2012 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 76 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 0 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
76
Complaints
0
Recalls
4
Crash reports
1
Fire reports
5
Injuries
81.6
Severity index
Severity index 81.6 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 129 2012 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class ranks 46 of 129 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 64% of its model-year peers. See the full 2012 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 40 | 52.6% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 10 | 13.2% |
| SUSPENSION | 7 | 9.2% |
| HYDRAULIC | 6 | 7.9% |
| POWER TRAIN | 5 | 6.6% |
| ENGINE | 4 | 5.3% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 3 | 3.9% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 3 | 3.9% |
The single most-reported system is AIR BAGS, cited in 40 of 76 complaints (52.6%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 7 |
| 2017 | 25 |
| 2018 | 13 |
| 2019 | 11 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2022 | 8 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 2 |
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.