2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE

Typical pattern

3.2% of complaints about the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2016 vehicle — around the middle of the 199 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 6.0 yr in service. The most-reported system is fuel / propulsion (19 complaints), typically at 6.9 yr or about 54,000 miles.

Covers 5 variants: GLE 350 (76), GLE 450 (43), GLE300D (11), GLE350D (8), GLE 400 (7)

Complaints: 154
Median age at failure: 6.0 yr
Median mileage: 43,000 n=77
Crash / fire / tow: 26% of reports
Safety recalls: 7

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

22V955000 2022-12-23

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 the fuel pump control unit, which could cause an engine stall while driving.

An engine stall while driving increases the risk of a crash.

19V787000 2019-11-01

Communication

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2013-2017 vehicles due to a software fault that may cause the date and time for the emergency call system (eCall) to differ from the actual date and time, potentially relaying an inaccurate vehicle location. For a full list of the affected models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2019/RMISC-19V787-4620.pdf

An inaccurate vehicle location may delay emergency responders, increasing the risk of injury.

17V655000 2017-10-17

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 GLE300d 4Matic, GLE400 4Matic, GLE350 4Matic, GLE63 AMG, GLE63 AMG Coupe, GLE63S AMG and GLE63S AMG Coupe, and 2017 GLS450 4Matic, GLE550 4Matic, and GLE63 AMG 4Matic vehicles. These vehicles may have excess bulkhead insulation extending into the lower windshield area, possibly affecting the windshield bonding and the full protective function of the passenger's frontal air bag in the event of a crash.

If the passenger's frontal air bag does not function as designed in the event of a crash, the front seat passenger has an increased risk of injury.

17V241000 2017-04-11

Steering:electric power assist system

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 GLE300d 4Matic, E400 4Matic Coupe, GL63 AMG, GLE350, GLE350 4Matic, GLE350d 4Matic, GLE400 4Matic, GLE43 AMG Coupe 4Matic, GLE550e 4Matic, GLE63 AMG 4Matic, GLE63S AMG 4Matic and GLE63S AMG Coupe 4Matic vehicles, 2017 E300 4Matic and GLS63 AMG 4Matic vehicles, and 2016-2017 GL350 4Matic BlueTec, GL450 4Matic, and GL550 4Matic vehicles. The affected vehicles have an electric power steering connector that may be insufficiently sealed, allowing water to enter the control unit.

If water enters the power steering control unit, the power steering assist may be deactivated, increasing the risk of a crash.

17V177000 2017-03-14

Electrical system:software

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 AMG GT-S, GLC300, CLA250 and GLE300d 4Matic vehicles, 2013 C250, E350 BlueTec and G63 AMG vehicles, 2008-2014 C300 vehicles, 2013-2014 C300 4Matic and ML350 4Matic vehicles, 2009 C350 vehicles, 2014 CLS550, E350 4Matic, E350 Coupe 4Matic, E350 Wagon 4Matic, GLK350 and SL550 vehicles, 2012 CLS550 4Matic vehicles, 2012-2016 E350 vehicles, 2016-2017 GL450 4Matic vehicles, 2012-2014 ML350 4Matic BlueTec vehicles, 2015 S550, S550 4Matic and C300 4Matic Sedan vehicles, 2015-2016 C300 Sedan vehicles, and 2017 SL63 AMG vehicles. Various control

If the air bags do not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, there would be an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.

16V903000 2016-12-15

Air bags:sensor:occupant classification

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 GL350 4Matic Bluetec, GL550 4Matic, GLE350 4Matic, GLE43 AMG Coupe, GLE450 4Matic, 2016 GLE300d 4Matic, GLE350, GLE350d 4Matic, GLE400 4Matic, GLE550e 4Matic, GLE63 AMG, GLE63 AMG 4Matic, GLE63S AMG 4Matic Coupe, and 2017 GLS63 AMG vehicles manufactured April 23, 2014, to May 10, 2016. The front passenger seat Occupant Classification System (OCS) calibration may be incorrect, and as a result, the system can incorrectly classify the occupant as a child seat, deactivating the front passenger air bag.

If the front passenger air bag does not deploy as necessary in the event of a crash, the front passenger has an increased risk of injury.

16V759000 2016-10-20

Exterior lighting:headlights

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 GLE 300d 4MATIC, GLE 350, GLE 350 4MATIC, and GLE 400 4MATIC vehicles manufactured October 14, 2015, to November 23, 2015. The low beam headlights on the affected vehicles may not be properly adjusted. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Assoc. Equipment."

If the low-beam headlights are out of adjustment, the driver's visibility may be reduced, increasing the risk of a crash.

In owners’ own words

Other 17,000 mi 1.9 yr in service

DEFECTIVE JACK - THE CAR WAS STATIONARY ON THE SHOULDER OF AN INTERSTATE IN ORDER TO FIX A FLAT TIRE. THE JACK PRONG WAS INSERTED AS DESIGNED INTO THE HOLE UNDER THE CAR AND THE CAR WAS RAISED TO REMOVE THE TIRE. UPON RAISING, THE PRONG DEFORMED AND RESULTED IN THE COLLAPSE OF THE CAR. THE RESULTING DEFORMITY RENDERED THE JACK INOPERATIVE AND ALMOST RESULTED IN SEVERE INJURY. THE CONSUMER STATED MERCEDES ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS NOT APPROPRIATELY RESPONSIVE WHILE THE STRANDED ON THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. *JS

Other 10,000 mi 1.2 yr in service crash / fire / tow

DRIVER PULLED INTO PARKING SPOT. WHILE CAR WAS STOPPED, AND THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN 'PARK', WHILE PRESSING THE BRAKE, THE CAR VIOLENTLY JUMPED FORWARD TWO TIMES, AT AN EXTREME SPEED, AND WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. TRANSMISSION DISPLAY (P, R, N, D) WAS FLASHING AND VEHICLE CAUSED INJURY TO THE DRIVER AND CHILD.

Other 75,000 mi 5.1 yr in service

THE "PANORAMIC SUNROOF" (THE SLIDING PORTION) SUDDENLY EXPLODED AFTER MIDNIGHT ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT 75 MPH - SCARING ME INTO SWERVING AND NEARLY WRECKING THE CAR. IF THE SUNSHADE HAD NOT BEEN CLOSED THE GLASS WOULD HAVE BEEN IN OUR EYES AND FACE. PHOTO WAS A GAS STATION 10 MINUTES LATER.

Engine mileage not reported 1.5 yr in service

2016 MERCEDES BENZ GLE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE SHUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED. *JS

Other GLE model years

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

In owners’ own words

Other GLE model years

How to read this