MERCEDES-BENZ GL550 · model year

2012 MERCEDES-BENZ GL550

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

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2012MERCEDES-BENZGL550 carries 12 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, 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 2012 GL550 is air bags with 6 filings, followed by structure:body (1) and wheels (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 2012 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.

12
Complaints
3
Crashes
0
Fires
6
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

12 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 BAGS6
STRUCTURE:BODY1
WHEELS1
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL1
SERVICE BRAKES1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1

Recent Complaints

20250113UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I purchased a this vehicle at a dealership Laurel Ford as is no warranty for $14,000 and not even in a week of me having it the key fob was not working and it’s been giving me problems so now it’s not is not reading the ignition switch and it won’t turn on it’s not drivable, and I have small three kids. I love it but the headache I can’t deal. Please help!!!!

20250113ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I purchased a this vehicle at a dealership Laurel Ford as is no warranty for $14,000 and not even in a week of me having it the key fob was not working and it’s been giving me problems so now it’s not is not reading the ignition switch and it won’t turn on it’s not drivable, and I have small three kids. I love it but the headache I can’t deal. Please help!!!!

20250113AIR BAGS

I purchased a this vehicle at a dealership Laurel Ford as is no warranty for $14,000 and not even in a week of me having it the key fob was not working and it’s been giving me problems so now it’s not is not reading the ignition switch and it won’t turn on it’s not drivable, and I have small three kids. I love it but the headache I can’t deal. Please help!!!!

20220803SERVICE BRAKES

This is relative to the brake booster recall. Mercedes-Benz conducted a test and there was significant corrosion that exceeded the normal limits allowed. I am still under a stop drive order but I have not been provided any further instruction or provided a vehicle to drive while my vehicle awaits repair or buy back.Customer service representatives have not corresponded with me despite multiple emails and calls over the last 2 -3 weeks. I need A vehicle repaired so it can operate safely or I need another vehicle to drive while awaiting available parts please.

20190429AIR BAGS

THE TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED ON OUR MERCEDEZ FOR OVER 3 YEARS NOW. WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO RESELL IT DUE TO THE RECALL, VALUATION HAS DECREASED AS WELL DUE TO THE REPAIR NOT BEING PERFORMED BY THE DEALER. SHOULD THIS HAVE BEEN DONE IN A TIMELY MANNER? IT CLEARLY WAS NOT.

20171210AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL: CONTACTED THE COMPANY STILL NO WORD ON REPLACEMENT OF AIRBAG

Mileage: 44,000

20171107AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL -THE RECALL WAS OVER 1 YEAR AGO AND STILL DEALER SAYS THAT THERE ARE NO REPLACEMENT AIRBAGS YET

20170331AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ GL550. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 16V081000 (AIR BAGS) AND 16V061000 (AIR BAGS). THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

20170329EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ GL550. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE CONTACT ACTIVATED THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TURN SIGNAL, BUT THE SIGNAL FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE "LIGHT MODULE" FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000. UPDATED 06/01/17*LJ *AS

Mileage: 61,000

20160504CrashAIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL - I HAD HEAD-ON COLLISION ACCIDENT ON 02/03/2015, STEERING WHEEL AND LEG AIR BAG WAS DEPLOYED, BUT CAUSED ME INJURY AFTER IT DEPLOYED TO MY HAND, FINGERS AND KNEES. ONCE LEG AIR BAD DEPLOYED, MY RIGHT KNEED HIT THE SWITCH UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER SEAT AND CAUSED INJURY. MERCEDES DON'T INSTALL THIS SWITCH UNDERNEATH THE SEAT ANYMORE AND I BELIEVE THERE WAS FLAW IN DESIGN AND LOCATION OF THIS SWITCH AND NOW THEY CHANGED THE LOCATION OF SWITCH. THEY MIGHT HAVE FOUND SOMETHING IN THEIR TESTING. PLEASE SEE PICTURES OF MY INJURIES ON FINGERS CAUSED BY STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG AND KNEE INJURY BY LEG AIR BAD HITTING THE SWITCH. I HAVE MORE PICTURES OF ACCIDENT SCENE AND WOULD LIKE TO SHARE. AROUND 8:05 AM I LEFT MY HOME TO GO TO WORK. WHEN I WAS ON BRIDGE NEAR THE FIRE STATION, I SAW SILVER CAR CAME IN MY LANE AND DRIVING TOWARDS ME. I CAME IN MY MIND THAT THIS CAR IS GOING TO HIT ME AND AS IT WAS COMING CLOSER AND THOUGHT CAME IN MY MIND THAT I MIGHT DIE. I MOVED SLOWLY TO RIGHT

