Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC300 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Often after starting the car, inside the car there is a gas smell that we have to closed the vents as it becomes unhealthy until the smell goes away, it last up to 10 minutes. I have taking the car to my mechanic who specializes on Mercedes and could not find any leaks and/or anything wrong. My other issue is that during the raining season when I put my foot on the breaks it makes this loud sound like an airplane landing that I have to release and press and release and press so the car will slow down. My mechanic have done multiple inspections and finds nothing wrong. My third issue is the suspension, driving on freeways at speeds over 55 mph I feel a lot of shaking between front wheels and I can feel every single bump. Again, my mechanic has found nothing wrong that even checked for recalls and has told me that there are no recalls for this vehicle. …
Continuous problem with brakes squealing very loud. Have had brake pads replaced and taken to dealership multiple times to no resolution. It is a huge problem with how loud it is not to mention unsafe and making me feel uneasy about them giving out at any time. This is ongoing from several years ago
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC300. While driving 5 MPH, the brakes malfunctioned without warning. The contact depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle surged forward independently. As a result, the vehicle crashed into the contact's barn. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was not filed. The contact sustained severe whiplash to the neck and wrist pain from the crash. Medical atttention was required. The vehicle was towed to Mercedes-Benz of fairfield (2950 auto mall pkwy, fairfield, ca 94533), but the dealer could not duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue by voicemail, but never called back. The failure mileage was approximately 6,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 Mercedes-Benz glc300w. While making a right turn to park, the vehicle accelerated automatically and crashed into a building. The contact stated that the brakes failed to stop the vehicle. A police report was filed and there were no injuries. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was notified of failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 23,000.
I purchased a brand new 2016 Mercedes Benz GLC300 in December of 2015. Over the past 6 months, the vehicle has begun making a terrible screeching noise when I lightly press the brakes while in reverse. The noise has gotten so loud and painful to the ear that I reflexively take my foot of the brakes causing me to roll backwards faster than necessary. I recently took the vehicle in for its 10,000 mile service during which I indicated that the car was making a "screeching" noise while in reverse with the brakes applied lightly ("feathering"). I was told by the service technician that Mercedes was aware of the issue and will issue guidance soon. I was given my vehicle back with no temporary solution whatsoever. …
Leased the car with 4,000 miles on it (it was a loaner) and after driving it for a couple of weeks the brakes started to squeal when backing up. Called service and I was told this was "normal" because of the humidity in the air. Dealt with it for another couple of weeks and called service again. This time I was told there was a "problem" with the brake pads and they were waiting to get them from Germany but it was "not a safety issue". I'm very upset that they knew all about this when I leased the car in September 2016 and never said a word about it. Extremely upset by how this is being handled by Mercedes. Never did I expect to have a problem like this with a $50,000 car!!!! Mercedes should make due on this and let the customer return the vehicle. Why should I be paying for this vehicle every month and not having this issue fixed? …
The vehicle was purchased brand new in March 2016. A couple of months later the vehicle started squeaking whenever it was put in reverse and the brakes applied. The dealer said Mercedes was aware of the problem and working on a fix but there was nothing they could do at this time. The squeak became louder and louder over time. It actually would irritate people with the noise it made. After waiting a year the vehicle was brought in for its first service. The dealer reluctantly changed the brake pads and let us take the vehicle home. It screeched the next morning. It was returned to the dealer. They applied some compound on the rotors. That seemed to work for a day or two. It was not an authorized Mercedes solution and the dealer did say it May not work. Right now we have a vehicle that screeches loudly and can't get rid of it. …
Mercedes Benz GLC300 brakes began to squeal soon after purchase. This was noticed when backing up after vehicle sat for a while, rotors and pads cool. Reported to dealer, but they did not seem concerned or mention any known problem related to glc 300 brake noise. I did not press the issue at the time as I thought it might go away after the pads were broken in. Unfortunately the problem has gotten progressively worse. Now it even squeals when going forward if you lightly apply the brakes, again this is when the pads are cool. The dealer now says that this is not a covered issue, since I have more than 10000 miles. Many references to this issue are easily found on the internet for this particular vehicle.
Squealing brakes! At around 6K miles the brakes starting squealing. It was very loud and embarrassing. We took it in and they replaced the brakes, the issue still persisted. We've since been told the manufacturer accidentally packaged the defective brakes so our defective brakes were replaced with another set of defective brakes. That was six months ago (4/2017 now) and we are still having the squealing issue and have not been of made aware of when the manufacturer will actually have the correct replacement brakes. This is completely unacceptable and gives me absolutely no confidence in the Mercedes Benz brand.
The brakes have a loud piercing screech when brakes are applied. It started out as an occasional noise and now it is constant. I have contacted mb customer service as well as the dealership where I purchased my vehicle. All admit that mb is aware of the issue but have no fix or solution. It is well documented with several complaints on all of mb social media sites. I am being told this is not a safety issue and the vehicle is " safe " to drive but this is unacceptable and I am afraid to drive my vehicle now especially traveling on the freeway because my brakes scream whenever they are applied.
Brake complaints in other GLC300 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC300?
NHTSA has 27 complaints about the brakes of the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC300, 20% of the model year's 133 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC300 brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC300, though it has 12 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC300 brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 6,000 miles, and 95% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to brakes problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.