. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to stop the vehicle causing him to crash into the vehicle in front. There were no warning lights illuminated. Both air bags under the steering wheels deployed. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The police arrived on the scene and filed a report. The front of the vehicle hood, bumper, and radiator was destroyed. There were no injuries or medical treatments. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number 22V315000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The approximate failure mileage was unknown.

20200721POWER TRAIN

AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE USED FROM A DEALER (WITH @ 36,000 MILES) I STARTED HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITHIN A YEAR. WHEN I WOULD BE STOPPED ON A HILL/INCLINE AND THEN ACCELERATE THE CAR WOULD VIOLENTLY JERK (AS IF I HAD HIT SOMETHING). IT WOULD NOT GO FORWARD UNTIL AFTER THE SUDDEN JERKING MOTION STOPPED. IT WOULD ALSO BEHAVE THIS WAY WHEN I BACKED UP A HILL OR INCLINE. EVERY YEAR I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER TO DIAGNOSE AND FIX IT AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY COULDN'T REPRODUCE IT WHEN THEY HAD THE CAR, THEREFORE THEY COULDN'T FIND OUT THE PROBLEM. I ALSO TOLD THEM THAT THE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY, HOWEVER, THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. EVERY TIME I TOOK IT IN FOR A SERVICE THEY DOCUMENTED THE PROBLEM ON THE ESTIMATE SHEET. HOWEVER, THIS LAST TIME I BROUGHT IT IN THEY WERE ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AS A FAULTY TRANSMISSION. IT WOULD SLIP OUT OF GEAR WHEN ON A HILL OR SLIGHT INCLINE WHEN PUT INTO DRIVE OR REVERS FROM A COMPLETE STOP. COME

Mileage: 49,000

20200224ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

THE REAR SUSPENSION BECAME SOFT AFTER THE DEALER DID AN INTIAL CHECK AFTER I COMPLAINED ABOUT THE VEHICLE FEELING UNSTABLE AFTER SPEEDS OF 70MPH. I HAD BOTH AIR SHOCKS CHANGED IN THE REAR. AFTER TWO (2) MONTHS THE FRONT SUSPENSION ON THE PASSENGER ALSO STARTED TO LEAK CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SUSPENSION TO AUTOMATICALLY ADJUST IN THE FRONT WHILE DRIVING OR PARKED. THIS OCCURED WHETHER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OR IN MOTION, HIGHWAY OR CITY STREETS.

Mileage: 7

20200224STEERING

THE REAR SUSPENSION BECAME SOFT AFTER THE DEALER DID AN INTIAL CHECK AFTER I COMPLAINED ABOUT THE VEHICLE FEELING UNSTABLE AFTER SPEEDS OF 70MPH. I HAD BOTH AIR SHOCKS CHANGED IN THE REAR. AFTER TWO (2) MONTHS THE FRONT SUSPENSION ON THE PASSENGER ALSO STARTED TO LEAK CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SUSPENSION TO AUTOMATICALLY ADJUST IN THE FRONT WHILE DRIVING OR PARKED. THIS OCCURED WHETHER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OR IN MOTION, HIGHWAY OR CITY STREETS.

Mileage: 7

20200224SUSPENSION

THE REAR SUSPENSION BECAME SOFT AFTER THE DEALER DID AN INTIAL CHECK AFTER I COMPLAINED ABOUT THE VEHICLE FEELING UNSTABLE AFTER SPEEDS OF 70MPH. I HAD BOTH AIR SHOCKS CHANGED IN THE REAR. AFTER TWO (2) MONTHS THE FRONT SUSPENSION ON THE PASSENGER ALSO STARTED TO LEAK CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SUSPENSION TO AUTOMATICALLY ADJUST IN THE FRONT WHILE DRIVING OR PARKED. THIS OCCURED WHETHER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OR IN MOTION, HIGHWAY OR CITY STREETS.

Mileage: 7

20190610AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL SINCE JANUARY 2018 I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THE REPLACEMENT PARTS TO ARRIVE FOR THIS RECALL. I HAVE MOVED TO CANADA AND IN ORDER TO TRANSFER MY VEHICLE THERE CAN BE NO OUTSTANDING RECALLS. I HAVE BEEN CONTACTING MERCEDES FOR OVER A YEAR YET THEY ARE UNABLE TO PROVIDE ANY ANSWERS AS TO WHEN THE REPAIR WILL BE DONE. THIS RECALL HAS BEEN OUTSTANDING FOR FAR TOO LONG AND IS PREVENTING ME FROM TRANSFERRING MY VEHICLE.

20190518AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL. RECALL WAS ISSUED IN FEBRUARY 2016 AND I'M STILL WAITING FOR THE AIRBAG TO BE FIXED. MERCEDES BENZ HAS FAILED TO REMEDY MY CAR IN A TIMELY MANNER AND THEY HAVE NOT OFFERED ANY ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION, RENTAL CAR OR LOANER CAR WHILE I WAIT. IT HAS BEEN 39 MONTHS SINCE THE RECALL WAS ISSUED AND THERE IS NO INDICATION FROM MERCEDES WHEN THIS WILL BE FIXED.

