Most common 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL450 problems
Share of the 55 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 →
2008 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 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL450 owners say
Steering all 21 →
The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL450. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal shaking coming from the engine while attempting to steer the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the power steering reservoir and the power steering lines were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 196,000.
Me and my wife own a 2008 Mercedes-Benz gl-450. It started generated power steering problem on us since July 2017. During any driving time, when we step the brake to slow down speed, the power steer becomes very hard to turn regardless its on freeway or local street. The steer takes tremendous effort to control on lower speed and makes it specially hard to park. We took the car to a local mechanic for a check up since the warranty has expired. The power steering fluid level was fine and it might encounter a power steering pump failure according to the mechanic. Due to the mechanic's research later on, he discovered that there were a huge numbers of recall for the same power steering problems on the same model, same year of our car. With the suggestion of the mechanic, we checked the recall information on Mercedes-Benz official website with the VIN. …
Suspension
On April 30th 2009 while driving car slipped into low gear on its own. On May 1st while pulling out of a driveway and going to make a left turn on a major road the car again slipped into low gear. Ten minutes later while easing into a shopping center parking spot the car shot forward and crashed into a concrete pillar. I was driving the car and injured my wrist and my mother who was in the passenger seat injured her ankle. The air bags didn't deploy. Car was sent to authorized Mercedes auto body shop repaired then sent to Mercedes dealership where they checked the car and said no problems were found with the car. On July 7th while stopped at a red light at railroad tracks the light turned green I stepped on the accelerator and the car didn't move I couldn't understand what was the matter and when I looked at the gear indicator the car was in low gear which happened again on its own. …
Airmatic suspension components continue to fail on this vehicle. Airmatic air pump was first replaced dec 2013 at 71,000mi. Front suspension air springs failed and suspension struts have both been replaced, oct 2014 at 85,000 mi. Rear suspension air springs failed and have were replaced, July 2015 at 101,600mi. Airmatic air pump was replaced again along with the suspension valve block was replaced , nov 2015 at 107,300mi. After discussion with dealership they only warrant repair for 12 mos and informed us that Mercedes does not have recall or provide customer support to replace these items unless paid for by customers. Front air springs deflated during trip driving at highway speed , suspension dropped down and had to pull over. Had to drive vehicle to dealership with suspension dropped down on frame stops. …
Engine & cooling
Last Wednesday Morning June 06, 2023 I started vehicle up to move it closer to my apartment. Once I shifted into "Drive", immediately the engine revved up and vehicle accelerated in high rate of speed across the parking lot, I was applying the brakes, but they were not stopping the vehicle, it then slammed into wooded area and crashed head first into creek beyond the wooded area. I was dazed and bleeding from cut beneath my nose, I climbed out of vehicle and back up the incline the vehicle crashed downward into. Baltimore County Police responded and I explained to Officer what had happened. He advised me to contact my Insurance Carrier and wrote the Incident Report #. During the time while awaiting my vehicle's retrieval from the wooded area, I then photographed and video recorded the damages once retrieved. …
The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL450. The contact stated while driving approximately 10 MPH and approaching a stop light, an unknown "malfunction" warning light illuminated. The contact attempted to veer to the side of the road but noticed that the steering wheel had lost power steering functionality. The contact then forcefully steered the steering wheel and veered into the right turn lane. The contact turned off the vehicle and turned on her hazard lights. Upon restarting the vehicle, the contact noticed that the power steering functionality had not returned. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 08V682000 (Steering). The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL450 a good car?
Based on 55 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 GL450 rates use caution: 1.6× 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 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL450?
The steering — 21 complaints, 38% of all complaints for this model year, most often about hydraulic power assist system. Next are the suspension (15) and engine & cooling (7).
How many recalls does the 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL450 have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2008 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 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL450 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 70,000 miles; 39% 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.