Most common 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL550 problems
Share of the 8 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mercedes-Benz GL550 complaints by model year
Best GL550 years: 2016, 2017, 2010. Years to avoid: 2011. Compare all years →
2012 Mercedes-Benz GL550 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 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL550:
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 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL550 owners say
Air bags
I purchased a this vehicle at a dealership Laurel Ford as is no warranty for $14,000 and not even in a week of me having it the key fob was not working and it's been giving me problems so now it's not is not reading the ignition switch and it won't turn on it's not drivable, and I have small three kids. I love it but the headache I can't deal. Please help!!!!
Takata recall - I had head-on collision accident on 02/03/2015, steering wheel and leg air bag was deployed, but caused me injury after it deployed to my hand, fingers and knees. Once leg air bad deployed, my right kneed hit the switch underneath the driver seat and caused injury. Mercedes don't install this switch underneath the seat anymore and I believe there was flaw in design and location of this switch and now they changed the location of switch. They might have found something in their testing. Please see pictures of my injuries on fingers caused by steering wheel airbag and knee injury by leg air bad hitting the switch. I have more pictures of accident scene and would like to share. Around 8:05 am I left my home to go to work. When I was on bridge near the fire station, I saw silver car came in my lane and driving towards me. …
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL550 a good car?
Based on 8 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2012 GL550 rates average: 1.3× as many complaints as a typical year of the GL550 at the same age. 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 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL550?
The air bags — 6 complaints, 75% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the body & structure (1) and wheels & tires (1).
How many recalls does the 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL550 have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL550, 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 GL550?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2016, 2017 and 2010. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2011. See the full Mercedes-Benz GL550 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL550 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 61,000 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.