2021 Mercedes-Benz Gle 350 problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Engine (17) · Service Brakes (3) · Power Train (3)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Mercedes-Benz Gle 350 model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
Safety recalls (14)
Electrical System:wiring 2024-09-27 · campaign 24V724000 · 10,655 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021-2022 GLE 350 and 2021-2022 GLE 450 vehicles. The front acceleration sensor's wiring harness may be routed incorrectly, which can prevent the front air bags from deploying properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: An air bag that does not deploy properly can increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and reroute the wiring harness, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 1, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2024100006.
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump 2023-12-21 · campaign 23V880000 · 79,676 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021-2024 GLE, GLS, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, SL, GLC, CLS, AMG GT, and G-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle details. The fuel pump may shutdown, causing a loss of drive power.
Risk: A loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 28, 2024. Owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, on February 23, 2024, April 19, 2024, June 28, 2024, August 9, 2024, October 1, 2024, and December 2, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 23V-445.
Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery 2023-12-08 · campaign 23V835000 · 164 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021-2022 GLE350 and GLE450 vehicles. A 12-Volt ground connection under the driver seat may not be secured properly, resulting in the ground connection overheating.
Risk: An overheated ground connection can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and secure the 12-Volt ground connection as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 26, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Visibility:defroster/Defogger/Hvac System 2023-03-17 · campaign 23V177000 · 61,450 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2020-2021 GLE350, GLE450, GLS450, GLS580, 2021 AMG GLE53, AMG GLE63, Maybach GLS600, AMG GLS63, and 2020 GLE580 vehicles. The air conditioner drain hoses may have been incorrectly installed, causing water to drain into the passenger compartment.
Risk: Water intrusion into the foot wells may cause corrosion and/or short circuits to electrical components, increasing the risk of fire. In addition, the emergency call (eCall) feature may be disabled and the doors may not unlock, increasing the risk of injury. Also, the engine may not start or may enter a limp-home mode, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and reinstall the air conditioner drain hoses, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 28, 2023. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. This recall is an expansion of recall numbers 21V-288 and 19V-587. MBUSA's numbers for this recall are 2023030014 and 15.
Steering:critical Fasteners 2022-12-16 · campaign 22V936000 · 69 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021-2022 GLE350, GLE450, 2022 AMG GLE53, AMG GLE63, and GLS450 vehicles. The steering coupling locking screw may loosen and possibly detach from the steering gear, resulting in a loss of steering control.
Risk: A loss of steering control can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the steering coupling locking screw, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 27, 2023. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2022120016.
Structure:body 2022-09-12 · campaign 22V680000 · 161,000 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2020-2022 GLE350, GLE450, GLS450, 2021-2022 AMG GLE53, 2020-2021 GLE580, GLS580, and 2021 GLE400e, AMG GLS63, AMG GLE63 S, and Maybach GLS600 vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the rear door window trim bars may detach.
Risk: Detached trim bars may cause a road hazard and increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and secure the rear window trim bars, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 1, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2022090010.
Communication: Auto Crash Notification 2022-05-20 · campaign 22V365000 · 242,722 vehicles
Defect: 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 details. An error in the communication module's SIM card software can cause a mobile network connection failure, disabling the emergency call (eCall) system.
Risk: A disabled eCall system would prevent a vehicle occupant from contacting the emergency services call center in an emergency, potentially delaying emergency responders and increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: The communication module software will be updated through an Over-the-Air (OTA) update or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 8, 2022. Owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, on July 8, 2022, May 17, 2024, July 29, 2024, and September 27, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's numbers are for this recall is 2022060005 and 2023110006.
Visibility:glass, Side/Rear 2021-10-22 · campaign 21V832000 · 23 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021 GLE 350, GLE 580, GLS 450, GLS 580, AMG GLE 53, AMG GLE 63 S, and AMG GLS 63 S vehicles. The rear window may be insufficiently bonded to the tailgate, which could allow the rear glass to detach.
