YearToAvoid

2014 Mercedes-Benz GL550 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

43/100

#5 most-complained of 8 GL550 years

The 2014 Mercedes-Benz GL550 has a complaint index of 43 and ranks 5th out of 8 model years, earning a 'Good' verdict relative to other GL550 years. It has 10 complaints, 3 recalls, and no crashes or fires reported.

Complaints
10
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
0 / 0
Injuries / deaths
1 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
15
13 city / 18 hwy

Top 2014 Mercedes-Benz GL550 problems

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

  1. Engine3 (30%)
  2. Steering2 (20%)
  3. Suspension, Wheels & Tires2 (20%)
  4. Brakes1 (10%)
  5. Electrical System1 (10%)
  6. Other1 (10%)
  7. Seat Belts1 (10%)
  8. Structure & Body1 (10%)
  9. Transmission & Powertrain1 (10%)

What owners report

  • Front seat belt pre-tensioners activated on their own with no crash, releasing after a couple seconds, reported around 12,500 miles.
  • Rear headrests in the EZ-fold system would not extend or tilt back, making the back seat uncomfortable for children.
  • Steering-related oil foaming in the active curve system reservoir could cause oil to leak out through vent holes.
  • Steering wheel seized and the vehicle lost motive power while driving, with check engine and malfunction warning lights on, around 100,000 miles.
  • Engine developed a tapping noise traced to scored cylinder walls requiring engine replacement, and separately leaky exhaust valves triggered a check engine light around 104,000 miles.
  • Air suspension system ground and adjusted itself constantly while driving, along with a back camera that only worked with the radio on.
2014 Mercedes-Benz GL550 complaints: complaints filed per month3Sep 2014Jun 2018Aug 2023Aug 2024Aug 2026
13 complaints filed with NHTSA from Sep 2014 to Aug 2026; peak Aug 2026 (3).

2014 Mercedes-Benz GL550 recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 19V787000Nov 1, 2019Other24,226 vehiclesOver-the-air fix

    Communication

    Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2013-2017 vehicles due to a software fault that may cause the date and time for the emergency call system (eCall) to differ from the actual date and time, potentially relaying an inaccurate vehicle location. For a full list of the affected models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2019/RMISC-19V787-4620.pdf

    Risk: An inaccurate vehicle location may delay emergency responders, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: MBUSA has initiated an Over the Air (OTA) remote update. MBUSA will also notify owners, and dealers will check software for a successful OTA or update the communication module software as needed, free of charge. The recall began December 23, 2019. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2019120008.

  2. NHTSA 18V272000Apr 27, 2018Suspension, Wheels & Tires9,725 vehicles

    Suspension:front

    Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2012-2014 ML350 Bluetec 4Matic and ML550 4Matic, 2012-2015 ML63 AMG 4Matic and ML350 4Matic, 2013-2016 GL350 Bluetec 4Matic, GL550 4Matic and GL63 AMG 4Matic, 2017 GLS350d 4Matic, GLS450 4Matic, GLS550 4Matic and GLS63 AMG 4Matic, 2015 ML400 4Matic, 2016 GLE400 4Matic, GLE350 4Matic, GLE63 AMG 4Matic, GLE63S AMG 4Matic, GLE450 4Matic Coupe and GLE63S AMG 4Matic Coupe, 2015-2016 GL450 4Matic and 2013-2014 GL450 4Matic vehicles equipped with the Active Curve System (ACS). In certain driving conditions, if the oil level in the ACS reservoir is below the minimum level, the oil may foam and leak out of the vent holes in the reservoir cap.

    Risk: The leaking oil in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will correct the oil level as necessary and replace the reservoir sealing cap to prevent oil foam from leaking out, free of charge. The recall began August 30, 2018. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2018070015.

  3. NHTSA 14V158000Mar 31, 2014Other69 vehicles

    Child seat:latch strap

    Mercedes Benz USA, LLC (Mercedes) is recalling certain model year 2014 GL350 BlueTEC 4Matic, GL450 4Matic, GL550 4Matic, and GL63 AMG vehicles manufactured November 4, 2013, through November 15, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the foldable second row seat bottom may not fold down low enough to allow proper use of the child seat achors. As such, these vehicles do not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems."

    Risk: Without the use of the lower anchor points, a child restraint may be insufficiently or improperly anchored to the seat, increasing the risk of injury to the child in the event of a crash.

    Remedy: Mercedes will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the seat pan of the second row seat, free of charge. The recall began on May 2, 2014. Owners may contact Mercedes at 1-800-367-6372.

2014 Mercedes-Benz GL550 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.

2014 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
2012Avoid10083 !14
2013Caution576315
2014Good4310315
2015Good298315
2016No verdict141415

All Mercedes-Benz GL550 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2014 Mercedes-Benz GL550 reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2014 GL550 has a complaint index of 43 and ranks 5th of 8 model years, which earns it a 'Good' verdict compared to other GL550 years.
What problems does the 2014 GL550 have?
NHTSA lists 10 complaints for the 2014 GL550, with Engine issues making up 30% of them, followed by Steering and Suspension, Wheels & Tires at 20% each. Engine-related complaints had a median mileage of 104,000.
Does the 2014 GL550 have any recalls?
The 2014 GL550 has 3 recalls, covering an emergency call system software fault, a suspension oil reservoir issue, and a second-row seat pan inspection/replacement.
How does the 2014 GL550 compare to other years?
The 2014 model's complaint index of 43 is lower than the 2011 (86) and 2012 (100) model years, which are both rated 'Avoid,' but higher than the 2015 (29) and 2016 (14) model years.
What is the fuel economy of the 2014 GL550?
The 2014 GL550 gets an EPA-rated 15 mpg combined (13 city / 18 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $5,300.

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.