2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE Reliability Report

The vehicle swerves or zigzags without warning, and at highway speed drivers say it takes a few seconds to regain control. Another report describes the car spinning out of control during a low-speed turn at around 8,000 miles. Dealer inspections often find nothing wrong. One crash followed an electric power steering failure while moving. Warnings appeared in the cluster, and a scan found no communication with the power steering control unit. The manufacturer declined to repair it under warranty. All four reports involve a loss-of-control risk.

An engine bay fire is reported during ordinary driving. The dash lit up, the steering went stiff, the car coasted to a stop, and the fire spread through most of the vehicle. Another report describes a flood of alerts followed by the parking brake engaging on its own while driving, then almost a month at the dealer. Owners also object to the built-in SOS and crash notification service being permanently shut off with no replacement, and to a lingering moldy smell in the cabin.

The engine won't start or stalls without warning, including at about 70 mph. Reports tie this to water pooling in the spare tire well and reaching the fuel pump control unit or its connector, sometimes rusting the well. Dealer repairs that replaced seals and the control unit did not stop the failure, and dealers have recommended replacing the whole fuel pump as the next step. One owner reports the parts needed for the repair were not yet available, leaving the car waiting.

Tread wears thin early. Three tires were reported critically low at around 20,000 miles, and the dealer told the owner to replace them at his own cost. Other reports describe a tire that kept losing pressure until a bubble formed in the sidewall, and a front Kenda tire that blew out at 35 mph. The complaints point to tread wear and tire damage rather than a failure elsewhere in the vehicle.

Unintended acceleration is reported in a car stopped in a parking lot just before shutdown. It lunged into a restaurant wall, causing major front-end damage and minor injury, and the airbags did not deploy. A second crash involved a GLE 43 sliding sideways at 5 to 10 mph in snow on Pirelli P Zero tires, and it handled better once fitted with snow tires. Cruise control also keeps the last set speed until the engine is turned off, so re-engaging it speeds the car back up to that speed.

Low beams light the road poorly at night. Drivers report switching to high beams to see unlit streets and pedestrians. Dealer adjustment of the bulb positions did not fix it, and the manufacturer has said the headlights perform as designed. One owner says the dealer could not offer a fix even if the owner paid for it. The complaint starts from new, with one report at about 20 miles.

Airbags fail to deploy in a crash in one report, and the injured occupant was taken to the hospital. Another report describes an airbag warning light and a "Front Left Malfunction. Service Required" message at around 46,000 miles. A mechanic warned that the driver's front airbag might not deploy in a crash. The dealer charged a fee, and the car was left unrepaired. Treat any airbag warning light on this car as a sign the system may not protect the people inside.