MERCEDES-BENZ GLE 350 · model year

2018 MERCEDES-BENZ GLE 350

48 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports, and 4 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2018MERCEDES-BENZGLE 350 carries 48 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, 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 2018 GLE 350 is power train with 6 filings, followed by electrical system (4) and service brakes (4). 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. This model year has 4 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 15 investigation files overlapping the 2018 GLE 350. 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.

48
Complaints
3
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

48 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
POWER TRAIN6
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM4
SERVICE BRAKES4
UNKNOWN OR OTHER4
TIRES3
FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL3
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE3
STEERING2
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL2
EXTERIOR LIGHTING2
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)2
WHEELS2
STRUCTURE2
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM2
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS1

Recalls (4)

22V95500023/12/2022

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP:CONTROL/DRIVE MODULE

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2012-2014 ML550, 2012-2015 ML350, AMG ML63, 2015 ML250, ML400, 2016 GLE450, GLE300, 2016-2018 GLE350, GLE550, 2016-2019 GLE400, 2017-2019 AMG GLE43, and 2016-2020 AMG GLE63 vehicles. Water might accumulate in the spare tire wheel well and damage

22V36500020/05/2022

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017-2022 CLA-Class, GLA-Class, GLE-Class, GLS-Class, SLC-Class, A-Class, AMG GT-Class, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, SL-Class, GLC-Class, CLS-Class, GLB-Class, and G-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model de

21V07200012/02/2021

COMMUNICATION

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017-2019 C300, E300, 2018-2020 CLA250, 2020 CLS450, AMG E53, AMG GT53, GLE450, 2018 AMG E63, AMG GTA, 2017-2020 GLA250, GLC300, 2019 GLC350, AMG GLC43, 2017-2018 GLE350, 2019 AMG GLC 43, GLC350, GLE400, 2017 GLS450, S550, C300 Cabrio, and 2018-201

21V05800005/02/2021

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 - 2021 CLA-Class, GLA-Class, GLE-Class, GLS-Class, SLC-Class, A-Class, GT-Class, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, CLS-Class, SL-Class, B-Class, GLB-Class, GLC-Class, and G-Class vehicles. Please refer to the Part 573 report for specific vehicle mod

Recent Complaints

20260109UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Owners of affected Mercedes-Benz vehicles were given no meaningful advance warning that core, built-in safety and emergency communication systems would be permanently disabled. No replacement system has been offered, no retrofit path exists, and no alternative emergency solution has been provided. The manufacturer has instead unilaterally orphaned these vehicles by discontinuing backend support required for functionality that was present at the time of sale. These vehicles were manufactured and sold with non-paywalled, standard safety features, including automatic emergency call (E-Call/SOS), crash notification, and airbag deployment communication designed to contact emergency services when a driver may be incapacitated. With the discontinuation of backend services, these safety-critical functions will no longer operate, meaning there will be no automatic communication of airbag deployment, crash events, or emergency assistance requests, despite the physical hardware remaining install

20251106ENGINE

While driving, the vehicle’s serpentine/fan belt snapped. The loose belt struck and pulled out a sensor plug. Immediately the engine shut down and was later found to be seized. The vehicle had no prior warnings or known issues and was maintained according to manufacturer recommendations. There were no other warning signs ahead, the car is always maintained. I have records of all the maintenance, and there was not a single Check engine light, or any other kind of issue. Consequence: Engine seized, vehicle not drivable, substantial repair or replacement required. •Condition & maintenance: All services up-to-date, regular oil changes, no previous related issues. •Supporting documentation: Mechanic’s inspection report, service records, tow bill, photos of belt damage and sensor plug. •Impact: Unexpected catastrophic failure at low mileage; potential defect in belt/pulley/auxiliary-system interface posing risk of sudden breakdown. •Request: Investigation of whether this is an is

20250904ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The fuel pump has been failing and shutting off and has been hesitant when taking off. It can leave you stranded in the middle of the road or if you turn left in front of people the car may stall and can cause a crash. Yes and independent dealer and the dealer both know it’s a problem. I took the vehicle into a Mercedes dealer and the fuel pump had a recall on it and the dealer refused to replace it although I had a engine code that they could pull up referring them to the fuel pump and the fuel pump not priming as it should in every start up. The failure happened a few months ago and I took it in and the dealer drilled a home in the rear of my car and failed to replace the fuel pump, which was covered under the warranty. And the dealer admitted there was water in the trunk area which corroded the fuel pump.

