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2016 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class has been recalled for, how often it fails the UK MOT and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 0safety recalls
- 20owner complaints
- 1crash report
- 1fire report
- 12%fail the UK MOT
The least complained-about Mercedes-Benz GL-Class year on file: 20 complaints, against an average of 51 for the other model years.
Every Mercedes-Benz GL-Class model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class?
The components named most often in the 20 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
Has the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class been recalled?
NHTSA lists no safety recalls for the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class as of October 25, 2026. Recalls can be issued at any time, so check your VIN before you rely on this.
Is the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class recalled in the UK or Europe?
Recalls issued by the UK's DVSA and through the EU's Safety Gate system that cover this model and build period. European models can differ from U.S. ones, and "years estimated" means the recall gave no build dates, so confirm your own car with your registration or VIN.
UK DVSAOn affected vehicles the aluminium bolts of the steering gear could corrode and break due to the intrusion of moisture.
Risk: On affected vehicles the aluminium bolts of the steering gear could corrode and break due to the intrusion of moisture.
Fix: Replace the steering gear mounting bolts on the affected vehicles with steel bolts. Should the bolts break or already be broken change the steering gear.
UK DVSAThe behaviour of the emergency call system might not meet specifications
Risk: The behaviour of the emergency call system might not meet specifications.
Fix: Update the software of the communication module for the emergency call system.
UK DVSAThe behaviour of the emergency call system might not meet specifications
Risk: The behaviour of the emergency call system might not meet specifications.
Fix: Update the software of the communication module for the emergency call system.
UK DVSAThe behaviour of the emergency call system might not meet specifications
Risk: The behaviour of the emergency call system might not meet specifications.
Fix: Update the software of the communication module for the emergency call system.
UK DVSAThe behaviour of the emergency call system might not meet specifications
Risk: The behaviour of the emergency call system might not meet specifications.
Fix: Update the software of the communication module for the emergency call system.
UK DVSAThe behaviour of the emergency call system might not meet specifications
Risk: The behaviour of the emergency call system might not meet specifications.
Fix: Update the software of the communication module for the emergency call system.
UK DVSAThe behaviour of the emergency call system might not meet specifications
Risk: The behaviour of the emergency call system might not meet specifications.
Fix: Update the software of the communication module for the emergency call system.
UK DVSAThe behaviour of the emergency call system might not meet specifications
Risk: The behaviour of the emergency call system might not meet specifications.
Fix: Update the software of the communication module for the emergency call system.
UK DVSAThe behaviour of the emergency call system might not meet specifications
Risk: The behaviour of the emergency call system might not meet specifications.
Fix: Update the software of the communication module for the emergency call system.
UK DVSAThe emergency call system might not meet specifications
Risk: The behaviour of the emergency call system might not meet specifications.
Fix: Update the software of the communication module for the emergency call system.
UK DVSAThe behaviour of the emergency call system might not meet specifications
Risk: The behaviour of the emergency call system might not meet specifications.
Fix: Update the software of the communication module for the emergency call system.
UK DVSAOil foam may develop in the active curve system oil reservoir
Risk: It has been determined that on Model series ML/GLE GL/GLS (166) & GLE Coupe (292) with ACTIVE CURVE SYSTEM (ACS) Oil foam may develop in the systems oil reservoir under dynamic operating conditions and at an oil level below the minimum level and escape via the ventilation bores in the cap of the reservoir. Depending on the orientation of the two ventilation bores the escaping oil could spray onto hot component parts of the exhaust system. In this case risk of fire cannot be ruled out.
Fix: On affected vehicles replace the oil dipstick of the reservoir for the ACTIVE CURVE SYSTEM.
