Total Complaints
16 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ GL550 · model year
16 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2008MERCEDES-BENZGL550 carries 16 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 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 2008 GL550 is steering with 6 filings, followed by electrical system (2) and engine (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 2008 GL550. 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.
Total Complaints
16 filings
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| STEERING | 6 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2 |
| ENGINE | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| SUSPENSION | 1 |
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 1 |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING THE CAR IT SHAKES THE ENTIRE CAR. IT DRIVES NORMAL FOR A WHILE AND THEN IT SHAKES AGAIN. IT HAS NOT STOPPED. *TR
Mileage: 80,000
POWER STEERING WENT OUT 2014 CHARGED ME FOR IT. CLAIMED NO RECALLS. FRONT RIGHT HEADLAMP HAD TO BE REPLACED TWO TIMES. THIS WAS THE WHOLE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY. DUE TO WATER GETTING CONTROL BOX WET. CLAIMED IT'S HOW THE HEADLAMP IS MADE. CLAIMED NO WARRANTY OR RECALL ON IT. 2016 & 2019
POWER STEERING WENT OUT 2014 CHARGED ME FOR IT. CLAIMED NO RECALLS. FRONT RIGHT HEADLAMP HAD TO BE REPLACED TWO TIMES. THIS WAS THE WHOLE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY. DUE TO WATER GETTING CONTROL BOX WET. CLAIMED IT'S HOW THE HEADLAMP IS MADE. CLAIMED NO WARRANTY OR RECALL ON IT. 2016 & 2019
AT LOW SPEEDS LIKE BACKING UP OR PULLING INTO DRIVEWAY THE STEERING BECOMES VERY HARD TO TURN.
Mileage: 74,110
VEHICLE MALFUNCTIONED FOR THE 5TH TIME SINCE JUNE 2017 WHILE DRIVING ON THE SURFACE STREET. SUV COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING, LOSS OF STEERING AND DASHBOARD ILLUMINATES EVERY WARNING SIGNAL INCLUDING A BEEPING SOUND; GEARS SHUT DOWN AND SUV COMPLETELY STOPS WAS DRIVING. IN LOOKING AT THE HISTORY (I'M THE 3RD OWNER), THE WORK PERFORMED FOR THE DEFECTIVE CAMSHAFT WAS COMPLETED 2 YEARS AFTER THE 2009 MERCEDES BULLETIN AND ANOTHER REPLACEMENT TO THE BALANCE SHAFT AND CAMSHAFT WAS PERFORMED 1 YEAR AFTER THE 2012 BULLETIN. IN ITS REPORT, MERCEDES ISSUED A CAUTION AND STATED, "NEW TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER MUST BE INSTALLED AND ONLY AFTER THE ENGINE HEAD COVERS (VALVE COVERS) ARE INSTALLED/BOTTLED ON. FAILURE TO OBSERVE THAT WILL RESULT IN THE OVER TIGHTENING THE TIMING CHAIN WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY LEAD TO ENGINE HEAD DAMAGE." IN THE CAR FAX REPORT, I SEE AFTER EACH REPAIR, THE OWNER SOLD THE VEHICLE. IN LOOKING AT MY RECEIPTS, I SEE MY REPORTS OF SMOKE FROM THE DASHBOARD (FIRE DEPARTMENT C
Mileage: 111,000
VEHICLE MALFUNCTIONED FOR THE 5TH TIME SINCE JUNE 2017 WHILE DRIVING ON THE SURFACE STREET. SUV COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING, LOSS OF STEERING AND DASHBOARD ILLUMINATES EVERY WARNING SIGNAL INCLUDING A BEEPING SOUND; GEARS SHUT DOWN AND SUV COMPLETELY STOPS WAS DRIVING. IN LOOKING AT THE HISTORY (I'M THE 3RD OWNER), THE WORK PERFORMED FOR THE DEFECTIVE CAMSHAFT WAS COMPLETED 2 YEARS AFTER THE 2009 MERCEDES BULLETIN AND ANOTHER REPLACEMENT TO THE BALANCE SHAFT AND CAMSHAFT WAS PERFORMED 1 YEAR AFTER THE 2012 BULLETIN. IN ITS REPORT, MERCEDES ISSUED A CAUTION AND STATED, "NEW TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER MUST BE INSTALLED AND ONLY AFTER THE ENGINE HEAD COVERS (VALVE COVERS) ARE INSTALLED/BOTTLED ON. FAILURE TO OBSERVE THAT WILL RESULT IN THE OVER TIGHTENING THE TIMING CHAIN WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY LEAD TO ENGINE HEAD DAMAGE." IN THE CAR FAX REPORT, I SEE AFTER EACH REPAIR, THE OWNER SOLD THE VEHICLE. IN LOOKING AT MY RECEIPTS, I SEE MY REPORTS OF SMOKE FROM THE DASHBOARD (FIRE DEPARTMENT C
Mileage: 111,000
