YearToAvoid

2011 Mercedes-Benz GL450 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

100/100

#1 most-complained of 8 GL450 years

The 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL450 ranks worst of 8 model years tracked, with a complaint index of 100 and 55 complaints, 62% tied to airbags. It carries 3 recalls, including 2 do-not-drive brake recalls, making it the year to avoid most in this model line.

Complaints
55
Recalls
3
incl. Do Not Drive
Crashes / fires
4 / 2
Injuries / deaths
3 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
15
13 city / 18 hwy

Top 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL450 problems

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

  1. Airbags34 (62%)
  2. Suspension, Wheels & Tires9 (16%)
  3. Brakes7 (13%)
  4. Electrical System4 (7%)
  5. Other3 (5%)
  6. Fuel System2 (4%)
  7. Transmission & Powertrain2 (4%)
  8. Engine1 (2%)
  9. Structure & Body1 (2%)

What owners report

  • Airbags fail to deploy during crashes, including side-impact and water-submersion collisions.
  • Owners report multiple curtain, rear, and other airbags failing and requiring replacement over the vehicle's life.
  • Electrical smoke was reported coming from under the passenger seat, followed by the vehicle catching fire.
  • Brakes reportedly fail to stop the vehicle in time, leading to a rear-end collision and injury.
  • The electronic ignition switch sometimes delays or fails to start the engine, occasionally stranding the driver.
  • Front struts wear unevenly, with owners reporting noise and replacement of one strut followed later by the other.
2011 Mercedes-Benz GL450 complaints: complaints filed per month7Feb 2011Aug 2016Nov 2017Jun 2018Nov 2018Apr 2021Oct 2023May 2026
63 complaints filed with NHTSA from Feb 2011 to May 2026; peak Nov 2017 (7).

2011 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.

2011 Mercedes-Benz GL450 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
13 MPG
Highway
18 MPG
Combined
15 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$5,300
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.

2011 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
2013Caution5737316

All Mercedes-Benz GL450 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL450 reliable?
Among the 8 model years tracked, the 2011 GL450 has the highest complaint index (100) and ranks worst, with an Avoid verdict relative to other GL450 years.
What is the biggest problem with the 2011 GL450?
Airbags are the top problem area, accounting for 62% of complaints (34 of 55), with a median failure mileage of 69,500 miles.
Does the 2011 GL450 have any recalls?
Yes, it has 3 recalls, two of which are do-not-drive brake recalls (24V298000 and 22V315000) related to moisture-caused corrosion, plus a Takata airbag recall (16V081000).
How does the 2011 GL450 compare to other years?
The 2011 GL450 has the highest complaint index of all years listed, well above 2016 (14) and 2017 (0), which are the best-rated years.

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.