20250904FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

The fuel pump has been failing and shutting off and has been hesitant when taking off. It can leave you stranded in the middle of the road or if you turn left in front of people the car may stall and can cause a crash. Yes and independent dealer and the dealer both know it’s a problem. I took the vehicle into a Mercedes dealer and the fuel pump had a recall on it and the dealer refused to replace it although I had a engine code that they could pull up referring them to the fuel pump and the fuel pump not priming as it should in every start up. The failure happened a few months ago and I took it in and the dealer drilled a home in the rear of my car and failed to replace the fuel pump, which was covered under the warranty. And the dealer admitted there was water in the trunk area which corroded the fuel pump.

20250630POWER TRAIN

Cannot shift the gear from P to any other positions, and unable to move the car. The issue has been existing from mid 2022, three years ago.

20250621POWER TRAIN

After fully stop with pressing brake pedal, try to shift the gear from D (Drive) to R (Reverse) but cannot shift the automatic gear position from D to R (reverse) gear. In order to shift to R gear position, I needed to shutdown and restart the engine. This has been clearly recurrent since 3 years ago and mostly happen in front of my garage to park backward, but sometimes very dangerous in the middle of road, when needed to make tight U-turn. Please take care of this issue. Thank you.

20250522STRUCTURE

The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350. The contact stated that water had entered the vehicle through the sunroof. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that water intrusion through the sunroof had damaged the batteries. The mechanic replaced both batteries. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V854000(Structure); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired for the water intrusion failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 81,000. The VIN was unavailable.

Mileage: 81,000

20250522ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350. The contact stated that water had entered the vehicle through the sunroof. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that water intrusion through the sunroof had damaged the batteries. The mechanic replaced both batteries. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V854000(Structure); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired for the water intrusion failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 81,000. The VIN was unavailable.

Mileage: 81,000

20250110BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes Benz GLE350. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle in reverse, the backup camera screen display had malfunctioned and a black image had been displayed, creating a visibility hazard for the driver. The contact indicated that the failure was intermittent. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed that the VIN was not included in the manufacturer's extended coverage related to the failure. No further information was available. The local dealer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 69,000.

Mileage: 69,000

20241002FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The contact scanned the vehicle with a vehicle scanner and retrieved diagnostic trouble codes that indicated a loss of communication between the fuel pump control unit and the fuel pump. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the contact was informed that there was water accumulation in the spare tire wheel well. The dealer replaced the blown seals and the fuel pump control unit under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V955000 (Fuel System, Diesel, Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the failure persisted. The dealer recommended a fuel pump replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 132,000.

Mileage: 132,000

20241002FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The contact scanned the vehicle with a vehicle scanner and retrieved diagnostic trouble codes that indicated a loss of communication between the fuel pump control unit and the fuel pump. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the contact was informed that there was water accumulation in the spare tire wheel well. The dealer replaced the blown seals and the fuel pump control unit under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V955000 (Fuel System, Diesel, Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the failure persisted. The dealer recommended a fuel pump replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 132,000.

Mileage: 132,000

20240928FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

The vehicle will not turn over and start. Unable to drive to work, water accumulated in the back spare tire area. No warning or alerts appeared on the dash the vehicle would not turn over.

20240506AIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light was illuminated, and the message "Front Left Malfunction. Service Required" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The mechanic informed the contact that the front driver's side air bag might fail to deploy during a crash, and that an unknown part needed to be replaced. The dealer was notified of the failure and charged a fee for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 46,000.

