YearToAvoid

2012 Mercedes-Benz GL450 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

86/100

#2 most-complained of 8 GL450 years

The 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL450 has a complaint index of 86 and ranks 2nd worst out of 8 model years, earning an Avoid verdict. Airbags account for 46% of complaints, with 3 recalls including 2 do-not-drive brake recalls.

Complaints
46
Recalls
3
incl. Do Not Drive
Crashes / fires
3 / 0
Injuries / deaths
2 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
15
13 city / 18 hwy

Top 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL450 problems

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

  1. Airbags21 (46%)
  2. Brakes9 (20%)
  3. Suspension, Wheels & Tires8 (17%)
  4. Transmission & Powertrain5 (11%)
  5. Seat Belts3 (7%)
  6. Electrical System2 (4%)
  7. Fuel System2 (4%)
  8. Other2 (4%)
  9. Steering1 (2%)

What owners report

  • Electronic shifter unexpectedly moves from park into reverse while the driver is outside the vehicle, causing the SUV to roll and strike bystanders.
  • Brake pedal is depressed at highway speed but fails to stop the vehicle, resulting in a collision and airbag deployment.
  • Engine and power steering suddenly cut out at highway speed in wet conditions, restarting briefly before dying again.
  • Rear middle seat belt fractures without warning at low speed.
  • Front air suspension develops a leak around high mileage, with owners expecting the rear suspension to follow.
  • Takata airbag recall parts remain unavailable for over a year, leaving the driver frontal inflator unreplaced despite dealer visits.
2012 Mercedes-Benz GL450 complaints: complaints filed per month5Sep 2015May 2017Dec 2017Oct 2018Apr 2019Jul 2022Aug 2023
53 complaints filed with NHTSA from Sep 2015 to Aug 2026; peak Oct 2017 (5).

2012 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.

2012 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.

2012 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
2014Good2921316

All Mercedes-Benz GL450 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL450 reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2012 GL450 ranks 2nd worst among 8 model years with a complaint index of 86, so it carries an Avoid verdict relative to other GL450 years.
What is the biggest problem with the 2012 GL450?
Airbags are the top problem area, making up 46% of complaints (21 of 46), largely tied to the Takata airbag recall (campaign 16V081000).
Does the 2012 GL450 have any do-not-drive recalls?
Yes. Two of its three recalls, both covering brake corrosion issues (campaigns 24V298000 and 22V315000), are labeled do-not-drive by NHTSA.
What year GL450 should I avoid instead?
The 2011 GL450 has a higher complaint index of 100 and is also rated Avoid, while 2016 and later years score much lower and are rated Best or Good.
At what mileage do 2012 GL450 problems typically appear?
NHTSA data lists a median mileage at failure of 57,500 across reported complaints for this year.

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.