20190409AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ GL450. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V081000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. AUTOBAHN MOTORS (700 ISLAND PKWY, BELMONT, CA 94002, (844) 896-1944) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

20190329TIRES

ON 3/27/2019 MY VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TIRES PLUS IN NEWNAN, GA FOR PURCHASE OF 4 NEW TIRES- PACIFICALLY MICHELIN LTX. WHEN THOROUGHLY REVIEWING RECEIPT AND INVOICE, I NOTICED SEVERAL ISSUES. PLEASE SEE BELOW THE FOLLOWING: 1. MY HOME ADDRESS WAS INCORRECTLY INPUT INTO THE SYSTEM 2. VIN#: MY PACIFIC VIN# WAS NOT LISTED UNDER VIN# SECTION 3. I RESPECTFULLY ASKED TIREPLUS REP HOW DO I GO ABOUT REGISTERING MY NEW TIRES? IN RESPONSE I WAS TOLD ? HE HAD NEVER HEARD OF REGISTERING TIRES?? I EXPLAINED THE IMPORTANCE TO CORRECT CONSUMER INFO SUCH AS HOME ADDRESS AND PARTICULAR VIN# LISTED AS WELL AS EITHER GIVING ME A TIRE REGISTRATION FORM FOR ME TO COMPLETE AND SUBMIT TO TIRE MANUFACTURER (MICHELIN) OR TO GIVE ME CONFIRMATION THAT HE DIRECTLY ELECTRONICALLY SUBMITTED REGISTRATION FORM DIRECTLY TO TIRE MANUFACTURER. HE EXPLAINED, HE HAD NEVER HEARD OF SUCH PROTOCA. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE ADVISE ME AS TO HOW PROCESS WORKS AND HOW AS A CONSUMER I CAN GO ABOUT VERIFYING IF MY TIRES ARE PROPERLY REG

20190306POWER TRAIN

UPON ACCELERATION A CLUNKING SOUND COMES FROM WITHIN THE TRANSFER CASE. THIS VEHICLE HAS @ 148,000 MAINLY HIGHWAY MILES ON IT. THIS TRANSFER CASE PROBLEM IS A PREMATURE FAILURE AND IS REMINISCENT OF A SIMILAR PROBLEM MERCEDES HAD @ 12 YEARS AGO

Mileage: 148,000

20190227AIR BAGS

NHTSA HEADQUARTERS 1200 NEW JERSEY AVENUE SE. WEST BUILDING WASHINGTON, DC 20590 TEL: 1-(888)-327-4236 TEL: 1-202-336-9550 EMAIL: NHTSA.WEBMASTER@DOT.GOV WEB: WWW.NHTSA.GOV REF: FORMAL COMPLAINT - 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ 450 GL- THE VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE 1) FAILURE TO PERFORM SAFETY RECALL REPAIR IN TIMELY MANNER - 2) REFUSAL TO CONDUCT REPAIR UNDER ITS ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER WARRANTY 3) REFUSAL TO PROVIDE MONETARY COMPENSATION FOR DEFECTIVE AUTO PARTS & LABOR MR. SIR OR MADAM, THE PURPOSE OF THIS LETTER IS TO NOTIFY THE NHTSA THAT MERCEDES BENZ USA HAS FAILED TO PERFORM SAFETY RECALL REPAIRS IN TIMELY MANNER, AND, THE CORPORATION HAS ALSO REFUSED TO CONDUCT REPAIR UNDER ITS WARRANTY OBLIGATIONS FOR MY 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ 450 GL (VIN: XXXX) ACCORDING TO THE US SAFETY LAWS AND REGULATIONS. THIS LETTER MANDATES THAT MERCEDES BENZ USA SHOULD PERFORM ALL REQUIRED SAFETY RECALL REPAIR FOR DYSFUNCTIONAL AIRBAG INFLATORS AND DEFECTIVE REAR DOOR LOCK & MOTOR FOR

20190227ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

NHTSA HEADQUARTERS 1200 NEW JERSEY AVENUE SE. WEST BUILDING WASHINGTON, DC 20590 TEL: 1-(888)-327-4236 TEL: 1-202-336-9550 EMAIL: NHTSA.WEBMASTER@DOT.GOV WEB: WWW.NHTSA.GOV REF: FORMAL COMPLAINT - 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ 450 GL- THE VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE 1) FAILURE TO PERFORM SAFETY RECALL REPAIR IN TIMELY MANNER - 2) REFUSAL TO CONDUCT REPAIR UNDER ITS ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER WARRANTY 3) REFUSAL TO PROVIDE MONETARY COMPENSATION FOR DEFECTIVE AUTO PARTS & LABOR MR. SIR OR MADAM, THE PURPOSE OF THIS LETTER IS TO NOTIFY THE NHTSA THAT MERCEDES BENZ USA HAS FAILED TO PERFORM SAFETY RECALL REPAIRS IN TIMELY MANNER, AND, THE CORPORATION HAS ALSO REFUSED TO CONDUCT REPAIR UNDER ITS WARRANTY OBLIGATIONS FOR MY 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ 450 GL (VIN: XXXX) ACCORDING TO THE US SAFETY LAWS AND REGULATIONS. THIS LETTER MANDATES THAT MERCEDES BENZ USA SHOULD PERFORM ALL REQUIRED SAFETY RECALL REPAIR FOR DYSFUNCTIONAL AIRBAG INFLATORS AND DEFECTIVE REAR DOOR LOCK & MOTOR FOR

Compare 2012MERCEDES-BENZGL450 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ GL450 have?
The 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ GL450 has 51 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ GL450?
The most-complained component for the 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ GL450 is AIR BAGS with 21 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SUSPENSION and POWER TRAIN.
Is the 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ GL450 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.