2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
CautionComplaint Index
71/100
#3 most-complained of 8 GL350 years
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
The 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350 has 23 NHTSA complaints and a Complaint Index of 71, ranking 3rd worst of 8 model years. It carries a Caution verdict, with airbags (39% of complaints) and engine issues (26%) as the top concerns, plus 2 do-not-drive brake recalls.
- Complaints
- 23
- Recalls
- 3
- incl. Do Not Drive
- Crashes / fires
- 0 / 0
- Injuries / deaths
- 0 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- —
Top 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350 problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Airbags9 (39%)
- Engine6 (26%)
- Brakes4 (17%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires2 (9%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras1 (4%)
- Other1 (4%)
- Seat Belts1 (4%)
- Steering1 (4%)
What owners report
- Power steering assist fails suddenly at low speed, producing an abnormal grinding noise, sometimes recurring after column replacement.
- Engine oil cooler develops a leak on the V6 diesel Bluetec engine, sometimes appearing shortly after a dealer oil change.
- Timing chain elongates over tens of thousands of miles, raising concern about engine stall and possible transmission or wheel seizure.
- Rear seat belt mechanism fails to retract and cannot be repaired or replaced under warranty.
- Owners report the Takata airbag recall repair parts were unavailable for well over a year, leaving the defective airbag in place.
- Suspension system shows a malfunction warning, compressor overheating, roaring noise at idle, and a burnt smell inside the cabin.
2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350 recalls
3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 24V298000Apr 26, 2024Brakes15,604 vehiclesDo Not Drive
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.
Risk: Reduced brake performance or brake failure can increase the risk of a crash.
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. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 24, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MMUSA's number for this recall is 2024050001/2. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 22V-315.
- NHTSA 22V315000May 9, 2022Brakes350,294 vehiclesDo Not Drive
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.
Risk: Reduced brake performance or brake failure can increase the risk of a crash.
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. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 30, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's numbers for this recall are 2022050014, 2022050015 2022090006, & 2022090007.
- NHTSA 16V081000Feb 11, 2016Airbags711,159 vehicles
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, and E63 AMG, 2011-2012 GL350 BlueTec 4Matic and R350 BlueTec 4Matic, 2009-2012 GL450 4Matic, GL550 4Matic and R350 4Matic, 2007-2008 SLK280, SLK350, and SLK55 AMG, 2011-2014 SLS AMG Coupe, 2012 SLS AMG Cabriolet, 2013-2014 SLS AMG GT and SLS AMG GT Cabriolet, 2005 C230 Kompressor and C320, 2006-2007 C230, 2006-2011 C350, 2008-2011 C300 and C300 4Matic, 2010-2012 GLK350 and GLK350 4Matic and 2007-2008 Chrysler Crossfire vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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. This recall began November 2016. Mercedes-Benz owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372 and Chrysler owners may contact Fiat Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.
2011 compared with other GL350 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350 reliable?
- NHTSA lists 23 complaints for the 2011 GL350 and a Complaint Index of 71, giving it a Caution verdict. It ranks 3rd worst among the 8 model years with data, better than 2010 and 2012 but worse than 2013-2015.
- What are the most common problems on the 2011 GL350?
- Airbags account for 39% of complaints and engine issues account for 26%, followed by brakes at 17%. Median mileage at failure across all reported issues is 79,255 miles.
- Does the 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350 have recalls?
- Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2011 GL350, including 2 do-not-drive brake recalls (campaigns 24V298000 and 22V315000) tied to corrosion from moisture accumulation, and one airbag recall (16V081000).
- Which GL350 years should I avoid instead of 2011?
- According to complaint index scores, 2012 (100) and 2010 (86) are worse, both rated Avoid, while 2011 sits at 71 with a Caution rating.