Total Complaints
1 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ GL500 · model year
2012 MERCEDES-BENZ GL500
1 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2012MERCEDES-BENZGL500 carries 1 consumer safety complaint 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.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2012 GL500 is service brakes, hydraulic with 1 filings. 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 GL500. 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.
1
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
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 |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20130711SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
HELLO, I WOULD LIKE TO NOTIFY A DEFECT ON A VEHICLE MERCEDES GL 500 MODEL SERIES X166 MADE IN 2012 IN U.S. PLANT BY MERCEDES COMPANY IN SEATTLE. WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS A FAULT IN THE BRAKING SYSTEM WITHOUT ANY WARNING LIGHTS. DURING THE BRAKING THE BRAKE WAS PUSHED TO THE FLOOR, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT STOPPING. IN THE CASE IF THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN BY AN INEXPERIENCED DRIVER, IT IS MORE THAN CERTAIN THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY LOCATED AT AN AUTHORIZED MERCEDES SERVICE IN TRENCIN (SLOVAKIA) AND HEADQUARTERS COMPANY DOES NOT APPEAR INTERESTED IN RESOLVING THIS SERIOUS SECURITY DEFECT. THEREFORE, THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED IN AMERICA AND MOSTLY IS SOLD IN THE U.S. MARKET; I GIVE THIS FACT TO YOUR ATTENTION WITH THE RECOMMENDATION TO INVESTIGATE THE TECHNICAL CONDITION OF THESE VEHICLES.
Compare 2012MERCEDES-BENZGL500 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ GL500 have?▼
The 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ GL500 has 1 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ GL500?▼
The most-complained component for the 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ GL500 is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ GL500 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.