Mileage: 63,000

20160504CrashSTRUCTURE:BODY

TAKATA RECALL - I HAD HEAD-ON COLLISION ACCIDENT ON 02/03/2015, STEERING WHEEL AND LEG AIR BAG WAS DEPLOYED, BUT CAUSED ME INJURY AFTER IT DEPLOYED TO MY HAND, FINGERS AND KNEES. ONCE LEG AIR BAD DEPLOYED, MY RIGHT KNEED HIT THE SWITCH UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER SEAT AND CAUSED INJURY. MERCEDES DON'T INSTALL THIS SWITCH UNDERNEATH THE SEAT ANYMORE AND I BELIEVE THERE WAS FLAW IN DESIGN AND LOCATION OF THIS SWITCH AND NOW THEY CHANGED THE LOCATION OF SWITCH. THEY MIGHT HAVE FOUND SOMETHING IN THEIR TESTING. PLEASE SEE PICTURES OF MY INJURIES ON FINGERS CAUSED BY STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG AND KNEE INJURY BY LEG AIR BAD HITTING THE SWITCH. I HAVE MORE PICTURES OF ACCIDENT SCENE AND WOULD LIKE TO SHARE. AROUND 8:05 AM I LEFT MY HOME TO GO TO WORK. WHEN I WAS ON BRIDGE NEAR THE FIRE STATION, I SAW SILVER CAR CAME IN MY LANE AND DRIVING TOWARDS ME. I CAME IN MY MIND THAT THIS CAR IS GOING TO HIT ME AND AS IT WAS COMING CLOSER AND THOUGHT CAME IN MY MIND THAT I MIGHT DIE. I MOVED SLOWLY TO RIGHT

Mileage: 63,000

20160504CrashWHEELS

TAKATA RECALL - I HAD HEAD-ON COLLISION ACCIDENT ON 02/03/2015, STEERING WHEEL AND LEG AIR BAG WAS DEPLOYED, BUT CAUSED ME INJURY AFTER IT DEPLOYED TO MY HAND, FINGERS AND KNEES. ONCE LEG AIR BAD DEPLOYED, MY RIGHT KNEED HIT THE SWITCH UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER SEAT AND CAUSED INJURY. MERCEDES DON'T INSTALL THIS SWITCH UNDERNEATH THE SEAT ANYMORE AND I BELIEVE THERE WAS FLAW IN DESIGN AND LOCATION OF THIS SWITCH AND NOW THEY CHANGED THE LOCATION OF SWITCH. THEY MIGHT HAVE FOUND SOMETHING IN THEIR TESTING. PLEASE SEE PICTURES OF MY INJURIES ON FINGERS CAUSED BY STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG AND KNEE INJURY BY LEG AIR BAD HITTING THE SWITCH. I HAVE MORE PICTURES OF ACCIDENT SCENE AND WOULD LIKE TO SHARE. AROUND 8:05 AM I LEFT MY HOME TO GO TO WORK. WHEN I WAS ON BRIDGE NEAR THE FIRE STATION, I SAW SILVER CAR CAME IN MY LANE AND DRIVING TOWARDS ME. I CAME IN MY MIND THAT THIS CAR IS GOING TO HIT ME AND AS IT WAS COMING CLOSER AND THOUGHT CAME IN MY MIND THAT I MIGHT DIE. I MOVED SLOWLY TO RIGHT

Mileage: 63,000

Compare 2012MERCEDES-BENZGL550 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ GL550 have?
The 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ GL550 has 12 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 0 fires, 6 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ GL550?
The most-complained component for the 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ GL550 is AIR BAGS with 6 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STRUCTURE:BODY and WHEELS.
Is the 2012 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.