2016 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class: owner complaints and recalls

Analysis of 51 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 0 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.

51
Complaints
0
Recalls
1
Crash reports
0
Fire reports
2
Injuries
39.2
Severity index

Severity index 39.2 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.

Among the 140 2016 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class ranks 101 of 140 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 28% of its model-year peers. See the full 2016 ranking.

What actually fails

ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1631.4%
ENGINE1529.4%
AIR BAGS815.7%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM59.8%
POWER TRAIN59.8%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM59.8%
SERVICE BRAKES35.9%
VISIBILITY35.9%

The single most-reported system is UNKNOWN OR OTHER, cited in 16 of 51 complaints (31.4%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.

Complaints filed per year

2016: 22017: 42018: 22019: 12020: 42021: 72022: 42023: 112024: 112025: 22026: 31617181920212223242526
YearComplaints
20162
20174
20182
20191
20204
20217
20224
202311
202411
20252
2026 (year to date)3
Complaint volume is rising - the last three years carry 1.6x the filings of the three before them, which usually signals a wear-related defect surfacing with age.
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.