Risk: Detached rear glass can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the rear window, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 8, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Exterior Lighting:headlights 2021-07-02 · campaign 21V509000 · 1,467 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2018-2020 C300, 2019-2020 A220, AMG C43, AMG C63, 2020 GLE580, GLB250, 2020-2021 GLE450, GLE350, 2021 AMG GLE63, and AMG GLE53 vehicles. The LED headlights may have been incorrectly adjusted during a vehicle repair. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: Incorrectly adjusted headlights may reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the LED headlights, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed August 13, 2021. A second notice will be sent once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed January 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera 2021-05-14 · campaign 21V354000 · 343,191 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2019-2021 CLA-Class, GLE/GLS-Class, A-Class, E-Class, E-Class Coupe and Convertible, GLA/GLB-Class, GLC-Class, CLS-Class, and AMG GT-Class 4-door Coupe vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. The MBUX multimedia system software may cause the display to remain black, or reboot after startup. This could result in the rearview camera image not displaying properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comp
Risk: A backup camera that displays a blank image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: The multimedia system software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning June 28, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6373. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2021050012.
Electronic Stability Control (Esc):control Module:software 2021-02-12 · campaign 21V071000 · 41,838 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2020-2021 GLE450, GLE350, and 2020 GLS450, GLE580, GLS580 vehicles. During certain evasive driving maneuvers, the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) software may apply torque to one of the front wheels, pulling the vehicle to one side. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
Risk: If the vehicle unexpectedly pulls to one side during an evasive maneuver, it can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will update the ESP software, free of charge. The recall began March 31, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2021030004.
Communication: Auto Crash Notification 2021-02-05 · campaign 21V058000 · 1,292,258 vehicles
Defect: 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 model details. The software design of the communication module may fail to communicate the correct vehicle location for the emergency call system (eCall) in the event of a crash.
Risk: Failure of the eCall system may result in emergency responders being dispatched to the wrong location, increasing the risk of injury following a crash.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and the communication module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. The recall began March 12, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-877-762-8267. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2021020025.
Seat Belts: Rear/Other:buckle Assembly 2020-10-30 · campaign 20V671000 · 55,326 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz AG USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021 AMG GLE53, AMG GLE63, 2020 GLE580, 2020-2021 GLE350 and GLE450 vehicles with 5 passenger seating. While buckling the seat belt, the middle seat belt buckle could be pushed down into the gap below the seat cushion. If the buckle can't be retrieved, the buckle latch will be inoperable and unable to restrain an occupant.
Risk: An unrestrained occupant has an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will secure the middle seat belt buckle, free of charge. The recall began December 18, 2020. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2020110005.
Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel 2020-02-14 · campaign 20V089000 · 2,101 vehicles
Defect: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2020 CLA250, CLA250 4MATIC and CLA35 AMG 4MATIC, 2020-2021 GLE350, GLE350 4MATIC, GLE450 4MATIC, GLS450 4MATIC and GLS580 4MATIC and 2021 GLE53 AMG Coupe, GLE63S AMG 4MATIC, GLS63 AMG 4MATIC and Maybach GLS600 4MATIC vehicles. The instrument cluster software may deactivate the illumination of certain interior switches (switch bar, overhead control unit, steering wheel) if the hazard lights are turned on and the ignition switch is in the 'off'
Risk: If the interior switches are not illuminated, they may be more difficult to find and operate, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. The recall began March 31, 2020. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2020030019.
Service bulletins (383)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Steering 2026-09-26 · LI46.10-P-080896 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
complaint slight creaking noises when steering. cause noises may come from one or more sleeves of the horn contact plate. remedy remove the horn contact plate and check the sleeves for noise; see attached video. if necessary, apply lubricant to the sleeves.
Power Train 2026-09-26 · LI27.00-P-073124 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
complaint customer complaints relating to automatic transmission 725.0 (nag3 classic /9g‑tronic automatic transmission) and 725.1 (nag3 facelift/9g‑tronic automatic transmission facelift) for faster, more effective and more targeted diagnosis, intelligent predictive repair (ipr) has been developed a
Service Brakes 2026-09-22 · LI42.10-P-078779 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
complaint repeat workshop visit for vehicle vibration while braking from 60mph. note: although the symptom is similar to a tire or wheel vibration, it is usually readily noticeable that it is distinctly different if it happens at all times or only while braking. cause although the cause of the vibra
Engine 2026-09-17 · LI20.10-P-075374 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
complaint red coolant warning in instrument cluster. fault codes u019f00 or u019f87 current/stored in mrg1 control unit. cause various causes remedy perform guided test for fault code u019f with xentry diagnosis. verify the following connections are clean and tight. correct any problems and retest p
Electrical System 2026-09-15 · LI82.60-P-080383 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
complaint radio station cover art does not refresh when switching stations. the ui continues to show the old station’s artwork instead of updating to the new one. cause when a new station change request is triggered, a temporary glitch is causing the head unit application to fail to overwrite the pr
Structure:body 2026-09-14 · LI82.62-P-078631 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
complaint clanking noise from the area of the speakers in the doors. cause under analysis. remedy to narrow down the cause, first of all remove the door trim. • if the noise continues to occur even with the door trim removed, then continue the diagnosis working towards the speaker and if necessary,
Showing the 6 most recent of 383 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-06-25 · Unknown Or Other“while driving on the highway on three separate occasions the blind spot warning will pop up and show as inoperative, next the active break assist warning flashes as inoperative, and then the entire vehicle shows as inoperative and loses all acceleration and breaks down. this has happened three times. stayed over night at the dealership they “drove …”
2026-06-03 · Engine“at approximately 87,000 miles, my 2021 gle350 (m264 2.0t engine) experienced a severe engine misfire resulting in a flashing check engine light, rough idle, engine shaking, significant loss of power, and near-stall condition. the vehicle was taken to speedhaus automotive (newbury park, ca) where all four ignition coils and spark plugs were replaced…”
2026-05-27 · Suspension“2021 mercedes-benz gle 350 w. aprox: 30,000 miles. purchased the vehicle 3 years ago, when it had 17,000 miles on it. when driving at times the passenger rear shock will start making sqeaking / creaking noises. been like this for almost 1 year now. i dont drive the vehicle very often, but when i do drive it it irritates me. the dealership said the …”
2026-04-21 · Visibility:defroster/Defogger/Hvac System · 66,000 mi“the contact owned a 2021 mercedes-benz gle 350. the contact stated that warm air was blowing from the a/c unit while activated. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the contact was informed that a leak had caused the a/c unit failure. the mechanic referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. the vehicle was taken to the deale…”
2026-02-20 · Engine“while driving at night all error light showed up. i slowed down to the side of the road and while i was slowing down the engine died. i tried to start the car which worked but when i pressed the gas the engine died again. tried it two more times with the same results. then turned the car and waited a bit with the engine running. slowly started driv…”
2026-02-17 · Vehicle Speed Control“the vehicle has repeatedly experienced a sudden loss of acceleration, entering a reduced-power state while driving. most recently, this occurred less than one week after i was advised that the issue had been fully resolved through a relay replacement. critically, these incidents have occurred while my [xxx] child was in the vehicle, creating an u…”
2026-02-12 · Engine“this is regarding a 2021 gle 350. the car was parked overnight and in the morning was unable to start or crank . i had to tow the vehicle to the service center that has maintained the car since purchased date and they told me there’s a problem with the engine and i will need a new engine costing $28,000 dollars., the car has 42,000 miles and has an…”
2026-01-08 · Engine“there is a known issue with the cylinder heads on specific models of mercedes vehicles. symptoms of m264 cylinder head failure if your gle 350 is experiencing these symptoms, it may be covered under the extension: check engine light (mil): often triggered by misfire codes. rough idle: noticeable shaking or uneven idling when stopped. loss of power…”
2026-01-02 · Unknown Or Other“sunroof makes loud, high pitched noise when it’s windy or driving high speeds. sunroof complaints found online for bad seals or components of sunroof being bad or unaligned. sounds could cause driver not to hear other safety issues with vehicle as well as leaking if water.…”
2025-12-18 · Unknown Or Other“my vehicle suddenly started shaking and losing power, the check engine light came on and the problem continues to vibrate when idling, it will not shift into gear to go. very unnerving and unsafe as it happened in a intersection. sometimes it drives fine and then vibrates and goes into low gear and loses power. i took to a certified mercedes dealer…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.