YearToAvoid

2021 Mercedes-Benz Glc300 Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 31 Engine complaints for the 2021 Mercedes-Benz Glc300, 47% of its 66 total complaints, with a median failure mileage of 7,000 miles. There is no related recall for this problem area.

Engine complaints
31
47% of 66
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
7,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Vehicle loses power and won't accelerate when the pedal is pressed, sometimes with the check engine light on, then returns to normal after a restart.
  • Engine stalls or shuts off suddenly while driving, in some cases with sputtering or hesitation before shutdown.
  • Vehicle refuses to accelerate past roughly 20-25 mph even with the throttle fully depressed, described as a repeated issue by more than one owner.
  • A valve spring broke early on, causing the engine to fail while driving at very low mileage.
  • An 'Add 1 quart of oil' warning escalated to a 'Stop driving' message, with the owner reporting the engine was already low on oil.
  • Owners report engine shaking, hesitation, and check engine light activation together at low speed, with one case tied to a leaking cylinder head valve and faulty injector.

When 2021 Mercedes-Benz Glc300 engine complaints were filed

First complaint Mar 8, 2021, latest Aug 30, 2026.

2021 Mercedes-Benz Glc300 engine complaints: complaints filed per month3Mar 2021Jun 2022Jan 2024Mar 2025Aug 2025Nov 2025Feb 2026
31 complaints filed with NHTSA from Mar 2021 to Aug 2026; peak Oct 2024 (3).

Engine recalls for the 2021 Mercedes-Benz Glc300

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by Glc300 model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 201644 (33%)
  2. 201738 (39%)
  3. 201829 (33%)
  4. 201913 (28%)
  5. 202022 (32%)
  6. 202131 (47%)
  7. 202215 (25%)
  8. 202316 (29%)
  9. 20247 (33%)
  10. 20254 (25%)

Frequently asked questions

How common are engine problems in the 2021 Mercedes-Benz Glc300?
NHTSA records 31 Engine complaints for the 2021 Glc300, which makes up 47% of all 66 complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2021 Mercedes-Benz Glc300 engine?
No. NHTSA lists no related recalls tied to this engine problem area for the 2021 Glc300.
At what mileage do 2021 Glc300 engine problems usually show up?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this engine problem area is 7,000 miles.
Did any 2021 Glc300 engine complaints involve a crash or fire?
NHTSA data shows 1 crash and 0 fires and 0 injuries linked to this engine problem area for the 2021 Glc300.
How does the 2021 Glc300 compare to other years for engine complaints?
The 2021 model year's 47% share of complaints tied to the engine is the highest among the years listed, compared to 25-39% share in other model years from 2016 to 2025.

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.