VEHICLE MALFUNCTIONED FOR THE 5TH TIME SINCE JUNE 2017 WHILE DRIVING ON THE SURFACE STREET. SUV COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING, LOSS OF STEERING AND DASHBOARD ILLUMINATES EVERY WARNING SIGNAL INCLUDING A BEEPING SOUND; GEARS SHUT DOWN AND SUV COMPLETELY STOPS WAS DRIVING. IN LOOKING AT THE HISTORY (I'M THE 3RD OWNER), THE WORK PERFORMED FOR THE DEFECTIVE CAMSHAFT WAS COMPLETED 2 YEARS AFTER THE 2009 MERCEDES BULLETIN AND ANOTHER REPLACEMENT TO THE BALANCE SHAFT AND CAMSHAFT WAS PERFORMED 1 YEAR AFTER THE 2012 BULLETIN. IN ITS REPORT, MERCEDES ISSUED A CAUTION AND STATED, "NEW TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER MUST BE INSTALLED AND ONLY AFTER THE ENGINE HEAD COVERS (VALVE COVERS) ARE INSTALLED/BOTTLED ON. FAILURE TO OBSERVE THAT WILL RESULT IN THE OVER TIGHTENING THE TIMING CHAIN WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY LEAD TO ENGINE HEAD DAMAGE." IN THE CAR FAX REPORT, I SEE AFTER EACH REPAIR, THE OWNER SOLD THE VEHICLE. IN LOOKING AT MY RECEIPTS, I SEE MY REPORTS OF SMOKE FROM THE DASHBOARD (FIRE DEPARTMENT C
Mileage: 111,000
STATUS ' 4TH TIME TRYING TO REPAIR THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN ISSUE 'VEHICLE MALFUNCTIONED DURING DRIVING FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS WITH KIDS IN THE CAR ' COMPLETE SHUTDOWN WHILE DRIVING, LOSS OF STEERING AND DASHBOARD ILLUMINATES EVERY WARNING SIGNAL (SEE PICTURE BELOW) 'MERCEDES IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES FIXED THE CAR (SEE RECEIPT $4,600 IN REPAIRS) AND SUV CONTINUES TO STOP. SINCE THE 1ST INCIDENT, THE DEALERSHIP HAS ATTEMPTED TO FIX THE ISSUE THREE TIMES AND HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP OVER 60 DAYS THIS YEAR. I CONTACTED THE CEO'S OFFICE AND A REPRESENTATIVE HAS STEPPED IN TO ASSIST WITH THE ISSUE. THEY HAVE BROUGHT IN A SPECIAL ENGINEER TO RESEARCH THE ISSUE BUT THAT STILL DID NOT CORRECT THE ISSUE. ON 10/20/17 ALMOST TWO MONTHS AFTER HAVING MY CAR IN THE SHOP, I PICKED UP THE SUV. ON 11/18/17, THE CAR STOPPED ON ME AGAIN WITH MY SON IN THE BACK SEAT. AFTER BEING STRANDED FOR NEARLY TWO HOURS. I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT A CAR SINCE 11/18/17. ON 11/22/17, I RECEIVED ANOTHER UPDATE STATING THE CAR IS
Mileage: 111,000
STATUS ' 4TH TIME TRYING TO REPAIR THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN ISSUE 'VEHICLE MALFUNCTIONED DURING DRIVING FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS WITH KIDS IN THE CAR ' COMPLETE SHUTDOWN WHILE DRIVING, LOSS OF STEERING AND DASHBOARD ILLUMINATES EVERY WARNING SIGNAL (SEE PICTURE BELOW) 'MERCEDES IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES FIXED THE CAR (SEE RECEIPT $4,600 IN REPAIRS) AND SUV CONTINUES TO STOP. SINCE THE 1ST INCIDENT, THE DEALERSHIP HAS ATTEMPTED TO FIX THE ISSUE THREE TIMES AND HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP OVER 60 DAYS THIS YEAR. I CONTACTED THE CEO'S OFFICE AND A REPRESENTATIVE HAS STEPPED IN TO ASSIST WITH THE ISSUE. THEY HAVE BROUGHT IN A SPECIAL ENGINEER TO RESEARCH THE ISSUE BUT THAT STILL DID NOT CORRECT THE ISSUE. ON 10/20/17 ALMOST TWO MONTHS AFTER HAVING MY CAR IN THE SHOP, I PICKED UP THE SUV. ON 11/18/17, THE CAR STOPPED ON ME AGAIN WITH MY SON IN THE BACK SEAT. AFTER BEING STRANDED FOR NEARLY TWO HOURS. I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT A CAR SINCE 11/18/17. ON 11/22/17, I RECEIVED ANOTHER UPDATE STATING THE CAR IS
Mileage: 111,000
