2011 Mercedes-Benz GL450 recalls and problems

The 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL450 has 3 safety recalls and 55 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Mercedes-Benz dealer.

Urgent: recall 24V-298, recall 22V-315 carry a "do not drive" warning. Contact a dealer before driving.
Recalls
3
Complaints
55
Crashes / fires
4 / 2
Injuries / deaths
3 / 0

Recalls may cover only some 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL450 vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2011 Mercedes-Benz GL450 recalls

Recall 24V-298: Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Do not driveReported Apr 26, 2024 · 15,604 vehicles affected · Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC

Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2006-2012 ML, GL, and R-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. Moisture may accumulate and cause corrosion in the brake booster housing unit, which can result in reduced brake performance or brake failure.

Risk: Reduced brake performance or brake failure can increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy has been performed. Dealers will remove the rubber sleeve, inspect the brake booster, and as necessary, replace the brake booster. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 24, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MMUSA's number for this recall is 2024050001/2. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 22V-315.

Recall 22V-315: Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Do not driveReported May 9, 2022 · 350,294 vehicles affected · Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC

Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2006-2012 ML-Class, GL-Class, and R-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. Moisture may accumulate and cause corrosion in the brake booster housing unit, which can result in reduced brake performance or brake failure.

Risk: Reduced brake performance or brake failure can increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy has been performed. Dealers will remove the rubber sleeve, inspect the brake booster, and as necessary, replace the brake booster. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 30, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's numbers for this recall are 2022050014, 2022050015 2022090006, & 2022090007.

Recall 16V-081: Air Bags

Reported Feb 11, 2016 · 711,159 vehicles affected · Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC.

Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 ML320 BlueTec 4Matic, GL320 BlueTec 4Matic and R320 CDI 4Matic, 2011 E350 Cabriolet and E550 Cabriolet, 2009-2011 ML350, ML350 4Matic, ML550 4Matic, ML63 AMG, and C63 AMG, 2010-2011 ML450 4Matic Hybrid, E350 Coupe, E350 4Matic, E550 Coupe, E550 4Matic, and E63 AMG, 2011-2012 GL350 BlueTec 4Matic and R350 BlueTec 4Matic, 2009-2012 GL450 4Matic, GL550 4Matic and R350 4Matic, 2007-2008 SLK280, SLK350, and SLK55 AMG, 2011-2014 SLS AMG Coupe, 2012 SLS AMG Cabriolet, 2013-2014 SLS AMG GT and SLS AMG GT Cabriolet, 2005 C230 Kompressor and C320, 2006-2007 C230, 2006-2011 C350, 2008-2011 C300 and C300 4Matic, 2010-2012 GLK350 and GLK350 4Matic and 2007-2008 Chrysler Crossfire vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: MBUSA will their notify owners, and Fiat Chrysler will notify the affected Chrysler owners. Dealers for the respective brands will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. This recall began November 2016. Mercedes-Benz owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372 and Chrysler owners may contact Fiat Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.

2011 Mercedes-Benz GL450 problems reported by owners

Problem areaReports
Air Bags34
Suspension9
Electrical System4
Service Brakes3
Unknown or Other3
Service Brakes, Hydraulic3
Power Train2
Fuel/Propulsion System2
Wheels1
Seats1
Engine1
Parking Brake1

Most reported parts

  • Power Train › Automatic Transmission — 1
  • Suspension › Front — 1
  • Electrical System › Ignition › Switch — 1

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 79,000 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL450 complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Unknown or Other · reported May 11, 2026
My tires were wearing on the inner sides, replaced tires and had a 4 wheel alignment. Rear wheel alignment could not be corrected due to severe rusted and corrosion. Mechanic said the rear sub frame needs replacing. They advised that I do not drive the vehicle because it is not safe. I have the wheel alignment printout. I only have 48,000 miles on vehicle and keep up with maintenance. The Mercedes Benz dealer quoted 8,000 to replace. This issue was known by Mercedes Benz which they did not disclose to owners. Very dangerous.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · at 120,000 miles · reported Aug 26, 2025
The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL450. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the message for brake and traction control failure was intermittently displayed, causing the cruise control to disengage. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with ha ydraulic control unit failure. The contact was informed that the hydraulic control unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact related the failure to two undisclosed recalls; however, the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The…
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · at 140,000 miles · reported Jun 25, 2024
The contact owned a 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL450. The contact stated that while driving and attempting to make a right turn, the vehicle failed to stop, which led him to rear-end a truck in front. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact sustained a fracture in the finger, and forehead injury caused by the impact with the steering wheel that required medical attention. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed, and the vehicle was deemed destroyed. The contact related the failure to the received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V315000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic).…
Parking Brake · at 284,000 miles · reported Nov 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL450. The contact stated that while reversing, the message "Release Parking Brake" was displayed. The contact stated that she engaged the parking brake release button. The contact was able to continue driving. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 284,000.
Engine · reported Oct 24, 2023
Check Engine Light came on and took it to the mechanic who identified low compression on cylinder #3. The injector was replaced which did not fix the issue since the vehicle lags when first accelerating. We were also informed of a service bulletin that included the issue with our vehicle and to take the car to the dealer. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who did not check the cylinder low compression/leakage issue because the check engine light wasn't on, which it would not be since it was recently serviced, and the number of miles required had not been driven for the check engine light to…

Other Mercedes-Benz GL450 years

Compare all Mercedes-Benz GL450 years · All Mercedes-Benz models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL450 have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL450: 24V-298 (service brakes, hydraulic), 22V-315 (service brakes, hydraulic), 16V-081 (air bags). Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL450?

Owners report air bags problems most often (34 reports), followed by suspension (9). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 79,000 miles.

Are Mercedes-Benz recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Mercedes-Benz dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.