Most common 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL450 problems
Share of the 115 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mercedes-Benz GL450 complaints by model year
Best GL450 years: 2017, 2009, 2016. Years to avoid: 2007, 2011, 2012, 2008, 2010. Compare all years →
2007 Mercedes-Benz GL450 recalls (2)
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.
What 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL450 owners say
Seats all 33 →
The contact owns a 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL450. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH in the rain, there was an abnormal smoke odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle then started filling up with smoke. The contact checked and became aware that the back of the front driver's seat was on fire. The contact was able to pull over and extinguish the fire with his hand. The contact sustained a little burn to his hand, but medical attention was not sought. The Fire Department was not contacted. Neither a Police nor Fire report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the seat needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but no assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 59,050.
While driving to work this morning, I turned on the drivers side seat warmer. Less than three minutes later, I noticed a strong odor followed by a considerable amount of smoke and heat coming from the side of the seat nearest the door. I felt what I thought was something poking me in the left rear pocket of my pants, and burned the back of my knuckle checking for the source of the heat. I immediately shut off the heater and pulled off at the first safe location. I exited the vehicle (a pall of smoke followed me) and knocked the smoking embers out of the vehicle (a hole larger than a quarter is burned in the seat). I also noticed a hole was burned through my pants. Apparently, I came very close to significant personal injury, not to mention the fact of possible loss of control of the vehicle. We called the dealer and they scheduled the car for next Monday. …
Electrical system all 27 →
The contact owns a 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL450. The contact stated that the SRS warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that while the dealer was servicing the air suspension strut failures, the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle had sustained severe water damage. The dealer informed the contact that the water had leaked from the sunroof through the headliner and onto the floor. The dealer informed the contact the water leak had caused mold on the headliner, and mold and corrosion on the floor, where the battery and electrical wires were located. The dealer informed the contact that the water entry had caused electrical failures, causing the driver's side and passenger's side third-row windows and the horn to become inoperable. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. …
While driving to work this morning, I turned on the drivers side seat warmer. Less than three minutes later, I noticed a strong odor followed by a considerable amount of smoke and heat coming from the side of the seat nearest the door. I felt what I thought was something poking me in the left rear pocket of my pants, and burned the back of my knuckle checking for the source of the heat. I immediately shut off the heater and pulled off at the first safe location. I exited the vehicle (a pall of smoke followed me) and knocked the smoking embers out of the vehicle (a hole larger than a quarter is burned in the seat). I also noticed a hole was burned through my pants. Apparently, I came very close to significant personal injury, not to mention the fact of possible loss of control of the vehicle. We called the dealer and they scheduled the car for next Monday. …
Transmission & drivetrain
The contact owns a 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL450. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission slipped and failed to shift into the intended gear. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The dealer replaced the transmission control module. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000. The contact stated that their vehicle still has not been repaired. The dealer nor the manufacturer have a remedy to fix the vehicle or accommodate him.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL450. While the vehicle was at a complete stop, it failed to shift gears without warning. The contact was able to pull the vehicle over, shut off and restart the vehicle, and then the gears operated correctly. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the vehicle went into limp mode and that the speed and pcu sensors failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL450 a good car?
Based on 115 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2007 GL450 rates avoid: 3.8× as many complaints as a typical year of the GL450 at the same age. It is one of the GL450 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 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL450?
The seats — 33 complaints, 29% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the electrical system (27) and transmission & drivetrain (17).
How many recalls does the 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL450 have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL450, 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 GL450?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2017, 2009 and 2016. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2007, 2011, 2012, 2008 and 2010. See the full Mercedes-Benz GL450 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL450 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 80,000 miles; 27% 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.