YearToAvoid

2010 Mercedes-Benz GL450 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

71/100

#3 most-complained of 8 GL450 years

The 2010 Mercedes-Benz GL450 has a Complaint Index of 71, ranking 3rd worst of 8 model years, with a Caution verdict. NHTSA lists 42 complaints, 3 recalls including 2 do-not-drive brake recalls, and airbags account for 50% of complaints.

Complaints
42
Recalls
3
incl. Do Not Drive
Crashes / fires
1 / 1
Injuries / deaths
1 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
14
13 city / 17 hwy

Top 2010 Mercedes-Benz GL450 problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags21 (50%)
  2. Brakes10 (24%)
  3. Electrical System5 (12%)
  4. Suspension, Wheels & Tires5 (12%)
  5. Engine1 (2%)
  6. Other1 (2%)
  7. Steering1 (2%)
  8. Transmission & Powertrain1 (2%)
  9. Visibility & Wipers1 (2%)

What owners report

  • Owners report the driver's side head-rest airbag deploying unexpectedly while driving, unrelated to any crash.
  • A fire started underneath the glovebox after a burnt rubber odor was noticed while driving, requiring fire department response and destroying the vehicle.
  • The brake pedal became stuck while driving downhill, causing the vehicle to become airborne and crash into a house.
  • Front and rear air suspension components failed repeatedly, including the air compressor that supplies the system.
  • Rear tailgate assemblies on both sides failed intermittently, triggering warning lights in the instrument cluster.
  • The transmission valve body failed, causing problems shifting up and down at speeds under 40 mph.
2010 Mercedes-Benz GL450 complaints: complaints filed per month4Jan 2013Oct 2016Oct 2017Feb 2018Jan 2019Jul 2022Jul 2024Mar 2026
46 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jan 2013 to Mar 2026; peak Oct 2017 (4).

2010 Mercedes-Benz GL450 recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

2010 Mercedes-Benz GL450 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
13 MPG
Highway
17 MPG
Combined
14 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$5,700
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2010 compared with other GL450 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)025507510020102011201220132014201520162017
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010Caution71423 !14
2011Avoid100553 !15
2012Avoid86463 !15

All Mercedes-Benz GL450 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2010 Mercedes-Benz GL450 reliable?
Based on NHTSA complaints and recalls, the 2010 GL450 carries a Caution verdict with a Complaint Index of 71, ranking 3rd worst among the 8 model years with data.
What is the biggest problem area for the 2010 GL450?
Airbags are the top problem area, making up 50% of the 42 complaints filed with NHTSA, with a median failure mileage of 110,000 miles.
Does the 2010 GL450 have any do-not-drive recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 3 total recalls for the 2010 GL450, and 2 of them are do-not-drive recalls related to brake corrosion from moisture accumulation.
How does the 2010 GL450 compare to other GL450 years?
The 2010 GL450's Complaint Index of 71 is worse than 2013 through 2016, which range from 57 down to 14, but better than 2011 and 2012, which score 100 and 86.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.