STATUS ' 4TH TIME TRYING TO REPAIR THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN ISSUE 'VEHICLE MALFUNCTIONED DURING DRIVING FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS WITH KIDS IN THE CAR ' COMPLETE SHUTDOWN WHILE DRIVING, LOSS OF STEERING AND DASHBOARD ILLUMINATES EVERY WARNING SIGNAL (SEE PICTURE BELOW) 'MERCEDES IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES FIXED THE CAR (SEE RECEIPT $4,600 IN REPAIRS) AND SUV CONTINUES TO STOP. SINCE THE 1ST INCIDENT, THE DEALERSHIP HAS ATTEMPTED TO FIX THE ISSUE THREE TIMES AND HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP OVER 60 DAYS THIS YEAR. I CONTACTED THE CEO'S OFFICE AND A REPRESENTATIVE HAS STEPPED IN TO ASSIST WITH THE ISSUE. THEY HAVE BROUGHT IN A SPECIAL ENGINEER TO RESEARCH THE ISSUE BUT THAT STILL DID NOT CORRECT THE ISSUE. ON 10/20/17 ALMOST TWO MONTHS AFTER HAVING MY CAR IN THE SHOP, I PICKED UP THE SUV. ON 11/18/17, THE CAR STOPPED ON ME AGAIN WITH MY SON IN THE BACK SEAT. AFTER BEING STRANDED FOR NEARLY TWO HOURS. I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT A CAR SINCE 11/18/17. ON 11/22/17, I RECEIVED ANOTHER UPDATE STATING THE CAR IS
Mileage: 111,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ GL550. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED AND MADE THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF HOUSTON GREENWAY WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE CONTACT THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC (LANG'S AUTO REPAIR SHOP) WHO ALSO DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V682000 (STEERING); HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 129,000.
Mileage: 129,000
THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE POWER STEERING RACK. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED ON THE RECALL LIST.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ GL550. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AT PATRICK'S IMPORTS IN LAWRENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE RACK AND PINION WAS FAULTY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED THREE MONTHS AGO. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 129,000.
Mileage: 129,000
GL550 SUSPENSION DROPS - MALFUNCTIONS EVERY YEAR (SUMMER TIME IN TEXAS) MY GL550-2008 WAS ABOUT 1 YEAR OLD IN AUGUST 2008) WITH 21K MILES. I WAS PARKED IN THE LOCAL LOWE'S PARKING LOT. WHEN I CAME BACK FROM THE STORE, THE CAR BODY WAS SITTING DIRECTLY ON THE TIRES. IN ORDER TO GET HOME, I USED THE FLOOD LIFT. THE CAR REMAINED LIFTED AFTER USING THE FLOOD LIFT FOR ABOUT A MONTH. A MONTH LATER WE WERE ON A ROAD TRIP AND WE PULLED OVER TO GET GAS AND IT DROPPED AGAIN. AGAIN WE USED THE FLOOD LIFT UNTIL WE COULD GET HOME. WHEN WE GOT BACK WE SCHEDULED A REPAIR APPOINTMENT. IT WAS DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED THE AIR SUSPENSION COMPRESSOR. LESS THAN A YEAR LATER (MAY 2009) AT 33K MILES IT HAPPENED AGAIN. AGAIN I HAD TO USE THE FLOOD LIFT TO RAISE THE CAR BACK UP. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE IT. AGAIN IT HAPPENED IN APRIL 2010 AT 49K MILES. THE DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED AND REPLACED THE ENTIRE STRUT ASSEMBLY-LEFT FRONT AIR SUSPENSION. IN OCTOBER
Mileage: 21,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ GL550. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID ONTO THE BOTTOM BRACKET. THE CONTACT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE HIMSELF BY REPLACING THE HIGH PRESSURE POWER STEERING FLUID HOSE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000.
Mileage: 32,000
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ GL550. THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE WAS TURNED ON WITH THE GEAR SELECTOR PLACED IN THE "PARK" POSITION WHEN AN UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION OCCURRED WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO JUMP OVER TWO CURBS AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND THEN CRASHED INTO TWO UNOCCUPIED VEHICLES. THERE WAS NO PERSONAL INJURY. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED SEVERE DAMAGES AND WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR EXTERIOR BODY REPAIR AND DIAGNOSIS. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000. UPDATED 2/23/11 *CN UPDATED 05/05/11
Mileage: 30,000
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.