Electric & engine issues are among the top complaints received by the NHTSA from vehicle owners
Is the battery in your GLE failing? Find more information on GLE battery issues.
The Mercedes-Benz GLE emerged from the successful and well-established M Class in the form of the sporty 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé. Launched as a robust SUV, it has always offered diesel and petrol options.
So, it’s been around for a while now, but an alarming issue is that in the past two years, there have been a multitude of recalls. Lemberg Law highlights recall numbers of the 2020 model in an article titled 2020 Mercedes Benz GLE350 Problems and Top Complaints.
There are 28 recalls on file with the United States Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class. The most recent is dated 18 February 2022 and only relates to this model.
There are already 11 recalls recorded with NHTSA for the 2021 model. They date from February 2020 to November 2021. Although the reasons for the recalls are varied, the most common component is the electrical system.
So, it’s not surprising that the most common problems relating to the 17 complaints about this model are about the electrical system. Complaints about the 2020 model also top the list of NHTSA complaints.
As we say above, the most commonly reported problems with this model relate to electrical system issues. There are also many engine problems that show up in complaints, but most of these relate to the electrical system.
The others relate to the powertrain, service brakes, exterior lighting, forward collision avoidance, the fuel/propulsion system, vehicle speed control, and visibility.
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | |
| Engine | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control | |
| Power Train | |
| Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery | |
| Exterior Lighting | |
| Exterior Lighting:brake Lights |
We are looking at these problems together because 5 of the electrical system problems in NHTSA complaints link to engine problems. The one engine complaint that isn’t included in an electrical system problem, does relate to loss of power. So, in effect, all these problems are related and there are a total of 11 altogether.
The issues reported are all related to the battery and loss of power. Dealer diagnoses include software that needs to be updated and batteries that need to be replaced.
But solutions aren’t readily available, which is why most of these owners are complaining to NHTSA.
A complaint that states the GLE’s battery “went dead” on 10 December 2020 says: “Dealer tells me no batteries are available in the U.S. A battery is promised for delivery from Germany on or about January 11, 2021.”
Another complaint about the battery malfunction from someone who believes the issue can be fixed via a software update says: “It is incredibly distressing to have experienced an issue that is widely reported in this database and online forums, and remains unaddressed by MBUSA.”
Nothing is resolved for these complaints.
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These complaints highlight safety issues.
One of the two service brakes complaints states that the vehicle nudges forward while the car is in park. “The car dealership appears rather cavalier about this issue but it leads to little trust with the vehicle.” This owner’s concern is that the car may propel forward more than expected, “causing a safety issue.”
The other complaint highlights an issue of aggressive automatic braking when cruise control is used. “This dangerous condition can cause an accident,” largely because the vehicle misreads the signs often.
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Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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I’m living in Switzerland. Since I got a GLE 450 2020 ,substantially loss engine power, air noise at pilot door, water filtering, bad smell in the cabin are some of issues. Mercedes Switzerland seems to be closed to these critics and they tell me maybe some updates are needed. I live in a accès of 35 and 45 percent slopes, the car stopped at the bottom loss all power for more than 5 seconds then it began to climb.