Most common 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350 problems
Share of the 23 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mercedes-Benz GL350 complaints by model year
Best GL350 years: 2017, 2016, 2014. Years to avoid: 2010, 2012, 2011. Compare all years →
2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350 recalls (3)
Service brakes, hydraulic › Power assist › Vacuum
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.
Remedy: 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.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Power assist › Vacuum
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.
Remedy: 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.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
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,…
Remedy: 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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350:
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
What 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350 owners say
Air bags
Tl* Takata recall. The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16V081000 (air bags). The parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Mercedes-Benz of virginia beach (4949 virginia beach blvd, virginia beach, va) was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not available for the recall remedy. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and was not able to confirm when the parts were to become available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Tl* Takata recall. The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16V081000 (air bags) and stated that the part was not available within a reasonable time frame to schedule the recall repair. Ray catena of freehold Mercedes-Benz (4380 route 9 south, freehold, nj 07728, [phone]) stated that the part was unavailable. There was no mention of a loaner vehicle option from the dealer. The manufacturer was contacted. The contact was not experiencing a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine & cooling
The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350. The contact stated that while driving at 20 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed but failed to respond, causing the vehicle to decelerate. The check engine warning light illuminated. The contact continued to drive the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the exhaust valve pressure sensor and catalytic converter had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the dealer informed her that the failure was related to an unknown recall that would be issued in the 4th quarter of 2021. The dealer also advised the contact to continue to drive the vehicle in the meantime. The contact stated that the failure had reoccurred several times while driving and the vehicle had been jerking each time it was about to come to a complete stop. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350. The contact stated that the dealer had previously serviced the vehicle under an unknown diesel emission recall; however, the failure occurred after the recall repair was performed with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power with the check engine and ABS warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, and the ignition switch was replaced; however, the failure recurred. The dealer determined that the engine compartment fuse box needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,001.
Brakes
The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to respond and went all the way to the floorboard. The contact then pumped the brake pedal until the vehicle responded. However, there was 20-foot stopping distance delay. The warning message "Brake Fluid Low" was displayed. The contact veered to the side of the road. The contact then noticed a trail of brake fluid on the ground. The contact was able to refill the brake fluid reservoir. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the brake fit knots, the brake fitting union, and brake fluid line were repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V315000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. …
- The hard brake lines from the going to the rear axle ruptured during light braking. The corroded sections have been removed and are available. - I had no indication of a problem until I went to stop the vehicle. I was able to slow the vehicle down but could not keep it from moving forward with out being in neutral. Had there been another car in front of me or in traffic, I would not of been able to stop. - The problem cannot be reproduced by a dealer, since the corroded and ruptured section of the lines had to be replaced. There has been no inspection of the issue since no accident occurred. - No warning lamps or any indication of a problem until the brake pedal was applied. Pedal was firm then suddenly went to the floor (repeatedly). Only until all the fluid drained from the reservoir did the "brake" light come on.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350 a good car?
Based on 23 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2011 GL350 rates use caution: 2.1× as many complaints as a typical year of the GL350 at the same age. It is one of the GL350 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350?
The air bags — 9 complaints, 39% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the engine & cooling (6) and brakes (4).
How many recalls does the 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350 have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350, the most recent from April 26, 2024 (vacuum). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mercedes-Benz GL350?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2017, 2016 and 2014. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2010, 2012 and 2011. See the full Mercedes-Benz GL350 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 79,000 miles; 33% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.