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Mercedes-Benz

2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK250

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Excellent Reliability

Quick Summary

The 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK250 has 6 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.2x the segment average of 25. The most common issue is other problems (50% of all complaints), specifically: driving 45-50 mph on the road alone and am startled by loud noise which resembled a gunshot. i immediately checked the dash to see if any warning lights were illuminated but saw nothing. after a few minutes i looked up and noticed my panoramic sunroof what shattered in tiny pieces. dealership sta. There are 3 recalls issued for this model year.

6

Total Complaints

3

Recalls Issued

/5

Safety Stars

0.2x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems(top 3 of 3)

OTHER

3 complaints
50%
  • DRIVING 45-50 MPH ON THE ROAD ALONE AND AM STARTLED BY LOUD NOISE WHICH RESEMBLED A GUNSHOT. I IMMEDIATELY CHECKED THE DASH TO SEE IF ANY WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED BUT SAW NOTHING. AFTER A FEW MINUTES I LOOKED UP AND NOTICED MY PANORAMIC SUNROOF WHAT SHATTERED IN TINY PIECES. DEALERSHIP STA
  • ADBLUE DEF HEATER AND NOX SENSORS . MY DEF FLUID / ADBLUE HEATER DEVELOPED A CODE AT 113K MILES AND AND THE SAME TIME A NOX SENSOR CODE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE NOX SENSORS FOR $2500 AND THE DEF HEATER CODE HAS COME BACK. THE VEHICLE IS HIGHWAY DRIVEN AND SHOULD NOT HAVE THESE EMISSION CODES. THE HE
  • Driving home mid morning Thursday , March 5, 2026 on smooth paved rural road, 50MPH, sunny, temp was 40 degrees, no vehicles anywhere near us, our Panoramic Sunroof shattered on our 2013 Mercedes GLK 250. We heard a loud "BANG", but had no idea what it was. I slowed down, pulled over and while looki
Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

DRIVING 45-50 MPH ON THE ROAD ALONE AND AM STARTLED BY LOUD NOISE WHICH RESEMBLED A GUNSHOT. I IMMEDIATELY CHECKED THE DASH TO SEE IF ANY WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED BUT SAW NOTHING. AFTER A FEW MINUTES I LOOKED UP AND NOTICED MY PANORAMIC SUNROOF WHAT SHATTERED IN TINY PIECES. DEALERSHIP STA

— NHTSA complaint filing

Recalls (3)

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE09/01/2019

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2014 C250, C300 4Matic, C350, C63 AMG, E350 4Matic Coupe, E350 Cabrio, E350 Coupe, SLS AMG Cabrio, SLS AMG Coupe, 2014-2015 C250 Coupe, C350 4Matic Coupe, C350 Coupe, C63 AMG Coupe, GLK 350, GLK250 BlueTec 4Matic, GLK350 RWD, 2015-2017 E400 4Matic Coupe, E400 Cabrio, E400 Coupe, 2014-2017 E550 Cabrio, and 2014-2016 E550 Coupe vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone A." Additionally, MBUSA is recalling certain 2012-2014 C250, E350 4Matic Coupe, SLS AMG Cabrio, 2012-2015 C250 Coupe, C350 4Matic Coupe, C350 Coupe, C63 AMG Coupe, 2011 C300, 2011-2014 C300 4Matic, C350, C63 AMG, E350 Cabrio, E350 Coupe, SLS AMG Coupe, 2015-2016 E400 4Matic Coupe, E400 Cabrio, E400 Coupe, 2011-2016 E550 Cabrio, E550 Coupe, 2011-2015 GLK350 4Matic, GLK350 RWD, and 2013-2015 GLK250 BlueTec 4Matic vehicles ever registered in the states of AZ, AR, DE, DC, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, VA, and WV or "Zone B." MBUSA is also recalling certain 2012-2014 C250, E350 4Matic Coupe, SLS AMG Cabrio 2012-2015 C250 Coupe, C350 4Matic Coupe, C350 Coupe, C63 AMG Coupe, 2010-2011 C300, 2010-2014 C300 4Matic, C350, C63 AMG, E350 Coupe, 2011-2014 E350 Cabrio, SLS AMG Coupe, 2015-2016 E400 4Matic Coupe, E400 Cabrio, E400 Coupe, 2016-2017 E550 Cabrio, 2010-2016 E550 Coupe, 2010-2015 GLK350 4Matic, GLK350 RWD, and 2013-2015 GLK250 BlueTec 4Matic vehicles ever registered in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MO, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI and WY or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began March 29, 2019. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.

