2015 Mercedes-Benz GL550

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Excellent Reliability

Quick Summary

The 2015 Mercedes-Benz GL550 has 9 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.1x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (56% of all complaints), specifically: as i was driving down the freeway the whole vehicle caught on fire and we got out of the car and within 2-3 minutes while car was burned to ashes.. ⚠️ 3 fire reports filed.

3 fire reports

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

0.1x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

5 complaints

56%

• As I was driving down the freeway the whole vehicle caught on fire and we got out of the car and within 2-3 minutes while car was burned to ashes.
• Upon receipt of vehicle, when the weather was nice, a rattle in the engine compartment appeared to take place intermittently. Upon diagnosis by a dealership, intermittent was confirmed to take place on a cold start, and not intermittently. Upon further research, it was found the rattle is related t
• My 2015 GL550 has 90k miles on it and is city driven, on 09/11/2023 when I was trying to pull out onto a main rd my suv hesitated and the check engine light came on, luckily traffic wasn’t heavy at the time so I wasn’t in any accidents. I called and was able to get my suv into my local Mercedes deal

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“As I was driving down the freeway the whole vehicle caught on fire and we got out of the car and within 2-3 minutes while car was burned to ashes.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

2 complaints

22%

• MY CAR HAS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE HVAC SYSTEM. IT GENERATES A MOLD AND MILDEW SMELL WHILE USING THE AC AND HEAT. MERCEDES SAYS THEY NO OF THIS ISSUE BUT HAVE NO PERMANENT FIX. THE SMELL IS SO BAD THAT IT IS ALMOST UN-DRIVABLE. MERCEDES DEALERSHIPS HAVE BULLETINS THAT DENOTE THE ISSUE IS KNOWN,
• As I was driving down the freeway the whole vehicle caught on fire and we got out of the car and within 2-3 minutes while car was burned to ashes.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“MY CAR HAS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE HVAC SYSTEM. IT GENERATES A MOLD AND MILDEW SMELL WHILE USING THE AC AND HEAT. MERCEDES SAYS THEY NO OF THIS ISSUE BUT HAVE NO PERMANENT FIX. THE SMELL IS SO BAD THAT IT IS ALMOST UN-DRIVABLE. MERCEDES DEALERSHIPS HAVE BULLETINS THAT DENOTE THE ISSUE IS KNOWN, ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BODY/STRUCTURE

1 complaints

11%

• As I was driving down the freeway the whole vehicle caught on fire and we got out of the car and within 2-3 minutes while car was burned to ashes.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“As I was driving down the freeway the whole vehicle caught on fire and we got out of the car and within 2-3 minutes while car was burned to ashes.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SEATS/RESTRAINTS

1 complaints

11%

• There are many models of the gl550 ranging from 2012-2015, where the second row driver side seats get stuck in a downward position. Recently it happened to me and another gl550 was in the shop at Mercedes North Houston for repair for the same issue. These are very common in this make and model and

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“There are many models of the gl550 ranging from 2012-2015, where the second row driver side seats get stuck in a downward position. Recently it happened to me and another gl550 was in the shop at Mercedes North Houston for repair for the same issue. These are very common in this make and model and”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)

$500

SEATS/RESTRAINTS(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 9 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: As I was driving down the freeway the whole vehicle caught on fire and we got out of the car and within 2-3 minutes while car was burned to ashes.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: MY CAR HAS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE HVAC SYSTEM. IT GENERATES A MOLD AND MILDEW SMELL WHILE USING THE AC AND HEAT. MERCEDES SAYS THEY NO OF THIS ISSUE BUT HAVE NO PERMANENT FIX. THE SMELL IS SO BAD THAT IT IS ALMOST UN-DRIVABLE. MERCEDES DEALERSHIPS HAVE BULLETINS THAT DENOTE THE ISSUE IS KNOWN,
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BODY/STRUCTURE: As I was driving down the freeway the whole vehicle caught on fire and we got out of the car and within 2-3 minutes while car was burned to ashes.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SEATS/RESTRAINTS: There are many models of the gl550 ranging from 2012-2015, where the second row driver side seats get stuck in a downward position. Recently it happened to me and another gl550 was in the shop at Mercedes North Houston for repair for the same issue. These are very common in this make and model and
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)