Mileage: 46,000

20240330POWER TRAIN

After 60,000 miles the seal of the the cylinder head cover starts to leak. It takes around $1800 to fix and the reseal. The material use to release is way better and lasts longer compared to what car comes with. This I found out from the Mercedes Benz service department. Due to this leak the car starter gets soaked in the engine oil and car is enabled to even start up. Lots of customers end up toeing their cars to Mercedes dealer. The complaint is that Mercedes is putting the parts on their car that are cheap and going to last only 60k that is cheating and once user pays for the repairs they will put much better part. This leak has happened to my car and With only 60k miles on it. Mercedes Benz is cheating the people by putting the cheapest part and charging premium on cars. They label this as normal wear and tear, even tho car is kept well maintained. They put on much better seal after the seal and charging customers $1800. They could have use this seal first time when car was b

20230906TIRES

The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE350 equipped with Kenda Tires, Tire Line: Klever, Tire Size: 255/50/R19, DOT Number: (N/A). The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, there was an abnormal popping sound coming from the vehicle. Upon inspection, the contact discovered that the front passenger’s side tire had experienced a blowout. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic and was informed that all four tires were in bad condition and that all four tires needed to be replaced. The front passenger’s side tire was patched, and the vehicle was towed back to the residence. The manufacturer and the dealer who sold the contact the tires were notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The tires were not replaced. The tire failure mileage was approximately 1,000. The vehicle failure mileage was 35,040.

Mileage: 35,040

20230719POWER TRAIN

Transmission gear does not shift into R or N or D, from P. How to reproduce: Drive several minutes, then brake/stop, shift into R, pull back 10~20 ft. Gear cannot shift to either R or N or D. Gear can only shift into P. Shutdown the car, restart the engine then able to shift into R or N or D. This has been intermittent but getting more frequent.

20230719ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Transmission gear does not shift into R or N or D, from P. How to reproduce: Drive several minutes, then brake/stop, shift into R, pull back 10~20 ft. Gear cannot shift to either R or N or D. Gear can only shift into P. Shutdown the car, restart the engine then able to shift into R or N or D. This has been intermittent but getting more frequent.

20230620WHEELS

The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact stated that while entering the dealer, the over-the-thread detector provided an alert. There were no warning lights illuminated. While at the local dealer, the contact was informed that the vehicle was working as designed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer Mercedes-Benz of Buckhead (2799 Piedmont Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30305) where it was diagnosed that the brake pads had separated and were not engaged. The brake pads and rotors were replaced but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and the contact was informed that the rear passenger’s side wheel was scraping and there was an abnormal pattern on the rotor. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 37,873.

Mileage: 37,873

20230620SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR

The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact stated that while entering the dealer, the over-the-thread detector provided an alert. There were no warning lights illuminated. While at the local dealer, the contact was informed that the vehicle was working as designed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer Mercedes-Benz of Buckhead (2799 Piedmont Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30305) where it was diagnosed that the brake pads had separated and were not engaged. The brake pads and rotors were replaced but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and the contact was informed that the rear passenger’s side wheel was scraping and there was an abnormal pattern on the rotor. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 37,873.

Mileage: 37,873

20230517POWER TRAIN

Was not able to change automatic transmission gear to R (Reverse) w/o restarting the engine. (the brake pedal is firmly pressed for sure) For all three cases: 1) D (Drive) to R or 2) P (park) to R or 3) N to R. The only way to change to R was: 1) move gear to P 2) shutoff the engine, 3) restart the engine, 4) and then able to change the gear to R. This has happened several times in this year, 2023.

Compare 2018MERCEDES-BENZGLE 350 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2018 MERCEDES-BENZ GLE 350 have?
The 2018 MERCEDES-BENZ GLE 350 has 48 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2018 MERCEDES-BENZ GLE 350?
Yes, the 2018 MERCEDES-BENZ GLE 350 has 4 recall(s). The most common affected component is FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP:CONTROL/DRIVE MODULE. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 MERCEDES-BENZ GLE 350?
The most-complained component for the 2018 MERCEDES-BENZ GLE 350 is POWER TRAIN with 6 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM and SERVICE BRAKES.
Is the 2018 MERCEDES-BENZ GLE 350 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.