EU Safety GateThe three aluminium screws of the steering box may corrode due to exposure to spray water and aggressive road-grit (salt) used for melting…The three aluminium screws of the steering box may corrode due to exposure to spray water and aggressive road-grit (salt) used for melting ice. Advanced corrosion could weaken the screws, leading to potential breakage during manoeuvring or parking. If all fixing screws fail, the power-assisted steering could detach, resulting in a loss of power steering and an increased risk of an accident.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateThe aluminium bolts of the steering box may break.This can lead to detachment of the steering box from the power block, creating a risk of an accident.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateSevere corrosion may lead to a leakage of the brake booster, thus reducing the braking force, leading to an increase in brake pedal force…Severe corrosion may lead to a leakage of the brake booster, thus reducing the braking force, leading to an increase in brake pedal force required to decelerate the vehicle, resulting in a possible increase in stopping distance. Moreover, due to severe corrosion, a particularly strong or severe braking manoeuvre may cause mechanical damage to the brake booster, preventing the vehicle from decelerating through the service brake and thus increasing the risk of an accident.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateThe driver and passenger airbags of the company Takata in vehicles with ammonium nitrate gas generators without drying agents could, under…The driver and passenger airbags of the company Takata in vehicles with ammonium nitrate gas generators without drying agents could, under certain climate conditions, lead over time to a chemical change in the fuel.In the event of an accident triggering the release of the driver or passenger airbag, this change could cause the gas generators to burst. If a gas generator ruptures, the airbag would then have no restraining function and loose parts from the gas generator could reach the vehicle interior. This would increase the risk of injury for passengers.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateThe sealing cap of the Active Curve System's oil reservoir does not prevent oil from leaking out.Oil may leak out and spray onto hot components. As a consequence it may ignite and lead to fire.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateFollowing the update of the control unit coding, the coding parameters of the control unit could be defective.This could give rise to various unplanned reactions in the vehicle: the wrong airbag could be triggered in the event of an accident, the airbag control unit may not recognise the belt buckle status, the engine control unit could be coded with a false maximum speed or various assistance systems may not function.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateThe upper suspension arm may not have been correctly screwed to the stub axle, which could affect the steering.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateDue to incorrect functioning of the occupancy sensor system on the passenger's side, the airbag may not deploy in the event of an accident.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateThe fuel delivery module may not be fuel tight, as a result of which fuel might leak out during travel or if the vehicle is parked at an…The fuel delivery module may not be fuel tight, as a result of which fuel might leak out during travel or if the vehicle is parked at an angle, depending on how full the tank is. A risk of fire caused by an external ignition source may consequently arise.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
How often does the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class fail its MOT?
Why they failed: the share of failed tests with at least one fault in each area (a test can fail on several). Cars first registered in 2016, tested in Great Britain in 2023; first registration is usually, but not always, the model year. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, Open Government Licence v3.0.
What do 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class owners report?
12 of the 20 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
water intrusion into the spare tire well compartment and the battery compartment affecting the battery and starter.
Tailgate sometimes opens while driving. It sometimes takes many attempts to reclose it from the outside of car. It will not reclose using the electronic button on the door. The alert comes on on the dashboard and its extremely dangerous as luggage can fall out. This happened while highway driving last week, scary. Apparently after googling this, it is common issue. The tailgate is one big gate hinged at the top so stuff can fall out.
The contact owned a 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL450. The contact stated when he parked the vehicle and went into a business, he returned within 5 minutes and the vehicle was engulfed in flames. The fire department was already notified and arrived on the scene, then extinguished the fire with water. The police arrived on the scene; however, a report was not filed. The vehicle melted from the front bottom to the windshield. The vehicle was towed to the towing company. There were no injuries. No medical treatments were received on the scene or required. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The…