Fuel Cost Calculator for 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK250

Live EIA prices
Per year
$2,282
Per month
$190
Per mile
19.0¢
MPG
27
City driving (worst-case MPG)
$2,567/yr
Highway driving (best-case MPG)
$1,925/yr

Based on EPA fuel-economy ratings and EIA weekly retail prices (2026-07-20). Real-world cost varies with driving style, trim/engine, terrain, and traffic.

5-Year Gas Price History

EIA weekly retail data · 2021 → today
Current
$4.00
5-year low
$2.78
5-year high
$5.01
Since 2021
+27%

Source: US Energy Information Administration weekly retail gasoline prices.

Estimated Insurance Cost for 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK250

Estimate only, not a quote. Modeled from NAIC + HLDI averages for a hypothetical 35-year-old driver with clean record + full coverage. Your actual quote depends heavily on your age, driving history, credit, ZIP code, and insurer.
Full coverage / year
$2,079
Full coverage / month
$173
Liability only / year
$732
vs US avg
+24%
How this estimate is calculated
US base full-coverage premium$1674
× state (US)1.00x
× vehicle class (suv-luxury)1.35x
× theft risk1.00x
× safety rating1.00x
× vehicle age0.92x
= Full coverage estimate$2079

Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.

Maintenance & Warranty

Recommended Mercedes-Benz GLK250 Service Intervals

Oil change
10K mi / 12 mo
Tire rotation
10K mi
Brake fluid
24 months
Transmission fluid
40K mi
Engine coolant
150K mi
Spark plugs
60K mi
Cabin air filter
20K mi
Engine air filter
40K mi
Differential (AWD/4WD)
40K mi

Service A / Service B alternating schedule. Requires MB-approved oil (229.5 spec typically).

"Severe service" conditions (heavy towing, extreme temps, city stop-and-go) typically halve these intervals. Always consult your vehicle's owner's manual for the authoritative schedule.

Mercedes-Benz New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage

Bumper-to-bumper (basic)
4 yr / 50K mi
Powertrain
4 yr / 50K mi
Hybrid/EV battery
10 yr / 155K mi
Corrosion (rust perforation)
4 yr / 50K mi
Roadside assistance
4 yr / unlimited mi

EQ EV battery warranty is 10 years/155,000 miles

These are the terms for a new Mercedes-Benz. If you're buying a used 2013 GLK250, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Mercedes-Benz dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.

Estimated Repair Costs

OTHER(~50K mi)
$500
AIR BAGS(~50K mi)
$500
TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)
$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 6 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

  • OTHER: DRIVING 45-50 MPH ON THE ROAD ALONE AND AM STARTLED BY LOUD NOISE WHICH RESEMBLED A GUNSHOT. I IMMEDIATELY CHECKED THE DASH TO SEE IF ANY WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED BUT SAW NOTHING. AFTER A FEW MINUTES I LOOKED UP AND NOTICED MY PANORAMIC SUNROOF WHAT SHATTERED IN TINY PIECES. DEALERSHIP STA

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • AIR BAGS: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ GLK250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V043000 (AIR BAGS). VONHOUSEN AUTOMOTIVE GROUP (1810 HOWE AVE, SACRAMENTO, CA 95825, 888-479-0451) STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • TRANSMISSION: The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK250. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 21V539000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact sta

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • RECALLS: Verify all 3 recalls have been completed — free at any Mercedes-Benz dealer
  • General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)

Mercedes-Benz GLK250 — Year Comparison

How does 2013 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.

Full years-to-avoid analysis →

NHTSA Safety Rating

No NHTSA safety rating available

At a Glance

Complaints
6
Recalls
3
Fire reports
0
Crash reports
0
Injury reports
0
Segment avg
25

Check a Specific VIN

See recalls for YOUR 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK250