YearToAvoid

2012 Mercedes-Benz GL550 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

100/100

#1 most-complained of 8 GL550 years

The 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL550 ranks worst of 8 model years tracked, with a Complaint Index of 100 and 3 recalls, two of them do-not-drive brake corrosion recalls. Airbags account for 75% of complaints, mostly tied to delayed Takata recall repairs.

Complaints
8
Recalls
3
incl. Do Not Drive
Crashes / fires
1 / 0
Injuries / deaths
2 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
14
12 city / 17 hwy

Top 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL550 problems

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

  1. Airbags6 (75%)
  2. Electrical System2 (25%)
  3. Brakes1 (13%)
  4. Other1 (13%)
  5. Structure & Body1 (13%)
  6. Suspension, Wheels & Tires1 (13%)

What owners report

  • Turn signal light module fails, leaving the rear turn signal dark while driving at low speed.
  • Owners report long delays getting Takata airbag recall parts, with some waiting over a year or more than 3 years for replacement.
  • Airbag recall repairs remain unavailable at dealers even after multiple notification campaigns.
  • Brake booster recall inspections find corrosion exceeding allowed limits, triggering a stop-drive order with no loaner vehicle offered.
  • Some owners say resale value dropped because the unfinished Takata airbag recall stayed open for years.
2012 Mercedes-Benz GL550 complaints: complaints filed per month3May 2016Mar 2017Nov 2017Dec 2017Apr 2019Aug 2022Jan 2025
12 complaints filed with NHTSA from May 2016 to Jan 2025; peak May 2016 (3).

2012 Mercedes-Benz GL550 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 GL550 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
12 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.

2012 compared with other GL550 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
2010No verdict7133 !14
2011Avoid86153 !14
2012Avoid10083 !14
2013Caution576315
2014Good4310315

All Mercedes-Benz GL550 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Should I avoid the 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL550?
Among the 8 GL550 model years with data, 2012 has the highest Complaint Index (100) and ranks worst overall, so it carries an Avoid verdict relative to other GL550 years.
What is the top problem area for the 2012 GL550?
Airbags make up 75% of complaints (6 of 8), largely tied to delayed Takata recall repairs, with a median failure mileage of 53,500 miles.
Does the 2012 GL550 have any do-not-drive recalls?
Yes. Two of its three recalls, both for brake corrosion (campaigns 24V298000 and 22V315000), carry a do-not-drive advisory.
How does the 2012 GL550 compare to other years?
2012's Complaint Index of 100 is higher than 2011 (86), 2013 (57), 2014 (43), 2015 (29), 2016 (14), and 2017 (0), making it the worst-ranked GL550 year.
What is the fuel economy of the 2012 GL550?
EPA rates the 2012 GL550 at 14 mpg combined (12 city/17 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $5,700.

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.