WE PURCHASED THE CAR IN JULY 2019 AND IN ADDITION TO THE CAR HAVING WARRANTY UP TO 50,000 MILES, WE PURCHASED AN ADDITIONAL SERVICE/REPAIR PACKAGE FOR $1,800.00 RECENTLY WE NOTICED THAT WHEN WE FIRST START DRIVING THE CAR HAS A NOISE ON THE RIGHT SIDE, THE NOISE IS MOST NOTICEABLE WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE AND WHEN RELEASING THE BRAKE. WE TOOK THE CAR TO MERCEDES BENZ OF VALENCIA AND TO SAY THAT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT STAFF WAS UNWILLING TO HELP IS A GROSS UNDERSTATEMENT. THEY EVENTUALLY DID AGREE TO KEEP THE CAR GOVERNING AND TEST DRIVE IT IN THE MORNING, THEY CALLED THE FOLLOWING DAY ON…
THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING ON THE VEHICLE PROVIDED IS SIGNIFICANTLY INFERIOR IN INTENSITY AND DISTANCE ILLUMINATED. IT IS VERY HARD TO SEE AN OBJECT AFTER FEW FEET AND NIGHT DRIVING BECOMES EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. AT NIGHT IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE, WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO SEE THE PASSING CARS OR PEOPLE AND FOLLOWING IS THE REPORT FROM IIHS ON THE ILLUMINATION RESULTS, WHICH WERE TESTED TO BE POOR. HTTP://WWW.IIHS.ORG/IIHS/RATINGS/VEHICLE/V/MERCEDES-BENZ/GLE-CLASS-4-DOOR-SUV/2018 I CONTACTED THE MB USA OFFICE AND THE INFORMED ME THIS IS AS PER DESIGN AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. I…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 MERCEDES-BENZ GL350. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT AFTER THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO EDHICKS MERCEDES (3102 S PADRE ISLAND DR, CORPUS CHRISTI, TX 78415), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED. CONSUMER STATED HE HAD BRAKED HARD AND HIS WIFE WAS THROWN AGAINST THE DASHBOARD, BOTH WERE WEARING THEIR SEABELTS. VIN INVALID UPDATED 9/13/18*JB
ON SEPTEMBER 6 2017 MY MERCEDES CLUSTER PANAL (ODEMETER) STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING. WHICH THEN I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED THE ODOMETER WHICH THEN FAILED AGAIN HOURS AFTER PICKING UP THE CAR. AFTER REPLACING IT 3 TIMES UNDER WARRANTY I'M STILL EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE. I CONTACTED MERCEDES CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY AIN'T ADDRESSING THE ISSUE PROPERLY AND HAS STOPPED CALLING ME BACK REGARDING THIS MATTER. I HAVE BEEN OUT OF A CAR SINCE SEPTEMBER 6,2017 TILL TODAY WITH NO LOANER VEHICLE FROM MERCEDES. I WAS FORCED TO RENT A CAR UNDER MY OWN EXPENSE WHILE…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 MERCEDES-BENZ GL63W4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V241000 (STEERING); HOWEVER, 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 CONTACT CALLED MERCEDES-BENZ OF SANTA FE (505-913-2900, 2586 LOCATED AT CAMINO ENTRADA, SANTA FE, NM 87507) WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE, BUT…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 MERCEDES-BENZ GL450. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V241000 (STEERING). THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT SPOKE TO AUTOHAUS OF PEORIA (2322 W VAN WINKLE WAY, PEORIA, IL 61615) WHO STATED THAT THEY HAD NOT HEARD OF THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
2ND ROW HEAD REST UNSAFE AND UNUSEABLE - THE HEADREST IS TOO LOW AND TOO HIGH FOR A CHILD OR SMALL PERSON TO USE. WHEN IN DOWN POSITION, SEAT PUSHES HEAD FORWARD; WHEN IT IS UP, IT'S TOO TALL FOR THE HEAD. ALSO HEADREST IS VERY DIFFICULT TO PULL UP. BASICALLY, THIS PART IS NOT USEABLE BY ANYONE EXCEPT A VERY TALL PERSON. SHOULD BE REPLACED BY MERCEDES. INJURIES CAN OCCUR DUE TO THIS DESIGN. NO INCIDENT HAS OCCURRED; ONLY COMPLAINTS ABOUT USING THE HEAD REST.
THE SECOND ROW SEAT HEADREST IS UNUSABLE FOR MY CHILDREN. IT HITS THEM IN THE HEAD AND THEY ARE TOTALLY UNCOMFORTABLE. I SEE NOW THAT THIS IS A MAJOR SOURCE OF PROBLEMS FOR THIS VEHICLE. MANY PARENTS ARE COMPLAINING. MERCEDES HAS NO CURE FOR IT. NOT OK.
MY FATHER AND MOTHER IN-LAW RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2016 MERCEDES BENZ GL450 AS OUR FAMILY CAR. THE HEADRESTS FOR THE 2ND ROW SEATS WITH THE "EASY ENTRY" OPTION APPEAR TO POSE A COMFORT AND SAFETY ISSUE FOR BOTH CAR SEATS AND "SHORTER" PEOPLE... I WOULD SAY 5'-3" AND SHORTER. WITH THE "EASY ENTRY" OPTION THE 2ND ROW HEAD RESTS ARE ONLY 2 POSITION, FULLY LOWERED OR FULLY EXTENDED. FULLY ADJUSTABLE HEIGHTS ARE NOT POSSIBLE. BOTH POSITIONS POSE A COMFORT AND SAFETY ISSUE. AT THE FULLY LOWERED POSITION, A CHILD'S CAR SEAT WOULD NOT BE FLUSH WITH THE SEAT AS THE HEAD REST FORCES THE CAR SEAT TO LEAN…
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2016 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class: questions owners ask
Is the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 20 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class; the most common categories were seats (3, 15%), electrical system (2, 10%), engine (2, 10%). There are no safety recalls listed for this model year. 1 complaint mentions a crash, 1 mentions a fire.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class?
Across 20 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are seats (15% of complaints), electrical system (10% of complaints), engine (10% of complaints), steering (10% of complaints), exterior lighting (5% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class have any recalls?
As of October 2026, NHTSA lists no safety recalls for the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class. Recalls can be issued at any time, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Check your own GL-Class
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), DVSA anonymised MOT results (Open Government Licence v3.0), DVSA vehicle recalls (Open Government Licence v3.0), EU Safety Gate alerts (© European Union), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2016 only.