MERCEDES-BENZ GL550 · model year

2009 MERCEDES-BENZ GL550

7 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2009MERCEDES-BENZGL550 carries 7 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 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 2009 GL550 is air bags with 3 filings, followed by tires:pressure monitoring and regulating systems (1) and engine (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 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.

7
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

7 filings

Crashes Reported

2 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 BAGS3
TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS1
ENGINE1
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC1

Recent Complaints

20240909CrashSERVICE BRAKES, AIR

The contact owned a 2009 Mercedes-Benz GL 550.The contact stated that while driving at 15- 20 MPH, the driver in front of him was attempting to turn but swerved to the left in his lane, the brake pedal was applied but delayed to respond. The contact crashed into an unknown minivan. There were no warning lights illuminated. The air bags did not deploy. There was no reported fire. A police report was filed. The passenger occupant sustained injuries to her back and shoulder and medical attention was provided. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The contact received NHTSA Campaign Number: .2V315000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). after the failure was experienced. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no additional assistance. The manufacturer requested that he preserve the vehicle. The vehicle was deemed a total loss. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

Mileage: 200,000

20240909CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

The contact owned a 2009 Mercedes-Benz GL 550.The contact stated that while driving at 15- 20 MPH, the driver in front of him was attempting to turn but swerved to the left in his lane, the brake pedal was applied but delayed to respond. The contact crashed into an unknown minivan. There were no warning lights illuminated. The air bags did not deploy. There was no reported fire. A police report was filed. The passenger occupant sustained injuries to her back and shoulder and medical attention was provided. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The contact received NHTSA Campaign Number: .2V315000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). after the failure was experienced. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no additional assistance. The manufacturer requested that he preserve the vehicle. The vehicle was deemed a total loss. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

Mileage: 200,000

20180918ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ GL550. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF DAYTONA BEACH (1188 N TOMOKA FARMS RD, DAYTONA BEACH, FL) FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT THE RESULTS WERE NOT DISCLOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000. *TT CARFAX THE VIN PROVIDED HAS NO DISPLAYABLE RECORDS. UPDATED 11/28/18*JB

Mileage: 106,000

20180719AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ GL550. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V081000 (AIR BAGS) IN MID OCTOBER OF 2017 AND WAS WAITING PATIENTLY FOR THE PART. THE DEALER (MERCEDES-BENZ OF PEMBROKE PINES, 14199 PINES BLVD, PEMBROKE PINES, FL 33027, (954) 644-5035) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE RECALL WAS CLOSED BECAUSE THERE WERE NO OPEN RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THE VIN. THE CONTACT RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM THE DEALER ON JULY 13, 2018 STATING THAT IT WAS A FINAL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V081000 (AIR BAGS), WHICH INDICATED THAT THE RECALL REPAIR WAS INCOMPLETE AND AN APPOINTMENT NEEDED TO BE SCHEDULED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE AND THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A RESPONSE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

20161210AIR BAGS

IT'S TAKING TOO LONG TO GET THESE AIRBAGS REPLACED! NEWS REPORTS CONTINUE TO REPORT ON INJURIES AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO GET FIXED AND TAKATA IS NOT ABLE TO MEET THE DEMAND WHILE THEY CONTINUE TO PRODUCE NEW AIR BAGS FOR NEW CARS? WHERE IS NHTSA PRIORITIES HERE? I HAVE 4 CARS THAT ALL NEED REPLACING AND MY 3 DRIVERS IN THE HOUSE ALL FEEL UNSAFE! FEDERAL GOV SHOULD INSIST ALL MANUFACTURING EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF TAKATA GO INTO REPLACEMENT AIRBAGS AND NOT NEW CAR PRODUCTION! ONE PISSED OFF CAR OWNER/TAX PAYOR

20161012AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL. DUE TO THE TAKATA RECALL, THE VALUE OF MY CAR HAS DIMINISHED BY APPROXIMATELY $5-6K, RESULTING IN ME BEING UPSIDE DOWN ON MY LOAN. I AM NOW STUCK DRIVING MY FAMILY IN AN UNSAFE VEHICLE THAT I CANNOT SELL WITHOUT A SIGNIFICANT LOSS.

Mileage: 83,200

20151016TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS

I PURCHASED TIRES IN JANUARY 2015 , IN OCTOBER 2015, MY SIGNALL DISPLAYED CHECK TIRE PRESSURE. I HAD THE TIRE INSPECTED AN ROTATED AT PLACE OF PURCHASE. WITHIN WEEKS MY TIRE WAS COMPLETELY FLAT. I STOPPED AT THE NEAREST STATION AND WAS TOLD I HAD A CRACK IN THE INNER SIDE WALL. ON 10/15/2015 I RETURNED TO THE PLACE I PURCHASE THE TIRES. I EXPLAINED THAT I BELIEVED, THAT MY TIRE IS FAULTY. THE MERCHANT TOLD ME " YOU MUST HAVE HIT SOMETHING, IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME ".. I EXPLAIN TO HIM THAT I DIDN'T HIT ANYTHING, I HAD THE TIRE INSPECTED BY ANOTHER TIRE PLACE AND IT WAS STATED, THE TIRE HAS TO BE FAULTY, BECAUSE WHERE THE CRACK IS SEEN, INNER SIDE WALL. I SAID TO MERCHANT, IF I HAD RUN OVER SOMETHING IT SHOULD DAMAGE TO THE PART OF THE WHEEL THAT TOUCHES THE SURFACE.. MY WHEEL WAS PLUGGED IN THE MEAN TIME. THE SELLER OF THIS TIRES REFUSE TO REPLACE THE TIRE. HE SAID HE WOULD SELL ME A NEW TIRE FOR $389. PLUS TAX.. I HAVE A WARRANTY ON THE TIRES, IF THE TIRE CRACKED ON THE INNER SI

Mileage: 83,000

Compare 2009MERCEDES-BENZGL550 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ GL550 have?
The 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ GL550 has 7 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ GL550?
The most-complained component for the 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ GL550 is AIR BAGS with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS and ENGINE.
Is the 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ GL550 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.